The biggest question hovering over this site since it debuted on New Year's Day 2010 was "What's next?"
Well, that answer is finally here.
After 14 months of continuing the sort of coverage readers grew accustomed to while D1scourse was lodged at the Washington Times before it eliminated its sports department, here's some good news.
I have accepted a full-time job.
("Well, that had to happen eventually," you think).
The job involves covering Maryland and other D.C.-area college sports.
("OK, that makes sense," you muse).
And it is at the Washington Times.
("Whaaaaa?" you say).
Yeah, typing that last line threw me for a bit of a loop, too.
The Times is bringing back its sports department in the coming weeks, and I'm certainly looking forward to getting back to doing what I love on a full-time basis.The last year and change has offered plenty of lessons; an important one is an even greater realization of how much I enjoy my work and how uncommon that really is.
Yes, it has the unmistakable feeling of a mini-Brigadoon, coming back after a period of time (though much less than a century) and finding everything the way it was before. But in a lot of ways, it's an exciting and fresh start, with the time and resources to do some interesting work while continuing to provide coverage in familiar surroundings.
The D1scourse blog will return to the Times within the next couple weeks, and will be along for the ride at the tail end of Maryland's regular season, the CAA and ACC tournaments and quite a bit more in the next month. Bracketology will wind up there as well, along with lacrosse coverage and (eventually) spring football.
In short, pretty much all the things typically covered at the original D1scourse and this version of it will be included on the next stop as well.
I'll delve into this deeper sometime in the next few days, but thanks to everyone who has taken the time to visit the site over the last 14 months. I should have a few more details ironed out soon, and hopefully will be able to offer a more extensive rundown of what is to come in the next few days. For now, coverage will continue here.
As for the future, what's old really is new again. Hopefully a whole lot of readers will be happy to follow that journey to see how it all works out.
Congrats Patrick, long time reader, first time commenter. Thank you for all that you've done.
Posted by: Andy | 02/18/2011 at 01:29 PM
Congratulations - I too have been a long time reader, twitter follower, etc.
Your analysis is great,and it is good to know a knowledgeable reporter such as yourself will be covering the CAA.
Posted by: Scott | 02/18/2011 at 02:28 PM
You truly are the best.
Posted by: Terpfan2011 | 02/19/2011 at 02:30 AM
Congrats, Patrick. Thank you so much for keeping at it.
Posted by: Jesse | 02/19/2011 at 10:29 AM
Patrick, congrats on the new/old gig! I've enjoyed reading your blogs and getting the inside scoop on my Terps.
Your blog posts were refreshing, especially since many of the other Terp blogs out there seem to be writing at a 4th grade level. In all seriousness, congrats and I look forward to reading your work at the Times.
Posted by: Patrick | 02/19/2011 at 10:47 AM
Congrats Patrick! For my money, you offer far and away the best coverage of Terps athletics.
Posted by: Andrew | 02/19/2011 at 12:01 PM
Awesome news. Congrats, Pat!
Posted by: Bill OB | 02/19/2011 at 12:32 PM
Congratulations. As a charter and continuing subscriber of the Times to this day, I am glad you're back. Good things happen to good people.
Posted by: jon stover | 02/20/2011 at 10:19 AM
Congrats on the steady employment, Patrick. With your talent and work ethic, I'm not surprised.
But a newspaper expanding? That's a shocking story.
Posted by: Poboy | 02/21/2011 at 10:18 AM
Another newspaper often attacked by the left in this country is also expanding. It's called the Wall St. Journal. Hopefully, the TImes and the Examiner will join forces to bring some balance to the print world.
Posted by: jon stover | 02/21/2011 at 09:44 PM
It's nice to your blog.
Posted by: Coach Wallets | 02/24/2011 at 03:26 AM
Is your salary the same?
Posted by: Trial Lawyer | 02/25/2011 at 12:41 AM
Safe to say its a lot more than what I was making over the last 14 months.
Posted by: D1scourse | 02/25/2011 at 11:06 AM
Great news, Pat. Happy for you. See ya in Greensboro!
Posted by: Larry Williams | 02/28/2011 at 08:03 AM
Fantastic news on many levels.
Posted by: Mike | 02/28/2011 at 12:54 PM
One of the best things about your old blog (this blog) was the full-text RSS feed.... Now we get nothing but the title from washingtontimes.com ... For people who read a lot on smartphones, it might be too much of a hassle to be opening and switching between the new windows now required to read this blog. Unfortunate..
Also they require you to log-in for comments, which is a hassle too..
Posted by: Shawn | 03/01/2011 at 07:26 PM