About/Staff

Introduction:

Welcome to Rising Apple, part of the Fan-Sided Blogs baseball network and a site we strive daily to make the best New York Mets blog and news site on the Internet.. We are dedicated to bringing you top-notch Mets news, views and original content, along with everything else a Mets fan could possibly want from a site. This is also a community where you the fan can come and voice your opinion. If you love the Apple and your Amazin’ Mets, you’ll love this site. To stay up to date with new stories on Rising Apple, be sure to like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter @RisingAppleBlog. Thanks for stopping by and enjoy!

Sincerely,

The Rising Apple Staff

Staff:

Matt Musico (@mmusico8), Editor (4/6/2012- Present):

Matt is a 25 year old college admissions counselor and has been involved in baseball his entire life. He’s had many different relationships with the sport; he played through college and was invited to a professional tryout, grew up a diehard Mets fan, and also has his bachelor’s and master’s degree in Sport Management and would eventually like to be an Athletic Director at a Division I college. Growing up in a Mets family, it was his only choice to fall in love with the team in Flushing, even though he was consistently in the minority growing up in an Upstate New York town dominated by Yankee fans. He is excited to be a part of the team at Rising Apple, which is becoming the one-stop site for everything related to the New York Mets.

Ben Berkon (@BenBerkon), Senior Staff Writer (12/8/2010-Present):
Ben Berkon has contributed to the The Onion, Huffington Post, NewYork.com, and a plethora of other mainstream websites–but nothing gives him more joy than writing about the New York Mets on RisingApple.com. In a city dominated by Yankees fans, Berkon chose to follow in his older brother and father’s footsteps by enduring the plight of becoming a Mets fan. Having grown-up with season tickets, Berkon has witnessed all of the highs and lows over the past 20-plus seasons, in-person. He recalls when Jeff Kent manned second base, the hype surrounding Generation K, the historic “Grand Slam Single,” and many more classic Mets moments. As a senior staff writer, Berkon just wants to share his memories, opinions, and analysis–and even, from time to time, commiserate a little too.

Matt Kaufman (@MattKaufman87), Senior Staff Writer (1/6/2011-Present):
Matt Kaufman, or “Kauffy” as he is sometimes referred to, is a die-hard Met fan whose emotions rise and fall with every game (so be careful not to approach him in the minutes after a Mets loss, especially a tough one).  In addition to writing for TossItAround.com, Kauffy spends most of his days figuring out how to improve the Amazins with his imaginary Assistant GM and Director of Scouting, while listening to Get Metsmerized on a loop.

Aaron Leibowitz (@ALeibs92), Staff Writer (3/25/2011-Present):
Aaron Leibowitz is one of the only Met fans who did not witness Robin Ventura’s “Grand Slam Single” (his friend was tired in the 12th and made Aaron’s dad take them home). He has since made amends with his friend and continues to love the Mets unconditionally. Aaron roots for the Mets, Knicks and NY Giants, but only the Mets can drive him near madness. He attends Tufts University, where he writes sports for the Tufts Daily.

Sam Maxwell, (@convertedmetfan), Staff Writer (4/3/2012- Present):

Sam is, first and foremost, a storyteller. An aspiring screenwriter, he has written two full-length feature films. He fell in love with baseball when he was 13 and has not looked back since. He has a fascination with the history of the game, especially the long history of National League Baseball in New York. Focusing on the Trolley Dodgers of Brooklyn, Sam has created and is currently shopping BEDFORD & SULLIVAN, a period-piece television series about Brooklyn, its Dodgers, and how both were affected by the rapid transition into Modern America. A very confident gentleman, Sam is, however, uncomfortable writing biographical information about himself and speaking in the third person.

Michael Lecolant, (@BTB_mikeBHurst), Staff Writer (4/14/2012-Present):

To my great delight, I live, work, and play, in Brooklyn. I am a U.S. Army Veteran; a Husband; and a Father. I did the white collar thing but traded it in for a blue one, so I could work closer to home and coach my son’s Little League team. Looking back, it’s one of the best decisions I ever made. But the point is, I am you. My name is Mike. And I am a Mets Fan. I’m a self-proclaimed pragmatist. But that’s ultimately for you to decide. My promise is to give you my best effort in presenting engaging METerial. I claim to have total Mets recall since about the 1974-75 seasons or so. And I know I’ll have to tap into many of those memories to touch a cord or two along the way. Like me or loathe me, I’d love to interact with you through comments and social media. You can find me on Twitter. I am also the author of my own personal blog; TheBrooklynTrolleyBlogger.

Will DeBoer (@MidwesternMet), Staff Writer (5/9/2012-Present):

I was born and raised in West Lafayette, Indiana. There is no definitive baseball team to root for in Indiana, so I came to love the Mets through inheritance: my grandpa moved to New York City in 1951 and became a Giants fan, and my dad was born in the city and grew up on the east coast a Mets fan. He passed that tradition on to me, and the rest is history. Since about 8th grade I’ve known I’ve wanted to work in sports as a career – someday I hope to be the play-by-play voice of the Mets on either SNY or WFAN. Right now I’m at Hope College in Holland, Michigan, working on my degree in Communication and Political Science, doing voice work on college radio, and blogging about the team I love right here on “Rising Apple” and my own personal blog, “Midwestern Met.” What could be more Amazin’?
You can find me on Twitter @MidwesternMet and at midwesternmet.blogspot.com.

Contact:

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