Zell whacks 25 percent of Allentown newsroom

Folks,

The news of this butcher job burns my ass. Gordie and Don: As someone with personal experience working alongside you and knowing how much of your hearts you put into your work and the amount of pride and love you have for sports, I wish you both the best of luck moving on. Hopefully some solace can be taken from the fact that we -- your peers, the people who have a freaking clue about this business, as opposed to the dolts who think the newspaper business should be run by Wall Street puppeteers -- respect your fine work.

I haven't had the pleasure of working alongside the others at the AMC fired, but clearly your work has plenty of admirers. My hope is that one of these days the patients who work in these asylums will take charge and show the pinstripes how to run a newspaper with class and effectiveness. God only knows why these stock market-obsessed morons decided to stick their noses into an area that ran swimmingly when owned by private entities.

Rant over. Godspeed.

 

As of this posting, the column mugs of Gordie Jones, Beth Hudson and Don Bostrom are still displayed on the paper's website under sports columnists.
Anyone ever see the scene in "The Longest Day" where the American paratrooper officer (played by John Wayne), upon entering the Norman town of St. Mere Eglise, looks up and sees dead American paratroopers swinging from tree branches and telephone poles and demands: "Cut them down!"?
Well, here's a plea:
Cut them down!

 

BETH:

I just wanted to let you that my thoughts are with you.

You deserved better _ much better.

I know it's been a while since we've talked, but I just wanted to let you know that you're a talented, hard-working journalist and one of the nicest people I've ever met.

I'm sure you'll land on your feet. You're too good at what you do.

If there's anything I can ever do to help you, please contact me.

Take care and keep your chin up.

 

Does Andre Williams still have a job?

 

Yes.

 

Gordie was sent packing and Andre Williams still has a job?!?!?!?!!?!

I'll leave it at that.

 

Suspected that was coming.

 

Disappeared for a few days and now wish I hadn't resurfaced after hearing about Gordie, whose talent and encouragement inspired me when I was a young coworker in Lancaster. I can still recite almost verbatim the column he wrote the day Julius Erving announced his retirement (had a great Daryl Dawkins Lovetron reference.) I'll repeat what others have said. Great writer, even better guy. Can't imagine what Allentown was thinking, but it obviously wasn't about serving its readers. This one was the clincher. I officially hate our industry (the Zell branch, especially).

 

i really don't know what to make from the past two posts, but it's disturbing.

 

Stephen Budihas is the VP of human resources, I believe.

 

they started whacking HR people at my last gig. and i found a lotta humor in that.

 

Any word on how the Allentown-4 are doing?
I.E....
Don Bostrom
Gordie Jones
Bob Flexor
Beth Hudson
They were among the first casualties of the current "downsizing" in American sports journalism.
Educated guess: Not well, and we need to all run for the hills and find new professions. Something that maybe actually pays us money?
Remember this peers: We didn't enlist. We didn't take vows. We can do other things.