Hello!
Welcome to my site and thanks so much for dropping by.
If the URL didn’t tip you off, my name is Sam Khan Jr., and I’m a sportswriter for the Houston Chronicle. I’ve been at the Chronicle since 2005 and I’ve had the chance to cover a wide range of events for the Chronicle, the largest daily newspaper in Texas.
This blog is a personal outlet for me. The opinions and views expressed here are my own and don’t necessarily reflect those of the Chronicle or any other organization where my work may be published.
But this is a space where I’m hoping to opine not just on sports but on other things of interest to me — anything from the world of journalism and our craft today to life in general that has nothing to do with the sports world (and yes, it is possible to get tired of sports sometimes, even for someone like me who grew up loving them).
Now, a bit about myself. I’m a Houston born and bred guy. I grew up in the Bayou City and have spent the vast majority of my years as a Houstonian. I graduated from Cypress Falls High School, the University of Houston and began working for the Chronicle just a couple of months after I graduated from UH.
Interestingly enough, my current beat at the Chronicle is University of Houston athletics. I’ve been on that beat since Feb. 7, 2011. Before that I covered high school sports in the Greater Houston area for the Chronicle. Believe me when I tell you that the experiences have been numerous and wide-ranging since I began at the paper. Being a sportswriter in a town like Houston, where there is so much going on, is a challenge but also a privilege.
Since jumping on to the UH beat, I’ve covered conference realignment, a team that reached the top six in the national rankings and was undefeated 12 games into the season, a head coaching change and the developments of new athletic facilities plans for the school. Before that, I covered seven state football championship games, six state basketball tournaments, five state baseball tournaments, four state track and field meets as well as the state cross country, soccer and softball championships. In 2009-10, I had the privilege of covering the Jack Yates High School boys basketball team, which set several national records and finished No. 1 in the nation in all major high school basketball polls. In addition to high schools, I had the chance to cover MLB, NBA and NFL events, including the Astros, Rockets and Texans. Some of my assignments have included the NBA playoffs, the MLB playoffs and the NCAA Tournament. And I’ve had the chance to pretend like I’m an expert who knows what he’s talking about by making guest appearances on several radio and television broadcasts locally.
I currently live in Houston with my lovely and immensely supportive wife, Victoria, who puts up with the long hours and my occasional bitching. I also am fortunate enough to live just a couple of minutes away from my mother Yvette, who taught me a lot about life and how to treat people and to whom I’ll forever be indebted.