The End

I am retiring from my decades-long avocation of operating PennStateHoops.com and will soon begin the process of turning over the domain name to Penn State Athletics.

This site will cease to be.

I made this decision before Patrick Chambers’ resignation, but had been unable to execute on it for various personal reasons. But now seems like a good time to end it.

In 1997 or 1998, when this site was emerging from the primordial ooze hydrothermal vent of the Prodigy online network, there was virtually nowhere outside of central Pennsylvania to obtain information about Penn State’s  basketball program.

With the onslaught of often free and always inexpensive newspaper web sites, the growing internet presence of of traditional specialty media (Blue White Illustrated) and new players (247, and bloggers like RoarLionsRoar.com), and most importantly (and felicitously), the fabulous Big Ten Network, there is no real requirement for this site, and there hasn’t been for some time.

Despite some tremendous Penn State basketball on the floor the past few seasons, I have found operating the site has not been the mostly joyous pursuit that it was for the first 10 years or so. 

I don’t believe any problems here have gotten worse – we have been a self-regulating bunch for the most part, a case study in communities setting and enforcing their own culture. I’ve just run out of gas. 

Years ago, I stopped doing music reviews for newspapers because the responsibility of reviewing the shows eliminated the pure joy of attending a concert. 

I left sportswriting for the same reason.

Similarly, the joy in following the basketball team has always been in watching the games. 

I’m going to go back to focusing on that. I’ve always believed that the pinnacle of our shared experience as college basketball fans is when our team enters the last few minutes of a game with a chance to win. The rest is details.

For what it’s worth, I endorse the crew over at RoarLionsRoar.com, and if they end up hosting a similar community, I would happily join in there, as tiresomely if not tirelessly as I have here over the years.

Thanks to all who contributed over the year to help defray expenses.

Regards,

Tim Beidel / tjb

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