Sportaholics latest addition: Michael Williams

Hello fellow Sportaholics, I would like to welcome another esteemed member to our expanding team by the name of Michael Williams. He comes by way of Uniniontown, Ohio and will cover the Northeast region of sports for us. Mike has an enviable list of credentials at his disposal including a sports business degree from the University of Mount Union. Michael experience also includes night sales with the Cleveland Cavaliers, PSSI stadium operations intern for Heinz field, media relations intern for the surging Pittsburgh Pirates and marketing and media relations intern at Duquense University. Mike’s wealth of sports business acumen will be a welcome addition to the Sportaholic team. He has the type of passion for sports that all of us here on the Sportaholic share and will immediately jump in and begin to write articles for us.


So as always with any new addition to our ever expanding team, we have a set list of questions to introduce Michael to our audience. We love to throw our new writers on the hot seat and now its Mike’s turn. So with out further ado, the Sportaholic presents Michael Williams.


1. Who is your favorite sports team and why?

My favorite sports team s the Pittsburgh Pirates. I was five years old the last time they had a winning season. I have stayed true to the Pirates organization as well as their minor league affiliates. It's almost disturbing how much info I know on the Pirates, Indy Indians, Altoona Curve, Bradenton Marauders, West Virginia Power and the State College Spikes. Being a college baseball player I have devoted my entire life minus these last two years to baseball and I love every minute of it. From Andy Van Slyke and Barry Bonds to Jack Wilson and Freddy Sanchez to now Andrew McCutchen and Neil Walker, I would never turn my back on Bucco Baseball.

2. As a media relations intern what did you learn the most working with the Pittsburgh Pirates?



The most important thing I learned was to do the best possible work day in and day out. The Pirates have award winning game notes every day out because the two men who pride themselves with that. Jim Trdinich the Director of Media Relations let me start working on these said game notes about a month into the internship and I quickly found out how important it is to keep everything perfect in the game notes even when the production on the field from your team is not perfect.





3. How has sports shaped your view on life and what would you change if anything in sports?

Sports are the Foundation of my life. Without sports I really can't even imagine where'd I be. Youth sports being coached by my best friends father and my father really blossomed me into the player and person I knew I could be. It's quite a shame that so many kids don't get to realize their full potential in life because they don't have the right last name or fat enough wallet. I lettered in four sports my senior year of high school (Football, Basketball, Baseball, and Track). There is nothing about the current sports atmosphere I would change, except for maybe replays at home plate on not so close calls in the bottom of the 19th inning of games. (Thanks again Jerry Meals) All joking aside nothing needs to be changed in my honest opinion about the sports that we have today and their current cultures.

4. How would you describe your writing style?



I'd like to think of my writing style as fresh. I'm a sports expert and statistics geek but I'm also one to throw in off topic sneers here and there, which is probably why my college writing professor didn't like my writing? I'm straight to the facts in my sports writing but I also take insight from other people in order to improve my writing. I'm not afraid to use a source. Some people think using a source or another's help discredits your own writing when in all actuality you're getting better at something you love and your reporting multiple views and correct facts.





5. Is there anything else that you care to share with the audience?

Last couple things to share... I'm freshly graduated from college... A member of THE Sigma Nu Fraternity, Beta Iota Chapter... I despise Ohio State (Hail to Pitt)... My parents are the most influential people in my life along with the late great Roberto Clemente. I bid you all a farewell until next time (Which will be very soon)... One last thing BIG shout out to Carlos Paige for making this all happen.