Eleven Warriors houses many writers, columnists, contributors and commenters. Beginning next month, it will also have a much-anticipated full-time employee.
Last December we decided 11W readers shouldn't have to wait for the site to eclipse the revenue projections required for us to hire a beat writer for you. You listened to our pleas, learned our secrets and then quickly closed the delta in our cash flows.
As as result, hundreds of you recently received Respect the Basement t-shirts (thanks again, Bob) as a token of our gratitude for your generosity. And now all of you have a seasoned veteran, polished writer and well-respected member of the Ohio State beat as your 11W beat writer.
We received dozens of resumes from seasoned sportswriters and beat writers, ranging from local newspaper editors to sports desk managers at nationally-read print publications (!) and we conducted numerous interviews to find our lady or gentleman who would be the best fit for the job description we crafted (Ed: On a dozen cocktail napkins in smudged red pen)
The hiring process is now over. It's time to introduce you to the writer who will be representing 11W on the Ohio State beat.
Kyle Rowland, an 11W alumnus, will be returning to fulfill the unmet obligations of having an Eleven Warriors presence on the beat. He comes back to us by way of BuckeyeGrove.com after successfully managing those duties for the Rivals/Yahoo! Sports Ohio State affiliate.
He will complete his obligations to BuckeyeGrove before transitioning to 11W with a start date of July 1.
Adam Pratt respects the basement. Thanks, Adam.Kyle's news writing experience and Ohio State-specific expertise covers football and basketball in addition to the non-revenue sports that make him a well-rounded and tuned-in beat writer.
He also possesses one of our requirements: Separating his heart from his brain where the Buckeyes are concerned (though he's not above letting his personality peek in the window in the least subtle way possible).
Most of all, he understands the 11W culture. He has been part of it. He will now be the face of it, behind the mic, on press row and in the box hanging above the West sideline at 410 Woody Hayes Drive.
Kyle rejoins Eleven Warriors at a time where site traffic is growing at a 500% clip over the same time last year, when site traffic was climbing at an almost vertical tilt. His command of beat writing duties completes the value proposition 11W has always aspired to.
This site, which is committed to free and original content without NASCAR-style advertising, annoying click-throughs or slideshows that artificially inflate metrics is now self-sufficient. The next time we ask you to open your pocketbooks it will be to benefit Stefanie Spielman Fund for Breast Cancer Research at Eat Too, Brutus 3. We're back to paying forward again.
You're buying 11W t-shirts, sweatshirts and onesies (thank you, Baby Buckeyes) from the Dry Goods Depot at such a frantic pace that we brought art direction in-house to keep up with your demand for new merchandise.
For the umpteenth month in a row, it's never been better at Eleven Warriors. We are committed to keeping that streak going, and Kyle will be determined to ensure that 11W delivers you all of the fresh, original Ohio State news to accompany the rest of our content that you're already clicking several million times every month.
Thanks again for making this happen. We will not let you down.
And welcome back, Mr. Rowland. Your room is exactly the same way you left it (it just has a few million more eyeballs going through your stuff now).
