Columnist opening in Orlando

good point and it does apply. Life isn't fair, and I tell my kids "Don't tell me about unfair".

On the other hand, don't tell me that getting a position as a sports columnist is all about talent and natural gifts, like being able to run 100 meters in less than 10 seconds. Mizzougrad doesn't like Jemele Hill and likes TJ Simers. I think TJ Simers is a total fraud and Jemele Hill - nothing special from what I have read. Mitch Albom was the Sportswriter of the Year for something like 270 years in a row, but it is always easier to write when you can create your own facts.

Somebody on this thread talked about being willing to express their own opinion. That is a skill for a columnist, but when you think about it, a lot of other writers are in roles where that is discouraged. I always say a lot of sports editors, indeed many of the ones I have encountered, boil creativity out of writers; it's easier to edit stuff which follows a format, you know.

I like Michele Kaufman's work and I appreciate her perspective. But to Michele and some of the other people, I say this - there are other people who could do as well if they received the opportunity. People who didn't go to great journalism schools, people who got stuck at mid-size newspapers where the big newspaper wouldn't hire from the same state/area, people who got tired of the low pay and went to law school or public relations, people who were needed on a desk and got stuck in that rut. People who, in the words of Marlon Brando, got a one-way ticket to Palookaville.

 

Great post.

 

I have no real opinion on Ms. Hill and I'm not sure it's worth arguing over taste.

Somebody suggested the stuff about the blog actually helped her because it gave her a higher profile. I think that fits with what we know about ESPN.

Another poster said that the mistakes on the blog shouldn't be held against her. There I disagree. It should. It shows a lack of judgement. Anything one of us writes for public consumption reflects on us and our credibility and the credibility of whatever organization we work for.

In many cases, that doesn't matter to ESPN. That E for Entertainment comes first for a reason. But I don't think it is out of bounds for us to question the credibility of others in sports journalism, especially when they move up to a higher-profile position.

And while it isn't fair to hold Jamele Hill partially responsible for the reputation of women in sports journalism, it is realistic. Just like we know that sometimes women and minorities get breaks they don't deserve in journalism. And sometimes they put up with insane amounts of unfair bullshit and old-boy-network garbage that holds them back.

I've seen women who were criticized as diversity hires when they got jobs and they proved the naysayers absolutely correct with their lousy performances. I've also seen it happen that they stepped up and did a great job. I have no idea how much of a factor Jamele Hill's race and gender were in her hiring for this job, but I wish her well and I hope she does a great job.

... and hopefully she's a bit more selective in what parts of her personal life she decides to share with the world. ;D

 

Not disagreeing with you, but this is true for every walk of life. There are people out there who could have been pro athletes, or rock stars, or CEOs...but opportunity and luck and desire just didn't collide at the right time. As you said, it has nothing to do with 'fair.'

Most people who leapfrog over the crowd usually do so by creating their own opportunity--in sportswriting today, that seems to generally require flamboyance or outrageousness or nastiness or rudeness or some sort of me me me me persona. Talent is subjective; anyone who wants to make a hire will see whatever he or she wants to see.

 

The Orlando Sentinel has three columnists. Two are outstanding. The other just got hired by ESPN.

What's wrong here?

As someone who knows Jemele well, it's not difficult to see why she draws such a response on this board. She is about as likable as she is talented. A friend at the Sentinel said he's torn by all this because he's pissed that she got this job, but is thrilled that he never has to see her again.

 

Gold: I hear what you're saying..loud and clear. And believe me, I'm not turning cartwheels knowing that after 20 years of busting my rump in this business, 300-400 bylines a year, beat work, nine Olympics, four World Cups, countless Final Fours, Super Bowls, Wimbledons, taking crap from male chauvenists, I am making less than half of what people reportedly make for an ESPN.com web column.
And I agree that lots of qualified people don't get chances they deserve, and that sometimes women and minorities get jobs they are not qualified for. I also know of many men and non-minorities who are very pedestrian writers, add nothing special, and have really good beats and jobs. I've read entire sports sections made up of those types of writers. The market is what it is, and if ESPN feels Jamele Hill is the best candidate for that particular job, so be it. There are plenty of older, not-so-attractive white guys on ESPN and other networks, too.
That's all...for now.
Have a great day.
Michelle Kaufman.

 

I'd be standing up and cheering if ESPN had hired Kaufman over Hill.

 

OK, then demonstrate why ESPN would believe that, based on her previous work.
This isn't snark. I've never read her stuff -- I'm still waiting for someone to post a link to the blog -- and I wouldn't know her if she sat in my lap. I'd just like to see the best work on which ESPN based its decision.

 

This is the same network that showcases Stuart Scott, rewrites the history from one of the greatest sports books of all time for their shitty movie and pays athletes to appear in commercials for their network...

Should any of us ever be surprised by anything ESPN does?

 

Amen.

 

Mary Buckheit
Jim Caple
Gregg Easterbrook
David Fleming
DJ Gallo
Patrick Hruby
Scoop Jackson
Bomani Jones
Tim Keown
Chuck Klosterman
Paul Lukas
Eric Neel
Kurt Snibbe

a white guy gets a job and it's all good. jemele gets a job and we get a 7-page tirade. she's not batting fourth for the '27 yankees.

 

Okay, this is my second day in a row asking this - and maybe it is because I want to turn this thread into something positive - has the sentinel said anything about replacing her? Have they started a shortlist of people who they are looking at?