"A New York Treasure" --Village Voice

Down in Front

Is it better to burn out or fade away? Good question. Well, here at the Banter, we have been more of the long, slow dissolve state of mind. The site is still up—thanks in large part to Will—and I can’t ever see it closing, really. At the same time, it’s clear to any of you who still stop by, that I have been an absentee landlord at best. Certainly, the Banter’s time as a hub for Yankeeness has long since past, though I am of course grateful that some of you longtime heads still come by to hang out.

I’ve been running Esquire’s digital archives for the past few years in addition to the curating work that began here and developed into gigs with Deadspin and The Daily Beast. Just a few weeks back I launched a new site, The Stacks Reader, which will house everything I have reprinted at various sites, and put it all under one roof. In many ways it is Banter 2.0. And I am in deep with it. But also in love.

I never imaged that this is where things would take me—archivist, curator—but here we are. All that said, I just don’t have a ton of time to devote to the Banter. I am not sure what this season is going to look like around here but I will do my best to keep posts coming up so you guys can kibbitz and schmooze and hang.

Oh, yeah, and: this should be a fun season, am I right?

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12 comments

1 Shaun P.   ~  Feb 23, 2018 9:32 am

AB, I am thrilled with how well things have worked out for you. I don't comment a lot anymore but I always read and pay attention. Thanks to you - and Chyll - for keeping the lights on. As long as someone puts up a game thread, I will keep reading 'em.

And I think this will be a really fun year for the Yanks. I bet we all get pulled back in by late summer (maybe sooner).

2 Jon Weisman   ~  Feb 23, 2018 12:33 pm

Alex, you are the man, wherever your work takes you. The Stacks Reader is the very productive satellite office of BB. (P.S., I can relate.)

3 rbj   ~  Feb 23, 2018 1:07 pm

Yay, preseason baseball!

4 rbj   ~  Feb 23, 2018 1:28 pm

Lots of rust

5 rbj   ~  Feb 23, 2018 3:11 pm

Yay, a lead!

6 rbj   ~  Feb 23, 2018 4:13 pm

And it's a win

7 GaryfromChevyChase   ~  Feb 24, 2018 3:54 pm

Alex, it's with my most sincere thanks that I wish you all the best in new endeavors. You've created a great medium for Yankee fans around the world, and while I have not met many in person, I feel part of a great community. Looking forward to a memorable season with my fellow Banterers.

8 Ara Just Fair   ~  Feb 24, 2018 10:24 pm

Hear, hear.

9 Mr OK Jazz Tokyo   ~  Feb 25, 2018 6:14 am

[7] 同感! (Me too!)

10 thelarmis   ~  Feb 25, 2018 2:37 pm

The Banter will always be my online family and I still come every single day! Thanks for keeping it open!

Congrats on your gig and new site! I’m quite pleased that the first sentence of this post quoted Def Leepard and not some awful hip-hop “artist”!!!

Oh, I took a picture of my 28 Lou Donaldson CDs on Blue Note last night. I should email it to you!

This season is definitely shaping up to be quite fun! Hopefully, it ends like last year should have... And, oh, am I the only one who thinks Aaron Boone is looking like a young Joe Torre (physically)? That doesn’t bode well for him, but he does have a Playboy centerfold for a wife!

11 rbj   ~  Feb 25, 2018 8:44 pm

3-0 start, kids looking good early.

Thanks for keeping the lights on, Alex. This has become a community.

Don’t know how many games I’ll get to watch this year, the job hunt continues apace. Starting to need to cut back expenses. And mortgage trumps cable.

12 Mr OK Jazz Tokyo   ~  Feb 25, 2018 8:47 pm

[10 Oh thelarmis my brother, I love you but 'hip hop' is great just like any musical forms (except modern country!)

I was listening to some rare, Japan-only issued Mal Waldron the other day, you'd dig the drummer Fred Braceful.

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"This ain't football. We do this every day."
--Earl Weaver