TRC Year One Retrospective – The Best of Buck

As Buck explained yesterday, TRC has its one year anniversary this Friday, and that milestone has us all in a reflective mood.  Buck took the opportunity to list some of my posts from the last year that he enjoyed, so I’m returning the favor today.

But before I get into the Best-of-Buck, it is probably appropriate for me to reflect on his work as a whole.  Buck’s posts tend to be more thoughtful than my own, with a breadth of insight that betrays his past as someone who actually played a sport once upon a time.  My stuff is more narrow-more focused- as my perspective was honed in the dark corners of my anemic and book-strewn bedroom whilst I cast resentful stares at my cheerleading sisters and footballing brother.  My work, in short, comes from a dark place.  Buck’s, on the other hand, comes from the wide-open wonderings of an all-around sports fan.  He loves it all, and remembers it all, while I have to confess that sometimes I don’t even know what sport he is referencing.

Maybe an example would be a better demonstration:  here’s Buck and I arguing one of #5’s past misadventures.

The self-described “conscience of the blog,” Buck introduced us all to Tusings (his Tuesday Sports Musings) and to the occasional Comeuppance Report.  He can also be counted on to regularly sport a gently positive outlook vis-a-vis Gamecock Athletics.   For this I hate him.

Here’s a sample of Buck’s best stuff:

First Take – The post that started it all.  Well, it tried to EXPLAIN it all, anyway.

The Great Internet Message Board Debates – Part 1 – Buck takes on the concept of “Star Ratings.”

The Great Internet Message Board Debates – Part 2 – The series continues, with thoughts on [gasp] uniforms.

The Great Internet Message Board Debates – Part 3 – Is it ever ok to pull for CTU?

Remembering Kenny – Buck said it better than I ever could have – but he really lives up to our tagline here, by saying what everyone was thinking about #11.

Basketball – Where We Need Improvement – These are the posts that would not appear on TRC but for Buck.  I’m clueless around a basketball (kinda like Steve Newton – wait, was that a correct reference?  I’m not really sure).  Our own Gman has the knowledge, but is unfortunately hopeless around a computer.

Cold Blooded: A TRC Endorsement of Gus Johnson – Again, a basketball post, so I sorta glazed over, but Buck does respectfully call for the retirement of Verne Lundquist, so I endorse this endorsement.

It’s with baseball that Buck really hits his stride, however:  thoughts on Roth, CTU’s Super Faceplant, and The New Normal ,where the Gamecocks are the best and everyone else is jealous.

Interestingly, the usually genial Buck sometimes stumbles upon controversy (the Great Debates, for example).  I think it’s his pleasant outlook coupled with a general naivete. Regardless, he authored what turned out to be TRC’s most controversial post in its young history with The Rules of We.