Bissinger Drops The Pimp Hand

You nailed that one.

 

I most disturbed that Buzz wrote "could care less." Blech.

 

My wife, a devoted "Marley and Me" fan, called me at work in the middle of deadline to let me know that one of Grogan's chickens pissed all over Cesar Millan on TV tonight. I hope I'm adding significantly to the discussion.

 

Maybe I'm naive about this, but how, exactly, does the Inquirer benefit from having Stephen A. on ESPN? It's not like ESPN runs a line at the bottom of the screen during his show sayiing, "Check out Stephen A. Smith's column that states the obvious with a ton of exclamation points!!!" I mean, if you're an average viewer living on the west coast, do you know that Stephen A. works at the Inquirer? And if you do, are you going online to read what he has to say?

Just wondering, that's all.

 

Sounds like a Manning vs. Brady debate, money-wise

 

Stunning how few people ... in this biz... get that phrase right.

 

It's kind of along the same lines that blogs will always need papers and print writers to link to ... the TV stations will always need print writers to air.

 

Posted without comment.


John Grogan | Coming home - and moving on
By John Grogan
Inquirer Columnist


And now, a personal note.

Like that soldier stepping off the plane into another life, I'm stepping out of one role and into another. Today is my last as an Inquirer staff columnist. I am hanging up column writing to concentrate full time on book projects.

Publisher Brian Tierney and my editors want you to know that I was not a casualty of layoffs or cutbacks or any other fate. The decision was mine alone.

Those of you who have been following the last 15 months of my life, in the wake of the surprise success of my book Marley & Me, know I've been trying to juggle essentially two full-time jobs, travel and a family, not always very well. The bottom line: I am spread too thin.

There is another reason, albeit a secondary one: I love newspapers, especially this one. I believe in their value and future. But I don't know if I have the fortitude to stomach the dramatic cutbacks they are being forced to make in order to survive.

That's not to say I won't try to drop in occasionally with a guest commentary. I also invite you to visit my blog at marleyandme.com.

A writer without readers is not quite whole. You, Inquirer readers, have blessed me with the kind of audience every columnist covets: smart, opinionated, engaged. Right from the start, when I arrived here in 2002, you made me feel welcome. Many of you have come to be my friends.

Thank you for inviting me into your homes, your lives and, on the best days, your hearts. It has been an honor.

The entire column is here:

http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/news/16602374.htm