I apologize in advance for the self-serving nature of this post, but it is with great humility that I turn to all of our Rock M Nation readers to help me out, personally.

As I've told reporters, friends, family and curious onlookers, I never got into blogging for any kind of personal gain. I started Every True Son as a way for me to help foster discussion about Mizzou sports on my own platform, and I could not have been more thrilled when I was paired up with the team from Mizzou Sanity to help form Rock M Nation.

If you were to ask, I found my niche on Rock M Nation as "the student," the nouveau riche newcomer who happened to find his way to Missouri at exactly the right time. However, my status as a student is one that comes with a major drawback: student loans.

Don't fear: I'm not here to ask for money. Nor am I here to quit (sorry). I'm here because I was recently informed that I have been named a finalist for the 2008 Blogging Scholarship, which will award a $10,000 scholarship to the winner after voting ends on the night of Nov. 20.

All you have to do, esteemed RMN reader, is click on the image below and select "Ross Taylor" and vote. With all that RMN has given me in 13 months, I feel awful asking for more. But any and all help you, your families, your friends, etc. could give would be of great assistance.

Thanks, everyone, for making Rock M Nation the site that it is today. My finalist status for this award only goes to validate this community and everything we hoped to build.