John Clay's Sidelines

Now you can not only send me a friend request on Facebook, you can follow this blog on Facebook.

I’ve started a John Clay’s Sidelines blog network on Facebook. You can get automatic feeds of posts, etc. While updating your status, you can follow what’s going on with the Cats, the SEC, etc.

If you’re a Facebook member, send me a friend request.

Thanks to everyone who supports this blog.

Minnesota Timberwolves GM turned coach agrees that there’s a quicker trigger on coaches these days, and there’s one entity to blame: Bloggers.

In addressing the rash of early-season NBA firings, including McHale’s own axing of Randy Wittman at Minnesota, McHale told the local media there:

“I think you’re going to see more and more shorter term stuff in our league,” he said. “Just because the access now, there’s so much media availability and everything else. There’s just so many bloggers; everybody’s got an opinion. There’s all kinds of stuff going on. Sometimes that starts forming the opinion of people in front offices, too, and owner. It’s been kind of a crazy year so far.”

Man, who knew?

Most reaction to the change in the Liveblog, using Cover it Live, was positive on Wednesday night, but there were dissenters.

I received this e-mail from Robert:

You didn’t ask me but I think that the “Cover It Live” format stinks
from a reader’s perspective. I feel like I’m in a freakin chat room,
not reading a journalistic endeavor. The primary reason I read your
game blogs is to not only see what the score is but to get a feel for
the pulse of the team, how they are playing, etc. Not only is there
less meat in this format but now I have to scroll through 10-20
comments, 99% of which add nothing to the conversation, to find what
you, the sportswriter, have to say. Also, it’s impossible to glance at
this “blog” (chat room transcript) and get a summary of what is going
on, unlike your previous blog.

Another point regarding comments: because it appears that they are so
easy to make, everyone feels like they have to comment, which just
adds to the overall noise and clutter. I feel that this will only get
worse if you continue to use this format.

I’m obviously not a fan of this but go back and read the blog from a
reader’s perspective. If it’s real-time interactivity/entertainment
that you’re trying to provide then it absolutely works; if you’re
trying to provide the same type of information that your previous game
blogs provided but in a different format then it fails miserably.

There are some good points made there, and some address issues that I had worried about in the first place. It did appear that Wednesday night much of the blog broke down into comments and discussions that had little to do with the game. I think part of that had to do with the fact the UK-Lamar game was a blowout. Part of it had to do with the new format which does make it much easier for readers to post comments — which is a good thing. (And yes, there is a brief delay because I do have to approve the comments first.) If today’s UK-Miami game is closer, I would expect a tighter, more focused blog.

Part of it, I think, is that it was something new. The hope is that the regular readers will get used to the new format. If you’re not interested in the comments, just skip over the blue type and look for the game stuff from me.

Part of it was me. This is new to me, as well. I may have to sacrifice and answer fewer comments, and concentrate more on giving recaps and commentary to the game. Anyway, we’re going to try it again this afternoon and see how it goes. Your contributions and comments are greatly appreciated. Thanks.

One tip: For some of you, it may help to turn off the auto-scroll button at the bottom of the page. That way if you want to go back and review previous entries, it won’t keep returning you to the bottom of the page when a new entry is posted.

Starting with tonight’s UK-Lamar game at Rupp Arena, we’re going to try out the Cover It Live format with the liveblog.

It’s an enhanced liveblogging tool that is growing popular with publications and web sites which blog live at events.

The image to the right gives you an idea of what it will look like on your screen.

I think it will promote more discussion during the game. I can get to your comments easier and post them faster. It’ll also make it easier to answer any questions you have during the game, or comment on your comments.

It also has the capability of posting poll questions, pix, etc., as the game is going on.

Best of all, you don’t need to refresh the page. It has an automatic scroll that continues much like IM messages throughout the live event, as my comments and your comments are posted, so you can just leave the page up and follow along.

I’ll be interested in your feedback both during and after the game.

If you want to more know about Cover It Live, you can find its website here.

This is from Henry Abbott on his True Hoop blog at ESPN.com:

I am one of those people who, even though it’s 2008 and I’m supposed to be too young for this demographic, loves getting a paper newspaper delivered every morning. A fresh paper has been a top reason to get out of bed for me since college. And when I get it, of course, the first thing I do is flip straight to the sports section. That used to be purely because I was a sports fan. I’m sure you’re the same way. But these last few months, with financial turmoil, terrorism, and so much trouble on the front page … doesn’t it feel more than ever like escapism? To me it feels just a little like: OK, the house just might be on fire. But come on kids, let’s go play in the sandbox in the backyard! It’s a magical place where things like what kind of t-shirt Stephon Marbury wore yesterday matters, and no one will make you worry about soothing tensions in Pakistan.

Just wanted to say Happy Thanksgiving, and thanks to all the blog readers and commenters out there.

I appreciate each and every one of you who read and participate in this blog.

Be back Friday.

Or at least it is, as of 6:50 p.m., on my back porch.

Photo by John Clay.

Sidelines has now passed the century mark for people following this blog and receiving live game updates on Twitter.

Thanks to everyone who has signed up.

If you have suggestions, questions, problems, be sure and pass them along.

Thanks, again.

I would be interested to hear the thoughts of those of you who used Twitter to follow the live updates from the Kentucky-Louisville game on Sunday.

Complaints?

Suggestions?

Good or bad, or both, let me know.

Either post a comment here, or you can e-mail me at jclay@herald-leader.com.

Wrote a column today about my unexpected case of Olympic Fever.

Apparently I'm not the only one in Lexington.

Out today I spotted this in front of Tates Creek Presbyterian Church, home of Trinity Christian Academy, proud product of U.S. Olympic swimmer Elaine Breeden: