What are we doing here?

A blog? 

In 2024? In this economy?

Really? We're doing this?

Yeah, we are doing this. Let's go.

So what are we doing here? Well, first and foremost, this is a blog will be focused on South Georgia Tormenta FC. 

Ok, great, but who are you and why should we care?

Wait, who are you?

I'm the figment of your imagination that you're using to ask questions to drive the plot of this post?

Alright, fair enough... what did you ask again?

Who are you and why should we care?

You're blunt and to the point, aren't you? I'm Luke Martin and 2024 will be my third season covering Tormenta. I majored in journalism and...

Ohhh, big mistake there.

You think I don't know that? I've looked around at the media landscape. A journalism degree in 2024 is, well, it's not great. But Stupid Me in college thought journalism would be fun.

Anyway, as you were saying?

As I was saying, I majored in journalism and worked in newspapers for about six years as a fulltime journalist before  the long hours and low pay convinced me to go back to get a Masters Degree.

And now you're making the big bucks and doing this for fun?

Well, I got my Masters Degree in Recreation Administration so I could be the next Ron Swanson.

So you work for a Parks and Recreation Department with your big old fancy degree?

And now I work at a small state college as an academic advisor not making the big bucks, but also not working nights and weekends, so it is marginally better.

Wait, what? That's not Parks and Rec?

Look, life takes you in to some strange places, can't you just be happy that I'm happy doing what I'm doing.

So wait, if you work for someone else, how do you cover Tormenta?

Ahhh, I'm glad you asked. I still do freelance writing, primarily for the Statesboro Herald covering high school football, Tormenta, and some basketball and other stuff as needed. 

But what's your soccer background? 

I grew up playing soccer, topped out in high school. Last I looked I was still in the top five all time for goals/shot percentage there, so there's that. I coached youth soccer for my kid until he was 10 and, as I've mentioned, I've covered Tormenta for two seasons with 2024 being my third year.

And what, exactly, this this blog going to be?

I haven't quite figured that out yet. I hope it's going to be...

Haven't figured it out? I've read this far and you don't know what you're doing?

Well, it's a work in progress. I can tell you what it's not going to be. It won't be a fan site where I just heap praise on the players and organization and lash out at anyone who criticizes Tormenta. But it's also not going to be a place where I criticize and complain. It's also not going to be a site where I break down tactics and you get some in-depth look at formations or how teams react to changes in personnel on the field. I can tell you right now I don't have the knowledge or expertise for that.

Then what is it? What are we doing here?

Ideally it's a place to write more than I can for my freelance work. I don't get to cover road games so this might be a place to recap those games. It's hopefully a place to do feature stories that I can't do for the Herald. Hopefully a lot more coverage of the W-League team than I'm able to do. I'd like to do all that for an actual publication, but I'm not going to volunteer them to spend their money on stories I want to write.

More than anything I just want it to be enjoyable. Sports are supposed to be fun. Sports stress is both the best and worst thing in the world. Watching the final few minutes tick away trying to hold on to a one-goal lead is excruciating. 

It's the worst. 

But it's exhilarating. It's the best.

Most importantly, it's fun. And I want, above all, this to be a place where we have fun.

What's with the name? Stormwatch912? What is that?

Tormenta means storm. 912 is the area code for southeast Georgia where Tormenta plays. And Stormwatch just means I'm watching the storm. It's not super creative. 

Well why not just create a website then?

That's a good question. Maybe this eventually morphs into a website, but I figured I'd try this out for free and see if my wife indulges me enough to spend the time needed to do it and to also see if it's something I want to do. 

So when are you going to post again? How often should we expect to see something new here?

In a perfect world, maybe twice a week. I'll always post links to my published articles here. Some times it may just be once a week. We'll find out together.

Am I going to be a recurring bit on this website?

 I really hope not. If I need this writing crutch long term than no one needs to be reading any of this.