Boston.com gets a new sports editor

Very high-stakes position, this, what with the recent arrivals of the Sports Hub and ESPNBoston.com and the challenge already posed by WEEI.com. Here's the email from Boston.com editor David Beard:

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All,

It's not often we get a job candidate who has extraordinary print and online editing and leadership experience -- and who has thrown a cream pie into the face of the governor of Connecticut.

It's my pleasure to introduce you to Matt Pepin, Boston.com's new sports editor.

Matt, a native of Colchester, Conn., comes from the Times Herald-Record in Middletown, N.Y., where he oversees the print and online
sports section. He created Varsity 845, an innovative interactive approach to high-school sports that has attracted national interest.  The online site has been a finalist in ONA, EPpy, and NAA Digital Edge awards and took NY's AP Online Content award in 2008. His  newspaper sections have consistently been ranked as Top 10 in the APSE contests.  In addition, Matt has taught sports journalism at Marist College.

Matt will work with me, Globe Sports Editor Joe Sullivan, and DME-Multimedia Bennie DiNardo on a series of new ventures aimed at maintaining -- and extending -- our edge in sports at a time of increased competition. Matt was one of several extremely strong candidates for the position. He'll have the advantage of working with a knowledgable and innovative online team in Steve Silva, Chris Forsberg, Gary Dzen, Chad Finn and Boston.com's overnight staff. He also will have the strong cooperation of Joe's ever-more-adept-online desk crew and a reporting staff that wants to prevail.

 Matt, an avid runner, skier, and golfer, got to throw that pie in Lowell Weicker's face right after college, when he played a Keystone
Kop in a production of "The Barber of Seville.'' (The part called for him to throw the pie at Weicker, who was playing the unpopular chief of police). We know of no other authority issues with him.

Matt is married to Kristin and has three children, Dave, 11, Ryan, 9, and Sarah, 5.
He clambers into work on Oct. 5. Please join me welcoming Matt,

Dave