'Black Wednesday' in Tampa

Likes it's his fault he was based in Tallahassee? That's like the Milwaukee paper dumping its Packers writer because he lives in Green Bay.

 

What makes this even more ridiculous is the fact that it was the Trib that prodded him to take the FSU beat and asked him to move to Tallahassee! So if indeed that was part of the thinking process here, to avoid having to pay for him to move back to Tampa, then somebody needs to be taken out to the back parking lot for a serious discussion.

 

Found out about this this afternoon and have been utterly depressed since. Not sure what to say. Scott was my first friend in Tallahassee. My only friend, at times. He's a competitor on the beat, sure, but more important a genuine person who cares about this craft, and who cares about his fellow man. We all know what that means these days in this business.

Had promised myself I wouldn't get melodramatic -- probably too late -- but I'm just stunned. I fully expected to see Scott out at practice in a bit more than a month, a cigar hanging from his lips, ready to ask the old man about his program. Heck -- we were just talking the other day about going to ACC media days. And now this.

The Tribune just lost itself a great reporter. And FSU fans just lost some great insight into their program. But I know Scott will be OK, because he's too good not to be. Once again, it's the newspaper's loss.

 

Who's the preps writer who got axed? Or if that's a touchy matter, what age group does this person fall into?

 

I am proud to say Scott Carter is one of my best friends. Also that I brought him to the Trib during my five-year tenure in the late-1990s. I have been so proud of him, working his way from the Pasco Bureau to the Lightning (when he knew zip about hockey) to the Devil Rays to the Seminoles.

He loved his job of backing the Lightning and working the (Devil) Rays. As Staples mentioned in his e-mail, Carter took the FSU job to be the good soldier, to make room for some of the "dead weight", Staples addressed. Any of us who worked there in the last decade or so know exactly who Staples is referring to, yet they still are employed.

I talked to Carter last night. I've been laid off before and he was where I expected: perplexed, angry, worried, perplexed some more and then a bit of rage.

As others stated, he'll be fine. Will it be in this business? Like all of us, he has a lot of thinking to do.

As another mentioned, he has a 1-year-old daughter and a recently purchased home with a wife who also relocated her employment, obviously, from Tampa to Tallahassee. Carter was given no chance to relocate to Tampa.

Oh, and he learned by phone. Classy.

I would not want to be in Duke's wingtips today when Carter goes in to turn in his equipment.

This is just crap.

Scott Carter was the consummate pro. Hard-working, always thinking. Knew how to glean and keep contacts. Went from vanilla to Kahlua with his writing, which he really, really cared so deeply about.

On the personal side, one cannot find a better friend. Heck, a better person. Straight-up man's man and good liver.

Bob Bellone, like Carter, approaching his 10th year with Media General, was the third sports casualty ... thus far. No management folks took hits, of course.

 

It was a female. Reportedly, that one was not a surprise.

Carter's was an absolute shock.

BTW, Staples' job in Gainesville won't be filled (as I'm sure most everyone has figured out by now) nor will Carter's spot in Tallahassee. Miami was dropped about a decade ago.

 

wow...

 

I echo those sentiments and will let it be known to them.

Tampa Tribune veteran 1995-99

 

Spot-on.

Where the frick is someone supposed to land so cat-like these days?

 

For the most part, if you get news like this, you're done in this business...

 

I've met Andy a couple times, seemed like a cool cat.
That letter was just an absolute bitch slap. I hope similar letters are going out all around the country.