Moving On

Live your life and enjoy every second but walk away with the satifaction of knowing that you, sir, have done something great here

Thanks, Mike.

BSD has filled a big void in my time the past few years as I moved from fulltime work, to early retirement and now part time work.

BTW – I was not a great student at PSU (at least grade wise). However, I passed the Fundamentals twice (because I waited over ten years to take the licensing exam) without fail. Then astonishingly, I passed the licensing exam on the first try. So, it’s not that hard! (However, a close engineering buddy of mine, who was a much more productive and “recognized” as an engineer, never did pass it)!

Go for your dreams! Just remember…Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine!

Good luck.

Great Job with BSD. It is the best blog out there and one of only two I look at every day. You built something unique here. Thank you and best of luck.

You will be missed but Your reasons for stepping away are the best. Feel great that your were able to help build this great passtime for people and still have your sanity. Enjoy your freedom!

You have been my favorite. Thank you for all the hard work. I always wondered how you found time to do all of this. Take care.

I’ve really felt like I’ve been a part of this community since I joined, and I attribute that to you and your hard work and dedication over the past few years. You’ll be missed, but I’m sure we’ll see you around.

and…PENN STATE!

You’re BSD’s Joe Paterno. You brought this thing from nothing to the craziness that it is today. We’ll miss you!

Those are some pretty good reasons for leaving a blog, even a Penn State one.

Five years ago we had nothing but pennlive forums, look how far you have brought us.

I’ll toast you with an obscure beer tonight.

This was the first sports blog I ever really got actively involved with, mainly because it was the first one that I’d ever felt had some sense of purpose beyond screaming about the sky falling and taking cheap shots and the players and coaches. What you started can’t be understated, and I absolutely trust your judgement when you say that the blog is in capable hands.

But when Fugi turns this into a Selena Gomez fanblog, don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Best of luck to you and all your future endeavors. I can’t really think of anything to say, so I’m going to just link to some words from Conan’s commencement speech at Dartmouth this past semester. I feel like it’s pretty pertinent to the changes you feel are coming in your future.

… PENN STATE!

Good luck in the future adventures. Blogging takes it toll, even for those of us who were doing 10% of what you did.

Thanks Mike for all the blood, sweat, and tears you poured into BSD. I’ve been a member for over 2 years now and a frequent poster for about a year. You and all the members and contributors have made this a daily stop for me.

As for your endeavors, I wish you only the best of luck. As a fellow engineer, I have my FE certification and next year I will be attempting to obtain my PE license. It can seem daunting since it is 8 hours. My plan of attack was to look at a problem and if I could solve it right away, do that, if not, move to the next one I could. Then just keep repeating that process until all you have left are the hardest problems. Each one is worth the same amount so the more you can do, the better your chances are. If I could ever be of assistance, just shoot me an email or something.

Best of luck. I’m sure the Lord has big plans for you.

(Although, let’s be serious, Wifey told you to stop didn’t she? haha)

I often wonder how you could do this blog when I periodically get burned out just reading it! You have a great talent and will be missed, but maybe this fall after crafting some tasty homebrews you could submit a drunken fanpost.

I will pay to ship that stuff cross-country. I can see it now: Orphanage Ale.

Seriously Mike, best of luck. Can’t imagine how hard this decision was for you, but it sounds like you already know it was a good one. Congrats!

Mike, thank you for all that you have done for this little community you helped to create. Without you and BSD, the BSDivas wouldn’t exist. You let a bunch of women come on the boards and voice our opinions and we thank you for that. I’m glad that I got to meet you, no matter how brief it was, and I look forward to hearing about your adventures in bbq and beer.

Oh, and Desire’nLion’s, psuesq’s and my hubby all took the PE exam and passed. If they can do it, you can too!
  

This is defintely one of the best blogs out there and we owe it to you for making it that way. We’ll miss you, but good luck with everything else you will be working on. I’m sure you’ll be able to handle those things no sweat after running this madhouse.

And good luck with the FE. I just took it this past spring and managed to pass. Not sure what your engineering background is, but if its chemical or mechanical its usually easier for you guys. For EE’s like me, its a little tougher. My suggestion is practice tests like whoa, and if you can get your work to pay for it, go to Testmasters and take their review class. I think they’re even based somewhere in Texas. Well worth the money though.

Mike,

I’m sorry to see you leave, although your reasons are sound. I’m a couple of years behind you in terms of the age of my kids, but I’m sure that all of us (at least those of us who aren’t freelancers or aspiring sports journalists) will have to wrestle with these issues eventually. Good luck.

and you will succeed in whatever comes next. Best of luck to you and Wifey.

Best of luck!

Can’t say I can come up with any better reasons.

man, I remember reading your blog, Ruts’ blog and Kevin’s blog and was overjoyed when you all came together. SBN is a great platform, but having my three favorite PSU voices in one spot really opened up my workday to pursue other things. Now all the founders are gone :(, but I am hopeful the new editor(s) will be just as single-minded and relentlessly optimistic as the rest of us BSD sheeple.

Glad to hear you are listening to the voices in your head. I’ll keep a look out for Grotto Aleworks in 10 years.

My favorite radio ad is from the Adoption coucil – makes me smile everytime I hear it.

Stay classy San Diego.

I registered to post here back in late 2006, it’s been nearly five years and a great ride. Thanks for starting this blog and good luck and Godspeed with your future endeavors. We’ll miss you but there is a great foundation under this blog. Please stop by and post now and then though.

Ciao.

Wow – you weren’t kidding about seceding.

Seriously, thank you for all the time and effort you have put into creating a small haven of sanity for so many of us. It’s been a real blessing to me and I’m sure many others.

Keep fighting the good fight. Good luck.

I know I haven’t been around here as much recently but I was still reading everyday.

This blog has grown an EPIC amount since I joined. In my day we didn’t Z through comments now get off my lawn you kids…I digress.

Way to go out on a high note Mike. You’ve done good. Thanks.

WE ARE!!!

We’ll miss you, Mike. Everyone here owes you huge.

Shows how much of an impact you’ve really had.

You’ve done great work here and with the magazine over the past few years and opened the doors for some young, aspiring journalists (who will still produce great things) and guys like me who have a great outlet for their creativity and passion. While we may not agree on politics or religion all (or even most) of the time, having you around has been a blessing. All I ask is that your microbrew be distributed into the NY/NJ area.

We’ll miss you on the front page, bud, but you’re not exactly the type that will fade away. Keep on keepin’ on.

and good luck in everything you do.

I didn’t see this one comin’!!!!

Cheers Mike, I feel ya brother. Please keep in touch and you know where to find me.

Enjoy being “just a fan”. Its pretty awesome.

You’re not hiring Devon as your replacement, are you?

Sorry, somebody had to be a jerk. All this mushy stuff is making me uncomfortable.

Thanks for everything Mike. BSD is such a blessing for Penn State fans all over. I wish you the best and I know you’ll succeed in all your worthy endeavors.

But like you said, you’ll still be around, so this isn’t really a goodbye. I can’t wait to hear about your adventurs in BBQ, beer and underprivledged children helping.

Fight on.

But I will say this is the only Penn State blog I could stand because half the comments aren’t FIRE JOE or FIRE ED or WE ARE… MEDIOCRE! So yeah, there’s that, and I did enjoy your writing style.

So best of luck to you and helping out the real world and not the sports world. Lord knows it could use some help right now!

There’s a Seattle Mariners SBNation blog that I’ve read for a long time, and I remember thinking how nice it’d be if there was a Penn State one too. I remember when it was pretty much you and me and me making comments here. Now it’s THE Penn State Blog (tPSB). So, congrats on that.

Good luck with everything.

Started reading BSD before my first fall at Penn State, and have continued to past my recent graduation. Its hard to imagine this site without you at the helm, Mike.

I signed up in Aug of 2008, tired of reading everything negative about the team that year from the same dry usual suspects. I had a feeling they would be great and I found a home here. Since then, it has turned into a daily destination (or obsession really) and I have Mike to thank. We, the veterans of this blog, will keep it prospering and focused on the ideals that help this blog, this institution, great. Thanks again, best of luck!

Good luck! That’s certainly not a crazy idea.

I have, however, already registered “Black Shoe Brewery”, “Thick Rim IPA” , and “Paterno Pilsner”.

It’s lonesome away from your kindred and all,
By the campfire at night where the wild dingos call,
But there’s nothing so lonesome that’ll ruin your psych,
Than to post a comment on a blog with no Mike.

Now ol’ Bittner is anxious for the readers to come,
There’s a faraway look on the face of the bum,
The divas are all cranky and tot’s left on his bike,
What a terrible place is a blog with no Mike.

The troll he signs up with his weak, dirty mind,
He writes up a big post, to put us all in a bind,
But the smile on his face quickly turns to dislike,
When ol’ Collyer says suddenly: “The blog’s got no Mike!”

There’s a dog on the veranda, for his master he waits,
But jesse’s inside, posting stuff with his mates,
He hurries for cover, afraid of a strike.
It’s no place for a dog, round a blog with no Mike.

Old Rambler, the Hawkeye, for the first time in his life,
Has gone home cold sober to his other life,
He walks in the kitchen; Mom says: “You’re early, me tyke”
Then he breaks down and he tells her, that the blog’s got no Mike

Oh, it’s lonesome away from your kindred and all,
By the campfire at night where the wild dingos call,
But there’s nothing so lonesome that’ll ruin your psych,
Than to post a comment on a blog with no Mike

I never read a blog in my life until I stumbled upon BSD back in ‘08. Now I start everyday at work by checking mail on Outlook and reading BSD. God, I’d hate to see the amount of billable hours I spent here rather than doing actual work.

I want to personally thank you for your work at BSD. I never knew if my crazy thoughts and opinions were meaningful and I had zero confidence as a writer, but you’ve been nothing but gracious in bumping several of my fanposts over the last two years. It was a major confidence boost and a significant reason why I started a PSU blog last August with two equally crazy friends. You also gave us the opportunity to write in MSP and I will always give you credit for our infamous hate week concept as well.

I completely understand your rationale for moving on. It’s been an unexpected challenge for us on our site to ensure that we adhere to our core philosophy: keep it fun. When it starts feeling like a job or an obligation, if it lessens our joy of watching football on Saturdays, or if it interferes with our regular lives, it’s not worth it. You have diverse interests, and now Penn State football will be one among many instead of an outsized feature of your life. I don’t know you personally but I can almost assure it will feel fun again.

I hope your wife will cut you a break on this. You’ve honestly got nothing left to "prove" per se: you’ve crafted BSD into something amazing, given others the opportunity to branch out, and you wouldn’t have made the next steps in your life without first going through this. No regrets.

One correction though:

I never blogged for the money.

That grotto in your backyard says otherwise. I heard Rambler was bringing the Nestea girls over this weekend.

Thanks again.

I have been here since prior to the SBNation affiliation and like mbb164 said above, made it a part of my Google Reader due to the uniquely positive tone of the site. Whether it was 5 star recruits or no-name guys, Rose Bowl seasons or 7-6’ers, this blog never went doom and gloom. The perspective that this will always be a game played by boys way younger than most of us (but represent an age & time in their life we all hold dear) and every week isn’t life or death is vitually non-existent in the blogosphere.

The quality tactical breakdowns are a perfect compliment.

I expect your minions understand the unique nature of your vision/tone and will continue to execute it in this manner.

The desire to get back to being a fan is most understandable. The divide between being a fan and being obligated to report on a team/sport is very hard to understand until you make an attempt at doing it. For some people, it is a natural connection but personally I think there is nothing better than being an unattached fan. The banter comes naturally and is a close 2nd to the actual games, but when it is an obligation, everything changes.

Thank you for establishing a small corner of the internet that makes me proud to be a Penn State fan.

I’ve been a regular reader and occasional commenter on Black Shoe Diaries since, oh, 2005 or 2006 I think? Kinda hard to remember, but it was long before BSD moved to SB Nation at any rate, and it wasn’t long after I started grad school at PSU in ‘05 (what a great year to first get season tickets and experience an awesome D-1 football atmosphere first-hand!). I’ve always enjoyed your well-written and insightful posts and comments, and it was a big reason why I’ve kept coming back. You clearly took time with your posts and paid attention to detail. I appreciated that.

And thanks for mentioning that part of your reasons for stepping down from administrating this blog is that you feel that God is calling you to have bigger, more lasting impacts on people, and to reach out to orphans, the oppressed, and those who are suffering in this world. All of us, and especially those of us who are Christians, need to be reminded of that more often, and ought to be doing more to help. So thanks for the bold reminder, and I’m confident God will bless you and many others through whatever He has in store for you.

Best of luck on your engineering classes and exams, your beer-making (I’d totally buy some, I love the name/label ideas above too!), and whatever else you’d like to do down the road. I’m sure your family will enjoy having more of your time and attention, too. :-)

Thanks again, Mike. See you in the comments and fanposts!

I’ve been an avid Penn State football fan for 30 years, but being a daily BSD reader for the past 3 years has made me love it even more. Well done, sir, well done.

Sounds like you’ve got a lot to look forward to, wish you luck and hope to see you around.

setting the lines and possible contenders for the new BSD overlord?

I know how much those topics and your faith mean to you, and I’m happy you’ll get a chance to pursue them while also spending more quality time with the family. Don’t be a stranger.

I love this place and think you have built something that will last. What a great legacy you are leaving!

I have only ever seen one drunken post from you. Maybe now that you are just a fan, we can have another?

….thanks for starting this up and creating the best blog on the Web!

…enjoy your new endeavors as they will bring alot more to this world that (believe it or not!) this blog!

Its bean a pleasure. You’re a great writer and it’s been really enjoyable discussing everything from linebackers to political economy. While it may not mean much coming from a “socialist”, but I wish you the best in all of your endeavours.

Don’t forget, if you’re ever in DC, I owe you a beer.

Brad

I mean been.

Since Mike doesn’t let me put pictures of him on this blog.

I wrote about about him and all these changes a few days ago.

Inspiring Me This Week

….when a BSD bomb drops its my favorite day of the week/month, I’m refreshing my browser constantly, my Z button trigger finger is at the ready and I’m giddy.

This bomb sucks. But I get why you’re doing it.

I support your decision and I’m sorry to see you go… but I’m very grateful for the leadership you showed on this blog. I’m glad that you have your priorities and stick to them since so many people don’t. I’m also happy to have met you that one time in State College, but i hope our paths cross someday now that I’ve gotten to know you better. To be honest, while I’ve loved the PSU stuff that you’ve put out, somehow that all comes secondary to what you’ve done around here as an editor and moderator. Thanks for everything that you’ve done here over the last five years!

All that being said, you’re not dying so… can I wield the banhammer?

because I’ll see you on the tweedle dee and I have your email and can track you and Wifey down if need be!

I will echo everyone else and say thank you so much for creating the BSD family. You have created this wonderful, unique environment where strangers have been able to come together and join a community. The reason so many of us spend so much time here is that it is more than just a sports blog. We get to know each other (at least a little) and talk about so much more than Penn State and sports. I will miss your front page contributions, but look forward to interacting with you as a regular commenter! God Bless You and good luck with all of your new endeavors.

Now I’m going to go dry my tears :o)

Thanks for all the hard work and dedication. Your rational, less reactionary tone has helped to foster a community of people that can take a step back and just enjoy being fans. This place was awesome helping me get through my first football season out of school when I was t-raped (sic) in the bay area in 2008.

Good luck in what your future holds. Hope to see you around here in the comments now that it can be more fun and less work.

Appreciate all your work here. You’re making the right choice! God bless!

I’m not sure where I’d be without you. That’s all.

I must confess I am mainly a reader, not a poster.. though mentions of beer are a way to bring me out of hiding. Many thanks to you for starting and maintaining such an awesome source of Penn State info and discussions.

Best of luck in your future endeavors! I’m a homebrewer working on the jump into the brewing world. I’ve done research when it comes to the craft brewing industry, and I speak to Philly area brewers/reps on a regular basis. It is a challenging undertaking to say the least.

One person I know says “Starting a brewery should be reserved for the clinically insane”. But if you have the passion, it would be worth it.

After you get your PE and things calm down, I would recommend doing research into taking correspondence courses with the Brewing Guild, or the Seibel Institute in Chicago. Both are good places to put education under your belt before you take the chance to start your own operation.

Cheers!

I’m happy for you. Sometimes you need to switch things up, or reprioritize things. I can relate. It sounds like you’ve made some pretty great choices, so if the blogs loss is your kids gain so be it. Thanks for letting me my family be a very small part of a pretty great thing for a very long time. Gods speed to your new endeavors and never forget that the BBQ post was my idea.

All that being said, when can I start cursing again?

Bravo, bravo BSD Mike!

Live the Dream, follow the call!

So many facets in life; shuffle, reshuffle and prioritize. Never take the joker out of the deck; laugh, smile and wink through all that you chose to do.

IMO, when people choose children over the many other options/opportunities that come their way…they’ve made the correct choice.

Catch you soon, Broth’ahh!

SBN banned Mike after some jorts photos surfaced and they were decided to be out of line with the corporate image. They did offer him a job blogging about Nascar, which surprisingly he was excited about.

I accidentally stumbled onto this blog four and a half years ago when I was googling for any kind of info on where Broderick Green would be taking his talents to. Even though the blog was a bit leaner back then than it is now, your evident passion for Penn State kept me frequenting ever since.

I have no doubt that if you apply that same passion to your other goals in life, you will succeed with flying colors……..and I’m sure the two brightest will always be blue and white!!

Thanks, and good luck!

I think its safe to say you created something awesome. Good luck with your future endeavors. When you perfect your beer and BBQ I expect free samples at a future BSD tailgate.

Mike you have touched the lives of everyone in this thread, and more.
(ahh gota run, work thing)
Thank you!

.. PENN STATE!

I have been reading BSD since my freshman year in college (08). there weren’t many PSU fans at my school so BSD gave me the info and conversation I needed. Even though I didnt become a member till this spring, I have always enjoyed reading the stuff on here. I come here for PSU news before anywhere else. Good luck on your future indeavors and I look forward to seeing you in the comments section!

but I did just want to say thank you for your hard work and dedication to the site. As was said before, you were my favorite writer on BSD, and I believe it was because of all of the reasons you listed in your goodbye. I always felt that you kept things in perspective and that you were a voice of reason when things got crazy. And I don’t think that can be overstated when the leader (in this case of the blog) is the voice of reason. It brings a sort of order and understanding to everything that is going on. This is the only PSU blog that I read and visit on a daily basis and that is a testament to you and the great things that have been done on this blog.

I applaud you in your decision to seek God’s will and what He has in store for you and your family. I pray that His guidance will lead you and His grace sustain you in the next phases of your life. Thank you so much for all that you do and what you’ve meant to this site and all its readers.

Your life has enough awesome things on the horizon to allow you to move on from this particular awesome thing. And that’s awesome.

’nuff said

Cheers, Mike

Just before we start playing you guys and you gotta go up and leave. Man…. was looking forward to giving you plenty of crap about the games.

Good luck, Mike. It’s been awesome watching this site grow.

I wish you the best.