It's official (now): Whitlock leaving the KC Star

One of Whitlock's former SEs responds. http://bit.ly/dtvPJq

 

Here's what I just don't get.
Every place I've ever worked, there was some level of expectation. The columnist would write 3 a week, maybe 4.
How does that become optional? You want Jason in the paper more, you assign him to write more. If he doesn't write them, he's not an employee.
Is it really that freaking hard?

 

It seems like maybe asking Whitlock to write more and on topics other than football was a little like asking Albert Haynesworth to pass a simple conditioning test or attend an offseason workout.

 

I agree that Vacek must have hated Whitlock if he took him to lunch at Chili's 5 times in a row.

 

Very well put. I couldn't agree more. And Jake's Haynesworth analogy.

 

It's really that hard if the star columnist has more clout than the sports editor, which is not rare in bigger markets.

 

Hey, at least it wasn't Applebee's.

 

Mike Fannin and Holly Lawton are terrific bosses who put more time and effort and passion into putting out a good product than most anybody I know. They don't need my defense. I think people can take the criticism in context, but after four days of thinking about it I do want to say here how much I appreciate both of them.

Mike can be rough with the way he communicates sometimes, which has been discussed here in the past, but he always comes from a good place of wanting to do good and better journalism. Nobody's been on the business end of more Fannin passion than me, and there's nobody who appreciates the man more than me. He hired me out of college, and when I was a bureau high school reporter, the amount of energy and care he put into helping me improve was about five times the recommended level for the sports editor of a major metro.

Holly is about as easy a boss to work for as anybody could imagine. She is supportive and defends her people and treats everyone with respect. She is always available to talk out ideas and help in any way possible, but also respects her people to be able to stay on task.

A few weeks ago, while working on a column about John Schuerholz, a former colleague of his said part of the success they had in in Kansas City came because the office was filled with people for whom baseball was probably a more important part of their lives than it should've been. The man who said that was referring to long hours and long passion and that for many of the scouts and executives, turning out a good baseball product was much more than a job, that it became a life's passion. It reminded me of my bosses, and I do think the quality of our section speaks to that.

Anyway, that's the view from someone who's worked with/for Mike and Holly for 10 years.

One more story: so many times when reporters gather somewhere, whether it's a state tournament or World Series, the conversation turns into lots of complaining about various shops. We've probably all been there. One person complains about a copy editor, another about the sports editor, someone else about a difficult colleague. Lots of times it's justified, lots of times it's not. Either way, I've been part of those groups, and when it comes my turn to complain I almost always find myself like, "sorry guys, I've got nothing." I do realize how lucky that makes me, and I also realize that it's a direct reflection of Mike and Holly and others.

 

A star columnist who doesn't like being edited and ruins staff morale? Wake me with something original.

It is interesting that the possible internal squabble between Lawton and Whitlock caused both to jump ship.

Or maybe Whitlock got rid of her and felt he had done all he could at the Star.

 

Thanks, not everyone does that (get permission).
And thanks to all who followed up as well. My concern came with new people finding SJ from the column. They wouldn't know Lisa had outed herself somewhere else on the board, and they likely wouldn't take the time to try to figure out who posters are. As for Mike, sorry I missed your byline on the post.