Within the next week or so, coaches and fans might wonder who the guy with the notebook and pen is, asking questions minus a twang in the voice. Well fear not, the rube begging to know where the nearest internet connection can be found is none other than the new sports writer at the Mount Airy News.
For the past three years I have covered sports at larger newspapers like the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review and most recently the Baltimore Sun. The hardships of the economy blended with the hardships of the newspaper industry to render me a former employee while the Tribune (the Sun’s parent company) filed for bankruptcy. The call to let you know that you’ve been laid off is always such a pleasant conversation.
But if it is indeed true that everything happens for a reason, then Mount Airy seems to be my destiny. I grew up in Pittsburgh reading the local paper and wanting to see my moniker in the byline. I adored the truly local coverage provided by a paper that is now extinct, bought out and overrun by a larger corporation. My intentions in Mount Airy are the same as when I first dreamed of writing: simply to provide accurate local coverage and have an impact on the community. Call me crazy, but if the New York Times came calling I wouldn’t accept the charges. I can accomplish everything I want right here.
My two favorite events that I’ve covered in the past would be a high school squash match and Monday Night Football. Suffice is to say, I’m not a hard guy to please. Put a game in front of me and I’m set. And what better place to observe the world of sports than the granite capital of the world? With state championship-caliber teams throughout the year, there’s a lot to look forward to. I better get started.
Contact Edward Phillipps at ephillipps@mtairynews.com or 719-1921.
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