A new bombshell has entered the villa

Jeff Middleton, a recent graduate of Miami University and former Predators writer joins the team at Penalty Box Radio

“If you love something, set it free. If it comes back, it’s yours. If not, it was never meant to be.”

That quote is attributed to American author and writer Richard Bach, and it’s been used countless times by countless people. Heck, I’ve used it my fair share of times. But through most of my young life, I never really understood the truth in it.

Then, I went to college. I experienced things I never had before. I met new people, explored new places, dealt with new weather conditions, laughed, cried, got angry, but, most of all, I was happy. However, through all of those experiences, I was forced to let things go, including writing about the Nashville Predators.

If you don’t know me, my name is Jeff Middleton. I was born and raised in Nashville, and I recently graduated from Miami University (no, not the one in Florida. That’s the University of Miami) with degrees in Journalism and Sports Communication and Media. I’m somewhat of a familiar face in the Nashville Predators writing sphere and on Preds social media (for various reasons depending on who you talk to). But I’ve loved the team all my life, and, more importantly, I’ve loved talking about the team, both good and bad. So, in the end, it all came back to me, and I write to you now as the newest member of the PenaltyBoxRadio staff.

As I join the group here, there’s a mix of nostalgia and excitement running through my veins.

When I first began my hockey writing journey six years ago at the ripe age of 16, I started on this very platform, Substack. All I had was an eagerness to write more characters and words than what an Instagram caption could hold. I had no experience. I had no editing mechanism or person to send my stories to. The process was simply writing a story, and after I felt satisfied reading over my work, I sent it out into the ether, hoping that it would be good enough for even a few people to enjoy.

Now, I’m back on Substack, writing not just with a team of people, but with a group of friends I have come to cultivate since beginning my journey writing about the Predators.

For those who aren’t familiar, I initially worked with this PenaltyBoxRadio group (save for Boyd Farrish, whom I interacted with enough on Twitter to essentially qualify as having worked with him) at the former Predators SB Nation site, On The Forecheck. Alongside our fearless leader Kate Rice, my two “writing dads” Bryan Bastin and (now head honcho) Shaun Smith, and, of course, Ann Kimmel, Eric Dunay, Eamon Smith, Nick Morgan, and a handful of others, I was able to do what I loved about the team I grew up loving.

Unfortunately, due to time constraints, I didn’t feel as if I could give my all to the On The Forecheck site and staff, and as everyone slowly began going their separate ways, I did the same.

But since that fateful day arrived, there was a part of me missing. My focus was (and still is to some extent) on the Miami hockey team and college hockey as a whole. Tweeting about the Predators was not in my best interest, whether from a social media engagement standpoint or a professional one. So, I spent a long, arduous while keeping my many, many, many thoughts on the current happenings within the Predators organization contained to family group chats or, of course, the EGOAT Afanasyev group chat, which has been part of my Predators Twitter life since I joined the app.

Then, I graduated.

I didn’t have the responsibility of staying focused on Miami sports. The mental wall fell like Jericho. And here I am because of it.

I’m here not just to boost my resume or get my “Predators writing kicks” in. I’m not even primarily here to work with my friends again (although that is easily the biggest bonus about this). I’m here because I believe Nashville Predators fans deserve the best coverage they can receive. Whether that’s through features, columns, in-depth news pieces, video breakdowns, or prospect profiles (although Eric D probably doesn’t need any help in that department), I believe that the more Predators coverage and things to talk about, the better.

I’m extremely excited to begin this journey with this great group of people. While I technically worked for a Penalty Box Radio rival early in my career, I’ve always admired and continued to read the coverage from this outlet. It’s an important piece of the Nashville Predators media puzzle, and being able to contribute here is an exciting idea come to fruition.

So, you may agree with what I say; you may not. But I’ll always be happy to give Predators fans something to talk about from a site that is a staple of the team’s coverage. It’s the least I can do for a franchise and fanbase that has done so much for me.