Today is a great day. It's the first Sunday full of NFL action! The start of the NFL season is finally here. Unfortunately the Eagles don't play until Monday night.
While we wait in the meantime, I would like to update you, the BGN community, with some site news. I figured it would be nice to have the BGN staff formally introduce themselves all in one place. Without further ado, here are the introductions.
Brandon Lee Gowton - Manager, Editor-in-chief
You can call me the Notorious BLG. I already introduced myself on Friday when I announced I would be taking over BGN. I've been an active community member of this blog since August of 2010, and I started officially writing for the site's front page in February 2013. I love Wawa and have an unhealthy fascination with Philadelphia sports. Follow me on Twitter at @BrandonGowton.
Mike Kaye, Editor/Contributor
I'm Mike Kaye, formerly known as NJEagle on BGN (2008-2013) and I am originally from Guttenberg, New Jersey. I grew up with a grandfather who was a Giants fan and being naturally competitive at the age of three, I rooted for the green team with the fast quarterback (Randall Cunningham) while he rooted for the blue team. I have been a fan ever since. I have lived in South Florida for the last 20 years. I have been covering sports since I was 15 and was the Head NFL Writer for the now-defunct Juiced Sports and was a feature writer for several other website before becoming an editor and feature writer for BGN in February. I was recently hired by SB Nation's mothership as an NFL Contributor for the main site's news desk. I enjoy brews, the beach and the Birds.
Brent Cohen, Editor/Contributor
I'm Brent. I've been blogging about the Eagles at EaglesRewind.com since December of last year and just joined BGN as a contributor a few weeks ago (though I did a few fanposts under the EaglesRewind name). I'm a lifelong local; I grew up in the Philadelphia suburbs (I went to high school with 2 of Andy Reid's sons), went to Penn State, then moved to Center City, where I've lived/worked for the past 6 years. To date, I've focused mainly on the statistical/strategic side of the game. I deal in lots of charts and visuals and, when I can, statistics. Basically, I just try to provide a different viewpoint, with particular attention paid to erroneous "conventional wisdom".
My dad took me to my first game at The Vet on October 10, 1993, against the Chicago Bears. I remember seeing Bears wide receiver Wendell Davis running a seam route across midfield. He jumped for a ball thrown just out of reach but his legs below the knee never left the turf. The rest of his body did. Sitting in the stands, I didn’t really know what happened, not until a week later did I read about how he blew out both his knees. But it was then that I realized there is a certain toughness, a certain mystique surrounding the Eagles and its fans. And I love every bit of it.
I have here that my name is James, but that’s only because I went to Catholic school for fourteen years and was taught to always write my full name. My friends and family call me Jim, JJ, or Keane, so feel free to do the same. I also have a super-secret nickname (guess what it is!). I was born and raised in the Northeast, Parkwood by way of Olney, Academy Road by way of Rising Sun. I’m lucky to have a wife who I don’t deserve and an eleven-month old son who wears Cowboy diapers, just so he can piss and poop on them (kidding, but business idea!).
I’ve always wanted to write but never knew what to write about. Only last December did I think, duh, the Eagles, and I started blogging (PhillyInferno.com). I enjoy researching and referencing Eagles history and finding old Bill Lyon and Mark Bowden articles. I also have an interest in math and statistics so I’ll post articles with numbers, correlations and regressions (and cool interactive graphs!). I’m basically prepping for the Nate Silver-ification of American Sport.
I’m completely blown away to be writing for BGN. I owe so much to Jason, Jimmy, Brandon, Mike, and Danta Klaus. But I’m more honored to have you read and comment. The content on BGN is always great, but the community is insanely incredible. So let’s play some freakin’ football already!!!
Mark Saltveit, Editor/Contributor
Hello BGN Community! I’ve only been following football for eight years, but thanks to the extensive football knowledge of my old man I think I’ve gained a rather comprehensive understanding of the sport (short of playing the game or writing for it professionally). I’m currently a junior at Penn State studying mechanical engineering, and I’m also a member of the Blue Band. For these reasons, I probably won’t be posting as much as the other writers here, but you can count on me for my signature "Crunching the Numbers" power rankings during the season.
I’ve been a member of Bleeding Green Nation for almost two years now. I started in the Fan Posts and was promoted to front-page writer last October when I began my Crunching the Numbers series. I’d like to thank Jason Brewer for the original opportunity to write for the site, as well as Jimmy Kempski and now Brandon Gowton for their continuing support of my work. I consider BGN to be the best of the fan base and it is an honor to write for you. I look forward to your feedback in the future!
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We all look forward to working together and continuing this site's reputation as the best Eagles blog around!
You can find the BGN writers on Twitter:
Brandon Lee Gowton - @BrandonGowton
Mike E. Kaye - @mike_e_kaye
James Keane - @JeromesFriend
Brent Cohen - @EaglesRewind
Mark Saltveit - @taoish