Since many of you were kind enough to contribute to the good news I received back on February 8th, I begged the higher-ups at FOXSports.com to let me be the first to break this news.  Thankfully, they obliged.

Yes, yes...  the Next Great Sportswriter contest is back and better than ever.

I realize this will spark a flurry of questions, so before my inbox gets flooded with 10,000 messages, let me field the most obvious ones first.  Many more details are forthcoming from those directly in charge, but here's what I can tell you as of now:

1) When will the next contest be starting up?

The first round of the next contest will be starting next week.  Surprise!  Again, you'll want to stay tuned to FOXSports.com for all the details.

2) Have changes been made to the format?

Yes, the diligent folks at FOXSports.com have made some tweaks to make this upcoming contest even better.  At this juncture, I won't comment on the exact nature of the changes, but I will say that I had the opportunity to offer my own feedback from NGS 1.0 and am very excited about the amendments.  Again, you'll find out more details in the coming days -- I didn't want to leave out anything critical, so I'll leave the meat of this question to the real experts.

3) What should I do now?

Gear up for the weeks ahead.  If you're serious about making a run at this thing, give your entries a little extra elbow grease.  I know from my conversations with Tom Seeley that the website is enthusiastic about finding another talented writer, so if you fit the bill, don't be afraid to leave it all out on the field.  If you write your heart out, the rest will fall into place.

4) What if I have more questions?

For now, you should consider me a liaison between the blogosphere and FOXSports.com.  I'll sort of be like the Iraqi Information Minister, only minus the ridiculous statements. 

One of the biggest things that needed to be fixed after the first contest was the flow of information from top to bottom, so I've volunteered to help get everyone on the same page.  If you have any pressing questions after you get the full scoop in the next few days, feel free to send them my way at tyhildenbrandt@gmail.com.  I'll be putting together semi-frequent NGS Mailbags to keep you plugged into all the latest information.  And don't worry, to avoid creating any whirlwind for prospective participants, I promise to keep your identities anonymous.

.....

So, there it is.  It is with great pleasure that I officially announce the coming of Next Great Sportswriter II.  I am overjoyed to be involved with the proceedings and very much looking forward to the weeks ahead - I haven't been this excited since Major League II.

Best of luck to everyone and stay tuned for more details!