Here's to 2 years of On Montlake — and to you

Two years in, we're still thriving. Your support is as critical as ever.

I can admit that the last year tested me.

It was more than a little jarring, as you might assume, to go from covering the kind of team the Washington Huskies were in 2023 to the kind of team they were in 2024 — to go from interviewing Ryan Grubb, let’s say, to, uh, “interviewing” Steve Belichick. It felt a little like the rent came due after such a fairytale first year of professional independence.

That’s life, right? The most important thing is to continue showing up, and to keep writing and thinking and digging, especially when so many of you have invested in what you read here — and when it seems there are so many forces at work against the kind of thoughtful, considered coverage you’re looking for.

As On Montlake celebrates two years in business — and it is indeed a celebration, with subscription numbers down only a smidge from last year’s post-CFP/coaching change peak — I am again filled with gratitude. Everyone who supports this independent venture is sending a message that there still is a market for sports journalism serving People Who Read, and not just People Who Scroll (though I admittedly am a member of both orders).

It’s becoming harder each day to ignore how much nonsense you find bouncing around social media, and the degree to which seemingly credulous consumers tend to believe it. Garbage websites spew AI-supported plagiarism with misleading headlines. I see links to these stories shared in fan groups on Facebook and I shudder to think how many can’t spot the impostor. Clout-chasing accounts fabricate “insider” reports, and hundreds of people “like” and share them.

The bullshit economy is thriving. The nuance economy, not so much.

Our online discourse seemingly must either denigrate every item as trash, or elevate it as the greatest thing ever. It feels as if folks log on to Twitter with knives out, seeking that special bit of dopamine associated with that special kind of outrage, the sort only triggered by something really devious, like an AP-poll voter leaving your school off their preseason top-25 ballot.

I love that we don’t do any of that here. Your support allows me to write about your favorite team with perspective and reason, to gather my reporting and my thoughts and present them to you with the sole agenda of helping you better understand this thing you love. No stupid graphics, no silly headlines, no click goals, no undue influence from on high, and no pressure to posture or sensationalize. On Montlake is more than the words I publish. It’s also a place for (mostly) cordial and (mostly) rational discussion, even when someone tries to tell Tim that Carson Bruener can’t run. Our comments section has good clubhouse chemistry.

Your subscription dollars fund all those car trips between the home office in Tacoma and Husky Stadium; flights to New Jersey and Indianapolis and Pennsylvania; and public-records and accounting and bookkeeping fees, among other expenses. You help put rotisserie chicken in our refrigerator and GoGo squeeZ in the pantry, and keep me outfitted in Costco’s finest garments.

Your support also allows for a diversity of coverage, from human-interest stories that might only be sports-adjacent; to in-depth analysis of on-field trends; to records-based reporting that helps shed light on lesser-known subjects; to football-focused and admin-level stories using my access as a reporter.

I’m having a blast recording Say Who, Say Pod with Danny O’Neil, and we’re 138 episodes deep. I’m at press conferences and practices and every game — home and away — asking the questions you want answered, doing my best to write stories that you want to read. Rare are the times when I’m not thinking about what’s next and how best to serve your interest.

Though I’m not sure anything will ever surpass the professional thrill of 2023 — truly, it was a dream of a first year, the kind you are grateful for having experienced, rather than rueful for having passed — Year 2 still offered some highlights. For the second consecutive year, On Montlake received top-10 recognition in the Associated Press Sports Editors writing contest, this time for beat writing and columns in the D division. (As a brief aside: earlier in my career, I thought maybe I’d become a columnist some day. I eventually accepted that it wasn’t likely to happen, for practical and other reasons, so it means just a little more to be recognized for that skill as an independent writer.)

Washington’s first tour through the Big Ten provided access to a bucket-list stadium trip, and made us witness to another field-storming, even amid a 6-6 season. I tried to find unique angles on the new baseball and men’s basketball coaches. When the news turned ugly, I kept you apprised. And I recently activated Substack’s chat function to serve as a gathering/discussion place for paid subscribers. Check it out if you haven’t yet.

Two years in, On Montlake is still flourishing, and I’m as dedicated as ever to rewarding your belief in my work. If you want to help make Year 3 even better, behold the call to action:

• If you’re a free subscriber, upgrade to paid to ensure access to everything I write. I’m tentatively planning to paywall a larger percentage of stories going forward, to maximize the value of the paid subscription.

• If you’re already a paid subscriber and are interested in supporting at a higher level, consider upgrading to our Friend of the Program tier ($150/year). Membership grants you access to a monthly Zoom call with me and other Friends of the Program, and gives you priority for mailbag questions. Most don’t attend the calls, which is fine, but we always have a decent group and the discussions are a lot of fun. I’m also beginning to think of how we might add another perk or two for Friends of the Program as we head into Year 3 (no promises, COKER).

• If you know someone who would love the site, gift a subscription.

• Tell your friends, share my stories, etc.

Thanks again for making this the best job I’ve ever had. I plan to do it for a really long time, and I am beyond fortunate for your commitment to helping make that happen.

— Christian Caple, On Montlake