Gold Lot Sports Editorial - State of the Union



It has been a while since we've posted on the blog and we have had people ask about it.  Thanks to those who have noticed.  I really wasn't sure anyone would, to be frank.

So I wanted to address this in like a State of the Union, type way.  I'm writing this on behalf of the blog, but Brian Torchia, my co-founder and co-blogger may disagree.   If he does, he knows he always has this platform to post a rebuttal.  

I believe the reason we have not posted is that we really don't have much to talk about.  Throughout the month of May, all that has really gone on in regards to Pittsburgh sports is that the Pirates have taken a literal nose dive compared to their play in April.  Also, after the draft, the Steelers made a couple minor moves, but none that really elicit a reaction.  We don't have a Penguins writer anymore so it'd be disingenuous for us to dive into their GM news even though we are following it.

And that's the key term there: disingenuous.   Brian and I do not get paid to write.  We get minimal ad money, but really it's just a hobby.  We've also never been a breaking news website, or a news website at all.  That's what Twitter is for.  Any Pittsburgh sports news can easily be found there.  

We are an opinion blog.  Because of that, we're not going to force blogs that we are not passionate about.  I could talk about what the Pirates could do to improve their hitting or their pitching, but I truly don't know.  It would just be me trying to get your clicks and it would be disingenuous. 

I could repeat the same stuff as the garbage out there about how promoting one of our young catchers could suddenly turn the team around, even though everyone knows the team is well beyond one prospect turning this nose dive around.  We could fanboy like the Rumbunters out there, and offer some false hope to the fan base, but it would be just that at this given time.  I'm a results oriented guy.  Show me the ability to win again.

Look, I'm still watching the games.  My Dad and I suffered through a loss a couple weeks ago at PNC Park, and then again on TV a few nights ago on my back porch.  Brian and I are still Pittsburgh sport die-hards.  We're just not going to pull topics out of our butts.  It would feel, again, disingenuous.  Or like we were just baiting for interaction on social media.  

We could also just parrot whatever Ben Roethlisberger says on his podcast and try to get interaction that way, like Blitzburgh and Steelers Depot who essentially just copy content and paste it onto their site all offseason (and most of the regular season).  We don't want to do that.  I would encourage you to just listen to Ben's podcast instead.  

Is that what sports journalism has become?  Mike Tomlin tweeted at JJ Watt and over 20 publications wrote a story about it.  That's not us.  We don't need your clicks bad enough to stoop to that.

We're not click baiters, nor are we fishing for your interaction.  My Pittsburgh Sports Minutes were in a way mocking those who do.  I was able to fit their whole "articles" into one minute, or less, videos that were surprisingly getting thousands of views on both Facebook and our Instagram.  But until something comes up worth talking about, I'm not going to force it.

So is Gold Lot Sports dead?  No.  

But, we do this for fun.  So when it feels fun again, we'll start writing again.  Until then, thanks for noticing.