Simers could be out at LAT

More on TJ, complete with vid of his daughter.

6.

http://www.laobserved.com/archive/2013/07/sports_scribes_abuzz_with.php

 

Did anyone at least tell Howard that Kelly was a pretty decent player in her day at Santana High in San Diego County. I think she even held the section record for three-pointers at one time.

 

There are certain things that happen in Los Angeles (the Steve Alford hiring being the most recent example I can recall) where the only thing I could possibly want to read is Simers' column about it.

I have heard enough about his personal style, from enough people I respect and like, to believe he is hell to get along with. But the man can turn a column. And he goes where he needs to be and asks the questions he needs to ask -- that makes him a lot different from the people he is often compared to.

 

Word for word...

I don't think I've read The Times once since he went on leave, or whatever it is...

 

Maybe he'll turn up at the Long Beach Register.

 

Please no.

 

I read almost no "name-brand" columnists these days unless directed to their work via an aggregation service (Twitter, facebook, SportsJournalists.com, etc.). In general, I'm harsh toward them. But I really like T.J. Simers.

 

I'd bet the Long Beach Register wouldn't say that.

 

And behind the crumudgeon is the man who'll write about kids at the children's hospitals who may never go home, and often don't, and I'm driven to tears. For those of us in the business, it will be a lesser place if exit papers are in the offing.

 

There's really no one similar to him. There are guys who do a weekly notes column that has an edge to it, but nobody is consistently as edgy (and funny) as Simers.

 

Those who know me from posting here know I am not a Simers fan at all. His columns aren't about sports, they are about him. His writing shows the kind of self-centered person he is. The whole thing with Mora shows what a fraud he is, but hey, he got more attention for himself and that is what he is all about.

His ventures in broadcasting did not go well. He's a know-it-all who knows little about any sports except football. Losing Bill Shaikin or Helene Elliott would be harder to take for LA Times readers. Simers did snarky comments about the McCourts, but Shaikin did the real reporting and owned the story lock, stock and barrel.

As for his future, I think the most likely scenario is for him to go to an online website - it might generate traffic. I am thinking something like Fox Sports or ESPN might be likely. I can't see the OC Register using him, and he presents a lot of potential problems for sports editors especially if he doesn't interest readers or generate readership numbers. Think about it - if a new reader read TJ Simers columns without any knowledge about him, they probably wouldn't like him. He came to the LA Times as a football writer/columnist, so he was already familiar to LA Times readers.