It's Better To Burn Out Than To Fade Away

Five years ago, I stumbled upon a site that offered Virginia Tech sports coverage and a community experience that was unrivaled on the internet. It was a site that allowed me the opportunity to speak my mind about Virginia Tech sports without reprisal or judgment and to offer my unique insights in a format that is the perfect combination of news and opinion. That site I speak of is this site: Gobbler Country. Ever since I joined as a member and wrote my first post, I have been hooked. For a long time, writing for and participating on the site was a cathartic part of my Virginia Tech fanhood, and often a necessity to keeping my sanity.

Over the last two months, our most fastidious readers have probably noticed a change in the amount of content we've been putting out. Even the more casual reader has probably noticed the fewer posts and an absence in our presence on Twitter/social media. The reason behind this is that I have decided to step away as the managing editor of the site and have been running it with limited effort.

There once was a time when I was willing to devote my complete schedule to making this the best Virginia Tech blog/news site on the internet, but that time is no more. I lost my passion for writing and slipped into a deep depression late in the year. It also didn't help that Virginia Tech football and basketball have increasingly become less and less fun to watch and consequently to write about. It became a chore. So I want to pass the site on to someone who has the passion and will run the site with the attention and devotion it requires. That person is Chuck Workman, our own flyers13.

I want to thank everyone who played a part in the site's success; the site's founder and former manager, furrer4heisman, my colleagues on staff during that time, the writers who devoted much of their time to bring you the best coverage out there, and of course all of you, the readers. Without you, this isn't nearly as much fun as it has been. But the biggest thank you has to go out to my former girlfriend, Valerie Ramirez, who you may remember for using the signature Mrs. Chicagomaroon, for putting up with the weird hours, reading through the thousands of words of copy and having to watch and attend games with me which I spent live-tweeting. That put a stress on our relationship that we were unable to work through, and so I apologize that I let that get in the way of something special.

Unlike Ryan, who got out while he still had the girl (you gotta tell me how you did that man), I waited too long and I lost THE ONE. Despite pouring myself into the site afterwards and the unmatched success that came with that, it put things in perspective for me. It taught me what was REALLY important in life. So now, I daresay that I don't want to spend the rest of my life groveling over a computer screen. As much as I have enjoyed running the ship and the relationships that it has formed, it is time to step away.

Thank you all once again, from those of you I worked with on the site and throughout the network in my time with Gobbler Country and the SB Nation Rest Regional News Desk. You have been invaluable and are proof of why SB Nation is and will continue to be such a success. I wish Chuck the best of luck and I look forward to seeing what he is going to do with the site. I will see you all around, as I still plan to be a member of the community and root on our beloved Hokies.