I had intended to hire Alex for many years if the site got big enough to have a third writer or if we ever needed to change up the staff. That opportunity came about when Russell hung up his laptop and retired for family life. Alex is a grinder and has worked his butt off covering HS sports for years in Georgia and he will be an excellent addition to the site as we grow into this next incarnation of JOL. He will also be able to help with team coverage of all three major sports in addition to handling recruiting duties.
Here is what Alex wanted to share with you all.
Hello JOL family, it's good to be along for the ride with you.
First of all, I can't thank Kelly enough for giving me this incredible opportunity, and I am going to do everything I can to prove to him that I was worth taking a chance on for this position.
It will be a little bit of a learning curve as it is a bit different than what I've been doing for the last several years, but I hope to learn quickly and become a valuable asset to JOL and help Kelly grow this site even more. And I'm going to try my best to do at least a decent job filling the big shoes of Russell.
First, a little about me. I grew up right outside of Rome where I graduated from Pepperell High (alma mater of former Georgia Tech RB Sidney Ford) and then Berry College. I'm a lifelong sports nerd and a diehard Georgia Tech fan from the time I could understand what football was.
I've spent many a Saturday (or Thursday) at Bobby Dodd Stadium or in front of the TV anxiously watching the Jackets, and I can say that there have been some good memories along the way while also admitting we haven't been given the easiest existence as a fan of a team. But, fellow White and Gold supporters, I've learned that all those lows make the highs so much better. I've been a JOL member for several years now myself, but I won't tell you my username in case I ever said something stupid that you could go look up (a high probability I did).
Back to my background info. Since graduating from college, I have been in the sports writing business in some capacity for almost all 15 years in that timespan. (I had a short stint outside of the business working as a preload and later night sort supervisor at UPS, and that made me realize how much I wanted to get back to writing about sports for a living.) Prior to that time at UPS I covered local sports at the Calhoun Times for several years, and back in 2021 I came back into the biz as the sports editor at the Rome News-Tribune. I spent a couple years at the RN-T way back right out of college as well.
So my main focus during all that time has been high school sports with some college stuff (mostly Berry and Shorter) thrown in there as well as covering the Minor League team in Rome, formerly the Braves and now the Emperors. But while doing all that, I knew that I wanted to get into more of college football, college basketball and recruiting. This job gives me the chance to do a little bit of all of that.
Now, as I mentioned before, I am a Georgia Tech fan to the core. But while it will still be in my heart, I will be professional about covering this team at the same time. That doesn't mean I won't be as excited as you guys are or celebrating on the inside. Kelly might hear some under-my-breath celebrating or foot stomps or fist pumps in the press box along the way, but I'll try my best to keep that to a minimum as per press box rules. Ha. I mean I will admit that I was one of the folks, probably along with a lot of people on this board, that were running around like crazy people on the field after the Carolina win last year. But let's keep that between you and I.
And I must make a small confession and hope you don't hold it against me. Somewhere along the way when I was a kid, a love of North Carolina basketball started. I do root for the Tar Heels on the basketball court to this day. I'm not saying I'm not a fan of Georgia Tech basketball, but I just have never lived and died by it like I do football. But if Damon and the Jackets build something great in the coming years, I'm more than happy to jump aboard that bandwagon. Either way, I will do my best to bring professional coverage for Tech basketball to you as well.
I think I've rambled almost enough at this point. The main thing I want to get across to you guys is I'm so excited for this new challenge, and I look forward to bringing Georgia Tech coverage to you (hopefully a ton of success to write about)! Please be patient with me as I try to learn quickly and do the best job I can do for Kelly and for JOL. Like I mentioned above, I have big shoes to fill.
The plan for me is to finish up at the Rome News-Tribune this coming Friday, Aug. 2, and I will start with Kelly and JOL the following week.
Looking forward to the future. And one last thing I want to leave you all with...THWG!
-Alex
Here is what Alex wanted to share with you all.
Hello JOL family, it's good to be along for the ride with you.
First of all, I can't thank Kelly enough for giving me this incredible opportunity, and I am going to do everything I can to prove to him that I was worth taking a chance on for this position.
It will be a little bit of a learning curve as it is a bit different than what I've been doing for the last several years, but I hope to learn quickly and become a valuable asset to JOL and help Kelly grow this site even more. And I'm going to try my best to do at least a decent job filling the big shoes of Russell.
First, a little about me. I grew up right outside of Rome where I graduated from Pepperell High (alma mater of former Georgia Tech RB Sidney Ford) and then Berry College. I'm a lifelong sports nerd and a diehard Georgia Tech fan from the time I could understand what football was.
I've spent many a Saturday (or Thursday) at Bobby Dodd Stadium or in front of the TV anxiously watching the Jackets, and I can say that there have been some good memories along the way while also admitting we haven't been given the easiest existence as a fan of a team. But, fellow White and Gold supporters, I've learned that all those lows make the highs so much better. I've been a JOL member for several years now myself, but I won't tell you my username in case I ever said something stupid that you could go look up (a high probability I did).
Back to my background info. Since graduating from college, I have been in the sports writing business in some capacity for almost all 15 years in that timespan. (I had a short stint outside of the business working as a preload and later night sort supervisor at UPS, and that made me realize how much I wanted to get back to writing about sports for a living.) Prior to that time at UPS I covered local sports at the Calhoun Times for several years, and back in 2021 I came back into the biz as the sports editor at the Rome News-Tribune. I spent a couple years at the RN-T way back right out of college as well.
So my main focus during all that time has been high school sports with some college stuff (mostly Berry and Shorter) thrown in there as well as covering the Minor League team in Rome, formerly the Braves and now the Emperors. But while doing all that, I knew that I wanted to get into more of college football, college basketball and recruiting. This job gives me the chance to do a little bit of all of that.
Now, as I mentioned before, I am a Georgia Tech fan to the core. But while it will still be in my heart, I will be professional about covering this team at the same time. That doesn't mean I won't be as excited as you guys are or celebrating on the inside. Kelly might hear some under-my-breath celebrating or foot stomps or fist pumps in the press box along the way, but I'll try my best to keep that to a minimum as per press box rules. Ha. I mean I will admit that I was one of the folks, probably along with a lot of people on this board, that were running around like crazy people on the field after the Carolina win last year. But let's keep that between you and I.
And I must make a small confession and hope you don't hold it against me. Somewhere along the way when I was a kid, a love of North Carolina basketball started. I do root for the Tar Heels on the basketball court to this day. I'm not saying I'm not a fan of Georgia Tech basketball, but I just have never lived and died by it like I do football. But if Damon and the Jackets build something great in the coming years, I'm more than happy to jump aboard that bandwagon. Either way, I will do my best to bring professional coverage for Tech basketball to you as well.
I think I've rambled almost enough at this point. The main thing I want to get across to you guys is I'm so excited for this new challenge, and I look forward to bringing Georgia Tech coverage to you (hopefully a ton of success to write about)! Please be patient with me as I try to learn quickly and do the best job I can do for Kelly and for JOL. Like I mentioned above, I have big shoes to fill.
The plan for me is to finish up at the Rome News-Tribune this coming Friday, Aug. 2, and I will start with Kelly and JOL the following week.
Looking forward to the future. And one last thing I want to leave you all with...THWG!
-Alex
