To my loyal and dedicated readers:
This blog will be shutting its doors soon. I am moving on to a new challenge.
The decision was not an easy one because the Akron Beacon Journal has been a good place to work these past 11 years. The daily newspaper means a lot to me, as does being part of a local community. The Beacon Journal was gracious in providing both. I am fortunate and blessed, and grateful to the Beacon for the many opportunities.
As for you loyal readers … in a weird way it feels like we are all friends. Along the way we've shared opinions, traded barbs, endured insults, enjoyed music and laughed a little. You know about my daughters, I about your feelings toward the Browns, Cavs and Indians. It's been a lot more fun than I ever envisioned a blog (note the correct term) could be.
I hope to cross paths with many of you in the future. If you'd like to keep in touch, drop a line at mcmanamon.pat@gmail.com.
Hopefully this is not goodbye, but see you soon. I wish you all the best.
I sign off the way my father always did … God bless.
Pat
Finally … I leave you with this weekend's entertainment, which, appropriately, is by two of my favorite Irish musicians, Liam Clancy and Tommy Makem. The fact that it's dated does not diminish the sentiment:
"For each petal on the shamrock.
This brings a wish your way
Good health, good luck, and happiness
For today and every day."
Thanks Pat!
hail!
Dude,
I am thoroughly saddened! Can you elaborate further?
Pat,
With Terry and Brian already up north, your announcement may be the last nail in the coffin. I presume you cannot discuss your future at this time.
Pat,
It breaks my heart to hear your leaving. I have really enjoyed eveyrthing you have had in the paper over the years. You will be missed.
Good luck to you, Pat. I enjoyed reading your blog.
Pat,
Hopefully Fanhouse gives you a nice, fancy title…I don't know, something like "Senior National Blogger of Babes" has a nice ring to it!
Pat
As you know I have followed you from Japan even over the years. Your writing always impressed. And then your honesty and openness in this blog impressed more. I assume you have the next step lined up already… and sincerely hope we can all be pointed in that direction so I may still follow you.
Good luck in all endeavors.
God bless
John
To quote the illustrious Phil Savage….'AMF'!
A good things come to an end. Its a pity that you're an Irishman, you can always pretend that your ancestors came from Scotland! Good Luck.
Does this mean that they are going to take your picture off of the main sports page? That image always appeared to be on top of a tombstone and kind of creeped me out. Best of luck, I'll miss reading your insights to the Northeast Ohio sports scene.
i'll miss you pat, best of luck, looking forward to reading your words in the future.
NUTS!
Good Night and Joy be with You! Patrick Joseph Thomas Buster Michael Douglas Tyson Peyton Drew Joshua Donovan McmanOHMan!
Best of luck and now I have to find a new way to occupy my time at work… oddly enough, some of the more insightful dialogue that I've participated in over the last three years has been a part of this blog.
Pat- Best of luck with your new gig, I look forward to reading your new stuff, I'll make your new home a regular stop. You were one of the last reasons I was visiting good 'ole Ohio.com. Thanks for having the fortitude to "write up" against Randy Lerner and his horrible decision to give complete control of the Browns to Eric Mangini.
All the best to you Pat, as you wipe the ink off your hands and make your way to another corner of cyberspace. I've always appreciated the humility and humor in your work, and look forward to continuing to enjoy it elsewhere.
The Beacon shrinks again. I hope the bleeding stops soon because we need a local paper in this community.
Best of luck Pat! I love the interactive nature of this blog, and I selfishly hope that your new venture will incorporate something similar.
Pat,
Thanks for all great prose, humor, and insight. It will be missed.
Pat, I wish you only the best of luck at Fanhouse at AOL. And although you have have been a gentleman and have not confirmed that is indeed where you are headed, MY sources tell me that Fanhouse@AOL is indeed where you are going. Your voice will be missed in the local sports scene, especially by me. Thank you Pat!
Pat, you have been a bright spot in the sports world and I do hope that continues. Best of luck and God Bless You!
Thanks Pat,
I've enjoyed reading your columns. As someone else said, I assume you're not allowed to tell us where you're headed or you would have. Much success to you.
Good luck, Pat. Thanks for the support of the blogosphere.
there is no mystery to where pat is going
a handful of people have posted the info yet some are still clueless.
fanhouse at aol
got it yet? great. i'm glad we had this discussion.
Take alan with you.
Who woulda thunk it… Pat leaving, Mangini still here.
In all seriousness, good luck Pat. I don't always agree with your views but feel like you lead good discussion here and your posts are often thought provoking.
In half seriousness, what happens to Alan? Will you be giving Alan a guest spot on the weekends? Or will ABJ be giving this blog to Alan to maintain? Or is this like when Manny Ramirez went to Boston and requested that he take the clubhouse attendant who was like a father/older brother with him (his name escapes me) but only Alan has refused to leave this site for AOL Fanhouse and now in 6 months when you two cross paths you'll pretend like you don't know who he is?
Pat,
This news sucks! I am HUGE fan of your writings. You are the best sports writers in the Cleveland area. Good Luck!
Rumor has it that all of the drywall work alan had been doing was to build Pat an office in Alan's Mom's basement.
It's rare that a sportswriter makes his readers feel so connected. You will be missed Pat. Best of all to you and yours.
Seriously, Brian D., even Rick ended here with a civil and intelligent adult post without any name-calling whatsoever. I hate to say it, but you've ended up as the Boobie Gibson of the blog. Rick grew up, you on the other hand, went the the way of Tom Hanks in "Big" and never returned. You really don't have much time left, so perhaps you should paste another photo link, this one of yourself doing your finest Gibson impression. At least it will make me giggle. Show yourself shaving a star in your head while holding up three fingers to represent what round of the NBA draft you should have been taken in this blog.
"He can compress the most words into the smallest idea of any man I know." – Abraham Lincoln
"I have often regretted my speech, never my silence." – Xenocrates
"Write drunk; edit sober." – Ernest Hemingway
"I'm all in favor of keeping dangerous weapons out of the hands of fools. Let's start with typewriters." – Frank Lloyd Wright
"Blessed is the man, who having nothing to say, abstains from giving wordy evidence of the fact." – George Eliot
"All are lunatics, but he who can analyze his delusion is called a philosopher." – Ambrose Bierce
"If you haven't got anything nice to say about anybody, come sit next to me." – Alice Roosevelt Longworth
"If I were two-faced, would I be wearing this one?" – Abraham Lincoln
"Men are not disturbed by things, but the view they take of things." – Epictetus
"The longer I live the more I see that I am never wrong about anything, and that all the pains that I have so humbly taken to verify my notions have only wasted my time." – George Bernard Shaw
"I heard someone tried the monkeys-on-typewriters bit trying for the plays of W. Shakespeare, but all they got was the collected works of Alan T."
- adaptation of quote by Bill Hirst
"Don't let it end like this. Tell them I said something." – last words of Pancho Villa
I tried to think and nuthin Happened …….Curly Howard I shall Return!! General MacArthur …….Respect MY AUTHORITIII !!..Eric Cartman…….I need TeePee for my B*ngH@!e ……….Beavis or was it B#ttH#ad!!!
Pat,
Thanks for your contributions during your stay at the ABJ. Your insights, candor and humor about our NE Ohio sports teams have added a lot to my mornings, and I'm going to miss you. Good luck wherever you're headed. And, I must say – a very classy musical exit. Go in peace, brother.
Dan Toussant
alan said boobie… if the beacon was smart (which it is not), they would not replace this blog with anything.
alan said boobie. a farewell boobie…