247sports Snags A Good One

I just turned 28 in September. The TFP hired me at 22, after I'd spent two years stringing UT sports for them as the beat guy's football sidekick and main Lady Vols hoops beat writer. I covered UTC for two years before they moved me back to Knoxville at 24 to take the Vols football/men's hoops beat.

The TFP has been pretty darn good at getting young guys and moving them up in a hurry. Andy Staples, Darren Epps and Gentry Estes had the job before I did. When taking that beat for the TFP, you have to understand that you're an underdog from day 1. The KNS has a 5-man army, the Rivals site has a 5-man army, the Scout site has a 5-man army and all the radio/TV stations have multiple-person armies. But you can still work hard and get scoops. The TFP's past four guys on the beat have done it.

My replacement will have to work hard — it's not an easy beat, especially with the circus this place has been lately — but they'll work for a great SE in Jay Greeson, great ASEs like Jim Tanner and Stephen Hargis and a great DSE in Ron Bush, who is the best copy editor in the free world. I love them all and will miss working for them.

 

Mod: What's the beat opening in Austin to which you referred? Who (if anyone?) left or is it a shuffle of the roster?

 

http://www.sportsjournalists.com/forum/threads/80808/

 

So did Grenada, and you see where that got them when the British invaded. About the same amount of strength/talent.

 

Congrats to Wes and best of luck.

I always enjoy reading TFP when I'm motoring through Rock City. It's a solid town with a lot to do.

 

so what do they do for the other 78 days?

oh, wait, that's 24/7... gotcha

 

I am new here, but if I could change the title of this thread I would. The 247 folks snagged a great one that is only going to get better. Wes Rucker did a great job for the TFP and while we are sad to see him him go, we appreciate his efforts and great work and we are very happy for his opportunity heading forward.
I have posted our opening on the jobs board and if anyone has any questions they can e-mail me at jgreeson@timesfreepress.com.