30 BEforE 30
Mark your calendars – November 27th is quickly approaching and it’s a big day. It just so happens to be THE day I will gracefully exit my twenties and fly into a brand spanking new decade and hit the big 3-0. ESPN’s popular document series 30 for 30 was inspired by their anniversary (aptly, their 30th) and I felt it equally appropriate to do something BIG the 30 days leading up to this milestone. Like many of you, I’m a natural born procrastinator. What better way to light a fire under my ass and start earning my title as a sport’s writer, right?
Since The Blonde Side is composed of sweat, blood, tears and opinions with athletes and sports abounding, I realized one thing – I need to interview and write about more athletes. A lot more. I need to find their stories and write them in a way that only I can. That’s where my 30 BEFORE 30 comes into play.
My goal everyday for the next 30 days is to approach one athlete a day (via email, Twitter, his or her agent, etc.) and send them this link along with a request for an interview for this here sport’s column.
And here’s what I’d like as my birthday gift: advice on who I should approach for interviews and help finding their contact information. And just to be clear, I’m not afraid of rejection (I’m single, remember). I want to go after athletes (past and present, even coaches) with stories to tell, and I know I probably won’t hear back from half of them. I read all about Kathryn Stockett’s (author of ‘The Help’) 60 rejection letters before she finally hit it big, and I realize I’m giving myself 30 chances for the same outcome – rejection. But I firmly believe you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take. So here I am, taking my shot. From behind the three-point line with a torn ACL.
Saturday is the first day of this project and I need to get started on my list of athletes to ask for interviews. Please help a birthday girl out and leave a comment if you think there’s a good story out there (preferably an untold one) or an athlete you’d like to see featured on The Blonde Side. If you know someone personally and can help get contact information, that’d be the epitome of a cherry on top of my birthday cake with a shot of Jager to wash it down with followed by a high-five from Donovan McNabb.
I know the first person on my list will be Muggsy Bogues. I also have C.J. Wilson on my list (just waiting until the Rangers win the World Series before re-contacting his agent) and Kelly Slater. Now I just need to find 27 more to add to this awesome list. And don’t worry, once this project is completed, I’ll update this post with a list of everyone I contacted and what the results were. If we’re lucky, you’ll also see 30 brand new articles featured here on The Blonde Side.
30. Muggsy Bogues (former NBA, current coach)
29. Kelly Slater (surfer)
28. C.J. Wilson (current MLB)
27. Kasey Kahne (NASCAR)
26. Brandon Belt (current MLB)
25. Chase Budinger (current NBA)
24. Clay Greenfield (NASCAR Trucks)
23. Duane Brown (current NFL)
22. Isaac Keys (former NFL)
21. Jennie Finch (softball/olympics)
20. Chantal Sutherland (jockey)
19. Mike Napoli (current MLB)
18. Andrew Craig (current MMA)
17. Tom Crabtree (current NFL)
16. Arian Foster (current NFL)
15. Shane Battier (current NBA)
James “Buster” Douglas would be really interesting (first man to put a hellafied beating on Mike Tyson!). He’s had some health problems recently, but I believe he’s doing better. I met him in an Ohio bank years ago and he was more than cordial.
Peter Moylan because he’s an Australian tattooed side-armer who is funny as hell and has good stories. Plus you can talk about the Braves epic collapse. Tweet him at @PeterMoylan he will respond
Mike Wardian, because that would be a unique interview with someone who has done things most people can’t even imagine, and he is going to be here in Houston for the Olympic Trials in January.
Craig Alexander
Justin Morneau
Petros Papdakis. You’ve probably never heard of him but you should still go after him.
I was thinking since I’m Canadian, perhaps some Canadian athletes. Coach wise, Don Cherry would be a good interview, I think you and him would get along nicely. Joey Votto from the Reds. Carey Price from the Canadiens. I’m sure I could think of a ton more.
Rob Ryan. Anna Kournikova. Drew Brees. Terry Bradshaw. Mia Hamm. Charles Barkley. Ronaldo. Tim Tebow. Phil Mickelson. Archie Manning.
Love this idea and I hope they ALL write you back :)
might have a connection to kasey kahne -NASCAR(buddy is his strength conditioning coach), and posssibly the Chicago Bears (friend is physical therapist for the team…or he used to be). i can look into it…
If you would ne interested I know some guys on the Chicago Fire so I could text them and see if they’d be up for an interview! Also my old Athletic trainer at DePaul used to be a trainer for the Oklahoma City Thunder so he knows guys personally like Kevin Love! So let me know :)
Muggsy Bogues! I ran into him at a hotel bar in Myrtle Beach a few years ago, would LOVE to read an interview with him. Nolan Ryan would be at the top of my suggestions list. I’d love to see some Boston athletes in the mix; Ochocinco, for example, has been really receptive to social media requests.
I still want you to get Kelly Slater – I keep telling you that on your FB page. He’d be great!
Good luck with CJ, a Dallas group of Rangers fans asked him to do a twitterview and he responded that everything about him is on the internet (kind of a d-bag). Keven Durant would be good @KDTrey5 also Dirk @swish41 and Mike Napoli (I want to party with that guy).
Why don’t you work on when to use or not use an apostrophe in your effort to become a better writer?
Thanks George, I will work on the whole apostrophe thing.
where is the rest of this list? would love to see it!!