BTB: Help Wanted

As I mentioned last week, BTB is looking for some new blood on the front-page to help cover our beloved Dallas Cowboys. Rafael, Raul and I will still be here but it's time to bring some fresh perspectives to the blog. First, what we're looking for in the applicants.

1. You have to be able to post regularly, every week, at least 4-5 times a week. At first, this might sound easy, but take it from experience, it's not. Some weeks there isn't much news and you've said just about everything you want to say. You have to be able to push through that and come up with interesting stories or opinions. It takes dedication so please make sure you are willing to commit that kind of time to the blog.
2. You need to have some command of the English language and responsible enough to use proper spelling and grammar. Granted, this isn't exactly writing an essay to get into Harvard but we do keep some semblance of standards on the blog. I know that I make mistakes in spelling and sometimes butcher my grammar, but I try to keep it to a minimum. You need to be able to do that also.
3. Research is required. Your posts, if they are relying on facts or stats, must be correct. Sometimes we think we remember how a game went long ago, or believe a player did this or that in recent history, but human memory is fallible. You need to look up certain things to make sure they're correct.
4. You need to be able to take criticism of your posts and not lose your cool. Not everybody will agree with what you write and they'll let you know about it in the comments. You can argue back with your points but going ballistic on someone is not allowed. If you don't have some control over your emotions, it won't work out.
5. This blog has some issues that we stay way from - politics, religion and other hot-button issues that are not related to football. Using this blog as a platform to go off on tangents like that is not acceptable. Also, profanity is not welcome. You must be able to stay within these guidelines to qualify for the front-page.

OK, now you have the basic outlines for the front-page. It requires dedication of time, a responsibility to make your posts factually correct and grammatically correct, and a willingness to stick with the guidelines here at BTB.

So if you're still interested there's another hurdle. You need to be an active member of the blog. By that I mean you need to be someone who regularly comments and contributes to the conversation here and has done it for a while. Don't worry BSR-transfers, I know that your contributions can only go back a couple of months but if you've been active in that time it will count just as much as guys who have been on BTB for a long time. You are part of the community on this blog and you will have just as much an opportunity to apply for the position.

What now? Anybody who is interested and thinks they meet all the criteria, send me an email that includes your real name, your blog name and some relevant data about why you should be the guy. I don't need a sample blog post at this time but just some information about you and why you think you can do the job. My email can be found down at the bottom of the blog next to my name. Please include the phrase "BTB co-blogger" in the subject line of your email so I can easily pick it out. Also, please send your email within the next few days, we want to move on this as quickly as possible.

Later this week, Rafael and I will begin sifting through the emails and narrowing down the candidates. Depending on the volume of applicants and our evaluations of those applicants, we'll either make a decision or do a semi-final round that may ask for sample posts, etc. We will be selecting at least two winners and maybe three.

This is also a good time to say thanks to all of you who read the blog and a special thanks to all of you that comment regularly. It's because of you this blog is a success. We are truly grateful.

Thanks,

Dave (and on behalf of Rafael, too)