IMPORTANT PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT FROM THE UNDEFEATED

Hello folks,

It has been far too long. We take full responsibility for a lack of posting, and we understand that our thousands (tens?) of loyal readers have been waiting anxiously for any sort of update as to the future of The Undefeated. The sports world has been on fire in recent weeks. We’re just getting into perhaps the most beautiful part of the sports calendar, with NHL and NBA playoffs kicking off, the NFL Draft, a full month of the MLB season under our belts, Scottie Scheffler winning every single golf tournament, and four fantastic weeks of spring football in the UFL to discuss. However, one thing has been missing during this glorious time: strong analysis, sweet prose, and hot takes coming from Reese and myself.

Now, I am not one for excuses — unless I hit a drive into the trees or miss a short putt — but I cannot deny that there have been some extenuating circumstances and outside forces actively trying to put an end to our blogging careers. The people’s champ Reese Ryan has recently started a new role, and with a new role has come a lot of new responsibilities. Long days of catered lunches and company happy hours have taken their toll on everyone’s favorite Carolina Panthers fan, and with his newfound success in the working world, Reese has understandably taken a step back from his blogging duties. As much as he’d like to get back to crafting whimsical fantasies about how Bryce Young is going to turn his favorite franchise around, Reese has had to turn his hot takes in for cold calls, and his typewriter for an office phone/headset combo.

As for myself, I have also faced a setback in my blogging abilities. On a sunny Sunday here in New York City a few weeks ago, I decided against my better judgement to join Reese and our friends for a game of pickup basketball. Despite having an eerily similar build to March Madness legend Jack Gohlke, it might surprise some of our readers to learn that any ounce of athleticism I have instantly leaves my body upon stepping on a basketball court. My talents are much more tailored to the ice as opposed to the hardcourt, and despite my father constantly reminding me of this when I tell him I’m going to go play basketball, on this fateful Sunday I decided to play anyway. What ensued can only be described as a disaster. Not only did I fail to score a single point in two games spanning well over an hour of total playing time, but I also took an awkward fall while trying for a rebound (the only thing I can remotely do on the court), and subsequently broke my wrist. What I thought might have been a slight sprain turned out to require a surgery, a permanent screw, and a very cool cast on my arm, which I get to keep for 6 whole weeks. Unsurprisingly, this development has made typing much more challenging, and it has led me to make one of the more difficult decisions of my life.

It pains me to put into writing, but given what has happened in recent weeks, and given the recovery time I’m looking at, I have made the extremely tough decision to indefinitely retire…….

from pickup basketball.

As for our blogging careers and the future of The Undefeated, Reese and I have had many long talks debating what to do. We understand that despite the amazing things happening in sports right now, this blog is in the midst of a difficult stretch where the outside world has not been kind to our blogging dreams. We understand that the odds are stacked against us for a multitude of reasons. Injury and a lack of free time have knocked us down, they’ve forced us to our own one yard line.

But this is a bend-don’t-break blog. We have a responsibility to pump out blog after blog to our readers who take time out of their schedules to read what we have to say. So we’re making a goal line stand, putting an end to any excuses, toughening up, and getting right back into the swing of things with two blogs a week. There’s a reason that our home address is listed on every notification email that we send out. That reason is accountability. If any reader feels that we’re slacking off — or if our blogging output dips again — I welcome you to open up the last email we’ve sent, mark down that address, drive to our apartment, and punch each of us in the face. It ain’t gonna happen again. Suffice it to say, we are back.

Stay tuned Mondays and Fridays.

Ross Danforth, Contributor, The Undefeated