DENVER -- A subscriber here asked the other day why we don't roll the complete credits for our production staff at the end of each of the new 'Double Shot' programs, and I responded that it'd take about a second and a half:
• Dali Kovacevic: Everything
The. End.
She created everything about the set, the graphics, the visuals and all else aside from the original 'Morning Java' animations (crafted a few years ago by Mount Washington-based Phenomenon Post), and she even got those to fit our new theme and color scheme. She handled the sound, the lighting, the ad placements, the interview cut-ins, how remote guests would communicate with us, how we'd present your video questions ... and she even put up with my many annoying pleas to change something after it'd already been settled.
All this with zero training other than just figuring it all out. Because that's just how she rolls. With everything.
And on top of all that, she spent most of her past 24 hours passing on to our daughter Dara how to take over the process, now that it's been all-the-way planned out and executed over a full week. So it'll pass from one genius to the next.
If you haven't seen it yet, this was yesterday's episode ...
... the first one, I can comfortably say, that all of us nailed across the board. And, in what probably isn't a coincidence, it also was our biggest early success, pointing toward 10,000-plus views on YouTube, about 6,000 more between full-show postings on X and Facebook (though those are tougher to count accurately), and an additional 5,000 listens to the audio-only podcast versions.
So, about 20,000 right off the bat. Not a bad start. Long way to go.
But we're in it for that long way. We're excited about this, we're feeling good about it, the feedback's been richly encouraging and, to be honest, it's been fun. It's a different approach, a different outreach, and it's discovered a different audience for us that we hadn't previously touched. Some make it over here to become part of this community, and some just don't like to read. Which, of course, also occurs in the reverse. And either way, we grow both.
Some info: The show's online every weekday at 4 p.m. Eastern, it runs about 18-25 minutes to be timed for the afternoon commute, workout, dog walk, whatever, and it can be found on pretty much every platform in existence, including this very app/site. And anyone who'd like to submit a J1Q entry, that can be done right here. (We've gotten them from all over the world already, which, I'm not gonna lie, is kinda cool.)
One last thing: I tried a Pirates opening to one of the shows, and it was catastrophic. Killed the episode dead in its tracks. Now, they are what they are, so need to explain further, but it was a pointed reminder that the correct course in the fall is football, the correct course in the winter is hockey, and we'll see about baseball. Maybe we'll do some in the spring, and maybe not.
Being blunt here, I'm not about to have this thing brought down because Bob Nutting and Travis Williams won't do the right thing across the river. Their problems don't need to be our problems.
As ever, I'll be in comments, eager to hear what you've thought so far.
INSIDE THE WORKS
• So, it turns out the updated commenting platform and new Feed fronts are closer to completion that I'd thought. Our friends at BoomPress are holding back a bit to align it with a general upgrade -- a 2.0 -- that'll instill all kinds of other improvements to the user experience, speed, etc. We're expected to have all this within a week or two.
• We aren't perfect. We have lots of room to improve, and I'm not pretending otherwise. But everyone knows how I feel about the hockey coverage that Taylor Haase and I provide, and I'm hoping everyone sees what Chris Halicke, Greg Macafee and I've begun building on football. I'm proud of their work on the Steelers, and it's easy to see the readers are responding.
• On that note: We've brought back the map. Because I'm also proud of how we value being where the story is.
ROB ULLMAN / DKPS
• And stretching that note still further: Quick, name every media outlet that's covered every game the Steelers, Penguins and Pirates have played in 2024. Hint: The answer isn't plural. Second hint: The answer won't surprise anyone reading this.
• Everyone loving being ad-free? If you're not there yet, it's only for paying subscribers. If you aren't subscribed yet or if your subscription's expired: This is our subscribe page. From there, make sure you're logged in, tap on the link, and thumb down to the bottom for the SUBSCRIBE button to buy/renew at the monthly or annual level. We also offer mega-discounts, as ever, for student subscriptions and senior subscriptions.
• Grateful that so many of you continue to leave us good reviews on outside platforms. For anyone who hasn't yet, feel free to add your own on our Google business listing, our Apple or Spotify podcast channels and, arguably most important, our own app, whether it's the Apple or Android version.
BACK TO BUSINESS
• Our page-view numbers for the past week were back over the million mark for the first time in a while at 1,005,022, with 45,3781 unique users over the most recent full seven-day span, Sept. 6-12. Our most-read original piece ... well, we had three of them, all within 400 views of each other, beginning with Chris' terrific read-and-watch Chalk Talk on Arthur Smith at 21,446, then my column on Ben Cherington's shameless self-preservation at 21,434, then my Steelers-Falcons column from Atlanta, at 21,173.
• On the multimedia front, our podcast downloads for the past week were 98,597, and our YouTube video views were a 2024-high 235,874.
• Our company social media accounts are at 56,947 followers on X, 41,309 on Facebook, 32,562 on YouTube, 15,316 on Instagram, 5,154 on Threads, and 1,023 on TikTok.
• We make mistakes. If you see one, email: Typos@DKPittsburghSports.com
• Our HQ/shop merch is available online. The Downtown shop itself's open Tuesday-Saturday, 12-6 p.m.
• Anything you need, email: Help@DKPittsburghSports.com
• Thanks for reading and, as ever, for your support of this independent venture.
