I went viral! All over 2.4 mph. I didn't post this column when I originally wrote it (Monday), but I found out this morning that it has 45k+ views and counting! Give it a read if you like baseball and analytics! dub.sh/nelVSc6

Greetings from Charlotte, N.C. We are under 19 minutes from kickoff at Bank of America, where Charlotte FC hosts MLS newcomer San Diego FC. The Crown will look to stay unbeaten at home.

Charlotte FC plays a dominant second half of soccer and comes back to defeat Nashville SC 2-1. It wasn't easy, but home turf was protected. #ForTheCrown

We're just under five minutes from the start of the second half in Charlotte. Nashville leads FC 1-0. SC has been the more physical team and has five shots on goal, while Charlotte is still searching for their first attempt. #ForTheCrown

Hello from Bank of America Stadium, where I'm covering the Charlotte FC match against Nashville SC today. Follow along for updates and a full recap after the game #ForTheCrown

@danieljtgallen.bsky.social random q but is there an RSS feed for Lions247, and if so, could you provide it? I looked online but couldn’t find anything. Hoping I’m just not a good internet sleuth. Thank you!

Monday Motivation: Unleash Creative Freedom in Leadership Empower your team to drive innovation and build a culture of excellence. In Culture of Excellence, discover how giving your team the freedom to express their unique talents can transform your organization.

"After years compressing his candid observations as an ESPN analyst, Kruk has fully leaned in to the free-wheeling, fan-forward flexibility of the local broadcast booth — the casual camaraderie, the unabated passion, the digressive lulls — and become must-watch television because of it."

Baltimore has flat-out botched its prep for 2025. If you polled 10 fans, I guarantee all 10 would give Elias an F for this offseason. So I broke down exactly why the frustration is justified in my latest for Yardbarker. dub.sh/Mgy9cHY

Big Yankee fan? Enjoy baseball merch? Head over to IG and enter to win a special 2025 Yankees' Opening Day contest! Details 👇🏻 www.instagram.com/p/DHYOnmCRnS...

🔥 “Weird dudes. Constant misery.” That’s how Voices in Vain describes themselves—and honestly? It’s spot on. From DIY basement shows to pandemic setbacks and packed venues in cities they’ve never played before, this band is proving that heavy music isn’t just surviving—it’s thriving.

MotivationMonday: The Best Leaders Take the Heat—Not Shift the Blame Ever had a boss who threw you under the bus? Compare that to a leader who stands up for you—even when things go wrong. The difference? Trust, loyalty, and a culture where people perform at their best.

🔥 Meet the heavy metal band carving their own path—Voices in Vain. 🔥 This Vermont-based band has been grinding for years, but their latest album (Fall 2024) and touring schedule have catapulted them into something bigger.

This week's Powder Blue Nostalgia looks at the career of chronically underappreciated Blue Jays hurler Dave Stieb, arguably the best pitcher of the ‘80s. powderbluenostalgia.substack.com/p/overlooked

My first college hoops and NBA piece for Yardbarker dives into the historic opportunity for Davidson and Steph Curry. It’s more than just nostalgia and name recognition — I explored what this means for a small liberal arts school and others like it. Link to read below.

@lindseythoughts.bsky.social Thank you for introducing me to Gay Talese's DiMaggio piece. I heard you talk about it on Jeff Peralman's podcast, and it was super interesting to read. Hope you're doing well and enjoying these new parts of life! www.randomhouse.com/kvpa/talese/...

It’s official: As I suspected while writing today’s column, Yankees ace Gerrit Cole will undergo Tommy John surgery tomorrow, sidelining him for 2025. For Yardbarker, I reflected on the sadness of a great pitcher’s career potentially being defined by injury and missed opportunity. dub.sh/9vMgPRT

💥 Great leaders aren’t just born — they’re built through failure. In Culture of Excellence, I explore how the Yankees once spiraled under George Steinbrenner’s chaotic leadership. Constant drama, power struggles, and bad trades turned the team into a mess.

"Your voice matters." I covered an inspiring International Women’s Day panel with the Charlotte Checkers for today’s Charlotte Observer. Tera Black and Mary Grams shared powerful leadership insights—lessons for everyone. Read more: dub.sh/lQ2yv9s

For Jerry Weinstein, his love of baseball and teaching continues to fuel him decades into his career and first with Cubs organization — at 81 years old. “I’ve got this narrow, deep cylinder where I operate most of the time, and that’s a passion for the game.” www.chicagotribune.com/2025/03/08/c...

I wrote about Anthony Volpe, the Yankees’ shortstop, and why they desperately need him to take a big step forward offensively in 2025. Check it out—I think it’s a good one! Link below!

FREE Guide. I created this as a thank you for all the writers who find value in my articles, webinars & workshops; and who trust me to help them on their writing journey. ✔ First 5 Pages Checklist ✔ Scene Q&A ✔ MS Ready Cheat Sheet ✔ The Ultimate Submission Checklist reneefountain.com/launch

Consider this a social experiment. I'd like your feedback on a potential writing project! All the details are in the post below. Thanks so much!! 🙂 dub.sh/mUnurOR

🚨 One week in, and we’re just getting started! 🚨 Last week, Charlotte: Beyond Major Leagues launched. We know you’re busy, so we pulled the “Greatest Hits” from Dan’s feature. 🎙️ Love the highlights? The full story is even better. Check it out now! 👉🏻 dub.sh/T5l7PG5

No Title? No Problem. You Can Still Lead. The best leaders don’t wait for a title—they step up when it matters. The Yankees thrived for years without an official captain because leadership was never about one person. It was about those who showed up, set the standard, and pushed the team forward.

As someone who spends a lot time thinking about the values I want to teach my kid (besides PLEASE DON’T EAT DIRT), the thing I keep coming back to is this: I want him to believe that the strongest, bravest thing he can do is give a shit about other people—especially ones who aren’t like him at all.

If writing a synopsis feels like stuffing an entire turkey into a snack bag, you’re not alone. Master the balance and make your synopsis work for you! ✨ 📖 Read here: reneefountain.substack.com/p/mastering-... #amquerying #amwriting #synopsis #litagent #publishing

Mike Trout crushed his first homer since April 2024—but what he said postgame was even more interesting. It sounds like he’s zeroing in on key analytics to stay elite as he enters his mid-30s. I took a deep dive into the numbers—read my latest on Yardbarker to see what I found! Link in next thread!

It was a true labor of love but Edition No. 1 is LIVE. Please check it out and let me know what you think. Thank you!

Monday Motivation: No Excuses, Only Growth Ever made a mistake that stuck with you? Don Mattingly did—but he refused to let it define him. His mindset? “It’s not the first mistake I’ve made, and it’s not going to be the last. But … it’s the last time I make that mistake.”

What do Yankees' owner Hal Steinbrenner's comments about implementing a salary floor mean for future CBA talks? All that and more in my latest for Yardbarker! dub.sh/p0ZWZ9N YankeesThreads

🚨 Pinstripe Dynasty Rewind is coming! 🚨 Relive the Yankees' most recent dynasty with this brand-new series, launching in March! The trailer is out now—listen and subscribe so you don’t miss Episode 1. ⚾ Be there for the first pitch. Subscribe now! 🎧 dub.sh/jtT0eGu 📺 dub.sh/8sOskKJ

The relationship between Edgar Martinez and Julio Rodriguez could yield results in 2025. #Mariners #TridentsUp

Have you signed up for Charlotte: Beyond Major Leagues yet? 🚀 We launch one week from today, bringing you FREE long-form stories on some of Charlotte’s most fascinating people in sports. Don’t miss your chance to be inspired—subscribe today! dub.sh/HUrBycX

Alex Cora’s Red Sox record barely hovers above .500—and without that stacked 2018 team, it might be even worse. Now, amid the Rafael Devers saga, he and Boston’s leadership look as dysfunctional as ever. My latest for Yardbarker: dub.sh/lkVya57

Can you feel the spirit of baseball in the air right now?! I'm feeling it so I wrote 600 words for Yardbarker about what Jackson Holliday did this offseason to raise his game and why he’s feeling confident that he can break out for the Orioles in 2025. dub.sh/4QSYHsc

True leaders don’t tear people down—they lift them up. CC Sabathia battled injuries, alcoholism, and setbacks before becoming the heart of the Yankees’ clubhouse. His journey proves that resilience and leadership go hand in hand.

Twenty-five years ago today, the last "Peanuts" strip ran in newspapers. I'm taking this occasion to re-up my long piece on Charles Schulz and Bill Watterson in the LA Review of Books, still my favorite essay I've ever published. lareviewofbooks.org/article/sell...

🚨 Don’t forget! 🚨 Coming this March: Pinstripe Dynasty Rewind—the ultimate deep dive into the Yankees’ legendary run. But why wait? The trailer is out NOW! 🎧 Listen on your favorite podcast platform dub.sh/jtT0eGu 📺 Watch on YouTube (yes, my pretty face included) dub.sh/8sOskKJ

Penn State has reportedly added another championship-caliber coach it it's staff. More in my latest column from Yardbarker. dub.sh/oCznIyQ

Wondering if you should write what you think the market wants? #amwriting #amquerying #writingtips open.substack.com/pub/reneefou...

Pedro Martinez vs. Randy Johnson. 🐐🐐's come in All Sizes.

As per usual, I'm late to the party, but I've finally made the jump to Bluesky. If you don't know me, I have a degree in Medieval history, I write novels, & I love baseball. I have lots of projects in the works, but check out my newsletter, Powder Blue Nostalgia. powderbluenostalgia.substack.com

🚨 Coming February 26: The debut edition of Charlotte: Beyond Major Leagues! Our first long-form feature is locked in—can you guess who it’s about? 👀 Check the photo for a clue! Don’t miss out—subscribe now to get the story first: dub.sh/HUrBycX Follow @charlottebml.bsky.social for regular updates

Eagles running back Saquon Barkley appeared on SiriusXM’s The Howard Stern Show today for a 50-minute interview. Not a pairing you might expect given Stern isn't the biggest sports guy. But this exchange was interesting.

Happy #MSWL Day! See below for what I'm looking for. Please stick to this list. NOTE: for Women's Fiction: In Five Years is a Rebecca Serle book.

#questpit: When the lead singer of her band, Papilio, quits just before their big debut, drummer Babe Johnston is forced into the spotlight—but as creative tensions rise and her stalker ex-boyfriend closes in, she must fight to keep the band together or lose the last connection to her late father.

With MLB Spring Training opening up this week, what better time is there than now to talk about the Colorado Rockies?! Brenton Doyle is a name you need to learn. Why? Find out in my latest column: dub.sh/NotFBhO

Not a big reader? No worries, my new Historical Portal series is also launching on YouTube! Check out the first entry - What if WVU won the 2007 Backyard Brawl? #collegefootball #CFB #WestVirginia