It's May 1st, so ... thank you!

Here’s a message from, well, me.

In case you’re more into reading, here you go.

This is mostly just a message of thanks here on May 1, 2025. Today is ultimately our birthday here at RacerBasketball.com. Two years ago today, we kicked off this little venture, and today is really just a day of thanks for all of you that have been so supportive of this project over the last two years.

I've wanted to do this for many years, but it took me some time to get out of my days in the TV world. Once I was contractually clear from my prior employer, it was time to give this thing a go, and that is why on May 1, 2023, we opened the doors here at RacerBasketball.com.

At the time, I wasn't really sure what I was doing. I wasn't really sure the best way to get information out to everybody, and that's why we started with a subscription service. So many of you were so supportive of that from Day 1, and I will forever be grateful for all of your support.

Two months ago today, on March 1st, we were finally able to make the leap and turn this into more of an ad-based website. All the proof is in the pudding there that was the right decision. The last two months have been bigger than any month that we've had in the prior two years. We could not do that without the wonderful people that have stepped up and the businesses that have stepped up to support us. That's Popeyes of Murray; that's Michael Owen at Owen Team Financial; that's Gilliam Thompson Furniture, and it's the Paducah Flower Company. I thank all of them for stepping up and believing in me and what we are doing here. I would just certainly hope that all of you, if there’s something you may need, that you would support those businesses that have supported me, and that'll help keep the lights on here at RacerBasketball.com.

It's been an amazing two years in a lot of ways. When I started this, I thought I was done with journalism in some ways, but if there was one topic I loved to cover more than anything, it was Murray State Basketball. That's what this outlet allows me to do every day of the year, that's all we're doing, is Murray State Basketball, and it has been a joy.

There was a detour, though. The site is different than what I thought it was going to be, because I never in my wildest dreams imagined that I would be the voice of the Murray State men's basketball program. I thought I was going to be spending summers out on the road, and I would be on recruiting trips from afar, watching players that the coaches were recruiting and checking them out. I had lots of dreams of what this was going to be. Then literally, within three months of starting, I was given the ultimate honor and blessing and invitation to become the radio voice for the Murray State men. I think I’ve explained before, but just for those that are new, from a compliance standpoint, there's certain things I can't do anymore, since I am at a freelance employee of Murray State University. I hope I have still been able to serve you well with this, and I hope that you have gotten everything out of it that you have wanted.

We have had some highs, we have had some lows, and we have had some hurdles we have had to clear, but I think we've been able to navigate all of that, and we've been able to continue to produce stuff for you and stuff that you want to consume, whether it's articles, podcasts, whatever, that year-round we are producing stuff that you guys want. That has been the goal. I hope it has been met.

Just know that as we continue to grow this thing, and it has, thankfully, somehow, continued to grow in these last two years, as we get ready to start Year #3, know that the growth is not stopping. We’re going to keep pushing forward and delivering. Whether it's the best, that's up for you to decide, but we are certainly going to continue to deliver daily coverage of both the Murray State men's and women's programs every day, all year long, and I am glad that you guys are all here with me.

I love celebrating birthdays. I love celebrating anniversaries. It kind of snuck up on me today, and I was like, ‘Oh goodness. Today is the day!’

Two years in, it's been a great ride. There’s so much excitement around the two programs, and I’m looking forward to bringing that to all of you on a daily basis here at RacerBasketball.com.

My only message in all of this, to all of you, is simply — thank you. I appreciate your faith in me. I appreciate your belief in this, and hopefully, hopefully, fingers crossed, the best is yet to come.

Go Racers!

Jeff Bidwell