High school sports writer, Greensboro, N.C.

The fabled Tightsqueeze is a traffic light on U.S. 29 right outside Chatham, probably 90 minutes from the GNR offices. It has a Rose's Express (it doesn't rate a full-size version of the Saks of the South), a Hardees, a Food Lion and a couple of hardware stores. Oh, and a highway sign that reads Tightsqueeze that's so small, it appears the letters really are squeezed tightly.

It makes Eden look like that Eden.

 

Another opinion of the GNR (I can't believe they're touring again), fwiw.

I think it's a pretty good paper and a pretty good section. In terms of the Carolinas, I don't think it's as good as either Charlotte or Raleigh and maybe not quite as good as The State (but it's close). That said, it's probably the next best paper.

Part of what makes it good is that the GNR tries to act bigger than it is. And that's a good thing. They try to do enterprise. They try to do different things. They try to do good work. Does it always work? No, but that can be said of things at a lot of places. To me what matters is that they try and they try to get their people to grow. As we all know, there are a helluva lot of places that don't try and, as a result, are damn boring.

And, no, I don't work there and have never worked there.

 

One more thing. Two more things that make it a good job:

1. You could potentially move up there without having to move. Always a bonus.
2. If that doesn't work, it's a job where you can get another job from. Can you go to the NYT or the Washington Post? Probably not. Could you get a nice college beat job at a good paper after a couple of years of busting your butt here? Absoutely.

And I still don't work there.

 

Which part of Eden? Leaksville, Spray or Draper? Nothing like cruising Route 770 on a dark Saturday night, going to the drive-in.

 

Tightsqueeze is the favored stop between Lynchburg and Greensboro ... mostly because you always, without fail, hit that traffic light. So you might as well go to Mickey D's for a parfait. Sigh.

 

I can't remember if the Golden Skillet is outside Chatham or Tightsqueeze. It'll take off a few years from the ol' life expectancy.

 

Golden Skillet is Tightsqueeze.

 

Atlavista, Gretna, Chatham, Tightsqueeze = the Grand Slam of Route 29 excellence.

 

Don't forget Hurt and Ringold.

 

I have a strange urge to listen to Nine Inch Nails when driving past Hurt.

 

Golden Skillet is in Tighsqueeze, located near the corner of 29 and Loose Grip Road. And no, I can't make that shit up.

 

seems unlikely that you could "move up without having to move" considering they're moving their UNC beat writer back to preps. but it does seem like you could move backwards without having to move.