Mashable Articles
A handful of the hundreds of posts I've written for Mashable since being hired in November 2011.
The true tale of the Amercian Dream begins with a father and son. It is a
story of geopolitics, immigrant dreams and the peculiar connections
only the Internet can create.
Ilene Boyar has one of the most inspiring sports stories you'll hear. And it may never have happened if not for an unexpected Facebook connection.
Tiny Porter Maberry's super slam dunks will blow your mind. This is his amazing, improbably journey from warehouse worker to Internet sensation.
A heavily drugged Noah Galloway awoke in a military hospital on
Christmas morning in 2005 to learn that his left arm and leg were gone
forever. Today, he's an accomplished endurance athlete and an
inspiration to thousands.
How NBA Star Roy Hibbert Wins the Internet
The Indiana Pacers center isn't just an NBA All-Star -- he's an Internet All-Star too. This Q&A covers his nerdy childhood, how he learned to love "Gangnam Style," and the stories behind to his hilarious Twitter interactions with fans.
Mike Tyson: Social Media Heavyweight
Think you know all about The Baddest Man on the Planet? Think again. In this Q&A, the heavyweight champion talks about his little-known passion for all things tech.
Super Bowl Gets Social Media Command Center (CNN.com)
Super Bowl XLVI host city Indianapolis has concocted a new way to deal
with the madness that comes with managing the world's biggest annual
sporting event. The solution? The Super Bowl's first ever social media
command center. This is a Mashable article that got picked up by CNN.
Macworld Adapts to Stay Relevant (USAToday.com)
The annual Macworld exposition began Thursday in San Francisco, and for
the 28th consecutive year will bring together Apple fans, users and
developers. But this installment adds a new twist — and a new name. This is a Mashable article that got picked up by USA Today.
Freelance Work
A small sampling of my freelance writing from 2009 through to today.
Mixtape Madness: The impresario of viral high school basketball fights to stay on top (The Classical)
At 26, Nils Wagner is the basketball mixtape’s gonzo king. His
by-the-bootstraps company, HoopMixTape, has become synonymous with the
sport’s culture and helped launch the public awareness of numerous young
NBA players like John Wall, Derrick Rose, and Brandon Jennings. His
videos have been viewed online more than 120 million times, and he has
more than 125,000 YouTube subscribers. Also featured on sportsfeat.com.
Shoe Marketer Who Enriched N.C.A.A. Takes on His Creation (New York Times)
For decades, Sonny Vaccaro revolutionized the merchandizing of amateur athletes, earning millions of dollars for the shoe companies that employed him, the N.C.A.A., and himself. But more recently, as an adviser in a closely watched federal court case, Vaccaro has devoted himself to bringing down the empire he helped create. Feature story, Bay Area section.
To Create a Star, Add Hip-Hop to Hoops and Post to YouTube (New York Times)
For years, Travis Farris has traveled California and beyond to film teenage basketball players with the purpose of stylishly editing their highlights to hip-hop beats and posting the resulting "mixtapes" to YouTube. Farris has become so skilled, in fact, that he's become a basketball kingmaker and may soon go pro. Feature story, Bay Area section. (I later made a video version of this story.) Also the story that led to "Mixtape Madness," above.
"What is Justice?" Inside a Death Penalty Trial (OaklandNorth.net)
In 2001, Christopher Evans murdered two people in
East Oakland, poising him to receive either the death penalty or a
sentence of life without parole. This 4,500-word feature is an inside
look at a the most severe arm of the American justice system, examining
the stakes of Evans' trial, the state of capital punishment in California today, and, ultimately, what a jury of Evans' peers deemed his appropriate sentence.
A Surfing Legend Conquers Addiction, but Prison May Lie Ahead (New York Times)
For years, pro surfer Anthony Ruffo lived a glamorous life of big waves,
beautiful women, and corporate sponsors. Then a methamphetamine
addiction led him to deal drugs in partnership with a violent street
gang. He avoided prison once, but a second charge of dealing could lock
him behind bars for more than five years. Rehabbed and reformed, he says
his work helping other former addicts should keep him out. Others
disagree. Feature story, Bay Area section.
Jabari Brown Soldiers On (East Bay Express)
Brown is the Bay Area's top basketball prospect in
years. But, as his prodigious talent propels him upward, he must
navigate the murky, tumultuous, and often nasty waters of big-time
amateur hoops. This 4,000-word feature was the May 19, 2010, cover
story.
No Limit (SLAM)
The Drew Gooden Soldiers, a traveling youth
all-star team, dominated the 2010 summer basketball circuit with a
star-studded roster of future collegians and potential pros that packed
gyms nationwide and left college coaches drooling for more.
At Mosswood, Hoops Tradition Endures (OaklandNorth.net)
Looking at the past and present of Oakland's Mosswood Playground, hallowed pickup-basketball ground.
Best Karaoke Experience: The Mel-O-Dee Cocktail Lounge (East Bay Express)
From the 2010 Best of the East Bay issue.
Client Publications
A small sampling of the scores of
articles I've authored on behalf of a wide range of clients including
the San Francisco Giants, Oakland Museum, and UC Hastings. My
versatility and sense of audience always ensure clients' messages and
stories are told clearly and effectively.
Walk On the Wild Side (Oakland Museum of California)
Profiling legendary environmentalist John Muir and highlighting an upcoming exhibit celebrating his life and legacy in a cover feature for the Museum's member publication.
A New Vision for Hastings (UC Hastings College of the Law)
A profile and Q-and-A with incoming dean Frank Wu, for UC Hastings' alumni magazine.
Battle-Tested Defender (UC Hastings College of the Law)
For UC Hastings' alumni magazine, a profile of World War II veteran and longtime defense attorney George Walker '54.
Get Your Kicks (Brown & Toland)
Q-and-A with a local sensei, discussing the health and self-defense benefits of karate for the member publication of health care provider Brown & Toland.
Which A's employee are you? (Oakland Athletics)
Take the quiz from the team magazine to see where you might fit in the A's organization.
A Producer's Life (Oakland Museum of California)
Short piece on a Pixar Animation Studios producer for the Museum's member publication.
Steward of the Sea (Oakland Museum of California)
Profiling a California environmentalist for the Museum's member publication.
