BY DAN

Allow me to be a bit self-indulgent for a bit.

This week at the Sportress we cracked one million visits to the site.

*Holds for applause*

I’ve never been much chop at celebrating wins of my own. Saying we’re proud of what we’ve built here feels like we’re expecting you to agree, or to congratulate us. There are websites for whom a million visits is something they do in a day. There a rugby league blogs that would do that on a monthly basis. It’s taken us the best part of ten years, and most of it in the last few.

When we cracked a million clicks (as opposed to visits) last year we noticed but were too insecure to celebrate. That’s not fair on me, or Rob, or Viv and all countless other people that have put time and effort into making this little train go. So I’ve decided this time we’re going to at least acknowledge we’re a little bit proud. Proud that we’ve managed to keep at it so long. Proud of Rob and Viv for keeping the place sane. Proud that we’ve managed to make some genuine friends just because we decided the world needed our takes on the Raiders (sometimes it really is the friends you make along the way). And of course, proud that people occasionally come along just to read what we think.

In that spirit I want to acknowledge something else.

That’s my mug on TV the night before the Panthers game. ABC Canberra, oh so briefly talking about the Raiders. Did I talk for longer and say some actually smart things? Yes, and not as many as I’d hoped. Is this the best they could get out of me because I was a) terrified b) speaking to a tree because it was a remote chat and c) absolutely thrown by the first question of “why did you start the blog”? Absolutely. But we got through, and even fired off a characteristically tortured and misshapen metaphor. Perfect.

But again, this came and passed and I didn’t celebrate it. The being on TV as a “voice of the fan” thing isn’t the big deal. The big thing for me was overcoming anxiety, and my tendency to hide behind the keyboard and the relative anonymity it offers. To actually risk looking the fool. To be known and proud of the little community we exist in here. My mum was super pleased too, and really, that’s as good a reason as any to do it.

I don’t know how long we’re going to do this blog for. It already seems weird to me we’ve been at it for so many years. But while I have the compulsion, and Rob and Viv the patience with me, we’ll keep cracking. And I guess while we do that we should also celebrate the good times.

Do me a favour and like the page on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, or share this on social media because you’re free, to do what you want, any old time. Don’t hesitate to send us feedback (dan@sportress.org) or comment below if you think we are stupid. Or if we’re not.