Posted in On the DL Podcast
14 comments
03/7 2011

DL533: There Is No Crying…There is NO CRYING…

Posted by Dan Levy.

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Ah, the bait and switch headlines that are so easy to write are so…easy…to write sometimes.

We do talk about the Heat (cough LEBRON cough) crying after another last-second loss, this time at the hands of the Chicago “Los Bulls.” Is crying a sign of cracking, or is it a sign of caring? Is there something endearing about an NBA team that cares so much about a regular season loss that players would cry — and the coach who’s clearly trying to save his job after a rough few weeks would tell everyone about it? The Heat really are a transcendent storyline to cover. It’s not all hype.

We use the Heat’s (sorry El Heat’s) emotions as a jump into the college game to bask in the glow of my favorite week of the year…conference championship tournament time. To me, this is actually better than the NCAA Tournament, from the early part of the week with teams fighting for bubble slots to the one-bid leagues crowning champions all making way for the end of the week where the major conference stalwarts fight for seeding and bragging rights and, well, nets to cut down and banners to hang up. It’s awesome.

So that’s the show. Yep, that’s the show. What’s that? Oh, the first eight minutes? Yeah, we should address the first eight minutes of today’s show, too.

I’ve decided to stop doing the show, and stop posting regularly on this site and on the podcast site. Before we started doing daily shows, I talked with both Jamie Mottram and JE Skeets and they both told me it would make me go insane.

It has.

I feel like my brain is segmented in a way that’s unfamiliar. I’m in a weird funk, and the more and more I try to get out of this funk the funkier I feel. Usually that’s a good thing, but in this case it’s just writing on the wall that it’s time to stop playing in this giant internet sandbox for a while.

We started this show what feels like a decade ago, hoping it would turn into something. We are so grateful that it eventually turned into way more than we ever hoped. We do a great show, and try to give the listeners something entertaining and thought-provoking every day (or close to every day).

But I always said that when I stopped caring, I’d give it up. I respect the audience too much to half-ass the show or do it twice a week or whenever I feel like talking. We’ve become a daily part of many people’s lives and it’s not fair to them…to you…to do it half-assed.

Why now? Well, I wanted to get to 600, but I just don’t think I can. So 555 sounds like fun, and it’s far enough away that we can still talk about the NCAA Tournament and the Masters. Plus, if all works out, our last show will be the day before Max turns one.

Max. Look, this year with Max has been great. He’s the sweetest boy in the world and he sure as shit doesn’t deserve all that he’s had to deal with this year and all that he’s going to have to deal with the rest of his life. It’s not fair for me to continue to play in this internet dreamworld of “doing things the right way” which has always felt like as much a cop-out as it did some altruistic reasoning for producing quality work. I can’t play in the sandbox anymore, even if it “furthers the conversation.” I need to grow the fuck up and provide for my family.

So yeah, this is the first step towards that. And it sucks. This feeling, today, sucks. Why is this show going up at noon when we taped it at 6:30  am? Because it’s taken me that long to write this (and get the Muppets music into the show, to be honest).

I feel like I’ve given up, but at the same time I feel like maybe I gave up a while ago and this is just the right time to admit it. My brain is segmented in a way that’s unfamiliar, but the most important segment keeps getting filled with concern for my family who, frankly, deserves more of me than they’ve been getting.

Now, that all being said, this isn’t some solemn goodbye to the internet. We’ve still got over 20 shows left to go and hopefully some of our podcasting and radio friends will have us on their shows every so often (I really hope someone seizes the opportunity and gets Nick on as a regular contributor somewhere). And look, if you listen to this show all the time, or read what we did here or back at Sporting News, you know we’ve unabashedly had a For Sale sign on this show — and our writing — for a long time.

We’re not hard to find. If this guy or this guy or these folks or these guys or this guy and this guy or him or him or them or them or, shit, even this guy comes calling in the next few weeks…let’s go…we’re ready to work. We just can’t be waiting on someone’s back burner anymore. We just can’t do this every day in hopes that’s the day someone comes to their internet senses.

Or, maybe, we’ve overvalued the quality of our work and the folks we linked to above — and countless others, I’m sure — know exactly how valuable we are. Good work isn’t always worth the time (and money) it takes to produce, which is something I know all too well in this pageviews-first-ask-questions-later digital world. I think I’m actually okay with that. I’m not okay with undoing everything we’ve done by creating a half-assed product to try and stay relevant or keep my name out there.

Moving right along…

Thanks, always, for listening.

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Posted on March 7, 2011 at 11:59AM

 

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  1. Pete Vlastelica
    03/7 2011

    Man, what a kick in the balls.

  2. Greg D
    03/7 2011

    Can’t say I’m surprised, but still sad. Max has a great Daddy!

  3. Ken
    03/7 2011

    Sorry to hear this, Dan. But Max needs you more than ever so it’s understood.

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  5. Ty
    03/7 2011

    Dan–

    As a relative Johnny-come-lately to the sports blogging scene (2009), and to your podcast in specific, I don’t feel like I have the right to spout off about your place in the industry . . . but I CAN say this: you and Nick do an excellent, unique show that’s booted a lot of nationally syndicated types out of my daily listening habits. I have to believe that there are lots more out who you’d do the same for, given a bigger bullhorn.

    In my mind, there’s no higher calling for a father than dragging a side of mammoth back to the cave and making a fire; you do what you gotta do to make that happen. Purely for my own sake, though, I hope someone who wants to look smart figures out how great you guys are before I have to go back to the hair gel same-ol, same-ol.

    Peace
    Ty

  6. David Alison
    03/7 2011

    Sorry to hear that you’re moving on Dan. This is a tough space to be in. What’s cool is you will be able to look back on this and say you gave it a shot, created some great content and did something lots of people think they can do (or talk about doing) but never will. No regrets in that.

    Max is a lucky kid.

  7. Jay
    03/7 2011

    Really sorry to hear this. On the DL is one of my favorite podcasts.

  8. Kevin McGuire
    03/7 2011

    Sad to see the show go, but totally understand and respect the decision. I’m thankful to have been a guest on the show once and spent many hours listening to this show over the past who knows how long now. Best of luck moving forward!

  9. Chris Walker
    03/7 2011

    I wish all parents were as great as you both are. Things are done for the best and you own that premise. We will hear from all of you really soon and I’m positive it’s going to be nothing but awesome news. Thank you for letting us into your lives. Out of sheer politeness, I guess I should also thank you for letting us into your mind…although it’s one HUGE jumbled, messy maze. :>) Seriously though, blessings to you all and take a little spare time for Pearl Jam related breaks when possible. Maybe the PJ20 festival this summer will bring us all together.
    Peace Dan.

  10. sanford sklansky
    03/7 2011

    Hate to see you go Dan. I have listened to every podcast. I hope that you will post here once in a while or let us know on Twitter when you are guest on another podcast.

  11. Jen from Timbers Country
    03/7 2011

    Dan,
    I found you guys because of TK, and stayed with you both for your wit and different take on the sports media world. Your show that picked the best 24 hours of TV was hilarious and I was hooked for good.
    I was looking forward to soccer talk, when MLS started. We are soooo excited to start the season. My husband and I are Timbers season-ticket holders and Timbers Army crazies. I was hoping to talk some trash about the Union.
    Bless you and your family. Living your dream and getting paid for it, is a hard thing to do. I’m sad to have find another ‘cast to add to my daily list. You guys and TK are a fun habit. Not sure what else to say but a “melancholy happy trails” to On the DL… shalom.

  12. Jay B
    03/7 2011

    I wish you guys the best!

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