If you’re reading this, then chances are pretty good that you’ve already read this because, while we’ve managed to carve out a bit of a niche here at HLS, The Blue-Gray Sky is the head of the ND Nation Blogging State. At least, they were…
With the day-job priorities heating up (and my first baby on the way at the end of May) I haven’t had nearly the time to devote to BGS as I had in the past. And Pat, Mike, Michael, Dylan, Jeff, Pete and Kevin are no less busy than I. It’s with those bittersweet thoughts in mind that we think it’s time to drop the curtain on the Blue-Gray Sky.
And so here we are feeling quite akin to the way we felt when Lou announced his resignation from Notre Dame.
BGS is a phenomenal piece of work. The guys behind the site put an incredible amount of effort into their craft. And yes, it was a craft. While we at HLS may be guilty, on occasion, of throwing content up on the site simply for entertainment, I can’t recall a single post by the guys at BGS that didn’t serve to make the readers better informed than they were before – even when they got a bit goofy. And the guys were always quite accommodating to HLS as well. When we first got started, they were among the first sites to link to HLS, and they even passed along helpful advice while we struggled to find our own voice. For that we thank them. We also thank them for their awesome data. You would not believe the resources BGS had available for their own research – resources that they themselves put together and would always make available to us if we asked. There were times when they were able to answer a question about team metrics so quickly I had to wonder if perhaps the coaching staff should contact them.
BGS always managed to do exactly what HLS always wanted to do: Educate and entertain the fanbase while representing Notre Dame with excellence. And the fruits of their labor shown through in terms of recognition across the national college football blogging scene, reader commentary participation that would make most major media outlets drool, and a body of work that is downright encyclopedic.
Thanks, Blue-Gray Sky. It was fun.
- Friday Roundup: That Was Fast Edition - December 14, 2018
- Ian Book Is Smokey and the Bandit - December 12, 2018
- Don’t Call It A Comeback - December 10, 2018
Man, that’s a bummer, will miss those guys. Peace BGS, good work!
DMQ – I wish I could claim any kind of excellence on this blog. Well, I guess I’m excellent at ripping d-bag coaches new ones…so, I’ll take it.
Biscuit: see that mantle over there? Yeah. Pick it up. Run with it. BGS got me hooked into ND football blogs. Before that? Yeah, OIF and Katrina kept me busy. But those guys, they got me. And you were the burnt little nub of macaroni and cheese in the pan that you kill for after you’ve eaten the whole thing. You’ve got it now and if you need anything, you email me. Make this season great.
Jonathan, thanks for reading and for the vote of confidence. I know for a fact we can’t fill those shoes, but we’ll be the best damn left over piece of burnt mac n cheese you’ve ever effing had. It will be my mission.
You’re the man now dog.
Wow, this is kinda rough to hear. I was never a huge fan of the site(they made me think too much) but I appreciated them for what was obviously TONS of research and analysis that so few would have dedicated, especially considering some of the rough patches we’ve had to endure lately. They will be missed.
On a related topic, is The House that Rock Built EVER going to actually go away for good? I go there like once every 3-4 mo and theres never any new content.
I was a loyal fan and daily reader and kinda-frequent commenter over at BGS. When they finally shut down, they referenced your site. I have been reading and I like what I see. Will check you daily from now on. Good luck and please help fill (at least somewhat) the hole in my heart!
Thanks for dropping by, OderName.