This year has been a wild ride. Not just for Blues fans (and, we guess, for the team, too) but for Game Time as well. With the great run our team made and our move over to the SBN, we've seen our number of daily readers jump dramatically.
This has been fun for us and for all of you old-timers who remember when we were that smartassy wordpress blog that you didn't want to tell your friends about because you were keeping it to yourself (and for the real old-timers who remember the blogspot site you didn't tell your friends about because it was basically crappy). SBN's relationships with Yahoo sports and NHL.com have given us greater visibility. The Blues' inspiring run has given us more people who were interested in the team.
And while all of that is great, we couldn't help but notice a couple comments in the last GDT where people said, "see you guys next year."
So, while we know there's no need to explain it to the old guys, this is more for all of the new community members: We're not going away just because it's the off-season.
Our GDTs have become epic, we know, but please, don't be a stranger during the summer. Here's a taste of what we have planned for you:
- Daily morning links. We tried to talk them out of it, but the Linkrats/Ministers of Disinformation have rogered up to continuing your morning daily link dump. Personally, we're thrilled because it's a daily piece neither Brad nor I could do, but one we can no longer do without. Averagejoe and Poor College Student will continue to help you waste your morning every day.
- We've just moved into the Game Time Prospect Department's favorite time of the year. Expect to see a nice stretch of breakdowns of players available in the draft that are Blues-type draftees and potential upsides of the players. The GTPD has a solid record in predicting players the Blues will move on, so expect this to be an interesting series.
- Unless the only funny bone in your body is when you're sitting on Kelly Chase's lap, you enjoy our One-Act Theater pieces. As the editiorial staff (snicker) discussed today, the summer is rife with opportunities to do more of them. Why let reality get in the way of a good blowing the jobs joke, right?
- You like the predictable? We got that, too. Expect to see the stories on potential free agents, any NHL news and how it affects the Blues and all the other rigamarole that goes with being some sort of hockey blog.
- Dick jokes. You guys like dick jokes, right?
- The Hockey Prof on Fridays. We all know he's used to the schedule of an academic, but he should have read the fine print, because he's on the hook through the summer, too. Where else are you going to get your low-hockey breakdowns and blue alcohol recipes anyway?
- Ah, the late night polls. You know what's fun? When you're up too late drinking on a school/work night and you're surfing the internet for no discernible reason? Yeah, we'll be here.
- Consistency, baby. We have no intention on slowing down the pace around here. A pace that has been described as 'breakneck' and akin to 'trying to jump onto a moving train' if you don't stop by for a while. Hell, we'll get to know our kids when they're older and cooler. You know, like when they want us to buy beer for them and we figure that if we buy it they'll like us more and might even let us hang around their parties as long as we promise not to embarrass them and also promise to answer the door if the cops show up.
- You guys. While SBN has provided us a lot of visibility, it has provided us with something else even better: tools for you to control the direction of the site. Your FanPosts are excellent. Your FanShots are incredible. And as you've seen, we have no problem promoting the best of them onto the front page of the site. When we drop the ball, you're there to pick it up. Keep up your great work on the rail and you're guaranteed to see it as the top story at some point.
So, once again, old guys show the new guys. This site isn't a book and it isn't closed until the new season starts. Come back early and often and we'll do our best to keep you entertained until we can get back to going absolutely ape for the boys in the Note again.
Just 160-plus days to go until they drop the puck, right?