It’s my favorite time of the year! Not only is Spooky Season underway, but it’s the official unofficial kickoff to the holidays, and for us ’round here at SoBros Network, that means it’s awards season as well. I’m not looking for sympathy or fishing for compliments when I say this, but we don’t often earn praise for our work. There are several reasons for this, but we don’t have to get into those – that’s not what we’re here to do. The important thing here is that I do these awards as a way to make sure that the hard work of this team is recognized….if by no one other than the people who support us the most and each other.
You guys may think that’s cringe, but honestly, fuck you and I don’t care. This is for us and those of you who are our ride or dies…the people that are in it in the weeds with us and truly support us as we chase our crazy dreams. That’s what it’s all about – giving some tangible recognition to this team for the work it has put in this year. I don’t know that many people on the outside looking in understand what an operation it is that we have going here at SoBros Network.
It’s year 10! It’s hard to believe we’re going on a decade of me putting my brain on the internet alongside my closest friends. I don’t think our team has ever been stronger. I don’t think it’s ever put out better stuff than it’s put out in the last year. And, I’m grateful that everyone here has seen SoBros Network as something that is worthy of their time and effort. I’m grateful for all of the opportunities that have come our way out of this time and effort. That is never lost on me – when something good happens to us, it’s because of all the little things that make up “the SoBros way.” I’m grateful for those of you who have kept this train rolling, and I’m grateful for all of the new friends I’ve made just by being an ass on the internet. This is a very special year for me, and I mean it from the bottom of my heart….thank you all for everything.
All in all, we wrote 892 articles, did 110 Patreon exclusives, and recorded 283 podcasts/videos. That’s 1,285 items of content within the qualifying period of Oct. 2021-Sept. 2022 (so that I can get everything wrapped up before our holiday party in December). Holy shit. That’s a lot. It blows my mind that no one has put in a serious offer to buy us out and put us to work with a real entertainment conglomerate behind us! *ahem* Sorry, I got distracted. Anyway, let’s take some time to celebrate the team that has carved out a nice little home in our corner of the internet and all of the work they’ve done this year. The ballots will close on 10/28/22 at close of business, so get those votes in now!
SoBro of the Year
Brittany Fernandez – Our ‘SoBro of the Year’ from 2020 continues to be a jack of all trades for SoBros Network. Brittany wrote 17 pieces this year, and appeared in 23 podcasts/videos. From livestreams on horror movies and eating hot wings to beer reviews and film festivals, Brittany truly did it all. I don’t know that anyone embodies the term “create fearlessly” more than she does, but it’s her support and encouragement of others and her willingness to help the brand that make her stand out as a great teammate.
Steven McCash – Our reigning ‘SoBro of the Year’ didn’t take his foot off the gas at all in 2022. McCash wrote 61 posts and was featured on 64 podcasts/videos, 3rd and 2nd among SoBros respectively. He took part in six different livestreams, spending a total of 14 hours on camera this year. He covered everything from film festivals to concerts to football games and more, truly having earned the moniker of our “Utility Man.” We celebrate McCash for unapologetically being himself, letting that shine in his content, and being up for whatever projects we need him for, no matter how difficult the logistics seem.
Outspoken Owen Reed – My co-host on The Unofficial Titans Podcast deserves a ton of credit for being such a model of consistency on the most popular podcast on SoBros Network. But, his ability to entertain goes far beyond Titans talk. Owen filled in on the SoBros Power Hour, The Patreon Files, and more when his number was called – he was on 37 podcasts/videos this year, good for 4th on the team. He is always making us laugh, telling good stories, and sharing good memes. He is a big time vibe guy for the team, and when he and Brandon get together, your sides are going to be splitting with laughter.
Rooster – Phone It In has been the second most downloaded podcast on SoBros Network for close to two years now, and that’s a testament to the consistency in the work that Rooster does in generating ideas for the show and making sure my goofy ass has the info I need to prepare for it. She isn’t afraid to be herself on this show, and that chemistry and comfort is at the heart of what makes Phone It In connect with its listeners so strongly. Behind the scenes, she has always been a supportive friend who is willing to help me make tough decisions and be there when I simply need someone to talk to.
Brandon Vick – The only two-time ‘SoBro of the Year’, our resident film critic had another prolific year – writing 138 posts in the process. He was game for two of our most popular livestreams this year, one of which celebrated the 100th episode of The Vick’s Flicks Podcast. He also showed up on 61 videos/podcasts, which was a mark only exceeded by myself and McCash. Brandon is constantly stepping up and thinking of new ways to produce movie content, and has always been one of my closest business advisors for some of the big decisions behind the curtains. He has a one-of-a-kind sense of humor, and he damn sure isn’t afraid to let you know what he thinks, but he’s also one of the most loyal people you will ever meet.
Ryan Yearwood – With all of the stuff this man has done for SoBros Network behind the scenes that I’m not sure I can or should mention, I was incredibly proud to see him rewarded as a credentialed member of the press this year (the 5th SoBro to do so, mind you! #TeamWin). In addition to serving as a bit of a jack-of-all-trades wherever he was needed on podcasts this year, Ryan traveled to cover races in Daytona and Birmingham, while also waking up at 5AM to cover the Isle of Man race live in June (shout out to Producer Billy too). He also wrote two of the most-read pieces of 2022 that weren’t “NFL Top 10” posts or drinking games. While he’s had incredibly productive years on the operational side of things, it was awesome to see him have an equally rewarding year on the content side of things. To this day, this man is responsible for some of the most creative stuff we’ve ever done, and he’s always shown a willingness to roll up his sleeves and get his hands dirty to solve some of the SoBros Network’s biggest problems and flat out make shit happen right there with me.
The Rest of the Nominees
The Serious Journalism Award
- Nashville Canoe and Kayak Spots: Our Top 3 River Recommendations – by Ryan Yearwood
- Last Night in Soho, Movie Review by Brandon Vick
- Daytona/MotoAmerica coverage by Ryan Yearwood
- Chattanooga Film Fest coverage by Brittany Fernandez
- Nashville Film Festival Review: “Brian Wilson: Long Promised Road” by Steven McCash
- Interview: AZ If Productions on Faye, the Nashville Film Festival, and More! By Brittany Fernandez
- 2021 Nashville Film Festival coverage by Brandon Vick, Steven McCash, Brittany Fernandez
- CFMOTO 700 CL-X Sport: Fun And Performance Rolled Into One by Ryan Yearwood
- 2022 Senior Bowl coverage by Stoney Keeley and Steven McCash
- Why the Titans Are Well-equipped to Handle This Bengals Offense by Stoney Keeley
Event Coverage of the Year
- Brandon Vick (Nashville Film Festival 2021, Full Frame Documentary Festival, Atlanta Film Festival)
- Steven McCash (Nashville Film Festival 2021, Senior Bowl 2022, Outloud Festival)
- Stoney Keeley (Senior Bowl 2022, Super Bowl, Atlanta Film Festival)
- Ryan Yearwood (Daytona 200, Isle of Man TT, MotoAmerica Birmingham)
- Brittany Fernandez (Nashville Film Festival 2021, Chatt. Film Festival 2022)
Podcast Episode of the Year
- College Football Roundup: 2021 National Championship Game Livestream
- Ep. 09: Drinking With…The Cell
- Nashville Creator Series, Ep. 03: RighteousJesse
- Phone It In, Ep. 25: Creepy Reddit Stories, Pt. 2
- Phone It In, Ep. 34: Devil’s Den
- Power Hour, Ep. 59: One Night in Mobile
- Sports Punch, Ep. 07: The 2022 Isle of Man TT Watch-along
- The Unofficial Titans Podcast, Ep. 95: Stoney’s Interview with Cole Strange
- The Unofficial Titans Podcast, Ep. 100: “Could the Titans Really Take a Quarterback in the First Round?” feat. Zach Lyons
- The Vick’s Flicks Podcast, Ep. 100: 2021 Oscars Watch-along
Article of the Year (Social Media and Pageviews Category)
- Nashville Reviews: The Ridge by Steven McCash
- Review: Megan Thee Stallion’s Hottie Sauce Chicken Sandwich by RighteousJesse
- Vikings and Panthers Fans Fight Over the Nature Boy by Steven McCash
- I Have to Stock Up On Fishnets and Tattoo Chokers – The Hardy Boyz Are Back Together by Brittany Fernandez
- The Top 100 Yankee Candle Fragrances by Stoney Keeley
- The Top 50 Country Songs of the 90s by various SoBros
- Okay, Can We Talk About That Explosion in Mount Juliet, Though? By Stoney Keeley
- Let’s Enjoy Tory Carter Cleaning Out Xavier Rhodes’ Shit This Morning by Stoney Keeley
- Top 10 Condiments: Which Sauce Is the Boss? By Cadbury
- Marry Me, Movie Review – by Brandon Vick
Article of the Year (Humor Category)
- This Kid Doing ‘Return of the Mack’ Is Better Than Anything I’ve Ever Done by Stoney Keeley
- Science: Is Sleep Time Travel? By Stoney Keeley
- Owen’s Review of Sam’s Kabob and the Afterlife by Outspoken Owen
- The Top 10 Things to Do in the Nude by Stoney Keeley
- The Senior Bowl Player Parade Felt Like a Complete and Utter Fever Dream by Stoney Keeley
- I’m Terrified That Winifred Sanderson Will Do a Tik-Tok Dance in Hocus Pocus 2 by Brittany Fernandez
- The Worst Match in Royal Rumble History by Steven McCash
- Telling Me Not to Cook Chicken in NyQuil Makes Me Want to Cook Chicken in NyQuil by Stoney Keeley
- Applebee’s Is Making Some Wing-flavored Lip Gloss – In Related News, I’m Going to Start Wearing Lip Gloss by Stoney Keeley
- I’m Beginning to Think Music City Baseball Is the Illuminati by Stoney Keeley
Podcast of the Year
- Drinking With…Steven McCash
- Phone It In
- The SoBros Power Hour
- The Unofficial Titans Podcast
- The Vick’s Flicks Podcast
- The College Football Roundup
- Nashville Creator Series
Video of the Year
- Taco Truck Jelly Bean Review by Rooster and Carter
- Yankee Candle Reviews
- Drinking Really Cool Bears
- Brandon’s “one thumb up” and/or “forkie” Reel
- Heather Holloway McCash teaches the SoBros pilates
- Mack’s penis-shaped tan lines Tik Tok
- Ten Count LIVE from the 2022 SoBros Content Retreat
- The 2022 SoBros Fall Feast
Recurring Feature of the Year
- Movie Review Rewind by Brandon Vick
- Nashville Reviews by various SoBros
- Netflix Nourishment by Brandon Vick
- New Music Friday by Steven McCash
- The SoBros Mailbag by Stoney Keeley
- Sunday Scaries on Shudder by Brittany Fernandez
Content Event of the Year
- The 2022 Senior Bowl
- The Hutton & Smith VHS Swap
- Daytona 200
- 2022 SoBros Content Retreat
Honorary SoBro of the Year
- Pat Artus
- Sean Atkins
- RighteousJesse
- Zach Lyons
- Heather Holloway McCash
- Producer Billy
- RHog
If you have a Google account and care enough about what we do to vote in this thing, log in and cast your ballot here.
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network, and a Dogs Playing Poker on velvet connoisseur. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD, #BeBetter, and ‘Minds right, asses tight.’ “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, Yankee Candle, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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