John Lowderman
Joined: Jun 26, 2012
jlowderman@gmail.com, 6783145789 ............By groundwork, I mean reading virtually everything written about the Falcons by checking about a dozen websites on a daily basis. Of course, this also includes watching every game (usually twice), as well as ESPN and NFL network coverage. One caveat to the network coverage is that most commentators have no idea what they are talking about when they give their analysis of the Falcons. Only Pat Yasinkas, who covers the NFC South exclusively, and John Clayton, the ironic beast among NFL writers, really have a solid foundation of knowledge on which to base their opinions. While we are on the topic, D. Orlando Ledbetter is also a great source of insider information, although his writing and interviewing skills are hilariously inept! Bless his heart. It is impossible to root against that guy! By reading all of these sources, I am able to consistently make solid predictions. I believe that this is the hallmark of a great columnist. Anyone can voice an opinion, but opinions become more convincing if they are backed by a record of solid predictions.Falcons BackgroundGrowing up, my father and I attended many games and had season tickets several of those years. When we were not attending games, both the Falcons and Braves games were must-see television. At that time, I was probably a bigger Braves fan than Falcons. This was due primarily to ownership. I knew that Ted Turner would field a championship contender every year. I have not been able to get nearly as excited about the Braves since he sold the team. This is why I have become such a huge Falcons fan since Arthur Blank bought the team. During the Michael Vick years, we were not necessarily contenders every year, but we did have the most exciting football player of all time. Those were great years to be a fan, and I absorbed everything I could from ESPN, the Atlanta Journal and Constitution, atlantafalcons.com, and sports-talk radio. Now, in the Mike Smith/Matt Ryan/Thomas Dimitroff years, I truly understand what it means to be a fan in the sense of the word “fanatic.” Under the current administration, the Falcons field a possible Super Bowl contender every year. Also in the last five years, the number of sources of Falcons information has exploded. The first thing I do in the morning is search the internet for Falcons news. I usually read until there is nothing left to read, and then I compulsively check my favorite sites a few times throughout the day. I am like an autistic person who has found the repetitive task that makes him happy.Writing ExperienceWhile I have held a vast variety of jobs, most were not professional positions. My writing experience comes primarily from academic pursuits. I was off to a good start at Marist High School in Atlanta, continued to write throughout achieving my BS in psychology from the University of Georgia, and recently became a stud writer thanks to excellent instruction from Texas A&M University while achieving a Masters in a business program in biotechnology. In this program, I also began to conduct academic marketing research. Learning to research better has further enhanced my writing skills, and I will continue as a researcher as I begin a PhD program in marketing at UGA in the fall. One of my favorite hobbies is writing comedy. However, outright comedy is not encouraged in academic journals. Working for FanSided, I will not only be allowed but also encouraged to include humor. While I never force it into my writing, I can be a pretty hilarious guy, and hopefully in a very different way than D. Orlando Ledbetter.
