News from Chicago

Forgot about him. Shouldn't have, though. He was one of my favorites.

 

awwww, this blows. Skip is one of the great ones. Helped me out a time or two.

 

Here's a partial list, posted by the Tribune's religion writer online:

Hanke Gratteau, Mike Tackett, Tim McNulty, Vanessa Bauza, Joe Sjostrom, Jack Pointer, Barbara Rose, Dan Gibbard, Ernie Torriero, Wendy White, Hung Vu, Marsha Peters, Brenda Kilianski, Barry Temkin, Alan Sutton, Skip Myslenski, Mark Shapiro and Ed Sherman, Heather Stone, Charles Osgood, John Schmeltzer, Steve Franklin, Glenn Jeffers, and Maurice Possley.

and the link to her blog, which contains unedited comments from Randy Michaels and Le Abrams:

http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/religion_theseeker/2008/08/tisha-bav-at-th.html

 

Sad to see Temkin get the axe. Good guy and always willing to lend a hand. This is really sickening to see.

 

I'm told Temkin wanted out, likewise Myslenski and Sherman.

 

I did not see the name of a friend/college classmate on that list so far.

I'm worried she might be on it at some point.

 

Aside from those mentioned, Osgood does good photo work in the Trib Sunday magazine...

 

I covered Northwestern's FB practice/media day Thursday with Skip.

Afterward, we spent some awkward moments in the parking lot -- Skip staying balanced on his 10-speed while negotiating his cigarette -- trying to sum up the incalculable.

I don't want to claim to know what Skip's thinking right now. All I know is I looked at him and thought, "Is this all there is? Is this how our careers, our livelihoods, go down?"

For roughly 40 years, he has written hundreds of thousands of inimitable words on some of the most intriguing people and situations in professional and collegiate sports. He has been kind enough to share several of those stories with me and so many others, including JBHawk and others who have chimed in here.

And, yes, he enjoyed a beer or two along the way.

There's a note above that says Skip (and the others) wanted out. Well, technically, yes. He did the math and figured it could be OK. But who puts the lion's share of their life into this profession -- or any profession for that matter -- and "wants out?"

Yes, there are worse fates in this world than heading into a retirement a year or two earlier than you planned. No, there probably shouldn't be a parade to commemorate all that he and so many others no longer in this business accomplished.

But this is how it ends? Please leave as fast as you can? The line for the ice floe starts on the right?

I guess in this economy, there's no more room in the budget for dignity.

All the luck to Skip and Ed and Barry and Larry Watts of the Pioneer Press (who didn't ask to leave) and so many others.

On the bright side, maybe Skip now has time to write his sequel to "Lou: Winning at Illinois" ;D
And Barry can write the original "Bo: Winning at Wisconsin. No, really!"

LW

 

Any online outfit would be smart to pick up Skip well before Midnight Madness. Classy, smart, helpful, funny, caring. Always has a good word for everything but the business when we bump into each other.

 

I don't know about these individual people. They may truly have volunteered. But the Tribune has not been shy about telling people off the record that it would be in their best interest to take the buyout. I heard this from people I worked with at a mid-major who graduated to the Trib. It seemed like a great deal for them at the time.

 

Hate to hear about Skip, although he damn near killed me when I tried to keep up with him when he took me on a few nighttime excursions while covering the original Dream Team in Barcelona in 1992.

I'll miss those times, as well as the next mornings in the weight room. He's also a workout warrior despite the cigarettes and beverages. Won't forget those black hightop Chuck Taylors.