STUNNER: Pluto leaving ABJ for PD

Who knew that the movement of Pluto would bring on the Night of the Long Knives?

Astrological incivility!

 

I would say for anybody but Pluto, it would have been surprising. No matter what one thinks of his writing, Pluto is probably the most recognized print voice in the northern Ohio market. Bringing him on board was something the PD couldn't pass up.

 

This rearrangement is indicative of attrition, nothing more. This doesn't make the paper better. It makes it worse. Bringing Reed back in Pluto's spot would have made it better. As someone said, they would get rid of Pluto’s huge salary and add just a small one. Well, they did it one better, and didn’t add one at all.

Ridenour is solid and will do a good job on the Browns beat. She's worked that for much of 15 years and more than knows her way around. That said, she's a step down in that role from McManamon, who is flat-out outstanding. As good as Pat is as a beat guy, he cannot match Reed's chops as a columnist or writer in general.

Where this becomes a complete disaster is Thomas, who is just plain awful. But let's not blame him. He's just not a sportswriter. He’s a movie critic. But when cutbacks happened and some positions were trimmed, those left without a gig but with seniority got to pick new spots. Thomas chose prep sportswriter. He could do little harm there, too. Though he was horrid, the audience isn't looking for award-winning prose. The Ohio State beat, though? At least in football season, the Buckeyes might be the most-read beat in the paper (particularly once the Browns are out of the race -- so by Sept. 20 or so).

While we're at it, count me in the crowd that doesn't understand Pluto's acclaim. He's an average writer who seldom offers an opinion and never rips a local team (and in the Cleveland market, the opportunities to do so are ceaseless). He also has this uncanny ability to "interview" a player or coach, with his notebook tucked under his arm, his pen in his hand under his chin, and no tape recorder in sight, yet produces quote-laden pieces that run the next day. Of course, since he never writes anything controversial, nobody's ever going to call him on it. That said, he's one of the best people you'll ever meet.

Whomever said the Beacon Journal is a sinking ship had it right. It's a shame, too. This was a once-great paper. Sports-wise, in the days when Ed Meyer covered the Browns, Pluto covered the Cavs and Ocker did the Indians, it was as good as it got.

 

Very much agreed Pompano. But the one thing that everyone chooses to forget in this argument is that if you look at the Sports Departments around this country, the Plain Dealer has one of the highest percentages of diversity in the country.
If Roger Brown didn't take the buyout, he would still be a columnist. Like him or hate him, he added a different voice and got people talking. Also, Livingston did not choose to take the buyout earlier this year, Roger Brown did.
Promote from within instead of Pluto? Not likely. Branson Wright is a solid basketball writer, but not columnist material.
Plus, if we want to keep hammering on diversity, how come Akron is replacing a white columnist with ... a white columnist? Many, many years ago at the same paper Steve Love went from a news columnist to a sports columnist, why not try the same with George Thomas?
Should Shaw leave or when Livingston retires and the PD chooses to go with another white columnist, then that would be insane.
And Scoop, name me five black and or female columnists who would A -- Go to Cleveland and B -- Are better than Pluto.

 

At the risk of sounding sanctimonious, journalism is a business that strives for truth and transparency. In pursuit of those goals, news outlets will sometimes quote sources anonymously. But nearly every paper I know of has either a policy or a strong bias against anonymous rips. Moreover, every court in this country affords a defendant the right to face his accusers.

Anonymous rips are inherently unfair, unkind, unprofessional and unworthy of people in this profession. It's my understanding that if the Las Vegas editors were able to identify Blondebomber, they would fire him. It's easy, then, to understand his desire to stay undercover. It's harder, though, to understand why someone in this business would feel compelled to use a public forum to take anonymous shots at co-workers.
Jealousy? Thwarted ambition? Mean-spirited mischievousness?

If you insist on remaining incognito, please explain your motivation. Seriously, I think we ought to be above this kind of behavior. If you feel differently, tell me why.

 

We should be Tim, but the fact is we're not, especially on this board. No matter what the discussion is, it seems to be a, sorry ladies, "My dick is bigger than yours" community.

Much of what this profession is, especially to be good, is in part ego-driven. That's why we are what we are.

But, if you're going to be personal taking shots at someone, be it a fellow poster or someone else in the profession, you should have the nerve to identify yourself when you do it.

 

How out of touch are you? Does the concept of wireless communication flummox you? Have you graduated from a Royal to a Tandy yet?

It's a message board. This ain't the newspaper.

Now you want a few hundred members to come on here and explain to you why each of us has decided to be anonymous. At the risk of sounding sanctimonious (or fossil-like), indeed ...

You make Jerry Magee look like Eli Saslow.

I stay anonymous because I like to give an unvarnished opinion without fear of being fired. You can't do both on here. You've been around the block a few times, Sullivan. You can't do that much anywhere without approval from your employer (i.e. writing a column). That's the way the world works. Unless you're going to suck off your colleagues all the time, then there's no way to be critical under your own name without losing your job. It's happened to people on this board before.

And if you think otherwise, then why don't you go ahead and vent your spleen right here, under your own name? Tell us what you REALLY think about some people you read or have worked with but don't like. Show us the way.

Oh, you say that's not your style? Well, some people on here like to be brutally critical. Sid Hartman, Chris Berman, Mitch Albom, Angry Young Man, Bob Jelenic, Scoop Jackson, Bill Simmons, Jason Whitlock, Mark Madden to name a few ... All have gotten theirs on this board.

Would anybody waste their time to come on here for a discussion that starts with "You know, that Stuart Scott just isn't my cup of tea. What do you fellows think?"

And I think it's great you have spoken to Ed about me and that he has told you the R-J editors would fire me if they could. Good to know I'm being noticed so far away from Las Vegas. That's part of my MO, to hold management accountable for its piss-poor decisions and inability to turn what could be a great newspaper into somethig better than below average. I love this town, and it deserves a paper that isn't a glorified, grip-and-grin community shopper (of course, our foundation is real estate and not used cars or farm equipment).

Anyway .... Go get 'em, Prince Valliant!

EDITED P.S. "Loose Balls" was a great book, but in checking some of Pluto's stuff, the church references sure can make for a creepy read. That porno reference was uncomfortable to say the least. I pictured Casey Coleman sitting there and wondering how soon the interview would be over when Pluto started to compare drinking to a porn addiction. Too much info, dude. Thanks for putting that image into our heads of you naked at your computer.

 

Yeah but have you noticed how the sports editor there, Roy Hewitt, mostly hires woman and minorities? Hardly an all-white lineup except for the columnists, two of which Hewitt inherited.

 

Anyone else see the irony here?

One of the most famous lines in SportsJournalists.com history came from a guy trying to sue the PD because they wouldn't hire white males in sports. Now the PD is getting killed on here for ... too many white males in sports. Incredible.

As an aside, this move for Pluto allegedly was instigated by the new editor, who read his stuff on the KR wire while she was in Cali and apparently was a big fan. Sounds like this came straight from her.

 

That running line you refer to was never funny and got old a long time ago.

I don't see this as a black-white issue at all. I think Scoop is the only one trying to bang that drum -- and poorly at that.

The PD should have made this move a long time ago, but I'm getting the sense the religion columns kept Pluto at the ABJ ...like the kid who eschews Big Time U and picks a lesser college because the football coach will let him play baseball. My guess is the PD finally caved and let him play both sports.

 

It's always funny.