Yet another journalist leaves the biz ...

One of my closest friends is a guy named Michael Lewis (not THE Michael Lewis). He's spent the last bunch of years covering sports for the Daytona Beach paper. Excellent writer, excellent reporter, excellent person—and he's decided he's had enough. This summer he returns to college to pursue a teaching degree.

I hate losing guys like Mike, but I also understand. The biz just isn't what it was when we attended the U of Delaware together. Sad, but reality.

Anyhow, today, on his blog Mike wrote about what he'll miss of sportswriting. Thought it was worth sharing ...

http://michaeljlewis.wordpress.com/2011/06/27/after-14-years-heres-what-ill-miss-about-being-a-sportswriter-mitt-romney-whitest-guy-in-america-and-cool-hockey-puck-tricks/

 

Enjoyed that. Thanks for posting, Jeff.

Tell him if he's not already a member here to sign up with this handle:

Michael Lewis, not that one.

 

I wish him well and understand the decision.

Here's the thing, though. My brother's girlfriend has her Master's in education. She is now in her third fruitless year of trying to find a public school job. She continues to work at a private school, making less money than many entry-level journalists. It took one of my best friend two years to find a special education job in the county where he lives.

And I live in an area where the economy wasn't affected too badly by the economic downturn.

When President Obama said we needed more teachers in this country, my wife and I laughed uproariously at how absurd his comment truly was. She is a high school teacher, and we've both decided it's actually more competitive to get a teaching job now than a journalism job.

Her county hired ONE new full-time English teacher last year. Another county nearby just announced the elimination of hundreds of teaching positions.

Teaching is a fulfilling job, but it's not an easy transition to make.

 

Mike is one of my best friends in the business, one of my favorite people ever.

From covering the Danbury Trashers with him to working with him in Daytona, dude was a bulldog reporter, a great writer and the best dude ever to go watch NCAA tournament games with.

I'm sad he's leaving the biz because journalism can use more people like him. But he's moving back to New York, and moving closer to home is always a good thing.

 

Agreed, we're going to miss Michael down here in Florida. Great going away party, but sad too.

 

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