Garry Howard out at Sporting News

Fran, the guy has talent. He wouldn't have risen to among the top in this profession and lasted for more than three decades without it. Yes, he's controversial and has rubbed many, especially those along these threads, the wrong way. I'm not getting into or defending that. All I'm saying is he does have a talent and could be an asset to any publication if utilized properly.

 

Squires will make his own way. The book on him is that he has tremendous talent as an editor and developer of young talent. A move to ESPN would be perfect for him so I would not dismiss that out of hand. His current role with McClatchy will not allow him to fully show his talents.

It would not be the the first time a trusted lieutenant has followed his boss from one stop to the next, so I do not understand the surprise. The guys who have all the power in this business look out for "their guys" all the time. It would be good for somebody like Howard to do the same if he chose to do so.

 

ESPN?!! What are you guys smoking? The guy was asked to leave after being one of the biggest reasons SN is losing craploads of money. And what "talent" are you speaking of? Speaking loudly, drawing attention to yourself, high-fiving people and generally acting like a buffoon? There's a reason he's referred to as the "black Michael Scott." I don't think any of us here ever worked with anyone in a management position who was so obviously in over his head. Glad-hander, cheerleader, flak maybe, but not an editor and not a journalist. The man should be working at Dunder-Mifflin.

 

Really, NYKnight?

"The guy was asked to leave after being one of the biggest reasons SN is losing craploads of money."

Just so you know, NYKnight, it was Jeff Price, the former president and publisher of Sporting News, who did the disastrous deal to acquire AOL Fanhouse -- probably the worst deal in digital sports journalism. That deal never gained any traction at all, and saddled Sporting News with an inflated expense ledger with little new advertising revenue to show for it.

Jeff worked in New York City and had all the power as he orchestrated that deal. Garry Howard was a peon three or four layers below working in Charlotte.

And you say Garry was one of the biggest reasons SN was losing craploads of money? Yet it was Price who took on a boatload of expense and worthless AOL traffic just as the market was turning south.

Criticize Garry all you want but get your facts right. Garry never had ANY power at Sporting News and he is certainly not the primary reason that ship starting sinking.

 

I agree with Cigar's takedown of your comment that preceded the one I quote here, but as to the point quoted, I unfortunately spent more than a decade of my career experiencing the flabbergasting daily truth of those words.

 

Cigar, I had a talk with both of them and they laughed at the stuff being posted. They got a really good chuckle about the ESPN stuff.

 

Any other celebrities present at this meeting of the minds?

 

Drip:

Stay tuned.

 

@ Celebrities? What are you talking about? YF, Why are you posting? Isn't there a computer or something for you fix?
@Cigar, Yes, to some, it will be interesting to see where they end up. Knowing them as I do, I'm sure they are going to do what's best for them.

 

I have to say the statement by NYKnight is pretty ridiculous and about as uninformed as I have ever seen on this board and that is saying a lot. There are plenty of incompetent in-over-his/her-head managers out here and I have worked for a few of them. Garry is not in that class. He successfully ran the Milwaukee department for 10 years. You can criticize his style and boisterous tendencies but I think his abilities as a manager speak for themselves. He is competent and capable and probably has something already lined up. Keep in mind that his departure from Sporting News coincides with his three-year anniversary with the company which tells me a contract had expired so the parties knew what they were dealing with.

Can't forget to laugh at Howard losing SN craploads of money or whatever you said. Please! The AOL FanHouse deal was the dumbest shit I have seen in our business and that had nothing to do with Howard. FanHouse had become a go-to destination because of the incredible content provided by its leadership, talented editors and writers. When they didn't bring that along with the portal it didn't take a genius to realize that was going to be the disaster it became. The only winner there was AOL which is still laughing to the bank because it still owns the FanHouse brand.

 

Garry is a nice guy and surely seems able to get jobs, pleasing the people who hire if not always those who have to work for him. But from all I've heard, that "black Michael Scott" assessment is just about perfect.

 

I'd be humiliated if someone defended me with this.

Gary's not in the same class as the most incompetent, in-over-his-head managers?

He's competent and capable?

This sounds like the defense of a C- student.