April Featured Columnist of the Month: Jake Martin

Jake Martin with former LSU running back Stevan Ridley in the LSU locker room.

In Jake Martin’s world, sports is life and life is sports.

Even if his social life suffers as a result.

Martin, Bleacher Report’s first Featured Columnist of the Month, has gradually climbed the proverbial “ladder” at B/R—from intern recruit to a prolific, talented Featured Columnist for two highly successful yet occasionally underrepresented teams: LSU football and the New Orleans Saints.

Aside from publishing almost daily (since joining the site last June, he’s written upwards of 300 articles and eclipsed 700,000 reads), he also has somehow carved out time to serve as the Sports Editor of The Nicholls Worth—Nicholls State’s college newspaper—along with occasionally stringing and interning at his hometown paper, The Concordia Sentinel.

That’s where the social life suffers. But for someone who hopes to make a career out of sports and writing, it’s well worth the sacrifice.

“It’s pretty hectic, man,” Martin said. “I have no social life—it’s pretty sad. So many times my friends want to hang out and I have to turn them down to write articles.”

For the experience, thus far, and his ultimate goal, it’s well worth the sacrifice.

“Being part of the internship helped me so much, I learned a lot of valuable lessons,” he said. “Just being able to take the critiques and learn what editors thought I was good at, what needed more information, what needed to be deeper and I still always try and remember when writing, no doubt.”

His work ethic, potential and reliability in a world where hitting deadlines is king for any up-and-coming journalist haven’t been lost on his editors, either.

“Jake has been incredibly reliable during his term as an NFL FC and has shown himself to be a quality young writer with a passion for sports,” said NFL Associate Editor Michael Schottey, who oversees Martin’s Saints-related assignments. “Every editor loves anyone who will take assignments without complaint and knock them out of the park.

“Most importantly, Jake has a drive to get better with each and every article and help out wherever he is needed.”

Admittedly, 2012 hasn’t exactly been the most pleasant sports year for Martin, considering “Bountygate” has crippled his beloved Saints and LSU’s listless performance in the BCS Championship game against SEC rival Alabama. Still, his love of sport and passion to write about it hasn’t been deterred as a result.

“I love sports and simply having the opportunity to write about it is really a dream and something I want to pursue.”

Follow Martin on Twitter at @JakeMartinSEC and check out his published work on Bleacher Report.

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Sean Swaby is Bleacher Report’s Featured Columnist Coordinator.