When I was asked by Daniel Wagner and Harrison Mooney to join Pass It To Bulis as a regular contributor, I wasn’t sure if I was up to the task. They have done some amazing things with this blog. I’m pretty sure Drake wrote a song about them.
With many years of rapport and a loyal following, PITB has a good thing going, and the last thing I want to do is mess that up. But after some pondering and soul-searching, I’m certain I’m up for the challenge.
So, allow me to assuage any concerns you might have. Here is a list of comparisons I made that confirm I’m every bit as good a contributor as Harrison Mooney.
-
If you’ve followed PITB for any length of time, you’ve probably noticed that Harrison has some serious photoshopping skills. Of particular note is his photorealistic rendering of Tanner Glass Fighting Bears. Hard to believe those images are altered. He’s just that good.
I photoshop things too. Sure, I pretty much exclusively photoshop images of toast, but we’re completely on the same footing skill-wise. I take existing pictures of toast and augment them into slightly toastier formats, for client toast purposes. “Why would anyone want that?” you ask? I’m not going to explain the intricacies of toastshopping to you, and even if I wanted to my non-disclosure agreement prevents me from doing so.
If you’re hoping for more of the wacky and dynamic imagery you’ve become accustomed to, I should mention that I’m pretty hesitant to step outside of my wheelhouse. To keep things simple I’ll probably just try to find a grilled bread angle for any images needed by PITB. This is all to say, I hope you like toast, Bulies.
-
We’ve both met Tanner Glass in person. Harrison had his historic moment matching wits with Mr. Glass in a heated charity Scrabble match. Me, well I once bumped into the Bear Fighter himself leaving a Yaletown apartment building. He held open the door for me, and as I exited he actually spoke, saying, “Have a good night.” He smelled like crisp mountain air and adventure. Or possibly Axe body spray.
That’s actually true, and every bit as exciting as you’d imagine. Ask the Scrabble Runner-Up himself if you ever run into him, I’m sure he remembers the encounter. So yeah, Harrison has nothing on me in the Tanner Glass department. Rarefied air, friends.
-
We are both really into Twitter. Our respective followings are slightly disproportionate; Harrison has tens of thousands of fans, while I’m a bit further back in the standings with 27 twisciples. But you had better believe my followers hang on my every tweet. I’m sure of it, even though I’ve never actually had a response or a retweet.
That might have something to do with me having only tweeted 11 times in five years. Please don’t judge me too harshly for my twabstinence, Tweeple. I like to ration my tweets for those really poignant insights, like the time I asked what happened to Battlebots.
What ever happened to Battlebots? #BestShowEver
— Will Graham (@WillHGraham) July 8, 2011
(Seriously, what happened to Battlebots?)
And yes, I admit I originally signed up in order to befriend Jim Treliving of Dragon’s Den fame (because if you’re gonna make a new pal, it might as well be a wealthy pizza baron pal). I’m still working the long game on that particular angle. I’ll keep you posted.
-
We’re both very musical. Harrison fronted a band called Cinnamon Toast Funk, and he co-wrote (with Daniel) and performed a topical parody of Bonnie Tyler’s “I Need A Hero” which ended up going viral during Pittsburgh’s run to the Stanley Cup this summer. He’s gifted with a powerful, dynamic voice and some of the finest tambourine skills you’re likely to find.
As for me, I really like music. Obviously, there’s no clear advantage for either party here. Let’s move on.
-
Harrison has the credentials to back up his writing. He’s been covering hockey in a professional capacity for years, combining wit and substance and honing an approachable, irreverent tone. He has an undergraduate degree in English and is currently working his way through his Masters.
I also speak English.
There you have it. Now that I’ve freed PITB fans of any nagging doubts about whether or not I am Harrison’s equal, I want to say how stoked I am to join this community.
This is a special place. Truthfully, the real reason I joined Twitter in the first place (aside from my Boston Pizza plot) was to keep up with Pass It To Bulis during the 2011 Stanley Cup run.
I really believe that this Wagner-Mooney collaboration has contributed to changing the landscape of Vancouver sports writing, and I love that it started at a grassroots level. And I love the loyal Bulies who comment, offer their support, and challenge the writers to be better.
Daniel and I have been friends for ages, and he’s really the finest kind of human. He says that PITB started when he and Harrison decided to create the kind of hockey blog they’d want to read. I can get on board with that!
I have big shoes to fill. No, wait, skates! And my feet are tiny. But I’d have to kick myself with my tiny skate foot if I didn’t take this opportunity. OK this metaphor is getting out of hand.
See you on the interwebs, Bulies!
You can help Will Graham catch up to Harrison by following him on Twitter (@WillHGraham.)
