HHR's 2009 In Review: Analyzing Analytics

In order to better serve our HHR readers, we pay ample attention to what drives you to our site.

Ok, that's a lie. It's more a means to satisfy our own curiosity.

Regardless of why, here's the what.

Stealing a page from JSF (as we are apt to do), here are the top 10 Keywords, Posts and Cities at HHR in 2009.

Enjoy, you sick bastards.

"Dana Jacobsen Hot"? C'mon!

KEYWORDS

1. hugging harold reynolds
2. shane victorino girlfriend
3. harold reynolds
4. bonnie richardson
5. shane victorino wedding
6. jayshawn augusto
7. penthouse forum
8. dana jacobson hot
9. bison dele
10. wrestlemania

STORIES BY PAGE VIEWS

1. D.C. BUREAU EXCLUSIVE Special Investigative Report: Mark Grace=Life Coach
2. Today in History
3. Fake Umps Call Balls & Strikes From Stands
4. Film's Best Obscure Townie Jocks
5. 5 reasons MLB should show people running onto the field
6. Shawne "Hitch" Merriman
7. Leave It Up to the Trentonian to Infuse Humor Into Vick Signing
8. Foot Fetish
9. The Real Rock-N-Wrestling Connection
10. Alyssa Milano Audio: Marlin Carl Pavano > Yankee Carl Pavano (In Bed)

CITIES

1. New York
2. Chicago
3. Washington
4. Philadelphia
5. San Francisco
6. Atlanta
7. Houston
8. Boston
9. St Louis
10. Columbus
    

Follow us on Twitter@HHReynolds or Click Here to get HHR in your inbox.

Sports Media Watch Ranks Patron Saint #3 Biggest Sports Scandal of Decade

From SMW's "Decade in Review: 5 biggest sports media scandals":

#3: Harold Reynolds fired from ESPN (2006)
In July 2006, prominent Baseball Tonight analyst Harold Reynolds was abruptly fired from ESPN.

Reynolds, who had been with ESPN for 11 years, was accused of sexual harassment. "To be honest with you," Reynolds told the New York Post in the immediate aftermath, "I gave a woman a hug and I felt like it was misinterpreted" (ESPN.com, 7/26/06). During an ensuing lawsuit, ESPN told a Hartford courtroom that "five young women had lodged 'concerns' about Reynolds’s sexual behavior" (New York Times, 4/16/08).

The divorce between Reynolds and ESPN grew ugly, with Reynolds filing a wrongful termination lawsuit against the network. At one point, Reynolds accused ESPN of racial bias, bringing up several incidences of sexual misconduct by white employees who were not punished as severely (New York Times, 9/8/07).

Reynolds joined TBS as a baseball analyst in 2008, before eventually landing with MLB Network in 2009.

You can see the complete list HERE.

Follow us on Twitter@HHReynolds or Click Here to get HHR in your inbox.

Fan for Sale: Convince @ChrisIlluminati to Root for Your NBA Team, Win NBA League Pass Broadband

First it was the Celtics. Until I realized as a Yankees fan that the same people that rooted for Bird were also part of the "Nation" and I'd be kicked out of my house if my father found out I liked anything Boston that didn't end in "baked beans." Next came the Magic-led Lakers until he kissed Isiah Thomas and my friends said I liked a team full of "marys." Of course, the thought of associated with anything gay (besides my velcro sneakers) will turn off a kid in 6th grade so I jumped around from team to team for the next fifeteen plus years.

Shaq and Scott Skiles because of the arcade game NBA Jam.

The Timberwolves during the early days of KG, D. West (I still don't know his first name), pre-homicidal Starbury and NBA Live 98'.

Back to the Lakers with Shaq and Mamba.

Bounced around to the Mavs, Kings, and the Nets for a brief moment, but only because I'm from Jersey.

The point is I've never had a real vesting interest in an NBA Franchise. I've never really had an interest in basketball - which is ABSURD for a 5'6 white kid with the vertical jump of a titmouse.

I need an NBA team. This has to change for several reasons.

1. I'm married with pregger wife and need SOME type of sports excuse to click away from the Real Housewives of Atlanta. The baseball playoffs saved my ass from a fall of Project Runway.
2. Almost everyone I follow on Twitter watches and tweets and all I can do is laugh and make out of date Charles Barkley jokes. Oh Bork.
3. The Sports Guy has a 700 page anvil of a book about the NBA on the best-seller list. I don't want to read it but if a book can beat out anything the Harpo Army is peddling there must be a ton of fans that find this basketball shit interesting.

So what does this mean to the HHR reader? It's simple. Make me like your team. Woo me. Dazzle me. Show me your goods (put your zipper back up this is a family website).

What do you get out of all this? How about a Full Year Subscription of NBA LEAGUE PASS Broadband.

Shoot an email to huggingharoldreynolds(at)gmail(dot)com with the subject: "Chris, you are a ______ fan now" and convince me to wear your team colors, or shoot something in the comments section.

Deadline: Wednesday, November 11, 5PM.

-------

Nationally and locally televised games are subject to blackout and are therefore not available via NBA LEAGUE PASS BROADBAND (regardless of whether team is home or away).

This contest is for US participants only. By entering the sweepstakes you agree to release Sponsor, the NBA Entities, HuggingHaroldReynolds.com and their respective affiliates and agencies from any and all liabilities for injuries, damages or losses of any kind to in connection with the sweepstakes, prize or any prize-related activity.

-------

Chris Illuminati fancies himself some type of authority on things. He is actually an asshole. So much so he wrote a book.

Follow us on Twitter@HHReynolds or Click Here to get HHR in your inbox.

Setting the Record Straight: #imnot

Many of our faithful readers and Twitter followers are well aware of our temporary two-day suspension from the 140-character micro-blog this week.

To clear up the mystery, in a nut shell, someone complained that @HHReynolds was impersonating Harold Reynolds, and as such, violated Twitter terms.

After reflection, I understand this could be an issue. It is not uncommon that people contact the blog addressing inquiries and comments to our Patron Saint. That said, we are very straight forward and respond to each of them to clear up any confusion. On Twitter specifically, I publicly inform Tweeters when they make this error. We never, ever pose as anything other than a sports blog who simply pays homage to one of the best baseball analysts in the biz.

I do not begrudge Twitter for addressing this. I am disappointed at the way it was handled: my account was suspended without explanation. After addressing this with support staff, I credit them for helping me rectify the situation.

But be warned bloggers who pay tribute to athletes and personalities in your platforms' monikers: You could be next.

Let's then, clear the air.

This blog:


Has no affiliation or anything to do with this person:



This blog:


Has no affiliation or anything to do with this person:



TiricoSuave


Is NOT Mike Tirico's blog.


The blog's writer clarifies: "The real Tirico only wears his Viking helmet and Flav clock on rare occasions nowadays. There should be no confusion."

In order to reinstate my account, I had to clarify my Twitter bio. Instead of our site's mantra, "We Embrace Sports," it now reads: "Official Twitter feed for the sports blog HuggingHaroldReynolds.com, NOT Harold Reynolds."

I even took it a step further and changed my icon:


Last night, fearing they would be the next to feel the wrath of Twitter, sports Tweeters banded together and came clean in a hashtagged "#imnot" campaign.


Before we take a look, one more bit of clarity about HHR courtesy of @Adambuckled:

"Did Twitter think the 2nd H was Harold's middle initial, like @JHChrist? For the record, @HHReynolds isn't the Son of God either."

Now, here are some "De-verified" accounts:


@RedsArmy: Before twitter suspends me like @HHReynolds. Im NOT RedAuerbach.





@dochowser: I am not Neil Patrick Harris.






@aleagueofherown: and i don't really have a league of my own






@TalkHoops: I'm NOT a logo with a basketball for a face.







@BarkleysMouth: And I'm NOT Chuck... Altho I'm fat like him.






@whygavs: And I am in no way Andy Van Slyke.






@babeslovebball: I frickin hate baseball.






@MrWhiteDevil: I'm not Satan






@AngryHack: I'm not really Angry, but certainly Hack.






@THHB: For those who missed it earlier, #imnot Dominique Wilkins---he's the player, I'm the blogger.





@DetTigerfan22: I'm not a giant cement Tiger. I'm human.






@fangsbites: #imnot a vampire. Please don't ban me.






@russbengtson: Before twitter suspends me like @HHReynolds. #ImNot a disembodied yellow avatar.






@appl3s: #imnot really an apple.






@ketoole: #imnot really green.






@Need4Sheed_com: I'm Sheed but nobody believes me.






@roto_tudor: to be clear, I'm neither John Tudor, nor Henry VIII, nor in any way associated with the Roto Rooter company.





@jeskeets: And I am NOT Steve Nash ...






@jeskeets: ... nor Jiri Welsch






@jeskeets: ... nor Samantha Ronson.






@sweetbob: #imnot Capt. Lou Albano






@firebruntlett: Fire Eric Bruntlett is in no way associated or related to Eric Bruntlett. We just enjoying mocking and hating him.





@AestheticsGirl: Before Twitter suspends me like @HHReynolds. #ImNot Paul Pierce. I didn't throw a pitch at R-Sox Game. Am a Girl who likes Aesthetic Theory.





@mredonkulous: I am Oliver Miller #imnot






@pop_martian: BTW, I am not a Lego incarnation of Edward Hopper's classic 1942 painting "Nighthawks." #ImNot #SaveHHR






@thegnc: #imnot a store for training supplements






@RumorsandRants: Despite what my avatar may lead you to believe, #imnot Sam The Eagle





@RoundballMiner: I do not burrow into the earth with shovels and dynamite hoping to find basketballs. I'm living a lie. #ImNot





@RidiculousScott: #ImNot Mr. Belding






@whatthenoelle: Before twitter suspends me like @HHReynolds--Unfortunately #ImNot Stan Van Gundy. Fortunately #ImNot SVG impersonating Paul Blart . Or am I?




@TomFornelli: Tom Fornelli is a drifter I killed years ago and whose identity I stole. My real name is Armin Tamzarian.





@loljocks_grimey: Before my account gets suspended by Twitter, I'm NOT hiding behind the upper-right hand corner on Tic-Tac-Dough #imnot





@DSB_MaxPower: #imnot I'm not Max Power, but it's the name you'd love to touch but you mustn't touch #Simpsons





@thejonlee: Before twitter suspends me like @HHReynolds. #ImNot thejo...n/m I actually am jon lee. Carry on.





@plamorte: I am not @plamorte....oh wait yes I am! Guess I can throw away this pic I was going to make my default... http://bit.ly/wQ4EJ





@avoidingthedrop: I AM actually a soccerball. All the other soccerballs need to step off.

Follow us on Twitter@HHReynolds or Click Here to get HHR in your inbox.

Fail.

"This account is currently suspended and is being investigated due to strange activity."

I would love to address the situation that has lead to the @HHReynolds Twitter account being suspended, but unfortunately, I have no idea what prompted this after my 5200+ tweets.

I really hadn't done anything out of the ordinary.

In general, I don't spam, I engage, converse, retweet, and am an advocate for the platform.

Hopefully things get resolved quickly. But I'm really disappointed by the handling and the lack of clarity in having it resolved.

That said, I really appreciate the outpouring of support from the #saveHHR revolution (h/t @chrisilluminati). Keep fighting the good fight - an impressive display of unity in the community that won't be forgotten.

Follow us on Twitter@HHReynolds or Click Here to get HHR in your inbox.

Buzz Bissinger Irresponsibly Speculates While Denouncing Irresponsibility in Spreading Speculation

On today's Deadcast, It’s Family Hour With A Kinder, Gentler Buzz Bissinger, Buzz addressed the Ibanez blowup, which was obviously reminicent of his Leitch showdown.

However, as Dan Levy points out to Drew, his message might be somewhat lost as it appears Buzz hasn't brushed up on his homework on the situation, and inexplicitly calls out MLB Network's All-Star personality (and this site's namesake), Harold Reynolds.

Buzz: "Harold Reynolds picks it up, and puts it up on his website. And then before you know it its all over the place. I think Reynolds was really wrong. I think it was, um you know, really sloppy on his part."

Clip via Awful Announcing:



From John Gonzalez's column in question:

There was a time when a small, regional site like MSF could write something like that and no one would notice. Not anymore. Not long after the Ibanez post went up, Hugging Harold Reynolds - a popular national blog - linked to it on its Twitter feed. And just like that, we were off. Less than an hour later, I had several e-mails in my inbox asking if I read the MSF story and whether I believe Ibanez is chemically enhanced.

Follow us on Twitter@HHReynolds or Click Here to get HHR in your inbox.

HHR Featured in BallHype Profile Series

HHR was recently featured as part of the BallHype Profile Series.

You can check it out here:

BallHype Profile on "Hugging Harold Reynolds"

Hype it up if you like it!

Follow us on Twitter @HHReynolds or Click Here to get HHR in your inbox.

Have You Gotten Your BlogsWithBalls Tickets Yet?