Journalism Testimonials

"I hired Brian Higgins in 1997 to cover University of California football when I served as executive sports editor at ANG Newspapers in the Bay Area. He settled into the new beat quickly and seamlessly in taking over for a veteran reporter who had been assigned new duties.

Brian was a breath of fresh air. In a profession that can feature cynical – if not jaded – reporters, Brian was enthusiastic, as well as receptive to feedback and new approaches. His stories were accurate, balanced and delivered with the speed needed to meet often outrageous deadlines.

Perhaps Brian’s greatest gift as a reporter is something you can’t teach in journalism school: Being a compassionate and understanding listener. Getting sources to truly reveal themselves is a difficult trick for many a reporter. One of the reasons Brian excelled at feature writing is that he had a knack for getting people to open up – on the record. He earned their trust.

Brian proved versatile beyond his coverage of Cal football. He often was scheduled to augment our coverage of major league baseball and other sports – sometimes on short notice – and filled in admirably. I highly recommend Brian for his skills and talents as a reporter."

Don Coulter has been the deputy managing editor/sports of the Portlad (ME) Press since 2007

"Just a few months after I hired Brian Higgins, he broke the biggest sports story in the 135-year history of our newspaper, generating a lot of national attention for the newspaper. He was the first sportswriter in more than a half-century to earn Georgia Story of the Year Awards from the Associated Press two years in a row. In baseball, we refer to the rarest of players as being 5-tool players. Brian was one of the rare 5-tool journalists very early in his career: big ideas; advanced powers of observation; an elite interviewer who was masterful at eliciting insightful quotes; a phenomenal writer; and fearless in uncovering the truth."

"I was so smart that i hired Brian twice -- once as an undergrad in Illinois and a dozen years later as our NFL writer in Dallas. He's a passionate guy who rubs off on everyone around him, be it colleagues, his interview subjects or the guys down in the press room. Plus, two years after I'd given up, Brian taught my daughter to ride a bike in one afternoon."

Scott Monserud has been the Assistant Managing Editor/Sports of the Denver Post since 2002. Hhired Brian Higgins to his sports staff of the Southern Illinoisan and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

"Brian is media-savvy, deadline-driven, quick-witted (in print and in person), and a stand-up guy. He's always up for new ideas and willing to put in the work to see it through. He's an excellent writer, and like anyone with a journalistic mind, he applies his passion for writing to whatever he's working on, from food-stamps legislation to a 54-pound meatloaf.

Brian also knows his stuff when it comes to media. As a veteran of Bay Area newsrooms and nonprofits, his Rolodex (or whatever we use these days) is impressive, and he knows a lot about presenting yourself and your organization well on camera. Though I came into the position with a media background, there was a lot I learned under his wing.

My year with Brian as my supervisor was a crash-course in media relations, snappy copy writing, and great places to hike in California."

"Speechwriting eventually becomes a beast of burden for all politicians. Brian Higgins could very easily be writing speeches at the highest level, if he so chose. But he loves nothing better than crafting the perfect speech to inspire grassroots movements, and there's nobody better at it."

"First and foremost, Brian is a writer, and an excellent one at that. He can weave a concise and compelling story on subject and deadline. He is clever, witty and passionate.

Brian loves to brainstorm and put ideas into action. He spearheaded our goal to connect and position the Center with the local media as the go-to place for expert information on all things space and science. That was a very successful endeavor.

Brian also set up and delivered a facility tour for film scouts in the Bay Area in order to help Chabot earn additional facility rental revenue. When he understands the big picture, he focuses and runs full steam ahead to achieve those goals. He is fiercely loyal, diligent and always delivers."