Sports editor, Manhattan, Kan.

Agreed. It also helps if you have a guide or four.

 

I've known Mark Jansen for a while and he's a good guy. But I know he's been burned out for some time and has been looking to move on to something different. From what I gather, this is not a job for the faint of heart and when it says "married to the job" they mean it.

 

Eh, you're also trying to compete with the KC Star, which doesn't play up K-State coverge for obvious reasons, but they do have a beat writer for the Wildcats. Good Luck.

 

You've got the Star, the Topeka CJ, the Hutch News and the Salina Journal who all have beat writers for K-State, but it's been Jeff Martin at the Wichita Eagle who has dominated the KSU beat the last year. In addition to all that, the Rivals website has a huge presence in coverage.

Still, there's a niche there for the Mercury, but like I said, I'm pretty sure Janssen is going to stay in that role as the Merc's KSU beat writer.

 

I had a chance to start at this paper, if I wanted to. Right out of college, I had two offers -- Manhattan to cover preps for $17,200, or Emporia to cover Emporia State for $18,000. I took the D-II school for a shade more money. If you're a college kid, beware the money. Not sure if that much has changed since then, but that was my Manhattan experience.