> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.mainebasketballrankings.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Hoffer Goes Out On His Own - URL: https://www.mainebasketballrankings.com/hoffer-goes-out-on-his-own/ - Published: 2025-04-14T10:41:00.000Z - Updated: 2025-04-14T10:40:59.000Z - Description: The media world is changing fast - Author: Lucas McNelly Ok, it's been a minute. I took a little break to catch up on other stuff (Spoiler: I did not get caught up on anything), but too much has happened so I'm back with another newsletter. First off, the big news: Last month, the new ownership group in charge of Varsity Maine decided to shut down the print version of the Forecaster, which put the sports editor, Michael Hoffer, out on the street. Hoffer has been a southern Maine fixture for years, legendary for his game stories that often stretch past 5,000 words. But the times, they are a-changing and the newspaper industry is struggling, to put it nicely. Thankfully, he didn't stay down for long. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/6f/1b/6f1b07c4-89c2-426d-a60a-ca70e47e4639/content/images/2025/04/image-3.png) Yup, Michael Hoffer has joined the ranks of journalists with newsletters and you absolutely should subscribe. It's only a matter of time before he has more subscribers than I do. [Welcome!For the past quarter-century, I’ve had the pleasure of covering high school sports for The Forecaster. Now, it’s time for a new adventure. A place where longform game stories will live on. And that’s not all. This site will also be the home of feature stories, historical features on great![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/6f/1b/6f1b07c4-89c2-426d-a60a-ca70e47e4639/content/images/icon/Hoffers-High-School-Sports--1--1.png)Hoffer's High School SportsMichael Hoffer![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/6f/1b/6f1b07c4-89c2-426d-a60a-ca70e47e4639/content/images/thumbnail/1000000773-1.jpg)](https://www.hoffershighschoolsports.com/welcome/?ref=mainebasketballrankings.com) [Subscribe!](https://www.hoffershighschoolsports.com/?ref=mainebasketballrankings.com) In a media landscape that's a complete mess, there's a lot to be said for [controlling your own destiny](https://ghost.org/?via=lucas71&ref=mainebasketballrankings.com), even if it can be a little scary. Best of luck to Hoffer. He's going to crush it. --- In other news, the coaching carousel is in full swing. > Longtime Deering Boys Basketball Coach Todd Wing is hitting the pause button after 17 amazing years with the Rams! Todd has not only lead the Rams on the court, but off it as well mentoring so many student athletes over years! Great coach even better person! [@DeeringProud](https://twitter.com/DeeringProud?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=mainebasketballrankings.com) > > — Dave Eid (@DaveEidWGME) [April 10, 2025](https://twitter.com/DaveEidWGME/status/1910303124759183621?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=mainebasketballrankings.com) Todd was (I think) the first coach I didn't already know to say nice things about the site, which was incredibly validating back in the day. > Todd MacArthur has stepped down as Winthrop boys basketball coach after 14 seasons. MacArthur went 196-77 with the Ramblers, whom he guided to back-to-back Class C state titles in 2019 and 2020. > > — [Mike Mandell (@michaeljmandell.bsky.social)](https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:bppmb2hdtqd6w23eeax2qwcx?ref%5Fsrc=embed&ref=mainebasketballrankings.com) [2025-04-01T14:02:47.282Z](https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:bppmb2hdtqd6w23eeax2qwcx/post/3llqzywzafc2q?ref%5Fsrc=embed&ref=mainebasketballrankings.com) We also have to former podcast guests who are changing sidelines. > Excited to announce that I am the new Head Coach for Men’s Basketball Program at University of Maine Augusta! [@UMAMoose](https://twitter.com/UMAMoose?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=mainebasketballrankings.com) [@UMAugusta](https://twitter.com/UMAugusta?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=mainebasketballrankings.com) We are a 4 year school that plays in the USCAA. > Any unsigned 2025 players please drop your film & info or DM! We are recruiting all positions! [pic.twitter.com/p1i73WtqDl](https://t.co/p1i73WtqDl?ref=mainebasketballrankings.com) > > — Steve Carey (@coachcarey724) [April 9, 2025](https://twitter.com/coachcarey724/status/1909812692145012741?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=mainebasketballrankings.com) Steve Carey was an assistant at CMCC and now gets to take over his own program at UMA. Best of luck! You can check out Steve's podcast episode [here](https://open.spotify.com/episode/196v4dMGfyUC6lI4ugFpPp?si=gyhia9E-S2qSu1J8Xfu9fw&ref=mainebasketballrankings.com). Finally, Noble coach John Morgan is moving to the college ranks. > Let’s work 🐺 [pic.twitter.com/9M8skWSIve](https://t.co/9M8skWSIve?ref=mainebasketballrankings.com) > > — John Morgan (@CoachMorgan\_13) [April 11, 2025](https://twitter.com/CoachMorgan%5F13/status/1910731194997637229?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=mainebasketballrankings.com) This will be a huge test for a Noble program that resurrected itself under Morgan in the last couple of years. John came on the podcast a year ago to talk about the work that went into turning that program around. [Watch on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbYfGpi2Vrs&ref=mainebasketballrankings.com) --- The other big news is Cooper Flagg's tourney run, which went pretty well. Sure, we all wished he could have won the whole thing, but he was awesome the whole way until a Peter Webb All-Star got involved. > Duke absolutely 1000% choked that game away & Houston deserved to win, but what in the actual hell is this foul call? > > Calling this at any point is insane, let alone calling it with seconds left in a 1 point game in the Final 4… > > Are we kidding? Lmao[pic.twitter.com/qLzjM1YgwL](https://t.co/qLzjM1YgwL?ref=mainebasketballrankings.com) > > — Josh Reynolds (@JoshReynolds24) [April 6, 2025](https://twitter.com/JoshReynolds24/status/1908730134779355526?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=mainebasketballrankings.com) But seriously, he was the best player on the floor in every game and I don't think it was ever in doubt. [Looking back on Cooper Flagg’s March Madness runDuke eliminated by Houston in Final Four![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/6f/1b/6f1b07c4-89c2-426d-a60a-ca70e47e4639/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-180x180-11.png)WABIBen Barr![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/6f/1b/6f1b07c4-89c2-426d-a60a-ca70e47e4639/content/images/thumbnail/JSCCZ4LI3BE7RCXQ4L3KP4QQXA.jpg)](https://www.wabi.tv/2025/04/08/looking-back-cooper-flaggs-march-madness-run/?ref=mainebasketballrankings.com) It'd be nice to win it all, but ultimately it was great to see him excel on the biggest stage. Again. Up next is the NBA Draft, where he'll undoubtably be the #1 pick. Do you have a preference on who wins the lottery? I'm kind of hoping Utah gets it and Danny does the Celtics a solid in a couple of years. --- After a long delay, I've brought back the merch store with a couple of new designs. First up is the "Cooper Dunked on Me" design. Was it ideal to get dunked on a couple of years ago? Nope. But it's certainly less terrible now, even a point of pride. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/6f/1b/6f1b07c4-89c2-426d-a60a-ca70e47e4639/content/images/2025/04/image-1.png) You can get yours here: [“Cooper Dunked on Me” Unisex Softstyle T-Shirt - $25.00 - Maine Basketball RankingsBuy this product for only $25.00![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Store of Maine Basketball Rankings.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/6f/1b/6f1b07c4-89c2-426d-a60a-ca70e47e4639/content/images/thumbnail/cooper-dunked-on-me-unisex-softstyle-t-shirt.jpg)](https://maine-basketball-rankings.printify.me/product/19199311/cooper-dunked-on-me-unisex-softstyle-t-shirt?ref=mainebasketballrankings.com) And there's also this design of the Maine high school basketball greats. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/6f/1b/6f1b07c4-89c2-426d-a60a-ca70e47e4639/content/images/2025/04/image-2-1.png) These are all people we know by their first names and already people are mad at who I omitted. You've gotta draw a line somewhere and I went with D1 as a cutoff (sorry Raymond Alley). Feel free to put whoever else I missed in the comments. JP Estrella? Nick Mayo? TJ Caouette? Joe Harrington? Anyway, there's a number of things you can buy. T-shirts. Stickers. Coffee mugs. You get the idea. [Discover Our Exclusive Range at Maine Basketball RankingsStore of Maine Basketball Rankings.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/6f/1b/6f1b07c4-89c2-426d-a60a-ca70e47e4639/content/images/icon/favicon-15.ico)Store of Maine Basketball Rankings.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/6f/1b/6f1b07c4-89c2-426d-a60a-ca70e47e4639/content/images/thumbnail/43f28e16-fa5d-452a-b6ef-3884ccdca401)](https://maine-basketball-rankings.printify.me/?ref=mainebasketballrankings.com) --- This week on the podcast, I'm joined by Erik Atwell of the Penobscot Bay Press. Erik was a screenwriter in Hollywood who found himself in Maine and with no sportswriting experience, applied to a sports reporter job posting. A couple of days later, he was covering a soccer Regional Final. [Listen on Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/episode/2VcGyGMwzzCVTQrLuugrQp?si=INFlI%5FnzQE24i%5FfNgL7vDQ&ref=mainebasketballrankings.com) --- Maine's own Chad Finn has a nice piece on Drew Carter's plans to run the Boston Marathon. [NBC Sports Boston’s Drew Carter had an idea at the Celtics’ parade — and he’s running with it to the Boston Marathon start line - The Boston GlobeThe Celtics’ play-by-play man is running the Boston Marathon to benefit the Shamrock Foundation.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/6f/1b/6f1b07c4-89c2-426d-a60a-ca70e47e4639/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-8.png)The Boston GlobeEmail to a Friend Share on Facebook Share on TwitterPrint this Article View Comments![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/6f/1b/6f1b07c4-89c2-426d-a60a-ca70e47e4639/content/images/thumbnail/UEHOKSNM4QIB5XBKQOP3VAZBRY.jpg)](https://www.bostonglobe.com/2025/04/12/sports/celtics-drew-carter-boston-marathon/?ref=mainebasketballrankings.com) And if we're talking about the Boston Marathon, that means Spring Sports are around the corner!