Two Unforgettable Years

It’s crazy to think that it’s already been a full two years since I took over as managing editor of Anaheim Calling. I had only been on the staff for AC for around 6-7 months at that point and due to working full-time as well as coaching high school lacrosse, I hadn’t been writing consistently whatsoever. Despite all that, Travis Hughes and SB Nation decided to take a leap of faith and put their confidence in me to take the helm of Anaheim Calling despite a lackluster resume. Now, as I look back at my tenure “behind the bench,” I realize how much of a crazy and rewarding ride it has been.

For years I have known that my dream job would be to work in sports broadcasting/journalism. And to think that I would get such an early opportunity to break into that field is surreal. Anyone who knows me understands how I absolutely “nerd out” when I get into something. Whether it’s esports, hockey, or anime, once something captures my attention I dive in head first and won’t stop talking about it or trying to learn more. So, when the opportunity came to write for Anaheim Calling, it seemed like a no-brainer. This was just the next evolution of me “nerding out” about hockey. Now, instead of pestering all my family and coworkers 24/7 about every little thing going on with the Ducks and the hockey world at large, I could just invest that passion and energy into my writing. And the response from all of you has been wonderful.

Your support and passion and hunger for discussion has been so amazing and I cannot begin to thank everyone who has read, commented and shared anything Anaheim Calling over the last two years. While this may have initially been simply an outlet for my passion, it quickly became a drive to educate, inform, and engage in discourse with all of you. Thanks to everyone’s support and engagement over the past two years, so many opportunities have opened up for me. I got interviewed on TSN 1260, got to go to KROQ studios and be on the Totally Offsides Podcast, and was a win away from being a credentialed member of the press at the Stanley Cup Final! That is insane! And none of that would have happened if not for the support of all of you so thank you so much!

Obviously, none of what has happened over my tenure behind the bench would have been possible without all the wonderful people I’ve been lucky enough to work with here at Anaheim Calling. When I took over there were only three of us [shoutout to Lois and Kristin]. We eventually peaked at 18 contributors, all passionate about hockey and the Ducks, and it was an absolute joy to work with each and every one of you. From reigniting the podcast with Felix, going to Arizona with Jake and CJ [no George, I didn’t forget you], to having the pleasure to meet John when he came all the way from New Zealand. All of you have been such a pleasure to work with and I couldn’t be more proud of what we have accomplished during my time here at Anaheim Calling. I have full confidence that whomever sticks with AC will be more than capable of building on what we’ve done and continuing to produce amazing content under the AC banner. And to those of you who decide to move on, I’m excited to see what you go on to do and I wish you the best of luck.

There are a few more people I would like to thank before I stop being all sappy and end this thing. First of all, to my parents. Both of you have always been such an amazing support system and have always pushed me to give my all and step out of my comfort zone. Your support was integral to this venture and I would never have been able to step up and do something like this without the two of you behind me.

To Travis Hughes and SB Nation: thank you so much for being willing to take a chance on me. I feel remarkably lucky to have gotten this opportunity and can’t thank y’all enough for giving me a shot.

And to those who came before me: Eric Evelhoch and Kyle Nicholas, Jen Neale, Chris Kober, and all other’s back to the inception of Anaheim Calling. Thank you for everything that you guys did, all the hours you put in to get the site to where it was when I took the helm. I am honored to count myself among all of you and it’s been a pleasure to carry on the legacy of our little corner of the internet.

It’s been a joy to be at the head of Anaheim Calling for the last two years and I’ll never forget the opportunity that I’ve been lucky enough to have. I will continue to follow hockey and the Ducks religiously of course and if my successor will allow I would love to occasionally slide in and write an article for AC when the mood strikes me. Otherwise, if you would like to continue to follow me as I move on to new pastures follow me on twitter @casterY4SO or check me out on Twitch. Thank you all so much, it’s been an unbelievable ride.

Sincerely,

JC McDonough

Former Anaheim Calling Managing Editor

PS. If anyone is interested in applying to take over as managing editor of Anaheim Calling I will link the application here when it becomes available.