No Debating Over This....

So the presidential debates are finally over. Thank the dear Lord above! Now, we play the waiting game, as I encourage each and everyone of you readers to get out and vote on November 8th, no matter your chosen candidate(s). Please make sure that your voice is heard!

Speaking of voices being heard, mine had the privilege of being displayed on a recent online sports writing column by Tim Boyle, author of Make Money Writing Sports. Of course, I haven't succeeded in the making money part yet, but it was still quite the honor to be featured. Feel free to take a read below:

October 19, 2016   by Tim Boyle

Niche Sports Blog Advice with Evan Gattis Blogger, James Zeankowski of The White Bear Chronicles

As far as niche sports blogs go, James Zeankowski has selected one of the most interesting topics to write about. The Texas resident and aspiring screenwriter is quite possibly the biggest Evan Gattis fan you will find outside aside from the slugger’s family. Zeankowski’s blog, The White Bear Chronicles, is one dedicated to celebrating Gattis.

The Houston Astros’ slugging DH is an unorthodox player that fans can fall in love with easily. Zeankowski dedicating a blog to Gattis is a smart move in itself. Thankfully, he’s a true fan of the 2015 triples leader too. It shows in his writing and the way he runs his phenomenal Twitter account. Recently, The White Bear Chronicles even celebrated its two-year anniversary. This goes to show you how dedicated of a writer Zeankowski has been to this one niche. Zeankowski was kind enough to answer a couple of questions about his blog and what goes into creating a successful niche sports blog.

Interview with Evan Gattis Blogger, James Zeankowski of The White Bear Chronicles

Make Money Writing Sports: What about Evan Gattis made you decide to dedicate a blog about him?

James Zeankowski: Between his stellar MLB debut, his life story, and meeting him in person for the first time in May of 2014, everything that Evan does really resonates with the fans. Especially ones like me, who can relate to the part of his story where he overcame adversity to follow his dreams.

Also, as a proud openly gay man, his work in the community against youth bullying and for kids with special needs really warms my heart.

MMWS: Your blog, The White Bear Chronicles, is the ultimate definition of niche. Have you ever written about a less specific topic other than Evan Gattis?


James: There have been plenty of times in certain entries where I actually talk about his teammates, or team on the whole. I’ll even mention some front office people as well.

MMWS: Is there a specific reason you chose Blogger as the host for your blog?

James: It’s the easiest to navigate. By far! Plus, since they are a google partner, I can link it to my Google+ account. The convenience of it is tremendous.

MMWS: What is your favorite post you’ve made on your blog?

James: Whenever I’m able to post about the live games I attend, or more recently Astros Fan Fest, those are my favorites. A few days back, I also posted a very in-depth entry explaining how Evan Gattis is a much better defender than he is given credit for. I take great pride in being able to show the stats to back up my player loyalty.

MMWS: Evan Gattis must know about your blog, right? If not, why doesn’t he? If so, how’d you get his attention?

James: This is the golden question! He does know about it, because I’m sure to include him in group tweets of my blog posts. I’ve actually had contact with some of his family, and even his fiancée, Kim. Just last month, I ran into him at a Rangers-Astros game at Globe Life Park, just up the road from where I live in Fort Worth. For the first time of the three I have met him, he greeted and even addressed me by name. That was a tremendous feeling! I also gave him my business card to let him know how he can reach me if I can ever be of service to him, and mentioned that I let some of his family in on a feature-length script I wrote about his harrowing life story and journey to the majors. He appeared receptive to that.

My goal is to earn his and his kin’s trust so that I may be able to pursue my passion project of the screenplay, and possibly even find other ways that I can somehow work for him and with him, like helping him write an autobiography some day. I’m keeping all options open and my faith in tact that things will work out for mine and Evan’s collective benefit, both professionally and personally.

MMWS: I once tried to start a blog about another great bearded baseball player, Charlie Blackmon. What advice would you give sports writers who blog about one particular athlete?

James: Know your boundaries while staying passionate about said athlete. Also, be persistent, because I am a firm believer that it will pay off.

MMWS: What is your favorite Evan Gattis moment?

James: His debut. In his second at-bat, he hit a home run while his dad was being interviewed on TV. This was also a month and a half after losing my first media job and the ensuing 8 months of unemployment I went through. Very inspirational, though.

MMWS: Your Twitter game is like Evan Gattis and triples in 2015. What’s your secret?

James: There really is no secret. I went from just writing blog posts, to starting the hashtag #GattisStat where I actually let social media know what sorts of offensive records he has broken. Which, in 2016, there were a lot of them. I also incorporate a lot of my media and pop culture knowledge into creating eye-catching titles.

MMWS: Does your blog make money? If not, have you thought about monetizing? If yes, how did you monetize it?

James: Sort of wish it did. I’ve tried a few ways to monetize. Currently, I’m doing affiliate marketing with MLBShop.com. Not very successful with it. I’d like to find someway to monetize my passions, and will gladly take suggestions from anyone out there that knows how.

MMWS: If you could blog about any other player besides Evan Gattis, who would it be?

James: There are too many to even name. Anyone on the Astros or Cubs. Maybe Mike Trout. It’s hard to say.

Thank You

Thank to James Zeankowski on taking some time away from blogging to give the insight many of us wonder about when it comes to niche blogs about a particular player. The big takeaway here is that it is possible to create a niche blog about any athlete and have some success with it. While James still has a day job, his Evan Gattis blog has legs and could very well land him that big screenwriting gig in the sky some day.

To get in touch with James, give him a follow on Twitter. Then head on over to The White Bear Chronicles for a glimpse into what it takes to build a successful niche blog. 

I really appreciate Tim for giving me the chance at some more exposure. Will it give a bigger increase in my blog traffic? Probably not, but I'd like to think something positive will come out of it. Whatever ends up happening, it is good to know that what I am doing here at The White Bear Chronicles is having a lasting affect on the game of baseball and its players.

Which, of course, includes your people's champion and mine, EVAN GATTIS!

Original Photo Credit: MLBTradeRumors.com

I actually believe that Evan would be a great choice for president, and I can be his campaign manager/chief of staff. Guaranteed victory into the White House!