T.J. Simers' lawsuit against the Los Angeles Times

Possibly. More than likely he was simply financially able to do it.

 

Smart enough to pursue it? What are you talking about? He's simply one of the few journalists who can actually afford to pursue it. It has nothing to do with being smart. That's absurd.

 

It netted him 7 mil. I think the decision was pretty damn smart.

 

What happened?

 

Not so fast.

Judge voids ex-columnist T.J. Simers' $7.1-million jury award against L.A. Times

 

Winning in court is like watching your team score a touchdown.

No sense in celebrating, because the inevitable flag/reversal will wipe it out.

 

It's a weird decision. The judge allows the plaintiff to forward an argument, the plaintiff wins - then the judge says you can't forward the argument? Shouldn't that have been handled pre-trial?

 

It's very tough to beat 'the man' for some reason. Journalists who are forced out can't even get some $$$ through the court system. This is just one crappy profession all around right now.

 

That sucks. I'd have probably spent it all on hookers and blow already.

 

Simers is a talent and a swell guy among sportswriting colleagues, but that lawsuit was B.S. from the get-go. If your pay and benefits aren't attacked, a newspaper should have the freedom to re-assign you and not have it considered a demotion. And you have the freedom to leave.

 

Instead of a newspaper, let's say it's a radio station. You take your morning (or evening, whichever spot is better) drive-time talk show host and assign them to the overnight 2 a.m. shift without changing pay and benefits. You wouldn't consider that a demotion?

 

Was he really considered a swell guy among his sportswriting colleagues? I had heard some of his female co-workers didn't like him and some others in the market also didn't like him.