My goodbye to Cardiac Hill

This is my 461st article on Cardiac Hill, and it will be my last one. I am leaving Cardiac Hill after a run of just over five years with the website. I have accepted a position with the sports department of the Johnstown Tribune-Democrat, my hometown newspaper, and I will be starting next week. With the time I will be devoting to that, I feel it’s probably best I step away from this website.

I just want to take the time to thank all of you, the readers, for the past five years. There is no secret that we all live and breathe Pitt athletics. One of my favorite pastimes is to watch my beloved Panthers, and in turn, talk and complain about them on the internet during and after the game. (With this program, probably more on the complaining side.)

This website gave me the opportunity to write about Pitt in front of a large-scale audience, but it also allowed me to converse with fellow fans about them on a regular basis in our tight-knit community in the comments section. Discussing the countless games, recruiting battles, coaching changes, and all that comes with it in the past five years has been an absolute pleasure. Even during the low-points, there has always been a healthy discussion, which I have always appreciated. I look forward to stay in that discussion, as a reader.

I would also like to thank all of my fellow contributors and writers through these past five years. I have met some really awesome people that I have maintained friendships with to this day and will continue for years to come. This website does an incredible job of covering Pitt, and that will only continue - I’m certain of that. The teamwork on Cardiac Hill has always been one of its strong suits. On the SB Nation platform, I can honestly say Cardiac Hill is one of the best sites for a variety of reasons. We tell it like it is, we have fun, and we have a hard working manager.

Finally, I have to thank Anson for all that he has done for me. He asked me to join the site after finding me writing for my own personal blog five years ago. Never did I think joining this site would get me anywhere, but boy did it ever.

Getting to cover the team at games and practices were unreal experiences for me. Sharing the press room with great coaches like Jamie Dixon, Jim Boeheim, and Roy Williams as a simple blogger is about as big as it gets. Those opportunities were immeasurable, and helped me advance in a lot of ways.

Anson, seriously - Thank You. You are a machine with how you run this site. This is easily one of the best places on the internet to read and talk about Pitt athletics. I appreciate everything, and I'm glad to call you a friend.

Lastly, I just want to part with some advice. If you have the chance to write for the SB Nation platform, do it. You have to remember that it is not a job, but it is writing. It is exposure on a large platform that people read daily. It's worth it, if this is what you like to do, and if it is what you want to do.

Now I should say, 'a goodbye of sorts", as I will continue to be a voice on UnScripted: The Cardiac Hill podcast with my co-host, Corey Cohen for the foreseeable future. I still want to have somewhere to discuss Pitt and that will be my spot. It feels weird saying goodbye, but I did not want to disappear entirely without an explanation and a thank you.

All the best,

Jim