Starting DT: Griffin and ?

[Phinehas]

Joe,

Thanks for the great explanation. You live up well to the "knowledgeable fan" standard. I really believe this has got to be one of the best fan sites on the web.

--Phin

[Beemnseven]

Hey JoeCrisp:

Just out of curiosity, what do you do for a living? Are you a writer now? Did you get an English degree in college? Are you seriously trying to break into sports journalism/commentary?

Somebody mentioned ESPN. Judging from what I've read, it certainly sounds like you've got the goods. Have you ever sent in your writings to newspapers or magazines for publication?

Keep us updated, and follow your dreams!

[joecrisp]

Originally Posted by Beemnseven

Hey JoeCrisp:

Just out of curiosity, what do you do for a living? Are you a writer now? Did you get an English degree in college? Are you seriously trying to break into sports journalism/commentary?

Somebody mentioned ESPN. Judging from what I've read, it certainly sounds like you've got the goods. Have you ever sent in your writings to newspapers or magazines for publication?

Keep us updated, and follow your dreams!

Thanks for the encouragement, Beems! I really appreciate it.

I'm actually a quality control auditor for Comcast in Richmond, but that has nothing to do with my writing aspirations.

I majored in Mass Communications at James Madison University, with a focus in telecommunications-- mostly the technical and business aspects of telecom networks. In hindsight, I really wish I had focused on journalism-- which, as you can see, is what I truly enjoy.

Thankfully, I did manage to take a few newswriting and journalism-oriented classes while fulfilling the credit requirements in my major, which provided me enough insight to the business to have a pretty good idea of how the whole newswriting thing works.

Ultimately, I would love to become a full-time Redskins beat reporter for somebody. I've started the process of contacting local and regional newspapers, trying to sell them on the idea of printing my camp reports. I didn't really feel comfortable with my writing until after the last minicamp, but the generous encouragement you guys have given me has really made me feel much more confident in my abilities.

Hopefully, with a little persistence, I'll be able to sell a few sports editors on the idea of printing my camp reports this summer. I'm planning on taking a week off from work and doing a week-long report sometime during training camp. I'm just waiting to see how Coach Gibbs plans to handle the media access and open practices.

I didn't think it would be worth it to go up there this weekend, given the fact that reporters wouldn't be allowed to watch the most critical portions of practice. Interviews are great, but I think you guys get more out of what I'm able to tell you about positional competitions and the performances of particular players and units during full-squad sessions.