Shanley Says: Goodbye for now

For the past fourteen weeks, many of you have read the things I’ve had to say. I’ve written about a wide variety of sports-related topics, and never limited my articles to a particular subject.

Sometime last December, The Whit’s current sports editor Kate Harman approached me with the idea of writing my own column. It gave me a free reign on any topics I wished to cover. Thinking it’d be a good way to air my ideas and, at the same time, accumulate clips for my portfolio, I eagerly accepted the proposal.

Now, with Harman graduating, I have been elected to follow in her footsteps as sports editor of this publication. I know that with the help of fellow staff writers such as Adam Dobrowolski and John Russo, among others, the ceiling for The Whit has the potential to rise even higher.

There will be changes, but not many. There will still be beats for each of the university’s athletic teams. Gym-goers will still be able to look forward to Gabe Arnold’s advice columns, and perhaps most importantly, upperclassmen need not fret: “Senior Moment” isn’t going anywhere.

If all goes according to plan, the most significant alterations will be seen on the publication’s website. I’m hoping for the online content to be more vast in the fall. Hopefully, The Whit’s sports section will be able to bring students further updates on their favorite professional teams, as well as more in-depth coverage of Rowan University athletic programs.

I am well aware that being The Whit’s sports editor will take time, dedication and drive to make the paper’s last three pages as perfect as possible. Unfortunately for me, it will also require less opinionated pieces, nonsensical articles and angry rants at worthy subjects.

Among the articles I wrote this past spring, two particularly stick out in my mind. The inaugural “Shanley Says” featured my take on the return of basketball icon Allen Iverson to the city of Philadelphia. A few weeks later, I used the space I was given to highlight my reverence for professional wrestling legend Shawn Michaels.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the athletes mentioned above or simply cannot find a connection between the two, both are remembered (but not necessarily known) for their returns from retirement.

If I told you I knew where “Shanley Says” was headed, I’d be lying, but for now, ladies and gentlemen, my column has left the building.