Thanks to the generosity of Admin, like Migs I will be contributing articles for this site.

 

Here are some of my credentials:

 

Currently, I am a sophomore at Penn State University in the Communications Program.

 

This July, I will attend the Sportscasters Camp of America in Long Beach, California.

 

The Sports Editor for the Penn State Daily Collegian, where I also contribute sports related articles and columns. I have been involved with the paper as Sports Beat writer for one year.

 

Former employee of the Altoona (PA) Mirror Sports Department, where I cut my teeth covering high school football games and also covered two Altoona Curve games for the beat writer, who took some time off to tend to personal business.

 

Sports Editor for three years on my high school newspaper.

 

Here's a sample of my work, an article about the NBA, that included quotes from Penn State Altoona head coach and former NBA baller Armon Gilliam.

 

Former hoops star reflects on the ever-changing NBA

 

For Penn State-Altoona men?s basketball coach, and former NBA star Armon Gilliam, the start of a new NBA season always brings about feelings of fulfillment.

 

?I played in the NBA for 13 years,? Gilliam said. ?I got my fill of basketball.?

This season will be no different for the 36-year old, as he continues to witness the rebirth of the league.

 

Gone is the legendary Michael Jordan, who took the game to a whole new level of excitement, leaving behind a legacy that perhaps will never be duplicated by an athlete in any sport.

 

?Jordan was arguably the best player of all time, and a good statesman for the game,? Gilliam said. ?His talent level was so good that even people who normally didn?t follow the game would watch in awe of his ability.?

 

Also hanging up the Chuck Taylors was the steady and reliable John Stockton, former teammate of Gilliam?s and the all time NBA assists leader.

 

?Stockton was a great pro, and epitomized team basketball,? Gilliam said. ?He was a humorous guy to be around and a lot of fun as a teammate. He was a consummate pro.?

 

This year, Gilliam and others will witness a new era in the NBA, as a new influx of talent invades the game, with 18-year old phenom LeBron James leading the charge.

 

James is in many ways symbolic of what is perhaps the biggest change in the NBA, the influx of players who jump straight from high school to the NBA.

LeBron, who last year at this time was an innocent high school kid, faces high expectations.

 

Dubbed the new undisputed King of the NBA, before even graduating high school, James faces the same learning curve that future All-Stars Kobe Bryant, Kevin

Garnett and Jermaine O?Neal went through.

 

?It usually takes a few years for them to learn the NBA game,? Gilliam said. ?If

they are surrounded by a veteran team, it helps.?

 

Unfortunately, James will not be surrounded with the veterans, as his team, the Cleveland Cavaliers went an NBA worst 17-65 last season.

 

Clearly, the expectation levels are high for James to step in and improve their fortunes, surrounded by talented, but youthful players Ricky Davis, DaJuan Wagner and Darius Miles amongst others.

 

?You get a lot of media attention as a high draft pick,? Gilliam, himself a high draft pick; selected #2 overall by the Phoenix Suns in the 1987 Draft, said. ?You?re thrown out there immediately. The downside of being a high draft pick is you?re expected to produce immediately. It?s almost not fair to expect that of

a 19-year old kid.?

 

Another huge change in the game is the powerful international influence in the game.

 

The global presence in the game is by no means new, however the number of international players in the Association continues to skyrocket.

 

Since 1993, when five players of international influence called the NBA their career, the numbers rose nearly six times, to 29 in 1998.

 

Currently, even that number has been shattered, as the league features 65 players from 34 different countries.

 

Adding to that number was the 2003 NBA Draft, where 20 international players were selected in the 58-selection draft.

 

The highest point of the International Explosion occurred just 12 months prior however, as 7?6 Chinese center Yao Ming became the first international player to be taken number 1 overall.

 

?The appeal has grown so much in Europe,? Gilliam said. ?Whereas 15-20 years ago, it wasn?t even a blip on the radar, now more and more people are wanting to play basketball.?

 

Another change has been the level of competition, as expansion has opened the doors for more players to reach the league, in some senses watering down the competitiveness.

 

?In my era, we had guys like Barkley, Jordan, Dominique Wilkins, Bird, Magic,

Penny Hardaway, Clyde Drexler; a ton of guys who played at a high level,? Gilliam said. ?From the late 80s in to the 90s, the league was saturated with great players. I don?t think you have the same quality of competition today.?

 

As the game continues to be altered, one thing will always remain the same.

Each crop of new players will in one way or another continue to make the mystique of the game grow.

 

?I miss the competition the most,? Gilliam said. ?Playing in the Western Conference Finals and going deep in to the playoffs was basketball on the highest level.?

 

The NBA season lasts approximately eight months long, spanning from late October

through May.

 

I stupidfied it (Season spans from Oct-May) because the girl who was sports editor last semester didn't know jack s*** about sports and it caused her to ask a lot of stupid questions.

Awesome...I'll be looking forward to seeing some of your stuff for the site. :thumbup

geez Admin, what are you trying to do here, make this a newsworthy site or something?

 

 

me likey

and just for the record(for anyone else who wants to write), i dont think you need to have credible stuff to write.

or know how to spell

Are you all plotting a conspiracy against m or something?

so true

Is Admin recruiting now or something?

i think this is pretty baller. we need more regular columnists.

 

when you come to the main site (marlinsbaseball.com), the first thing that catches your eye is the "COLUMNS" section.

 

i remember when i first heard about the site, that's the first thing i went to look at... and i was kinda disappointed cuz the stuff was pretty outdated. this is definitely a spot on the site that could use improvement.

 

thanks for helpin out, and welcome!

i think this is pretty baller. we need more regular columnists.

 

when you come to the main site (marlinsbaseball.com), the first thing that catches your eye is the "COLUMNS" section.

 

i remember when i first heard about the site, that's the first thing i went to look at... and i was kinda disappointed cuz the stuff was pretty outdated. this is definitely a spot on the site that could use improvement.

 

thanks for helpin out, and welcome!

yeah blame me.

Are you all plotting a conspiracy against m or something?

:shifty

I'll be looking foward to seeing some of your articles...

 

Admin...are you trying to make this a good site or something? lol

Congrats!