Joining the sports media world might be a tougher task than
actually playing in a professional league. It has been one year since I have
graduated from college with a journalism degree. I was actually excited back
then to get into sports media. I started to fill out job applications like no
other, sometimes filling out 20 in a day. It didn’t matter where the job was, I
was going to apply and make a name for myself. I was going to be the next Peter
King or Dan Patrick. Visions of grandeur filled my head and helped me sleep at
night.
I never heard back from anyone. A year vanished as I tried
to find work, while my parents worried over my future. In my household, you
were expected to be a lawyer or a doctor, something with job security. I was a
rebel though; I wanted to get into the sports world as much as possible. It was
my dream since I first turned on 105.3 The Fan back in the summer of 2009. Against all odds, I chose a different path to
make a name for myself.
It hasn’t been the easiest decision in my life. Multiple
people inside and outside the business have told me that it is a dying business
and I have made a mistake. One person told me that I wasted a lot of money with
my Journalism degree. On top of it, I see multiple colleagues of mine getting
jobs right here in Dallas with big time organizations, while I struggle to get
just an interview. It caused me to doubt myself and wonder did I ruin my
future.
I won’t lie; this past year has been extremely hard on my
psyche. I am man enough to admit, I have had to cry myself to sleep over what
this dream of mine has cost me. 2015 was not a good year.
The biggest question that kept running through my head was,
Should I quit?
There was only response back. Never.
I haven’t given up once in life and I am not going to stop
now. I know I am one step closer and I know it will be worth it in the end.
I am writing this to all those struggling with their dreams
and just asking them to keep at it. Anything worthwhile in this world must be
paid for with blood, sweat and faith.
The time we have on this planet is short and it could all
end in a blink of an eye. So spend it doing something you love and that is how
you make your life worthwhile.
I wanted to thank Walter Chism, Tovash Hatcher, Marcus Mays,
Quincy Fraser, Glenn Jackson, Mike Fisher, Gavin Dawson, Chris Arnold, Jeff
Cavanaugh, Ben Rogers, Cory Mageors, Mark Lane, and countless others who have
given me a chance or the support I need for my dream. I will never forget it.
