Sports Copy Editor - The State

Are you people really arguing over what this paper calls the Gamecocks on first reference? As a former employee of The State, I can tell you that it's the paper's style to call them "USC" or "Gamecocks" on all references. Maybe it is lazy, as one person pointed out, but it's still the paper's style.

Now, that said, who cares? Are you really going to tell me that you're not going to apply for this job because of that? Can we put this issue to bed and actually talk about the opening?

Here's my two cents on it, good and bad:
-- Great bar scene. Only place I've lived where you can drink until the sun comes up.
-- They cover the snot out of USC. Yeah, I called it USC. The Cocks are their bread and butter and they ride that horse until it dies. This is good and bad. They sometimes bury a good national story to play up a Cocks story that's not as good.
-- High turnover. Some might think this is bad, but almost everyone who leaves goes to a larger paper, including myself. So if you want to move up, this is a good place to gain exposure. Here's where some of the people who were on the desk when I was there (early 2000s) are working now: NY Times, Indy Star, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, STL Post-Dispatch, Seattle Times, Baltimore Sun, Street & Smith's Sports Biz Journal (this includes copy editors and designers in all departments, but mostly sports). The bad side to this is they always seem to be short-handed. Just when they hire someone new, someone else leaves. That can get frustrating.
-- I've heard grumblings in the past about the ASE, but I was gone before he came, and the people who grumbled are now gone. So I'll leave it at that.
-- Be prepared for heat. Summers are hot and humid. If you don't like that, don't apply, or make sure you have A/C.

 

The locals will tell you that USC was a university before California was a state.

 

I was never debating how good of a job this is. It's a great job. Apply.

Sorry to sidetrack it.