'Black Wednesday' in Tampa

Since I still have 45 minutes left before it's officially the Fourth and the re-run of Entourage provided enough of a short distraction, I decided to come back on here one more time before turning in for the night to check on the progress of this thread.

To answer your question Write, no, I didn't really buy the geographic B.S., especially when it was coupled with no viable option for Scott back in Tampa. In fact, I was trying to point out just how asinine and evil these #@$'s really are by highlighting the smelly, pile of crap this intern took as heroic gospel.

And when you combine that with the facts pointed out by Andy Staples regarding what the Trib employees were told about how these layoffs were going to be performance based, and how the shock of Scott's dismissal is still being expressed by a large number of well-respected Trib staffers, I am running out of adjectives to describe what should happen to the powers that be.

As Andy pointed out, there were plenty of other dead weight candidates, a couple I can think of who have been there long enough to be bringing in more green than Scott Carter, who could have and should have been targeted before Scott Carter. Those close enough to the situation know who I am talking about, and the fact that they are still employed and Scott is not is enough to make a sane person want to snap!!!

 

Andy, while the shock and angst is still fresh, does there seem like any chance he could be brought back in another capacity?

 

Slappy, it doesn't appear so, at least from everyone I have been in contact with and clearly based on what Moddy is hearing. And you know what? Based on how this has all come down, I highly doubt Scott would even want anything from these bastards, and I wouldn't blame him one bit.

My hope is that when the shock and anger subsides for Scott, he can find his calling again either with a much more respectable and caring company (however few that might be) or as his own boss like I have where he can do the quality work we all know he can and have the freedom to enjoy his wife and baby daughter without dealing with the stress of working for a-holes.

 

Both Scott and Andy are class guys and were great workers at the Tribune. Both had demanding beats and handled them well. Scott not only covered the FSU beat, but he also was looking for offbeat features and enterprise. His biggest faults were writing longer than he was supposed to and forgetting to check in stories (that is the desker in me coming out), but he was on top of his beat. He was good with the Lightning and the Rays as well and will be missed.

Andy was a lot more high-strung than Scott, but grew into the UF beat and turned in some great pieces. Constantly in touch with the desk, sometimes battling over what to cut and what to include (and what good writer doesn't?), but doggedly persistent on the beat. When Billy Donovan waffled on the Magic job, Andy managed to camp outside Donovan's door and got the story.

Andy's already in a better place, and I am hoping Scott will bounce back too. It really stinks to lose good people.

Bob

 

Bob,

Thanks for adding a little more background on two classy people we all have great respect for. For me, this is as good a place as any to allow the last word to be spoken for the night.

At least the sun will rise again tomorrow. :-\

 

I'm not saying he would come back. I guess what I'm asking is if the powers that be are realizing they might have fucked this up and gone too far, having remorse and trying to correct the mistake.

 

I wouldn't hold my breath on that ever happening.

 

Didnt think it would. But from all accounts, you'd like to think they realize they fucked up and have some remorse...

 

I absolute agree, understand and empathize with what you're saying, Andy_Kent. Totally get it, and feel it, too, probably more than you know.

Sometimes, these decisions really are just wrong-headed, and people are wrongly targeted and involuntarily laid off/fired.

It's so wrong. And yet, knowing that, or believing it, changes nothing.

That's why it's so damn difficult to reconcile.

 

Just got back from a farewell party for a longtime Trib staffer, which seemed in some respects like a wake for much of the Trib sports department, and while I cannot post most of what was shared, at least not right now, I can tell you that I was tipped to the new UF beat writer -- a current staffer -- and I am having flashbacks to 1985. Also, this person will be based in Tampa, not in Gainesville, so a 21-year tradition of the Trib having a presence in both G'ville and Tallahassee comes to an end.

And, Moddy, it surprised me, too, if we're hearing the same name.

 

Carter had been with Media General (he was originally at Hernando Today) for nine years, 11 months and 10 days. I have not spoken to him since he drove his crap back (mid-afternoon yesterday) but the difference -- if they did not give him the last 20 days or allow him to work it -- was 10 weeks severance vs. 20 weeks.

Bellone had been there nine years and four months and they allowed him to finish his eight months.

Carter was reimbursed for his mileage.

Oh, and Duke Moss told him in the layoff phone call on Wednesday to not worry about any assignments. I swear.

 

When I was laid-off in a conference room, they asked about equipment. About all the words they could get out. I told them they were lucky at that point that I wasn't yet exploding and they shut up.

They asked my ASE to get it. I told him to have the publisher come to my house to pick it up. After two weeks, I finally gave it to my good friend, the ASE, because management was too cowardly to come get it.