RIP Rudy Martzke

Jack Whitaker exuded class.
Cosell ego and arrogance.
When Cosell died, did he get a "Dead" or "RIP" here?

 

Thanks.

 

I used to steal them out of laundromats. Don't know why. Had already read the info while clothing was spinning. Future research, perhaps.

 

I think USA Today worked for the time it was launched in. Newspapers were so deeply provincial then, especially outside of the very biggest cities, so you didn’t get much coverage of the big four sports outside of your local market teams, just whatever AP copy happened to fit the hole on the page. The Money section made financial news available to the masses who probably never saw an actual copy of the WSJ in their lives and even the entertainment section was a vast improvement on what you’d find in the average Daily Bugle.

Plus it just seemed like their boxes were more widespread, at least in my hometown. You had to work to find a Tennessean box and the Nashville Banner was like a treasure hunt. But those white and blue boxes shaped like a TV seemed to be everywhere.

Once the web became a thing though, all of their niches were shot to pieces. Now they are lucky if someone glances at a free copy downstairs at the hotel while waiting for the complementary waffle to finish cooking.

 

One of my biggest regrets. I worked at a small daily in central Pennsylvania that was Gannett-owned until MediaNews acquired it in 2005. They had an old USA Today paper box in the back parking lot near the dumpsters that was out of service. I asked if I could have it and the managing editor said take it, and if you get it open you can have any coins stuck in there. I drove a two-door coupe, so getting it to my apartment was going to be a pain. Procrastinated on it to the point that, when I was ultimately let go from the place, I didn't want to even bother to go and get it.

Would have been a neat conversation piece in a den or home office.

 

Wait... The USA Today is still published? Holy shit!

 

USA Today's infographics were a big hit, too. Now everyone had to have 'em.