Thank you.
A birthday wish for The Victory Bell
I’m always going to remember February 4, 2022.
I drove up to Milwaukee to visit my Dad. We grabbed a bite to eat at Martino’s, a favorite hot dog stand of ours, and then we drove out to our favorite local bookstore. I told him I needed to be back to his house by 3 p.m.
When that hour arrived, I grabbed my laptop and sat on the bed in my childhood bedroom. I opened up my browser, took a deep breath - probably said a prayer or two - and launched The Victory Bell.
What a wild three years it’s been.
I think birthdays are special. Whenever I’m asked what my favorite holiday is, I always respond with my birthday. Is it ego? Maybe a little. It’s probably cake as well.
I’ll also say I’m blessed to have a March birthday that generally coincides with the start of the NCAA tournament, a two-week spring break from teaching as well as spring training getting into full swing. So, yeah, my birthday is my favorite holiday.
I often use my birthday to look back at the previous year and answer that existential question we all face every once in a while…am I better off today than I was a year ago?
My own birthday is in five weeks, so it’s not time to dive into that personal rabbit hole quite yet. But today represents three years since I launched The Victory Bell.
Is the site better today than it was a year ago?
I don’t know how to answer that.
In terms of following, I’d say yes. The site currently has 429 paid subscribers, which is 50 more than it had last year at this time. The site grew financially by 30.6 percent from 2023 to 2024, but that growth was in large part due to a rate increase in late 2023. I did see a 10.01 percent bump last month over January 2024.
I’d still love to get to 500 paid subscribers. That was my goal the day I launched the site. Get to 500 subscribers by year three. I have to believe there are more Valparaiso fans (or families) out there willing to support local journalism.
If you know of any, send them my way!
Or, if you’re one of the 765 free subscribers to the site, please consider becoming a paid subscriber.
As much as my aim in 2025 is to get to 500 paid subscribers, that is really only a secondary goal. My primary goal this year is to get back to giving people a reason to subscribe. I don’t have children, but I’ve heard tell of the “Terrible Twos.” One definition is “a normal developmental phase experienced by young children that’s often marked by (among other things) lots of frustration.”
I’ve felt that frustration over the last year in regards to The Victory Bell. Call it a combination of writer’s block, annoyance with lack of growth in the site, or just plain laziness. There’s no other media outlet covering Valparaiso athletics and I know I’ve let that outside apathy impact my work. I’ve got to stop. I will stop.
I launched this site with the vision of sharing Valparaiso’s stories, notably the stories of the student-athletes, and not just the basketball teams. With the exception of a look at José Padilla’s impact on athletics…
Quick aside, I took an unintended shot at Alan Harre in the piece and for that I apologize. President Harre was a huge fan of Valparaiso athletics, doing it in his own quiet way. Multiple people that I truly admire reached out to me after I ran the piece and set me straight. I’m grateful for them, as I was grateful that it was President Harre that handed me my diploma 22 years ago this spring.
…the last 24 stories I’ve published have been about basketball. Not since Dec. 11 have I published a story about another sport. There are great stories to be told. A new recruiting class is coming for football. Anthony Delisanti is beginning the stretch run on one of the great careers in Valpo history. Softball is aiming for some consistency. Women’s tennis is looking to overcome a surprising defection with an “all hands on deck” mentality. Brian Schmack is dusting off his uniform once again with a retooled roster. There’s plenty more.
That’s not to say I haven’t enjoyed following the basketball programs this year, but I know I should be doing better. Many of the stories I’ve written about them have been simple game stories, often with only quotes from Roger Powell Jr. and Mary Evans. Let me be clear that I’m entirely grateful the two of them always take my calls on the road, even after losses, especially after losses, but I need to get back to telling the stories of the student-athletes.
The best only feature story I wrote about a student-athlete for the site in the winter of 2024 wasn’t even about a current Valparaiso athlete. It was about Cal College men’s basketball player Zion Morgan.
So, as The Victory Bell celebrates a birthday today, I’m going public with my birthday wish. I’m going to get back to writing the kind of stories I love to write and the kind of stories you deserve to read. I’m done going through the motions.
As many of your yearly subscriptions are up for renewal in the coming days, please know that I remain committed to sharing the stories of Valparaiso University Athletics. The place means a great deal to me and I’m blessed to have this opportunity that you all have afforded me.
Thank you for your support.
(Photo courtesy of Valpo Athletics)
Paul, when you clicked your mouse and sent that first story live, I bet you had no clue about how, in just this short period of time, so much would rapidly change - both at Valpo and, of course, across the NCAA spectrum. A suddenly crazy world has swallowed us.
Thank you for hanging in and adjusting on the fly while you still have your day job at the university. Thank you for your professional journalism and always trying tell both sides of issues. I haven’t regretted a moment, as a reader, or every dollar I have invested in TVB as a subscriber.
You are greatly appreciated, Paul! Also, thank you for pulling back on Alan Harre. He and his wife were always so kind to me at the conference tournaments every year and every other time we interacted.