Midseason report

So we're midway through the NFL season, and that means we're eight weeks into some of the new-fangled ideas we've put into place at The Telegraph concerning pro sports. When I came to The Telegraph three months ago to take over the pro beat, I came with the idea of pushing the professional side of things father than what had been featured in The Telegraph before.

Now that we seem to have a pretty good handle on the logistical side of these new things, it's time to ask for some feedback from the people who matter most: you, the readers.

A note from the person who matters the least (me): I like some of the new things we've implemented since August. The main focus right now has been the Atlanta Falcons, but we're going to branch out and bring more coverage to the Hawks, Thrashers and, of course, the Braves when the time comes. A good number of our stories have been picked up by ESPN and the Atlantafalcons.com message board, so I think that says we're becoming a reliable source of news for the Falcons considering the short time span.

With that said, I want to know what's working for you and what isn't? Is there anything pro sports-wise that makes you look forward to a certain day's edition, or is there something you see and think to yourself, "Oh, no. Not this again?" I mentioned that we've been doing some new things this year, and perhaps they've gone unnoticed. So to recap, here's a list of those items:

- The Falcons podcast: available only on macon.com. Sports editor Daniel Shirley and I sit down each week and discuss various issues concerning the Falcons. This will eventually become an all-encompassing pro sports podcast when the Falcons season is over.
- The NFL Rankings: Each week, I rank every NFL team based on their performance the week before, taking into account their performances throughout the season.
- The Middle Georgia Alumni Update: A brief look at what former Middle Georgia high school standouts are doing in the NFL (and we've got a bunch of them).
- Grading the Falcons: After each game, I hand out grades to each Falcons' position.
- Game column: My analysis and opinions of each game.
- The Two-Minute Read: A quick "day after," opinion-based look at what issues affect the Falcons going into the next game.
- The Pro Schmo Blog: Anything goes here. Generally, after Falcons games I post comments I gather up in the locker room that you won't find anywhere else. I also lend a few opinions on pro sports as a whole, whatever's trendy each week.

So there you have it. Those are the big new thing we've put into place at The Telegraph. And now it's your turn to have your say. What do you like? What do you not like? What could we do different? Is there anything you'd like to see more of? Is there anything we haven't thought of?

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STORY REPORT:

I'm on the lookout for a couple of things from Falcons fans. So if either of these apply to you and you're willing to participate, let me know!!!

1) I'm looking for the Macon area's biggest, most passionately crazy Falcons fan. This isn't a contest, so I can't promise you'll win anything (The best I could probably do is a coffee mug or something), but I'd like to write a story on you. I'm looking for that nutty kind of stuff, like a garage full of collectables or a red-and-black house or a son named Alge. Just write in and let me know what it is that makes you Macon's biggest Falcons fan.

2) I'm also looking for die-hard season-ticket holders from Macon and the surrounding areas who wouldn't mind lending a few opinions on this year's team. Write in here or e-mail me if interested.