Whats with the nicknames?
First of all, it’s fun and I think it’s a reminder to the people who read this blog that I’m a fan, not a reporter. Second, it keeps the tone of things light. Third, I spend a lot of time reading, talking, and writing about these players. I don’t know them, I’ve met a few but I wouldn’t call us friends, but the amount of time that I spend obsessing over their games, careers, and lives, does lend itself to a certain level of intimacy, as crazy-stalkerish as that sounds. As Dr. Carol Bruess, a professor at the University of St. Thomas has observed, “We underestimate the value of nicknames. Nicknames and other kinds of private language tend to function to bond individuals. Private language really reflects the intimacy of relationships.” Geez, now that I read that it really does sound creepy.
