It’s not goodbye, it’s thank you

Thank you. As I sat down to write this column, which will stand as my final piece of work for the Starkville Daily News, I struggled to come up with a way to start.

I tried to think of something humorous to capture your atten- tion. I dug deep into my brain to try and think of a good story or something else to set the stage for this. Nothing seemed to work just right. I think it was the Lord's way of telling me to keep it simple and just offer those first two words – thank you.

Beginning Monday, I'll start a new journey. I'll become the publisher and editor of Sports Illustrated's Cowbell Corner – a new website devoted exclusively to coverage of Mississippi State sports, so I'm not going away.

You'll still be able to find my work. You'll still see me around. You'll still be able to read my coverage. In fact, it'll be right at your fingertips online. I'll be seeking to bring you unique content in captivating ways using the tools Sports Illustrated has armed me with.

I grew up loving Sports Illustrated. To know that my work will now be under the banner of one of the two or three biggest names in sports media is pretty cool. To say I'm excited about what the future holds is an understatement. I'd be lying if I didn't admit though that this is kind of bittersweet.

See, I still believe in the importance of the local, community newspaper. I consider it an honor that for the last five years, many of you have turned to my stories or columns for news and insight on MSU or the local high schools. These weren't stories that were created from a distance. You had me as your local eyes and ears on the ground at these events and I hope I was able to paint a picture for you all with my words, or at least inform you or entertain you in some way.

It has been a blessing to work alongside two other local guys on this sports staff to bring you what

I think might be some of the best small-paper sports content in the country. Sports editor Danny P. Smith along with my traveling partner/friend/fellow sportswriter Robbie Faulk and I have always taken pride in trying to cram your papers with as much local sports news and information as possible. There's a big part of me that hates to leave that behind, but with Danny and Robbie, you all are in more-than-capable hands.

It has also been a pleasure to be teammates with one of the most dedicated news editors I've ever known. Ryan Phillips is amazing at what he does. He gets very few pats on the back for it, but he puts his head down and grinds every single day to bring you all the information you need. The last few weeks, during this worldwide pandemic,

I hope you've paid attention to how many stories Ryan has written and recognized the time and dedication behind getting you all the pertinent information on the local side. Ryan and news reporter Charlie Benton deserve much praise for the hard work and hours they've put in to make sure you all are informed about what's going on right here in Starkville, Oktibbeha County and surrounding areas.

I say all that to emphasize what I said earlier. I wholeheartedly believe the community newspaper is vital. When East Webster or Eupora or Choctaw County or one the Starkville schools plays a football game, odds are we are one of the very few media outlets there to give you a record of what happened. When the Starkville board of aldermen meet or there is a local school board meeting, odds are, the SDN has a reporter in the room to see what happens and ask the questions that hold local leaders accountable for why they do what they do.

Now imagine a world in which these kinds of things didn't exist. Picture a community where games were played and the local athletes received no recognition, or meetings were held and leaders did what they wanted, without any fear of having to answer to the public. To say that'd be unfortunate and a terrible thing is maybe the understatement of all understatements. It's incredibly important to have papers, like the SDN, to give you the local coverage you need and deserve.

For the last five years, it has