Hardware!

For the first time in the history of this humble little Substack, we've been honored for our work, winning two Associated Press Sports Editors awards this week

This is pretty damn cool.

Late June will mark three full years of operation for this independent publication … which is basking in some news that makes us quite proud.

Placing in the top 10 of any category in the Associated Press Sports Editors' annual writing contest is one of the highest honors in our profession. Judging results for the 2023 contest were announced by APSE this week and I was absolutely psyched to learn that The Stein Line landed in the top 10 in two categories in Category C.

I've been fortunate enough to score a few APSE top-10 placings in the past … but an award for writing that was published independently here is fun and exciting (and legitimizing) new ground.

It was rather moving, first of all, just to see The Stein Line listed in an actual APSE division with a bunch of newspapers that I've been reading (or competing with) for years … like The Fort Worth Star-Telegram, The Commercial Appeal in Memphis and a paper known well to tennis fanatics like me who frequent Indian Wells: The Desert Sun in Palm Springs.

Then came the very humbling announcements on Tuesday and Wednesday that The Stein Line managed to earn a top-10 citation both in Breaking News and Columns.

My successful entry in the Breaking News category was this post-Thanksgiving shocker that Mark Cuban, after nearly 24 years as one of the highest-profile owners in sports, was selling his majority stake in the Dallas Mavericks:

The Columns category requires four entries, so I turned in pieces on my 25 years covering Dirk Nowitzki, my issues with the NBA's In-Season Tournament, my reactions to Giannis Antetokounmpo's claims that there is no failure in sports and my reflections on Michael Jordan's very underwhelming record as an NBA owner in Charlotte.

Also quite cool: Seeing my colleagues

John Canzano

and

Tyler Dunne

honored handsomely for their Substacking, too. (Full results here.) It means a tremendous amount, as independent publishers, to be part of the APSE realm.

Although it runs counter to my nature to trumpet awards and/or field praise, it felt important for me to write about these achievements because A) APSE does crucial work on behalf of journalists and news outlets at a tremendously challenging time for everyone in the industry and B) this is another significant milestone for this publication and community that exist only because you read and support me. Thanks to all of you, yet again, for following me here, reading my newsletter and fueling my journalistic endeavors like you do. I pledge to keep trying to get better and keep earning your readership.