Houston SE takes buyout

[Moderator1]

Fred Faour, sports editor at the Houston Chronicle, took the buyout. It's posted here for confirmation.

http://brazosportnews.blogspot.com/2007/10/chron-ax-falls.html

[Inky_Wretch]

Sounds like his poker bankroll just increased.

Fred is one of the funniest people I've ever met. I don't know him that well, but he's always been very friendly and helpful to me.

[playthrough]

Sounds like his poker bankroll just increased.

Indeed. Loved when he came in here a while back and talked about playing in the WSOP. I wish him well.

[Editude]

Section (and the city) not my cup of tea, but that's quite the departure. With Hearst in trouble, I imagine they rearrange the deck chairs and carry on.

[patchs]

I've dealt with a good number of people in this biz over the last 20 years and Fred is one of the  nicest and best.
Maybe he's joining a band or going on the pro poker circuit but whatever, I wish him well. He helped me in a lot of ways the past few years.
This has been a heck of a week for metro SEs leaving.

[JerryMicco]

Freddy: We'll miss you at APSE and I'm sure your staff will miss you at the Chron. I'll look for you with a championship bracelet one day! Don't be a stranger to our yearly gatherings. If you're leaving the sports journalism world for good, we'll certainly miss you. Good, smart people leaving our business is never good. Jimmy Jenks, Larry Starks and you inside of 10 days. This is not a great time for our industry.

[steveu]

My take: Paper's actually improved a lot since it was redesigned -- still offers pro and college football daily sections -- but as always this sucks.

From the brazosport blog board: Looks like the Chron may have laid off the wrong person. Someone in features is suing for age discrimination. If even one person who sues wins a case, this could have a dramatic effect.

[MU_was_not_so_hard]

My take: Paper's actually improved a lot since it was redesigned -- still offers pro and college football daily sections -- but as always this sucks.

From the brazosport blog board: Looks like the Chron may have laid off the wrong person. Someone in features is suing for age discrimination. If even one person who sues wins a case, this could have a dramatic effect.

Probably not -- it will be settled out of court and no one will notice because they'll put a non-disclosure on it.
Certainly wouldn't be the first time it's happened.

[thegrifter]

Someone posted this before, but it's amazing how newspapers get away with so much bullshit cause there's nobody to report on it.
I wish internet companies like Yahoo went after newspapers the way newspapers go after big business, the NFL and the like.
Those would be some interesting stories worth reading.

[slappy4428]

Someone posted this before, but it's amazing how newspapers get away with so much bullshit cause there's nobody to report on it.
I wish internet companies like Yahoo went after newspapers the way newspapers go after big business, the NFL and the like.
Those would be some interesting stories worth reading.

It's because of the unwritten, unspoken agreement -- the same one that allows newspapers to hide behind no comment on one page and take other companies or governmental bodies to task on another for doing the same thing.

[Faour]

Hey Jerry, Inky, Patchs...thanks for the kind words. Your cut of my check is in the mail! I'm going to miss the hell out of everybody in this business. It gives me a lot of comfort to know that people still care about doing great journalism, and care enough to come here and chat about it. Rest assured, I do too. I hope you haven't seen the last of me in this business. (No, I have no idea what I am going to do yet). But I have a lot of free time, so don't be shocked to see me lurking around here a lot to get my journalism fix.

Fred Faour
Unemployed person

[slappy4428]

Oh good. Another deadbeat hanging around our house...

[Inky_Wretch]

Oh good. Another deadbeat hanging around our house...

Yeah, but he can afford to buy the beer now.

[finishthehat]

Carlton Thompson the new sports editor:

http://tinyurl.com/3adfxw

[Danny Noonan]

There's quite a few of us deadbeats, or BOESE's (Burned Out Ex Sports Editors) lurking around here, Slap. An ever-growing fraternity, all of whom wake up in the morning, and smile because we GOT OUT. (And I can afford to buy enough beer for everyone here.)

[Bill_Bradley]

Fred,

I would say, "Good Luck," but you won't need it: Something will come after you, no worries. That said, I will miss having you in the business. Call if you get the chance.

My best,

Bill

[Lynn_Hoppes]

Fred,

You'll be missed.

What I remember about you is when we had lunch one day in Dallas, and you had so much passion for sports and so much compassion for your employees. That showed me that you cared beyond being their boss. You are a gentleman and a gentle man. Good luck with everything.

Lynn

[slappy4428]

Fred,

You'll be missed.

What I remember about you is when we had lunch one day in Dallas, and you had so much passion for sports and so much compassion for your employees. That showed me that you cared beyond being their boss. You are a gentleman and a gentle man. Good luck with everything.

Lynn

Who paid for lunch?

[patchs]

After this week, I need a drink.
APSE happy hour won't be the same.
I shared some good times with some of the folks who posted above, God this biz can suck.

[Faour]

Thanks, Lynn. Thanks, Bill. (Disclaimer: It's no secret I think those are two of the best SEs in the business!!!!)

OK, time to share with everybody...

The passion is still there, and I hope I will be back. Don't want to get into the reasons I had to do this, but if you really want to know, you can email me at dragonman409@gmail.com and I will tell you everything.

For the record, the Chron's new SE -- Carlton Thompson -- was the guy I groomed to replace me, and he will do an excellent job. I am thrilled he got the gig. He is a dear friend and a great journalist.

As for me...I am going to be a bum, hang out with my now ex-secretary (who is pretty far along with terminal cancer -- you can see her blog at chron.com/blogs.cancerdiva)...play a LOT of poker (including the WSOP circuit event in New Orleans in late November and the big event at Coushatta in December) do some local radio, and...well, be a bum. Did I mention that?

But sports journalism is still what I love more than anything (well, other than poker, ex wives/girlfriends and uh, well, poker) and I will hopefully get involved again...I know everyone here has the same passion for this, because I look at the site every day and read your posts.  I love that so many people care about what we do, whether or not we agree on how to do it. And as much as we all like to complain, we are addicted. And it is up to you guys to keep things going.

I am going to take a break, but I hope I will be back. (Unless, of course, I win one of those tournaments!)

No more platitudes, please. You guys are making me sad. All the people out there who hate me need to weigh in so I will feel better about this!

Seriously, I will miss everybody. You guys are the best.







 

[deskslave]

Thanks, Lynn. Thanks, Bill. (Disclaimer: It's no secret I think those are two of the best SEs in the business!!!!)

OK, time to share with everybody...

The passion is still there, and I hope I will be back. Don't want to get into the reasons I had to do this, but if you really want to know, you can email me at dragonman409@gmail.com and I will tell you everything.

For the record, the Chron's new SE -- Carlton Thompson -- was the guy I groomed to replace me, and he will do an excellent job. I am thrilled he got the gig. He is a dear friend and a great journalist.

As for me...I am going to be a bum, hang out with my now ex-secretary (who is pretty far along with terminal cancer -- you can see her blog at chron.com/blogs.cancerdiva)...play a LOT of poker (including the WSOP circuit event in New Orleans in late November and the big event at Coushatta in December) do some local radio, and...well, be a bum. Did I mention that?

But sports journalism is still what I love more than anything (well, other than poker, ex wives/girlfriends and uh, well, poker) and I will hopefully get involved again...I know everyone here has the same passion for this, because I look at the site every day and read your posts.  I love that so many people care about what we do, whether or not we agree on how to do it. And as much as we all like to complain, we are addicted. And it is up to you guys to keep things going.

I am going to take a break, but I hope I will be back. (Unless, of course, I win one of those tournaments!)

No more platitudes, please. You guys are making me sad. All the people out there who hate me need to weigh in so I will feel better about this!

Seriously, I will miss everybody. You guys are the best.







 

Fred, I never met you in my life, but I think you suck!

[Angola!]

Thanks, Lynn. Thanks, Bill. (Disclaimer: It's no secret I think those are two of the best SEs in the business!!!!)

OK, time to share with everybody...

The passion is still there, and I hope I will be back. Don't want to get into the reasons I had to do this, but if you really want to know, you can email me at dragonman409@gmail.com and I will tell you everything.

For the record, the Chron's new SE -- Carlton Thompson -- was the guy I groomed to replace me, and he will do an excellent job. I am thrilled he got the gig. He is a dear friend and a great journalist.

As for me...I am going to be a bum, hang out with my now ex-secretary (who is pretty far along with terminal cancer -- you can see her blog at chron.com/blogs.cancerdiva)...play a LOT of poker (including the WSOP circuit event in New Orleans in late November and the big event at Coushatta in December) do some local radio, and...well, be a bum. Did I mention that?

But sports journalism is still what I love more than anything (well, other than poker, ex wives/girlfriends and uh, well, poker) and I will hopefully get involved again...I know everyone here has the same passion for this, because I look at the site every day and read your posts.  I love that so many people care about what we do, whether or not we agree on how to do it. And as much as we all like to complain, we are addicted. And it is up to you guys to keep things going.

I am going to take a break, but I hope I will be back. (Unless, of course, I win one of those tournaments!)

No more platitudes, please. You guys are making me sad. All the people out there who hate me need to weigh in so I will feel better about this!

Seriously, I will miss everybody. You guys are the best.







 

I'm sure normally I'd be the first to throw some hate just for the heck of it, but at my first APSE meeting in Texas you took the time to talk to me when other SEs at the event didn't and I always appreciated it.
When I saw you took a buyout I wasn't too happy about it, but good luck in your future endeavors.

[steveu]

Thanks, Lynn. Thanks, Bill. (Disclaimer: It's no secret I think those are two of the best SEs in the business!!!!)

OK, time to share with everybody...

The passion is still there, and I hope I will be back. Don't want to get into the reasons I had to do this, but if you really want to know, you can email me at dragonman409@gmail.com and I will tell you everything.

For the record, the Chron's new SE -- Carlton Thompson -- was the guy I groomed to replace me, and he will do an excellent job. I am thrilled he got the gig. He is a dear friend and a great journalist.

As for me...I am going to be a bum, hang out with my now ex-secretary (who is pretty far along with terminal cancer -- you can see her blog at chron.com/blogs.cancerdiva)...play a LOT of poker (including the WSOP circuit event in New Orleans in late November and the big event at Coushatta in December) do some local radio, and...well, be a bum. Did I mention that?

But sports journalism is still what I love more than anything (well, other than poker, ex wives/girlfriends and uh, well, poker) and I will hopefully get involved again...I know everyone here has the same passion for this, because I look at the site every day and read your posts.  I love that so many people care about what we do, whether or not we agree on how to do it. And as much as we all like to complain, we are addicted. And it is up to you guys to keep things going.

I am going to take a break, but I hope I will be back. (Unless, of course, I win one of those tournaments!)

No more platitudes, please. You guys are making me sad. All the people out there who hate me need to weigh in so I will feel better about this!

Seriously, I will miss everybody. You guys are the best.







 

Fred, I never met ya... but hit a couple royal flushes in poker so you can have a good life. Keep the positive outlook.

[daveevansedge]

This has quickly and surprisingly become an outstanding thread. I never met Fred, but when many anonymous posters and a few big guns under their real names step on here and offer such platitudes, I can tell he must be a helluva guy.

I hardly ever start posts on here, because one misstep often turns a thread into a firing range. But I check the forums out every day -- as it sounds like Fred and some other highly respected professionals do -- for the good debates and threads such as this one, acknowledging a great journalist. Props to Moddy for getting this item on the board.

Fred, as I said, I never met you; in fact, despite nearly two decades in the biz, I've never heard of you. But your comments make me want to keep slugging away at my 180K circ., trying to make it a better product. Job well done. Best of luck.

[Colton]

Fred: If you ever want to plug a way at a 20,000-daily in Ohio, let me know!

Best of luck, sir.