It’s finally here. The much heralded ‘SoBro of the Year’ Award that nobody seems to be able to define. We have our list of the 2018 SoBro of the Year nominees finalized, and folks – I am here to share that list today. I know some people will probably read this just looking for the link to vote – so let me drop that in here for everyone to see plainly:
LINK TO VOTE – YOU CAN VOTE HERE
First things first, a brief introduction to who we are. We found last year that because some of the nominees shared this news on their social media accounts, we had a ton of people coming to the site (to vote for Paul Heggen) who didn’t actually know who or what we are. In short, we’re a content/media company. We’re kind of inappropriate. But, we have about 20-25K readers each month (we’re babies) – people who come here to read our coverage of the Tennessee Titans, Nashville Predators, movies, Nashville lifestyle, and really any sort of viral content.
The best way I can describe it is that the SoBros Network is the Ke$ha spectrum – when we get serious about our writing, we are as good as “Praying,” but when we let loose, we are as fun as “Tik Tok.”
But, it’s hard to put us into a box at any given moment, and that has been a huge headache in marketing. We have north of 15 contributors, but the team is really built around a core of about eight. And, we really just write about whatever we want to write about.
In 2017, we developed a revamped idea for our ‘SoBro of the Year’ Award. Instead of us just talking about our favorite celebrities who had a good year, we decided to actually drum up some nominees and put a ballot out. It was a ton of fun watching people campaign, but we all knew it was going to The Heggenator.
So, on to defining the award – like a lot of what we do, it’s a lot of shrugging, saying, “I dunno, let’s just do it.” Sometimes, this award is a way for us to give back and recognize individuals who are doing exemplary work in the Nashville community. Some people deserve an extra pat on the back for all they’re doing and what they mean to their respective community (it isn’t always Nashville-based).
Sometimes, it’s based purely on performance. Look at how much success a person attained in a given year and give that a big shout out. Did someone win a championship? Is their name popping up all over the place? Do they have a smooth, silky voice they use to predict the weather on television? These are just a few examples.
It essentially sounds like there are no rules to being nominated for this award, and that’s certainly not NOT true. But, the general consensus is that being nominated for this award comes from having a successful year and being of strong character that matches the core values of our company. Those values would be:
- Create Fearlessly
- Uplift Others
- Be Humble
- GSD (Get Shit Done)
That should shine a light on just how Paul Heggen was able to snag this miniature disco ball last year. But, if you want to scroll back through the archives, feel free to do so here.
Alright, now that that’s out of the way – on to the nominees!
The 2018 SoBro of the Year Nominees (VOTE HERE)
So, just for the sake of transparency, I’ve broken the nominees up into categories. That’s just so you guys can see how we think in terms of our coverage areas. There’s no certain allotment for any given category – it’s merely a reflection of our process.
Nashville
Dawn Davenport – Davenport has been a positive force in the Nashville media. She’s revamped the dynamic on one of Nashville’s best sports talk shows, 104.5 the Zone’s 3HL, and is exceptional in her role as a sideline reporter for the SEC Network.
Joe Dubin – Big Joe is arguably the greatest sports broadcaster in Nashville. No one has their finger on the pulse of area sports quite like Dubin. Furthermore, he asks all the important journalistic questions, even if he is literally asking a group of wild turkeys.
J.R. Lind – He’s currently in possession of the second best Twitter account in Nashville, but Lind’s work for Nashville Patch and the Nashville Scene is exemplary. He very well could be Nashville’s best writer.
WKRN’s Good Morning Nashville – We had a lot of trouble pinning this one down. We’ve all become such big fans of the Good Morning Nashville crew, and we really felt like we couldn’t nominate one of them without nominating all of them, so here we are…the first “team” nomination for SoBro of the Year. That crew is charismatic and entertaining with a great team dynamic, but they also GSD like no other morning show can.
Nashville Predators
Chris Mason – He has become as synonymous with the Preds as hockey itself. Mason deserves a lot of credit for banging the drum during the #Pekka4Vezina campaign back in the spring. In fact, I said he deserved an award for his efforts – and hey…here we are! But, he’s bringing a very fun, positive vibe to the broadcast booth regardless.
Pekka Rinne – OF COURSE Pekka Rinne was going to get the nod here after he won the Vezina Trophy – duh…he is Nashville’s champion at the moment, after all.
P.K. Subban – Back to back nominations for the stud Preds defenseman. The guy was a finalist for the Norris Trophy this year, and he remains one of the most electric personalities in all of sports. But, it’s his work in the community that makes him such an all-around standup dude.
National Guys
Josh Brolin – I’m sure he is going to be thrilled with this nomination, but in short, Brolin has made 2018 his bitch. How could we not nominate Thanos?
Mike Leach – Consider this a “career achievement” type of nomination if you will, but man – Leach is a savant. Not only is he a veritable football genius, but he puts on the best press conferences, and may be the most interesting man in the world.
Marty Smith – Another fan favorite of the SoBros team – Smith’s name was actually brought up in conversation as early as December 2017 for this award. He is a fine example of what an entertaining broadcaster should be in 2018 – charismatic, humorous, and knowledgeable. Seems like a solid dude to have a beer with.
Tennessee Titans
Kevin Byard – The Titans’ biggest fan! Sorry – I couldn’t resist. I said Byard was the best Titan of the 2017 season. I stand by that – the dude’s an All-Pro….literally one of the best safeties in the entire NFL.
Dennis Kelly – It is a proven scientific fact that putting Dennis Kelly on the field increases the Titans chances of scoring a touchdown. I don’t have this science handy anywhere, but the Dennis Kelly Touchdown Tracker became a big hit for us last season and into this year. Plus, the dude actually answered our ALS Pepper Challenge, and gave us the chance to see the SoBros name front and center on the official Titans Twitter page. That was pretty cool – after we officially endorsed him as our favorite Titan in 2017, TDK (Touchdown Dennis Kelly) became a key performer for the Titans. Not saying that was our doing…but….you’re welcome.
Taylor Lewan – Well, it certainly helped Lewan’s case that he won the vote to become New Nashville’s King. He’s got a big personality that gives us plenty to write about, but he also became the highest paid offensive lineman in NFL history this year. Wear that crown, king.
Wrestling
Brett Ison – I don’t know if anyone exemplified the ‘GSD’ spirit quite like Ison did in 2018. He wrestled five matches in Nashville-based Southern Underground Pro this voting period, and went a perfect 5-0. But, it’s his work ethic and dedication to his craft that has commanded the respect of this SoBros team and anyone else who has earned the pleasure to work with the guy. Plus, he may hit you square in the mouth, but he is as supportive of independent wrestling in Nashville as they come. The scene could use a few more Brett Isons.
Marko Stunt – #TheGuy had a red hot summer. We got to see his work firsthand at Southern Underground Pro. But, Stunt’s meteoric rise carried him from SCI and SUP standout in Tennessee to show-stealer at GCW and participant in the huge All In show in Chicago. Not only is he a likable dude, but he’s just scratching the surface of his potential as a wrestler.
Mance Warner – I’ve said before – if you could put the spirit of the SoBros Network into any one body, it would be Mance Warner’s. The guy works hard. He works well, and he is one of the most rambunctious sumbitches in all of independent wrestling.
VOTE for the 2018 SoBro of the Year Award and all of the other 2018 SoBros Awards here.
OTHER ANNOUNCED 2018 SOBROS AWARDS
The 2018 “Best of Nashville” Awards
2018 “Friend of the Brand” Award
2018 SoBros Wrestling Awards
The 2018 Upstanding Gentleman’s Trophy
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD and #BeBetter. “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Alabama Crimson Tide football, the WWE, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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