I am NOT taking a leave of absence – just a vacation
I’ll be off the rest of the year. Such a declaration would be more dramatic if made on Labor Day, but guess who waits until the calendar is about to turn before trying to use up all his vacation days? Moron = me.
Leave of absences being all the rage, I did want to say this. I don’t understand how the health issues Urban Meyer faces were serious enough to make him fear for his life Saturday but not so serious as to prevent him from deciding Sunday he’ll be OK to coach in 2010. His about-face won’t have much impact on Florida; I hope it doesn’t have a deleterious effect on Meyer.
Before I sign off, I need to re-tell a story: I spent last New Year’s Eve in a hotel room in Orlando wondering why more folks weren’t sitting home reading this dumb little blog. It was a major deal to me because I was hoping to reach two million page views on the year. We ended up at 1.976 million, this despite the best efforts of various daughters and nieces who paused during their own New Year’s Eve celebration in Northern Kentucky to chip in with some clicks.
My goal for this year was, I believed, even more daring — three million page views. I’m proud and stunned to report that, as of this moment, we’re at 6,770,819. That’s more than a 300 percent increase. That is, at least to me, incredible.
We did 1.1 million clicks in November alone, and when I say “we” I’m not being disingenuous. Y’all have turned this little blog into a BIG blog, and for that I can offer only heartfelt gratitude. I’d love to say we’ll get only bigger in 2010, but frankly we’ve gotten so huge it’s scaring me. So I’ll just shut up and say thanks for a year beyond my imagination, and I’ll see you again in Twenty Ten.
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
155 comments Add your comment
Alex
December 28th, 2009
11:41 am
And to think some people call you Bark Madley….
Mr Charlie
December 28th, 2009
11:42 am
Considering the state of the AJC, I would not count my chickens just yet….Although I am sure Terrance can hook you up at Fanhouse.
how2fish
December 28th, 2009
11:52 am
Pago Flyer
Dude what is sad is that the Bugs were “Champs of the mighty ACC” and got bitch slapped by the Dogs..by outcoaching the ACC “Coach of the Year” we can lose to a SEC team if we don’t play well…but we OWN the ACC “Champs” ..fly on brother fly on..
Sonny Clusters
December 28th, 2009
11:57 am
Clusters was always a Georgia boy. We was born here and we played ball here. We was almost educated at Clemson, though. Clemson has orange uniforms and paw prints a lot like our alma mater. That made Clemson a front runner for all of us on the state championship. Just before we was going to sign at Clemson, one of us got an offer to play baseball with the Braves. He took it and didn’t look back. We went on to second shift and Wintes went on the Princeton. Then he did some work at Wharton and now he owns stuff we don’t even know about. We remain good friends, though, and if he was going to take some buddies to Scotland we’d be buying some single malt from the source. That’s for sure. Wintes was always one of us. He’d never turn his back on a Clusters.
Bizzy Bone
December 28th, 2009
12:15 pm
Saint Simons accounted for 3,000,000 page views along.
Bizzy Bone
December 28th, 2009
12:15 pm
*alone.
Jeckyll Island
December 28th, 2009
12:27 pm
30-24!!!
8 out of 9!!!!
Urban Meyer
December 28th, 2009
12:31 pm
Mark,
Are you just going on vacation or leave of absence or maybe retiring. Let me know it will effect my decision, I just can’t make up my mind. But please don’t make me hang around in a trailer park with a bunch of Gator fans wearing tank tops and daisy duke jeans shorts, those redneck guys look so silly in those ultra short cut offs!
Urban
BugKiller
December 28th, 2009
12:44 pm
B-Dog,
Enjoy the game tonight (hehe), you might be the only one in this state actually trying to.
Enjoy your time off. Take care of your faith, your health, and your family, and then come back to us ready to go for another full year.
Quick question: Is Steve Adazzio taking over the blog for the week you’re gone?
Bud
December 28th, 2009
12:57 pm
I hope Saint Simons gets laid in 2010. He apparently did’nt in ‘09 and it reflected on his emails.
Brent
December 28th, 2009
1:11 pm
When you write three columns a day the clicks add up. Hardest workin’ man in newspaper business. I guess
$1.4 million Shreveport vs. our $14 million BCS Orange bowl
December 28th, 2009
1:11 pm
I sold my Orange Bowl tickets, so I could attend the Nambla convention
74 Dawg
December 28th, 2009
1:24 pm
Congrats on a great year Mark, and Happy New Year.
SatchelBuzz
December 28th, 2009
1:43 pm
Congrats and enjoy the time off. Remember,…CPJ never forgets.
Starring Kam Fong as Chin Ho
December 28th, 2009
1:46 pm
You mean we have to wait until next year to hear you profess your man-love for CPJ again? Say it ain’t so Mark, say it ain’t so. Congrats on 6 million plus hits, it shows that hard work does indeed pay off on occasion. Have a peaceful vacation and a wonderful 2k10
wxwax
December 28th, 2009
1:56 pm
That’s one page view per blog posted.
You’re carrying an amazing workload.
Enjoy your rest, you’ve really earned it.
wxwax
December 28th, 2009
1:57 pm
OK, but that annoying autoplay Nike commercial better not become a regular thing
That stuff will chase me away.
pilgrim
December 28th, 2009
2:02 pm
A couple of years ago, I would never have imagined how much these blogs could add interest and enjoyment to the football season. Well done, Mark. AND THANKS TO THE AJC for making this particular blog format one of the easiest to use in the country.
Doug
December 28th, 2009
2:11 pm
Anybody who picked a team(Tennessee) to lose to both Kentucky and Vanderbilt this year when the Vols are 49-1 against the Kats and Commodores in the last 25 years, needs a sabbatical rather than a vacation.
Tale of Woe
December 28th, 2009
2:18 pm
Welcome to the world of twitter and facebook. Congrats on the accomplishment!
.... GEORGIA TECH in ORANGE BOWL
December 28th, 2009
2:26 pm
Thanks for the correct prediction on GT.
mudcat
December 28th, 2009
2:28 pm
Damn! Tampa is favored over the Falcons?
Dr. Warren
December 28th, 2009
2:45 pm
Using careful syntactical analysis–a method devised at the University of Chicago Department of Applied Linguistics–I would say that the SONNY CLUSTERS who has been appearing on Mark’s blog the past few days, including today, is an imposter.
Dr. Warren
December 28th, 2009
2:51 pm
Regardless, thanks for a year of great reads, Mark. If it wasn’t for your ability to engage and satisfy my obsession with Atlanta sports, I’d probably have had to move back home from China long ago.
Robert Nephew
December 28th, 2009
2:56 pm
It sounds like your gut is telling you that you will be back writing blog posts in 2010. Happy New Year to you!
cadilac
December 28th, 2009
3:09 pm
rumour has it your pay is based on per page and thus it appears you have broke the bank.
Not Disappointed
December 28th, 2009
3:17 pm
Mark have a great Vacation and lets hope you reach your goals in 2010.
Ramblin Wreck for life!
jaxjacket
December 28th, 2009
3:26 pm
Mark, one of the things that makes your blog interesting to me is that after your initial post, you continue to interact with the readers. I enjoy reading your responses to the readers’ comments. Keep up the good work, and Happy New Year!
Lee
December 28th, 2009
3:28 pm
Hate to bust your bubble, but you didn’t get 6.7 million individual hits. You got about 10 losers who post 24/7.
Besides, the Sudoku page got more hits than you. I’m just say’n….
Bobby P
December 28th, 2009
3:34 pm
First.. ugh maybe not
Pi$$onaDawg
December 28th, 2009
3:46 pm
Mark & Jeff WHO is LIVE from the Waffle House in Shreveport for this great game even the Dawgs(that TRAVEL so well) Didn’t go to?
Edwardo
December 28th, 2009
3:56 pm
What does one get for more hits? Higher ad rates? Well, you are a pretty good blogger, I must admit, and there has been plenty to tune in about. Meanwhile, good job getting rid of some of the chaff from last year, I’ll never forget the level of some insults in last year’s blog for Ga-Bama game. . .
Edwardo
December 28th, 2009
4:02 pm
That writ, should we, your readers, care about how many of us there are?
Bo in North Carolina
December 28th, 2009
4:35 pm
Jeff, Northern Ky? Did you live or hang out in Newport? Lived in Erlanger for a year. Enough for me.
Bo in North Carolina
December 28th, 2009
4:37 pm
My mistake!Not Jeff should be Mark
Poorbrave
December 28th, 2009
5:00 pm
Have a good one Mark…………….
Maretta
December 28th, 2009
5:38 pm
You should not mock Ervin Meyer. He has EARNED more respect than that.
jackie
December 28th, 2009
6:06 pm
goodbye till next year
SamInAtlanta
December 28th, 2009
6:14 pm
I am writing this from a hotel room in Melbourne, Australia. I have really enjoyed your blogs all year. Have a great time off and look to chat with you when I return to the states
"Chef" Tim Dix
December 28th, 2009
7:31 pm
Working men go to Kentucky on vacation. Family men, well that’s another story.
Pi$$onaDawg
December 28th, 2009
7:42 pm
So, are the Dawgs the champs of the Big 12? I need to know. SO 2 games make UGA GODS but the last 10 don’t count right?
Mr. Nosey
December 28th, 2009
8:40 pm
So, Mr. Bradley, is this a “Tiger Woods” vacation or merely a “Bill Cowher” vacation?
Clay
December 28th, 2009
9:34 pm
Dang, Mark, didn’t you just take a vacation? How can sports writers take time off during Bowl season? I would think this is when the AJC needs you most!
Summit Dawg..
December 28th, 2009
9:58 pm
Mark, enjoy your time off…..after seeing the Dawgs D in the Ind. Bowl…..I think CMR should make Rodney Garner the DC, and surround him with some good assistants!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Benjamin
December 28th, 2009
10:01 pm
Enjoy the time away, MB. Lord knows you deserve it.
And if any Swedish women try to chase after your SUV — if you drive an SUV — don’t let them bash in the back windows to “save” you.
Disappointed
December 28th, 2009
10:04 pm
Too bad…. a leave of absence would have been better.
frank james
December 28th, 2009
10:41 pm
Hey Mark! Happy New Year and Go Dawgs!
William Randolph Hearst
December 28th, 2009
11:05 pm
I don’t know if I’d be bragging about blogging with a bunch of losers who don’t even subscribe to the newspaper and can’t afford to buy anything advertisers are trying to sell. Selah.
gcs
December 29th, 2009
12:11 am
Mark, are you ever going to grow that little mustache back?
:^|)
.
captain midnight
December 29th, 2009
12:35 am
Well when Lewis Grizzard died I had to turn some where so one night in a drunken stupor I stumbled on one of your insane columns and since I am somewhat insane myself I became hooked on your crazy off the wall predictions. and for reasons I can’t explain I kept reading them. Pardon me while I fix another drink to toast Lewis