Okay, so I read this article:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page3/story?page=philbrick/simpsonsIt's poorly written that makes me think of the "I go to my college newspaper meetings once a month and write for the sports section because I like sports and there is free food" kind of article. Later I find another one of his articles and it gives his E-mail address and says "Mike Philbrick is a rare contributor to Page 2" (Page 2 is ESPN.com's less sports journalism and more shoot off your mouth type section, Page 3 is an even more amateur version of Page 2).
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So I send him this E-mail:
Subject Line: "Mike Philbrick is a rare contributor to Page 2"
"Thank God for that too. Your latest Simpsons article? A joke about how NBA players don't try then a joke about baseball negations? Wow, I think I've been transported to the 90's. Hopefully they keep you on Page 3. Maybe they will even invent Page 4, just for you."
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Five minutes later I get this:
"Thanks!
I'll let you know when we we're looking for editors when we launch Page 4."
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I reply:
"Awesome,
I could use a nice cushy job where I do crap"
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I leave to enjoy my Friday evening. It was getting late. My girlfriend and I had a splendid time at this cheap Italian place with great atmosphere. I also had a great deal of reading to do this weekend, my radio show, and two games of Floor Hockey. I don't check my E-mail until now. In my mailbox I find this:
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Time marked 1 minute after I sent my second reply:
"And at the end of the day you'd work here in a second if you could. Come on you know you would."
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I reply:
"I wouldn't work there if it meant my life would be pathetic and I would be staying at the office/home on Friday nights sending E-mails out."
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Mike:
Seriously less than 30 seconds later:
"Oh, so that was your entourage sending e-mails out on your behalf last Friday?
Wow! I guess you are better than us."
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Tweed:
"Man you crack me up. Are you ever not by a computer? Do you always check your E-mail like an uber geek? I just got your E-mail now because I've been out all weekend. It's nice to know that if everyone in my life dies at the same time, I can turn to you by sending you an E-mail and you'll get back to me in 2 minutes or less.
As for your last line, you guess correctly my friend. Good Night!"
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Mike:
It's called Super Bowl week .. some of us at ESPN.com have to put in the hours so the rest of the world can avoid their jobs come Monday morning.
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I liked his closing line. At least he has somewhat of a sense of humor. I enjoy it when I correspond with writers of all kinds and end up having a string of replies.