Sports writer, Dodge City, KS

usually i would think its a horrible idea for an editor to come on here defending his shop against the allegations that get slung around here because it's pretty much a no-win situation but i think Rick handled it very well. it would have been easy to just fire away in response but he was even-keeled and presented his side respectfully. well done

 

this fucking site makes me shake my head from side-to-side every now and again.

 

When you say "volutary" do you mean as if all of it was his idea, or was his voluntary work like football offseason volutary workouts? In other words, he had better do it unless he wanted to piss some people off.

I know kamikaze. I don't know how much of his story is exaggeration and how much is 100 percent truth. But I do know that guy was worked too much. A 6A high school, a junior college, USBL, and all that other stuff ... how in the world is one person supposed to do all that and keep the readers informed about stuff going on?

 

There's only one way to settle something like this in Dodge City.

 

Nice. But only after a few beers at Mom and Pop's.

 

Small dailies are a lot of work. A LOT LOT LOT of work. Too much work to do for very long. Any journalist who takes these jobs should know this. If you don't know it, you're too naive and stupid to be in journalism.

Every journalist should work at a small daily for a year or two, but nobody should work at one for MORE than a year or two.

The big problem with our industry is people who buy large dailies, and attempt to run them like small dailies.

You buy an 80,000-circulation daily and try to run it like an 8,000-circulation daily, soon enough it will actually BE an 8,000-circulation daily.

 

after that post, mom and pop now sell tar smack.

 

I am familiar with both the Globe and with kamikaze021, and I would like to clarify some of his assertions on this thread. He did help on the news side as needed, but that was mostly voluntary on his part, as I recall. He laid out sports pages and served as night reporter two nights a week but still did plenty of sports writing. I might note that when we had two full-time sports writers, they both juggled layout duties and night reporting with their regular assignments.

In addition, kamikaze makes it sound as if he covered all those schools, worked as night reporter two nights a week and typed obits from the day he was hired. That is not the case. Other people filled those roles at first, but kamikaze was asked to assume those duties when other people resigned, just as the rest of the Globe staff pitched in when necessary. I filled in for kamikaze on more than one occasion on Sunday because he was tied up with covering games.

I can't address kamikaze's salary or overtime issues, as I am not familiar with those details. I can, however, clarify some of the other issues he's raised, and that is my sole intent. I am not interested in attacking kamikaze.

There's no doubt that the Globe sportswriter has plenty to keep him (or her) hopping, but that would be true at any small daily newspaper. Unfortunately, the paper has an extremely small news staff, and we're accustomed to juggling multiple beats and working at night. Somehow, most of us manage to cope.

 

well god, given your long history of posting on this site, i believe every thing you "say." thanks for clearing that up.

 

Tom, no need for the sarcasm, it's not like any of the three parties in question have long records at SportsJournalists.com.

Bottom line, starters proceed with caution with this position.

 

Shit, everything sounds fine to me, Oz.

 

spot on, dog.