By the time you read this, the change should have gone through. The new name that you all helped to choose should be now online and in living color. This site's re-brand will be or just about to be complete. We will now be known as what we have been about since 2008 on this network: a New Jersey Devils blog. That is, All About the Jersey.
While the site's name change is not news, I feel this is a good time as any to re-emphasize what this site has been about. I've written a little bit about it here and there, but I think this is the right time to put it all together. In fact, I've decided to record myself telling you as opposed to writing it. Don't worry, if you can't hear this or you're unable to listen, I've transcribed most of what I'll be saying beyond the embedded track. There are some minor variations and I did trip over a word or two, such is the way I speak; but it's what I read off of for this promo. (And I'll update the logo in this embedded audio clip later today.)
Hello, everyone. I'm John Fischer. Welcome to the new era of this site. It's a new day, yes it is. But do not be sour. I have the power to confirm to you that not much will change beyond the name. The old name was a good name. A great name. A legendary name to some. In fact, among my life accomplishments, I am proud to say that among the best has been the creation of In Lou We Trust. Those who knew about the name, got it immediately. Those who didn't know it, well, they learned very quickly. But this must change. As Lou has moved on, so has this site. But only in name.
Since 2006 on Blogger and since 2008 on SB Nation, the blog has become a Devils site that thousands pay attention to every day. It all started because I had way too much to say about the New Jersey Devils, it continued because I still had way too much to say about the Devils, and it's been driven further by others who wanted to read all of the words about the Devils. It's now to a point where it's not just me. It hasn't been for years, really. There's been a staff of volunteer writers who have had varying perspectives, varying opinions, varying analyses - all about the Devils. And that's what this site's focus is about and will continue to be about as long as I'm running it.
Let's get real. Sure, I could get some more traffic with some more click-bait. I could get more attention if I were to put some on pedestals and others in ditches as if I was some grand moral arbiter. I could get a lot more buzz if we became the TMZ of Devils hockey, or something seedier. But that's what you get at a lot of other sites on the Internet. Not here. Oh no. We may not be perfect, but what we've got here often speaks for itself. Where else but on a site like this do you have Brian dropping the knowledge on all of the team's prospects, no matter where they may be? Where else but on a site like this do you have Mike, Gerard, CJ, and Alex offer a variety of opinions on how the team is performing and what to hope for in the future? Where else but on a site like do you have Ryan trailblazing new ways and means to look at the game, beyond the Devils? Where else but on a site like this do you have people from the community - readers like yourself - want to step up and contribute their time, energy, and effort in their own way? Most recently, that's Matt, Steve, Christopher, Shane, and Nick - all providing new kinds of content for this site. Where else but on a site like this can you get detailed previews, detailed recaps, and some really detailed analysis - like over 5,000 words in the offseason about the penalty kill - all of it with a comment section for you to have your say and a FanPost and FanShot section to allow you to contribute further thoughts? Where else can you have an archive of interesting, thought-provoking, detailed posts by so many different people for close to seven years? There are some other sites that do and have all this; they're all well and good - but they're not about the New Jersey Devils. We are. And that's what really matters on this site. That's what we've been about.
I'm proud to say that this site has been and will continue to be for the Devils fan and those who want to know more about the Devils. Whoever that may be. It could be a good person, a bad person, a bad person that does good things, a good person that does bad things, a suit, a player, a prospect, a hopeful, a never-will-be, an optimist, a pessimist, a dreamer, a doer, a child, a teenager, a young adult, a parent, a grandparent, a casual, a fan as hardcore as we are - hey, that NJHC logo isn't for show - and everyone else in between. It's all for them as it's all for you, provided you want to know more about the team. You want a take, a game preview, a clip, a game recap, a place to discuss the game, a fantasy hockey tip, a moment, a quick spot to react to news, a column-like opinion, or some hard analysis on the squad? We have it all. We'll continue to have it. That's what we're about.
This is has always been all about the team. It's always been all about the Devils. It's always been all about Jersey's Team. This site's name is now All About the Jersey. But it always has been. That's why it'll be a name as cherished as the old one in time. A new era is dawning for the Devils themselves, and it's a new era now for this site. One that demanded an explanation liked this one. I hope you appreciated it, I thank you for listening. Now it's back to business to be what we've been about all along: All About the Jersey.