Bleacher Creatures: Overview

(Courtesy of the American Heritage Dictionary)…Bleacher n. 1. One that bleaches. 2. Usually plural. An unroofed outdoor grandstand for seating spectators.

Creature n. 1. Anything created. 2. A living being, especially an animal. 3. A human being. Often used with a suggestion of pity or contempt.

Bleacher Creature n. 1. One that bleaches anything created. 2. An unroofed outdoor grandstand for seating living beings, especially animals. 3. A human being that is obsessed with, dependent on, or addicted to the Bleacher Report website.

Since we put the concept site up over a year ago, a wide range of folks have come to bleacherreport.com to write sports editorials. People of all creeds and colors, ages and sexes, have taken it upon themselves to become the sports journalist they always wanted to be—bringing fresh opinions and analysis to a community to welcomes their contributions with open arms.

The great thing about Bleacher Report is not only that it allows aspiring sports writers the ability to write about whatever interests them—but that in addition, writers can contribute as frequently or infrequently to the network as they like. In this day in age where the 40-hour workweek is no longer the norm—and everybody’s got a hobby, a wife, a child, or all three—there is nothing that can stifle creativity more than imposing obligatory requirements for participation in an online sports network.

Since the frequency of contribution is up to the individual member, the level of involvement of a given person on Bleacher Report can vary quite significantly. Some contribute once a month, others once a week. Some writers are seasonal, popping in their submissions when big news in their sport of choice breaks. And some write their articles in bulk, posting three or four pieces and then going silent for a month—before coming back with another bundle of insight to share with our community.

Then there are those members who live on the site. Enter the Bleacher Creatures.

Bleacher Creatures come in all shapes and sizes—but there’s one characteristic they all share: a strong passion for sports.

The Bleacher Creatures are the lifeblood of the Bleacher Report network. Without them, the community would collapse at the seams.

The Creatures set the tone for the network at large. They spark the debates that make Bleacher Report the thriving community that it is. They engage the network’s user base with their thoughts and opinions.

Overall, they make Bleacher Report the place where internet users seeking fan-driven sports journalism want to be.

It’s time that they got a little recognition. Over the course of the next week or so, I will be discussing some of our finest Creatures in further detail.

I will dedicate the first three segments to some of our “Classic Creatures” that have been around for quite awhile now, and continue to be irreplaceable contributors to the network. The fourth installment will be dedicated to “Emerging Creatures,” who have joined the network more recently but are well on their way to Bleacher Report stardom.

Enjoy.

Read Part One

Read Part Two

Read Part Three