Thursday, January 1, 2009

Bob Margolis Starts A New Chapter


Yahoo! Sports, Bob Margolis and NASCAR seemed to be a very good combination. Based in Pennsylvania, Margolis was always able to keep a safe journalistic distance between himself and the personalities in the sport. His observations for Yahoo! were often quite different than the Charlotte-based media folks.

His last post on the Yahoo! Sports NASCAR page was November 16th. In low-key style, he offered his thoughts on the 2008 season and signed-off with "that's all folks." That phrase was a bit more prophetic than most readers knew.

Margolis was leaving Yahoo! on his own accord and December 31st was his last day on the payroll. 2009 will allow him to start a fresh chapter in his life. It is a life that took on a brand new meaning only two short years ago.

Many of you read the TDP post entitled "Daytona as a Place of Healing." At that time, we were celebrating Bob's return to the Rolex 24 sports car race as a very personal victory over a daunting opponent.

Margolis had stopped many race fans in their tracks with his brutally honest story on Yahoo! titled simply "A Survivor's Story." For those seeking a fresh perspective in this new year, just click on the title.

Now, after a full season of covering the NASCAR beat one final time, Margolis is headed in several diverse directions. Full of energy and a zest for life, he is turning his writing talents from weekly race observations to a long-form biography.

Project one is a biography of Jack Roush. The man who NASCAR fans either love or hate is one fascinating individual in the world of motorsports. As Margolis reminds TDP, many fans do not know the lifelong love affair with speed that has driven Roush for decades.

While Carl Edwards and the Roush NASCAR teams may be in the headlines, Roush has won with several class entries in the Rolex 24 sports car race in Daytona over the years. There was also a time when he dominated the SCCA Trans-Am category, winning over half of the races his team entered. Margolis clearly has his work cut-out for him where Roush is concerned.

The American Drag Racing Association is the group that races down an eighth-mile distance and this season is title sponsored by the National Guard. As they grow to a ten race schedule in 2009, Margolis is going to coordinate both the Internet and media side of that business as the VP of Communications.

Finally, the Internet continues to be home to a growing selection of social networking websites with all types of different themes. iTeamSports has the idea of allowing participants to own various kinds of professional sports teams, including NASCAR. Margolis is going to be helping that company expand its motorsport presence in several series. It certainly is an interesting concept.

So, for all of you who have been emailing about why Margolis has been gone from Yahoo! Sports for the last several months, there is your answer. Here are some words from Margolis to TDP readers that will ultimately put his move in perspective:

I've been very blessed in my life. Having survived cancer has changed the way I look at everything. Every day is a gift and I plan on enjoying each and every one of them. Ever wonder why they call right now "the present?" It's because it is a gift. I've had to learn that, the hard way. Never take ANYTHING for granted.

For more information, Margolis was a guest on the Rowdy.com podcast. Just click on the "Listen Now" button on the right side of the page.

Best wishes to Margolis on his new challenges and many thanks to him for being a good friend of our efforts at TDP since the beginning. Please feel free to add your comments by clicking the COMMENTS button and following the easy directions.

The rules for posting are located on the right side of the main page. Thank you for taking the time to stop by The Daly Planet and Happy New Year to everyone.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Like the gold of the sun, like the light of the day, may the luck of the Irish shine bright on your way. Like the glow of a star, and the lilt of a song may these be your joys all your life long.

bevo said...

Best of luck!
Great to see someone with their priorities in line. So many people go through life without reflecting on it and just stand on the shore and let the waves wash over them.

Anonymous said...

Bob's a really great writer. I'm going to miss his regular postings on Yahoo. But it looks like he has got some exiting things going on and I wish him all the best.

Anonymous said...

God speed, Bob. And a special Thank you to John Daly for giving us an article that truly puts life in perspective. It reminds me of the heartbreaking interview that Wendy Venturini did with Bobby Hamilton a few weeks before his death.
Remember, people, that although this post gives us a chance to nitpick and complain about a sport, it also serves as a reminder that there are more important things in this world.

Lou said...

JD
I went back to review the links you gave us. your column of 26dec07 and his column a survivors' story (I remember reading it at the time it was posted)just reminded me of how i felt at the time and still do as always.

wish the best for him. and look forward to his future endavors for many years to come. look forward to his great writing on motorsports racing in the future.

Newracefan said...

Thanks for the update JD I was wondering and somewhat worried.
Go for it Bob it's never to late to follow a dream

Anonymous said...

I cant stand most racing websites (including this one) but I Googled Bobs name and here I am.

I miss reading his stuff !!

Anonymous said...

It just won't be a post-race Sunday without reading Bob's intro of "Thoughts, observations, and a few questions......" Thanks for all those things, Bob!!!

Anonymous said...

I have been looking feverishly for Bob's 'Observations' article only to find out he is not writing it this year. It will be greatly missed!

Fantastic writer..best wishes!

Anonymous said...

I also googled Bob Margolis, because I haven't seen his post race wrap-ups on Yahoo. A lot of writers take a kiss ass or bash approach to sports, but Bob Margolis always (at least it seems to me) posted an honest look no-holds-barred without the bashing or favorstim slant. Something that is hard to fine on the 2009 level of journalism "online".

How about an occasional update here on the Daily Planet on occasion?