Wilkes-Barre looking for a sports writer........again?

You are asking for an ass kicking wick

 

Boots, what I am saying is that you will get not as many writing opportunities as someone on a higher-profile beat. That's all.

 

Don't be so sure, man. There's some powerful intense field hockey up that way. State champs, etc. And like I've said before, when you get away from crap field hockey and to the really good stuff, it can be about as good as any other sport.

 

Field hockey is not the main beat ... but it is an important one. The big beat at the TL is the AHL beat.

As far as the SE, I hear the new owner has been tough to deal with. Has a hissy-fit if there's a comma missing in story. Sounds like burnout is the reason he's leaving.

 

The AHL is by far the biggest thing around WB. The local Triple A minor league baseball team just signed a deal with the Yankees (after years with the Phillies), so that will be a relatively hot beat as well starting this season. But the AHL is done well and is a big deal to the community.

I will say this, however. WB is not the most uplifting, upbeat place in the world. There are good people around the area, but there's a lot of residual bitterness and antipathy to outsiders as well. That's just my take. I've lived a lot of places in the US, and this is one of my least favorite spots. Just take that for what it's worth.

And just so it's clear, I'm not saying that to dissuade any potential competitors for the TL job. I'm not applying for the position.

 

Yes, Shot, they have some good programs up there like Lake-Lehman. But will the new SE take the beat seriously enough to give the writer room to run with? That's my main deal. Also remember that they're now going on their third SE in a year at this point.

 

That's what I hear second-hand. They were making crazy extra demands on the SE and staff without providing any extra help/support. He had had enough.

 

Nothing wrong with field hockey that couldn't be solved with a few simple rule changes -- like left-handed sticks, boards around the field, maybe a little ice and skates.

 

Great stuff.

 

Steve Corbett came back to Pa. and they gave him a front-page article saying he wasn't getting back in newspapers. The rumor is he wanted to, but Rich Connor didn't go for it, so they compromised by doing an article on him. Corbett was the star at that paper for several years and is still a huge name in W-B, and if he didn't get taken back, then nobody who doesn't fit Rich's idea of newspapering is going to go far.
Regarding the baseball beat, the Southern "gentleman" who has been covering the team for the past few years will have to be carried out with a blanket over his head before anyone gets that beat ... unless he gives it up volutarily. He and Rich go wayyyyy back, even to the extent of being partners in a venture years ago.
Finally, regarding field hockey in the Wyoming Valley, that was the domain of Steve Sembrat for decades, until he had a few problems.

 

Problems? I'd say SS had more than problems. At least that's what the authorities found out in the Web sting they conducted a couple of years ago. Google his name and look at what comes up.

 

Think he was trying to avoid making a major issue out of it, Commish. Guy's already dealt with enough. Do we need to bring up specific details?