Blogs
FCIAC Football Blog
http://fciacfootballblog.com
The FCIAC Football Blog was created as an experiment in social networking by freelance sportswriter Tim Parry. After attending BlogOn 05 for his day job in September 2005 and hearing author Seth Godin speak about what does and doesn't attract page views in the blogosphere, the lamp was lit. He decided to build a blog about his own personal passion, FCIAC Football, use the SEO skills he learned as a web editor, and see if anyone would come.
The idea was to just drop quick hits of information about what was going on in the FCIAC, interject some commentary, and provide links to help guide the reader. Midway through the third quarter of the SWC championship game, just six weeks later, Connecticut Post sportswriter Sean Patrick Bowley, randomly tells Parry, "You wouldn't believe how many @#$%^&* people tell me they read your blog. Why the hell aren't you telling anyone about it?"
So Parry decided to take it more serious during the 2006 FCIAC football season, and got to see all 19 teams play at least one half of football, while juggling freelance work, a full-time job, and family life. In June of 2006, he got out to spring games at Fairfield Ludlowe, New Canaan, Trinity Catholic, and Stamford to try to keep the interest in the blog up. In July, he followed the Fairfield County team in the Hall of Fame Classic, and openly criticized FCIAC coaches for their lack of support for the summer showcase. It was then that he started hearing via e-mail from some coaches and boosters, which helped legitimize the media... well, that and the promotional t-shirts he made by hand (the logo application, he doesn't own a loom) and handed out during Hell Weeks and early season games.
Parry launched the FCIAC Football Five, a weekly poll conducted by the news people who cover the teams of the FCIAC. It includes writers from weekly and daily newspapers, the radio media, and television personalities.
The blog moved to its new home, fciacfootballblog.com, in December 2007. Plans for the future include video and audio blogging, and other features being contemplated. The FCIAC Football Blog is also considering paid sponsorships. In November 2006, The FCIAC Football Blog had more than 25,000 page views by Thanksgiving Day, On Thanksgiving Day itself, there were more than 400 unique visitors.
SWC Buzz
http://swcbuzz.blogspot.com
From the founder of the FCIAC Football Blog, welcome to SWC Buzz...
If you're here, I'm sure it's because you're a fan of South West Conference football. Don't just sit back and enjoy, register and comment on posts. I may say Octavias McKoy is the best running back in the league, you may say it's Torrey Mack. And if we don't agree, it's not a bad thing at all.
The goal of this blog is to engage fans and players, and start a conversation. Hopefully SWC Buzz will include some guest bloggers along the way. And feel free to drop me an e-mail at any time - the address is timparry@sbcglobal.net.
I'll try to get out to some games, I'll take some photos, I'll shoot some video, and I'll meet you, the readers.
I'm looking forward to hearing from you. And you. And you... And if you love SWC Buzz, maybe you'll buy a t-shirt...
