What constitutes a "helluva sports editor?"

That's one of mine, too, although few seem to agree with me based on what I read all over the place.

 

Methinks you both are making much ado about nothing.

 

Yeah, but a helluva sports editor wouldn't let "Methinks" get into print either.

 

I'm guessing grunt meant that as an expression ...

"An empty suit tends to refer to a non-important person — perhaps someone puffed up with his own importance but really having little effect on the lives of others. It is often used as an insult to disparage others who really don’t deserve the title. The true empty suit, which conjures up the image of a business suit of clothing without a person, really doesn’t know what he or she is doing. He or she is ineffectual, perhaps a phony, and is about as relevant or helpful as a suit hanging on a rack."
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-an-empty-suit.htm

 

I'd be willing to compromise and go with empty sweat suit.

 

This is true. I would like to think most SEs would like to trust people and not micromanage. But you have to have a responsible, professional staff for that to be the case, and, unfortunately and especially in these times, not all staffs are capable.

 

Especially if the SE before you hired them. Which becomes the next SE's alibi too.

 

Ellerbee's the best I've had, and he's been through the ringer in Atlanta. He's basically lost his entire preps staff. Sad to see a top-flight editor have to go through that.

 

Vastly underrated guy who got out of the biz too soon: Jim Nasella, who was an assistant or the head guy at Youngstown, Daytona Beach, Tampa and Jacksonville. I can tell you one thing from talking to guys who worked for him -- he always, ALWAYS had his writers' backs.

 

A helluva sports editor, circa 2009:

Someone who takes the buyout rather than having to personally pink slip some good people.

 

Yup. Also a good point. That goes beyond "helluva" to "super helluva".

 

I had seven over a 17-year period, not including my stint as an SE for 10 months.