Introducing Raw Charge

by John Fontana on Mar 17, 2009 6:08 PM EDT

Greetings and welcome to the Raw Charge. The Raw Charge is the newest SB Nation entry in its NHL coverage and is devoted to the Tampa Bay Lightning as well as general opinions and news pieces regarding the National Hockey League and occasionally postings about Tampa Bay sports in general.

My name’s John Fontana and many of you already know who I am and know of my reputation (for good or for ill) as I have been blogging the Lightning and sports in general on Boltsmag for the past five years, and before that I was involved on several different message boards and networks, discussing the Bolts with fellow fans. I’ve also been involved in the Tampa Bay blogosphere in various facets – from writing to designing and blog management - for the past several years as well. Call me a web personality (though that’s a generous phrasing. "Web Nerd" will suffice :-) ).

From the highs (the 2004 Stanley Cup championship) to the lows (the current 2008-09 season in general), and the doldrums in between (the 2004-05 NHL lockout), I’ve been involved in the NHL blogosphere for quite a while and I'm proud to get the chance to be involved with SB Nation and what they're doing on the web.

The site name, "The Raw Charge" (or simply Raw Charge) tries to highlight the fact that this is not going to be a professional journalism web site with the highest of qualities (how many weblogs are for that matter?). It will be Raw. The "Charge" part of the name is self explanatory. The Raw Charge seems almost as a fitting title right now to the down-on-their-luck Bolts. While there is quality and finesse, there is also the gritty and untapped talent on the roster that has not be honed and refined. It defines ownership’s passion that seldom gets in the way of sound decision making as well.

This blog is not a one-man act and it would be criminal for me to act as if it was. Besides community involvement (post your own blog entries and maybe it will be promoted to the front page, or make a quick-hit fanshot about news, quotes, etc) I’ll be sharing posting duties with Cassie McClellan of Boltsblog fame. Cassie is a well versed hockey blogger, having contributed to several blogs (Illegal Curve, the Pensblog, and Cycle Like the Sedins). She used to write a blog for Hockey Prime Time up until very recently and was also involved with NHL Connect and is participating in a hockey blog book with other writers who participate on NHL Connect. The book's proceeds are going to go to the Hockey Fights Cancer charity (we’ll have more on this in the future, hopefully).

So this is the start… It’s sort of fitting it comes at the end of a season that this fan would sooner forget…

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Comments

RIP Boltsmag… bout time ya joined up, John!

by Resolute on Mar 17, 2009 6:24 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

Tavares please.

by R.J. Anderson on Mar 17, 2009 7:12 PM EDT reply actions

Long time no see

I’m really not digging the talk about going with Victor Hedman. But at the same time the Lightning do need D and they’ve done a crappy job developing their draft picks. I mean Egener retired, Rogers? Hurt and then traded. Vlad M. has seen playing time at the NHL level but he’s not regarded as highly as Smaby

by John Fontana on Mar 17, 2009 7:45 PM EDT up reply actions

Welcome aboard. Happy to have ya.

Follow the Penguins on SBN @ Pensburgh.com

by FrankD on Mar 17, 2009 7:19 PM EDT reply actions

Hey, put up a gamethread so we can invade. :)

Pension Plan Puppets*
* Blog contains less than 2% puppet content by weight.

by Chemmy on Mar 17, 2009 7:24 PM EDT reply actions

Ask and ye shall receive...

here ya go

by John Fontana on Mar 17, 2009 7:37 PM EDT up reply actions

Welcome

You’ll learn to love us…eventually.

Great to see another division finished off.

Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.

by PPP on Mar 17, 2009 7:53 PM EDT reply actions

Welcome aboard from the far distant land of Buffalo

by Zachary Zielonka on Mar 17, 2009 7:59 PM EDT reply actions

Greetings!

Now be sure to win tonight so that my guys can move up in the Tank standings!

Support Your Local Coyotes Blog! -
Five For Howling

by Travis Hair on Mar 17, 2009 8:01 PM EDT reply actions

yes, Avalanche fans can offer the same self-serving well-wishes

Hyphens cause writers more trouble than any other form of punctuation, except perhaps commas.

by David Driscoll-Carignan on Mar 17, 2009 8:04 PM EDT up reply actions

Tankign for Tarves, eh?

Just wait for the toilet bowl at the end of the season: Lightning at Islanders. THAT will be the Draft Lottery Cup game… well, unless we actually stop tanking.

by John Fontana on Mar 17, 2009 8:17 PM EDT up reply actions

Welcome to the madness! You will like your stay here!
This is great. There are more and more NHL blogs coming here.
Great to see the Bolts represented.

Nucks Misconduct

by Sean Zandberg on Mar 17, 2009 8:09 PM EDT reply actions

Hello.

You seem to be nice people.

You should start linking to Wrap Around Curl.

I think she might rip your lungs out if you don’t.

"We can categorically state that we have not released man-eating badgers into Iraq"
- Major Mike Shearer

by article1 on Mar 17, 2009 8:13 PM EDT reply actions

Um, thanks?

I’ll make sure the restraining order goes into effect before that happens, thanks. ;-)

by John Fontana on Mar 17, 2009 8:18 PM EDT up reply actions

I feel that she would like you to keep tabs on Tokarski.

"We can categorically state that we have not released man-eating badgers into Iraq"
- Major Mike Shearer

by article1 on Mar 17, 2009 8:35 PM EDT up reply actions

Congrats

… and welcome to the neighborhood, folks!

More fun than a stick to the face!
On the Forecheck is SB Nation's blog covering the Nashville Predators.

by Dirk Hoag on Mar 17, 2009 8:41 PM EDT reply actions

Welcome to the party.

by Kent Wilson on Mar 17, 2009 8:50 PM EDT reply actions

Congrats!

Glad to see you two on the big show!

by Mike Chen on Mar 17, 2009 8:52 PM EDT reply actions

Hey Mike!

Didn’t realize you were over here man, how goes it?
What’s the deal with your latest FB status? Asking for more Info than I should, I know…

by John Fontana on Mar 17, 2009 9:02 PM EDT up reply actions

Glad to have a Lightning blog on SBN!

Lets hope we soon have some better things to talk about.

Blake
USF--Class of '09

by usfraysfan on Mar 17, 2009 8:55 PM EDT reply actions

Seconded.

by John Fontana on Mar 17, 2009 9:02 PM EDT up reply actions

Welcome

Let us know when we can start with Melrose jokes.

'Nucks Misconduct - Housing Swedish Millionaires Since 2000.

by Yankee Canuck on Mar 17, 2009 9:33 PM EDT reply actions

anytime

Melrose season opened last November. Bring it on! Chances are, at least I’ll agree with you.

by Cassie McClellan on Mar 18, 2009 12:04 PM EDT up reply actions

Any time

Any moment. Any day.

Where cassie suggests that Melrose season opened in November, to me it started the moment the rumors started to surface last march.

Screw the Mullet.

by John Fontana on Mar 18, 2009 1:04 PM EDT up reply actions

Hi guys…

Thrilled to have you among the brethren.

The Litter Box - Your SBNation Florida Panthers Blogging Colossus

by Donny Rivette on Mar 17, 2009 10:40 PM EDT reply actions

Nice to see you join us.

The Southeast rules!

GM of CanesCountry.com

by Bob Wage on Mar 18, 2009 1:38 AM EDT reply actions

Welcome to SBN! Now buy a time machine and let the Flyers have 2004, please…?

Broad Street Hockey - SB Nation's Philadelphia Flyers Blog
Because the Broad Street Subway is orange for a reason.

by Travis Hughes on Mar 18, 2009 1:54 AM EDT reply actions

From a big old school BoltsMag fan, welcome!

Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world

by J.P. on Mar 18, 2009 8:00 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs

Thanks JP

And sorry I have never (ever never never ever) taken you up on the idea of coming up to Washington for a game.

My co blogger, Cassie, is actually in DC…

by John Fontana on Mar 18, 2009 10:38 AM EDT up reply actions

hello from Virginia

I’ll be hitting up the Lightning/Caps game on the 27th, actually. Hopefully, no one gets seriously injured this time around. Again.

by Cassie McClellan on Mar 18, 2009 12:05 PM EDT up reply actions

Herndon Represent

We’ll be at the Bolts/Caps on the 27th, as well.

But we’ll be rooting for the Caps. :) Sorry y’all.

Pick SPG for your chance to win probably nothing.

by xiix on Mar 18, 2009 1:44 PM EDT up reply actions

Welcome!

CanesCountry.com: An Eye On Carolina Hockey

by Cory Lavalette on Mar 18, 2009 8:42 AM EDT reply actions

Great to have you guys. Looking forward to some massive Karri Ramo features.

No, not really.

by James Mirtle on Mar 18, 2009 10:27 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs

My work is cut out for me then

…he’s the only reason the Lightning survived til the Shootout last night. He’s inconsistent but when he’s on… he’s on. Now if only the D would play worth two craps in front of him…

by John Fontana on Mar 18, 2009 10:39 AM EDT up reply actions

D?

The Lightning have D? When did this happen? Did I sleep thru that or something?

by Cassie McClellan on Mar 18, 2009 12:06 PM EDT up reply actions

The warm bodies standing up in Ramo's end

….The guys waving sticks. They are supposed to be the Defensivemen. I know, it’s shocking, but it’s the truth.

They spend the off season in Spain, playing matadors. Olé!

by John Fontana on Mar 18, 2009 1:02 PM EDT up reply actions

hey

I resemble that remark. Or used to, anyways. Despite being a woman, I was once a defenseman. I didn’t feel any different, tho.

by Cassie McClellan on Mar 18, 2009 1:10 PM EDT up reply actions

...than a matador? ;-) n/t

by John Fontana on Mar 18, 2009 1:41 PM EDT up reply actions

Welcome!

Enjoy it, tomorrow you won’t be the “new kid” anymore

Giants fan from the womb to the tomb

by Jim Schmiedeberg on Mar 18, 2009 10:41 AM EDT reply actions

Good to see you.

Long time listener, first time caller.

If Raw Charge is 1/2 as good as Boltsmag was during its prime, it’s sure to be a success… despite the trials & tribulations of a struggling franchise.

I look forward to reading all about my former-home-town team here.

Pick SPG for your chance to win probably nothing.

by xiix on Mar 18, 2009 10:46 AM EDT reply actions