University of Alabama beat writer: The Birmingham News

What I'm saying with my under-30 comment is that this job will require stamina and it's the younger guys that more often than not will staff these beats. Just look at a gameday scene down at field level, when all the writers are waiting to get in a fieldhouse. Most of the beat guys are young, under 30.
Plus (and most importantly), Birmingham will want a person that doesn't need to be de-programmed from what they were doing prior to this.
It will be a younger person who gets this.

 

Might be someone in the 25-30 range. That would not be surprising -- someone with 4-5 years experience but full of vigor. No way in hell they give it to someone under 25, unless they are wanting to save $$$$.

 

While I don't know all the guys on this beat, the major players aren't under 35. Cecil Hurt, Chris Walsh, Tom Murphy, Paul Gattis, Tim Gayle, etc. You can throw a young guy in there but most will be in over their head.

 

Solomon would be an excellent fit for the job, as a temporary fill because of the lateness of this hire or otherwise. I know the people at Clemson celebrated openly when he left to take his current gig in Birmingham, which says a lot about the bulldog nature he brought to that beat.
HA! After seven years on the Clemson beat, the competition's still waiting for Solomon to break his first big story. He got pounded more than Paris Hilton.

They celebrated openly because he did some highly questionable tactics while trying to actually break a story (peering through windows to see which candidate was being interviewed for the women's basketball gig, listening around corners and through doors in the athletic department and then quoting them in a story). Because of Jon, Clemson banned reporters from walking through the football offices without an SID escort. For his talents and likes, he is in the perfect job. If he switches to the beat, Mobile, Huntsville, Tuscaloosa and the like will have a field day.

 

Damn, dude.
Must be a miracle that The State hired Solomon to do the same lousy job he was doing for Anderson.

 

Name me one major story he broke at either and I'll give you a dollar. He's a good writer and hard worker, but that doesn't mean he as a good beat writer. I was told that when he was at Anderson, the M.E. had a meeting with him about breaking more stories, which is why he started the whole snooping thing, and thus created the "Solomon Rules" at Clemson.

 

Wow. The dude who pounds Anderson (I'd venture to guess most if not all of your posts rip that paper) every time they have an opening breaks off a former Anderson employee. Just shut up, give the guy some credit for working his tail off and return to your regularly scheduled life.
If Jon wasn't a good beat writer -- especially considering the dude did it on his own for so long -- I don't know what one is.
I don't know who you are, but if you're going to continue to rip Anderson or anyone who once worked there, you need to get over yourself.

 

Solly didn't go from Anderson to The State to Birmingham without being a good reporter. I know the guy a little, and his strength is feature-writing and enterprisel, always has been, and that's why he's giong to do well in B'ham. I haven't been enough of a keen observer of Clemson to pinpoint which stories he has and hasn't broken, but I'm willing to bet it's a few more than El Deano over there.

 

No matter what the subject, every thread seems to hit a point in which one person makes it his personal agenda to attack someone's personal character while sharing his own personal demons and bitterness with the rest of the board.
In this case, Dean-Smith is "that guy."
Have you seen those web sites, like "don'tbethatguy.com?" Or "http://ubersite.com/m/7929." Or even, http://www.pointsincase.com/columns/justin/1-4-04.htm."
Dean-Smith is "that guy."
The one in the office you won't invite out to lunch or a beer after work with the rest of the gang.
The one who wants to meet your wife or girlfriend's friend and you won't introduce them for her sake.
The one who laughs at his own jokes, even though no one else is laughing.
The one who enters a room filled with conservation and stops the conversation with his mere arrival.
The one we all wanted to beat up as kids because he was such a pest.
The one nobody likes, and he can't figure out why.
Congratulations Dean. You're "That guy."
If you've got a problem with Solomon, call him. I'm pretty sure the general number at the News is 205-325-2222.

 

Solomon probably isn't going to be the guy who gets cozy with players, coaches and administrators. And there's nothing wrong with that. He might have made some mistakes (who hasn't?), but there are few people who will outwork him. I think he'd do just fine covering Bama.

All this is immaterial anyway, because he probably doesn't even want another beat after doing the Clemson thing for so long.

 

The attack on Solomon seems out of left field. Worked with him for a little bit, and he's a great guy, and I have always heard great things about his work since then. But anybody who would use Dean Smith as their handle has some issues anyway.

 

MU, apparently you have no clue what a great beat writer does. No, wait, I take that back. From all your posts and comments and insight on every single thread that has ever appeared on this site, apparently you do know what is required to be a great beat writer and apply those skills on a daily basis. Thus, I take back my earlier remarks.

It's not an attack on Solomon. I said he is a good writer and a very hard worker and is in the perfect job for his skills and what he likes to do. And Scrubs, if you want to attack someone for their handle, try not having one of an awful TV show. A name like that doesn't exactly imply that you have much taste.

If writing some nice features, notebooks and game stories means you're a great beat writer, regardless if you break a single story, then I guess Jon fits the bill.

By the way, what's so different about ripping Anderson for all its shortcomings and its retarded SE than all those that rip Morris or Gannett or any other paper/chain?

Again, never worked in Anderson and never applied, but know just about every person that has gone through that place in the last 20 years and can compare it to the people that are currently there and who have run that paper into the ground.