Copy editor, New Jersey

I'd like to see all papers have to do this, yessireebob. I mean, come on.

Most places that suck, well, they suck because the people in charge have zero self-awareness of what the underlings think and spend too much time patting each other on the back to notice. They're oblivious to what's bad about the place, chiefly that they are the cause of it, and they don't know any better. If you asked a mother rat why she just ate her young, she's gonna look at you like you're from Mars: "Don't all moms eat some of their children when they have a good reason to?"

The worst places I've been were that way because the top people surrounded themselves with ass-kissers who shielded them from the ugly truth, "Emperor's New Clothes" and all that. How are such people equipped to tell the truth to prospective employees if they can't tell the truth to themselves?

 

Not to mention that the new full-time writer they hired usually takes 8 or 9 grafs before he tells the reader what the score of the game was, buries interesting game occurences in grafs 12-13, and wraps up the tedious piece with a meaningless quote or two from a coach. Did I also mention that this new full-time hire never used to file before 11 p.m., no matter whether the game he covered occured at 1 p.m. or 7 p.m.? Yeah, he's a real doozy ... and the writer who is quitting was much better at doing this job.

A real pat on the back to JayRoy Hobbs for finding that picture of DeRienzo and the spawn of Satan.

 

But back on page 7, JayRoy Hobbs indicated this writer was being hired as a copy editor, unless I misread - or read too much into - what he posted. Plus this writer doesn't take 8-9 graphs to get to the score, 5-6 usually, but very rarely 8-9. Does he take until 11, because he's in the office doing the wrap for his sport and other sports before getting around to writing his story? He was a solid employee at his last stop... the hardest working guy there, wish he was still there. The folks at his last stop lost a ton of local sports knowledge when they let him go.

The hire was also worthy of a 6 inch story, with mugshot, announcing him as the newest staff member in today's paper.

 

I personally find the new hire's writing style boring and dull. Maybe he excites Aaron Bracy ... and besides, there's plenty of holes to fill in the sports dept. now that many of the veterans have decided enough is enough and jumped ship.

 

That Clemens special section is a resume builder? I wouldn't hire whoever did that to lay out my college newspaper. That was 16 pages of awful. Probably took about 5 minutes to put together.

By the way, congats to the new Trentonian writer. He was a solid employee at his last stop, and he's a credit to the Mercer County sports scene. Just wish he was still at said last stop.

 

First rule of journalism. You are not going to please everyone. As long as he pleases his employers, I'm sure he's pleased.

 

i guess hope is all in the eye of the beholder lapdog. hell, a few pages back the little dork from the saratogian said he didn't figure that shop was any different from any other shop. if you don't know what hope is, how can you wish for it?

 

Although there are many quality candidates worthy and up to the task of Trentonian Assistant Sports Editor, may I endorse Mr. Phil Nelson? He embodies two of the greatest attributes any leader can have. For starters, he's able to be at two places at once. Wrestling meets in Hunterdon at 7:00 p.m. and at Steinert at 7:30 p.m. on the same night. Impossible to cover? Not for "Superman" Phil Nelson. He's gifted enough to out-maneuver that whole time continuum thingy. (For those of you unversed in quantum physics, I suggest renting 2004 film "Primer" for a better understanding.) Secondly, a leader must be a multi-tasker who can concentrate on two things at once. Phil fits the bill by not only writing stories and keeping track of scores at meets, but he manages to discreetly rub one out while doing so. Who can resist 15-year-old boys rolling around on the floor in singlets? It's by no means easy, but he pulls it off (no pun intended) graciously. Hell, why not give Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton a run for their money. Phil Nelson for President, bitches!

 

Hope is a dangerous thing.

 

and i hope for .82-a-gallon gas prices.

 

Here is an example of the Trentonian's wrestling/softball writer's fine freelance work, performed for the Princeton Packet under another name, but almost always written while on the clock at the Trentonian:

http://www.pacpub.com/site/index.cfm?BRD=1091&dept_id=425420&newsid=18326826&PAG=461&rfi=9