My Turn: Showcasing Matt's Work

Since Matt recently used the blog to share some of my recent news, I'm now going to return the favor two times over.

Please vote for Matt in the Mobbie awards!

As some of you may or may not know, Matt is the author of an Orioles blog called "Roar from 34". I'm proud to say that Roar from 34 has been nominated for a Mobbie award, an honor to select Maryland's best blogs. Voting will take place during the next two weeks (until Oct. 9th). The awards will be determined by popular vote, so I need your help!

Here's what you can do to help:
1. Go to http://data.baltimoresun.com/mobbies/
2. Scroll down to the "Orioles" category. It's below "Sports", so don't stop there.
3. Find "Roar from 34" and click on the "Vote" link.
4. If you're not registered with the Baltimore Sun, you'll need to create an account using an e-mail address and password.
5. Once you're registered, repeat the voting process until you're sent to the confirmation screen.
6. Vote once each day between now and October 9th.
7. Share this information with others and ask them to vote as well.

Here's my viewpoint on Matt's blog: There are several Orioles blogs out there, but Matt's is unique in that he writes original, substantive content that often brings in a historical angle. Some of the more notable features he's included on his blog are "Flashback Fridays", postings that connect present Orioles news with past Orioles history, and "The Eutaw Street Chronicles", stories that provide context for each of the home run balls that are hit on Camden Yards' famous right field pathway that separates the outfield seats from the ballpark's famous warehouse. Given that information, I hope you'll feel comfortable voting for him daily.

Great story, great writing
Every once in a while, Matt writes a story that really stands out to him. A few weeks ago, that "once in a while" happened, as Matt wrote an alumni profile about a remarkable law grad, Leslie Nordin.

You see, Leslie ran the Boston Marathon blindfolded as a means to inspire her son--Sawyer, who was born blind--and raise more than $30,000 for Perkins School for the Blind where Sawyer attends.

Matt really put his writing skills to work and churned out a great tribute to Leslie's efforts that resulted in a hearty thank you from Leslie as well as a letter to the editor from a reader that was touched by the great job he did. You can read Leslie's amazing story by clicking here.