Welcome to DMA 7-22 Sports

This is my introductory post. Time to get it started.

I write under the byline of M.V. Greene (Marvin Von Dyke Greene) out of Owings Mills, MD, and Washington, DC. For those unaware, Owings Mills is a community outside of Baltimore. So, my coverage will encompass this thriving metro region of Baltimore and Washington on the Eastern Seaboard of the United States.

I know you are curious about my blog’s title, DMA 7-22 Sports. DMA means Designated Market Area, per use of media rating services. My blog signifies that Washington is the 7th largest media market in the United States, and Baltimore is the 22nd (yes, I remember when Baltimore also was in the Top 10). I wanted something a little different and maybe memorable, thus my title.

Blogs need to be focused, so my focus will be on writing about sports in this region – from the amateurs to the colleges to the pros. If you live somewhere else, read it, too, as I aim that my words will have wide appeal.

I am not sure I will be doing a lot of "sports reporting" on DMA 7-22 Sports. No need to report that the Ravens beat Rex Ryan’s Jets 24-23 in last night’s NFL exhibition or that Mets reliever Billy Wagner today is scoffing at a possible move to the Boston Red Sox. You can get that news from my favorite Web site, Yahoo! Sports, as I do many times during the day. So no broad-based sportswriting here – unless, of course, it relates to DMA 7-22.

I suspect that my posts will offer perspective, analysis, commentary, ideas and, perhaps, even thought leadership about sports topics originating from Washington-Baltimore. I hope you will comment. My views will be genuine, heartfelt and topical, and I may toss in some observations about popular culture, trends and society. As a professional journalist, I’ll be seeking out scoops and news you can find only here -- that I hope will resonate in the sports sphere. And just so you know, my training and professionalism won’t let me to make wild assumptions, drop names gratuitously, play loose with facts or come to unsupported conclusions.

Basketball is my game, but I love the daily grind of baseball, college football Saturdays and the hype of Ravens-Steelers. I go to AAU and high school games – boys and girls. I even like watching future stars in rec ball. I grieved that night Sean Taylor was taken away. Spending the day at a track meet is a good day, and I dream of more national titles for the Terps (men and women). Then there’s golf, the amazing Michael Phelps and looking forward to Sam Cassell’s new role as an assistant coach with the Wizards (I saw first Sammy play on the streets of Baltimore at 10-under). In a nutshell, it is all DMA 7-22.

About me? I cut my teeth in the sports department of the old Baltimore Evening Sun, coming out of Towson State. But that was too long ago, as were the dreams of becoming an NBA columnist. There were always more moves to make and promotions to take. I’ve also worked in many capacities in journalism and media in Louisville, New York, Boston, DC and Beaufort/Hilton Head.

I work the freelance circuit full-time these days as an independent writer and editor and communications professional (email me your proposal), covering topics like high tech, government, supplier diversity, business and finance, occupational safety and health and retail. I am an expert on Congress and the federal government, having spent seven good years this decade operating from Connecticut and K in the nation’s capital. I earned my master’s degree from the Graduate School of Journalism at Columbia University and have taught college.

But let’s get started. DMA 7-22 Sports. Look for me to post mostly on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.