What to Expect from this Blog, this Website
Writing a blog for a website is what started all of this. Check that. Being really into sports, as both a participant and a spectator, at an early age is what started all of this. Once the music stopped, I needed an outlet.
Truth be told, the music never played all that loud or with any rhythm, for Yours Truly as an athlete. I participated, but I was a scout team guy. If you haven't seen Rudy, the scout team guys are the ones that get the starters and key reserves ready for game day by mimicking the upcoming opponents' playbooks--our true value resided in the fact no one cared if we were injured.
Why be so forthcoming? Couldn't I just let everyone who wasn't there assume my backstory included some true glory days on the field? I could, but I feel like the omission regarding my own mediocrity would be a disingenuous sell to my listeners. We like to be as goofy as our late night time slot invites us to be, but through all of that, I still like to think I exist as this "voice of reason."
Being reasonable starts with truth. Truth starts with abandonment of dishonesty. If facts strongly dispute or downright disprove your thesis, abandon said thesis. Understand what's reasonable, and if the ground you're standing on is built on a foundation of exceptions, outliers, and rare occurrences, re-shape your argument. Don't be dishonest.
Of course, being reasonable is often confused with going by the book. The book isn't always right though, so there are places to challenge authority, to challenge the mainstream. You won't see us going the contrarian angle, just for the sake of doing so. However, I think if we've learned anything over the last couple of years or so, we should know the ideas of the many are simply not the best ideas.
What I beg of myself, and kindly ask of others, is to understand the whole before we start nitpicking the parts. Being shortsighted is bad. Being shortsighted knowingly, and without a care about it, is literally ignorant and possibly dangerous. Understanding the whole is often challenging. The best words can be the ones left unsaid.
Being the strong silent type doesn't exactly fly when you're manning the microphone 4 nights a week, so a quick rebuttal to my own thoughts might come out and leave everyone wondering where I stand. I'm subject to allowing new information sway me in a different direction, but let me promise you what I say on the air is forever genuine, even the stuff that doesn't hold up well in the long run.
That is who I am. As far as what to expect here, it's self-promotion. Listen to the radio show, watch the videos and other stuff on the social media feeds, read the blog (assuming I write regularly enough for you to check in). I'm mostly inviting you to follow along and to engage. I sincerely hope I've made you feel welcome enough to do so.
PS - My name is Jeff Rich, and I am a recovering double spacer. I vow to leave no more than one space between sentences on this website.