New Sports Columnist at Baltimore Sun

Add the first name Colin, and you may quickly realize the issues some of us have with the name.

 

I believe the Maese gig for the LA Times was freelance. But if the LA Times sports editor is still Randy Harvey, who hired Maese in Baltimore, I'm sure he can get some freelance work. But I don't know of any Tribune papers that are hiring anybody on staff now, in any capacity. It's all about shedding, shedding and shedding. That said, Maese will be fine. The jury is still out, waaaaay out, on Cowherd as a sports columnist.

 

Look above. It was a freelance piece.
And you're right. There are no hires at any of the business units (save the rare case of a backfill or two).

 

I noticed that as well. Brilliant writer. He'll wind up somewhere good soon. I know there are a lot of very talented people out there looking for work, but Maese has always been on another level.

 

This isn't about sports, but The Sun's education reporter took a bullet today to spare someone else's job.

The whole thing is here:
http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/news/education/blog/2009/05/sara_neufeld_baltimore_sun.html

She's inspiring and heart-wrenching at the same time. And the "bumping" thing is just awful.

 

This bumping stuff is incredible. Isn't it amazing to think no newspaper will ever have a reporting/desk/editor job opening again? All it is is re-assigning people after they rejoice at somebody agreeing to leave.

 

This is an interesting deal -- was she able, by offering herself, to guarantee specifically that it was her friend whose job was saved? And if so, is that the way it should work? Is her friend the next one they'd keep based on merits?

This is strictly a philosophical question. What she's doing is very selfless. Just wondering how the process works.

 

No. I'm sure not (but, I don't have specific knowledge of this one).
But, we've been thru this so many times, you can kind of look around the room -- after a number has been given -- and make a pretty educated guess.
Sad. Really sad.

 

Lord give me strength to carry on in this miserable goddamn business.

 

That's not true. Podunk's hiring.

 

If you don't mind, DD, I would like to receive your permission to have this printed on shirts and prayer cards.

 

Sorry, can't waste time evaluating a "new columnist" when the person only has the gig because bodies were left at the curb.

Nearly every "promotion" in this business is suspect now, because it probably wasn't earned on merit. More likely tied to seniority, having a less onerous salary or someone holding more job protection than another through union rules or cronyism ... especially if the opening came as brutally and abruptly as the Sun columnist spots.

It's like having 30 teams disbanded or contracted, then celebrating because you finally made it to the Super Bowl. New guy didn't do anything wrong, I realize. But when you can't earn raises and you can't earn promotions and, really, all you can do is hope to survive another day, then it isn't much of a business anymore and sure isn't a "career."