Why we are great
“People who run blogs love talking about blogs. We wrote something about blogs once, and then were done with the matter – because they’re a tiny bit of footballing culture. However, blogger types liked it a lot, and haven’t stopped talking about it – by talking about blogs, they’re essentially talking about themselves, you see, and everyone likes that. Well, anyway, we too like being talked about, so here’s one of those bloggers, Elliot Turner, on Surreal Football:”
A few months ago, SurrealFootball wrote a post decrying the established order of the soccer blogosphere. On the one hand, I could empathize with the “young writer” feelings. Finding your voice and readership can be a painful and plodding process. On the other hand, as a quasi-established soccer blogger, if such a thing exists, it also sounded a bit like sour grapes. Surely some dues have to be paid? Some sweat secreted? Successful writing ascends like a rock climber, not a rocket. Simply put, I was conflicted. But in a good way.
This tension arose in it’s most concrete form on the twitterverse. I regularly mock established writers that detest the re-tweet and Facebook-like era - in my view, this technology has merely turned the insta-hits of yesteryear into the viral. The fact that they are not accompanied by a countdown or Carson Daly is a major plus, not a negative. I view them as facilitating recommendations from a friend. However, when individuals actively solicit re-tweets and Facebook likes, it turns an organic stamp of approval into an instant-gratification traffic injection. I received requests for retweets at my twitter. I declined.
But, aggressive sales aside, SurrealFootball has continued to impress with creative and quality writing. The aristocracy trembles, as evidenced by Richard Whittall’s response post. SF also has signed an advertising deal with the successful and highly respected FootballMedia folks [£10 a month - Ed]. The tides have turned. And, instead of Ethan writing at my site, I am writing at his.
In sum, SurrealFootball is now the cunt football aristocracy whom you should detest. And while their writing has played a part in their ascendancy, the flow chart below also offers some alternative explanations.
Elliott blogs about soccer at Futfanatico.com
