Sometimes success can be bittersweet. Advancement, by definition, requires leaving behind the familiar and, oftentimes, the beloved. In that vein, it is with great excitement yet an undercurrent of sadness that I announce that this will be my final posting here at Dawg Sports.
Due in large part to my work producing essentially a daily college sports weblog, I have been offered a new career opportunity that I simply could not decline. Beginning on Monday, I will start work as an assistant sports information director for a major Southern university athletics program.
This position provides not only the chance to work in intercollegiate athletics and put my writing skills to good use, but it carries with it strong prospects for advancement into the full-time S.I.D. position when my new boss retires in a few years and, beyond that, potentially into the upper echelons of the athletic department administration itself. In many ways, this offer was a dream come true for me.
Nevertheless, I had to think it over at great length before accepting the position. For me, as for all college sports fans, there is no athletic department I would rather work for than that at my own alma mater, but the stars do not always align to allow us such a luxury. When a nearby school came calling instead, I initially balked, thinking it too much of a betrayal to accept a job working for a rival institution. I felt like I was "selling out" and I said so.
A persuasive prospective employer managed to convince me otherwise, though. My new boss pointed out to me that I would not be the first University of Georgia graduate to make this jump; indeed, two former Bulldogs (more about whom anon) are on the coaching staff of the institution's football team. Moreover, some Georgia coaching legends are alumni of this opposing university.
Yes, that's right . . . starting tomorrow morning, I will be an employee of the Auburn University athletic department.
The decision to accept the position was not easy, but, after I sat down and spoke to fellow Georgia alumni and Auburn employees Hugh Nall and Will Muschamp, I came to realize that ours truly is a "friendly rivalry" between similar institutions with a long history of cross-pollination. That made me feel better about taking the job and eased my original (and, in retrospect, somewhat silly) guilt over "switching sides."
Obviously, now that I am an Auburn man, I cannot continue to maintain a weblog that backs the Georgia Bulldogs, who have become a rival team of mine. Not to worry, though . . . I'm sure MaconDawg will do a great job of maintaining the site after my departure and I'll be back in Athens next November 10 for our big revenge game against the Red and Black.
Yes, I'll be wearing orange and blue and cheering for the visiting team. (Don't forget that we're 17-8 against y'all between the hedges, so, on our way into town, we'll stop by the Clarke County courthouse to pay our property taxes, because we own Georgia in Athens!)
I'll still be the same person I always was, though. I know all my dear friends across the border in Bulldog Nation wish me well as I depart and I hope for the best for all of you, as well . . . except, of course, when your Bulldogs are playing my Tigers!
I love Auburn!
War Eagle!