End of an era in Tucson

[tenacious_g]

It was announced today (at least in print) that budget cuts will lead to the end of the weekly sports column by Corky Simpson at the Tucson Citizen. He's been a sports columnist for 32 years, and a damn good one.

Corky retired from the paper a year ago as a full time staffer, but has been writing a Saturday column each week since. The publisher at the paper announced today in his weekly column that budget cuts will lead to Corky's column (and another regular columnist) being discontinued on Jan. 5.

Today, Corky wrote an excellent column on being a sports journalist.

<a href="http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/ss/sports/72753.php">Corky: It's the writers covering sports I miss the most</a>

Not sure how many people here know Corky or his work, but to those that did, he'll certainly be missed.

 

[dooley_womack1]

I worked with him for a time. Good guy.

 

[SoCalDude]

I went on 4 Pac-10 Skywriters Tours with him and really enjoyed his company. Kind of ties in with what that column was about, missing being with sportswriters. Some thought he was kind of crusty and contrary, but I enjoyed him and he always treated me well.
Aside: Must have been '92, he was the only AP football voter to have Alabama No. 1 all season and he was feted when the Crimson Tide won the national championship.

 

[Blitz]

Very cool history note with that aside, SC-Dude.
Good luck to this guy. Hopefully he's a golfer and can spend lots of days with rounds (perhaps some even comped) at the many Az. courses surrounding him

 

[RustyHampton]

Who announced these budget cuts?

Is there a link? I sure can't find anything on the Citizen's Web site.

 

[imjustagirl2]

Who announced these budget cuts?

Is there a link? I sure can't find anything on the Citizen's Web site.

I found this at the bottom of Corky's column.

Editor's note: Corky Simpson's weekly column will end Jan. 5. It is among features that are being cut under budget constraints for 2008.

 

[Stone Cane]

there's not enough scribes anymore with names like Corky

 

[FreddiePatek]

A fine bit of work. I know the name, but hadn't read anything of recent vintage. This was nice.

 

[Hank_Scorpio]

Probably not a good sign for the industry too.

Here's a paper cutting something that readers like (I would imagine that's the truth, but don't know for sure) to save a few pennies.

And I'd bet it really is only a few pennies the paper is saving. I mean, he was retired, so he wasn't getting a full salary.

 

[tenacious_g]

Who announced these budget cuts?

Is there a link? I sure can't find anything on the Citizen's Web site.

Here is the column announcing it from the paper's publisher:

<a href="http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/ss/opinion/72711.php">Chihak : Papers chase change, but change always wins</a>

... a column about changes in the coming year and the two columnist cuts are at the bottom.

And I was told once Corky was asked to be grand marshal in Alabama's victory parade after the season-long No. 1 vote story in 1992.

 

[pressmurphy]

Pretty laughable for the publisher to drop in that tired ol' left wing/right wing red herring, even as just a passing reference.

Your paper is in trouble because it's owned by Gannett, buddy. Too many years or wringing out a 24 percent profit margin when everyone else was doing quite fine with 15 percent.

Years of overly aggressive cutting left nothing marginal to slash once real problems started confronting the industry early this century.

 

[steveu]

So you have a commitment to local news, yet you drop two local-flavor columnists. Oh, and we can't forget those space cuts, either.

Stay classy, Gannett. Gotta keep those high profit margins, ya know. ;)

 

[Frank_Ridgeway]

Your paper is in trouble because it's owned by Gannett, buddy.

They're a PM paper in a JOA, and they've done better than most papers in similar situations. The JOA expires in 2015.

 

[Fenian_Bastard]

Gannett Executives Celebrate Another Successful Year In Journalism.

 

[EnZona]

Your paper is in trouble because it's owned by Gannett, buddy.

They're a PM paper in a JOA, and they've done better than most papers in similar situations. The JOA expires in 2015.

Yeah and then what? Who's going to survive, the Citizen or the Daily Star?

 

[Cadet]

If you have to ask that question, you aren't familiar with Tucson papers or the nature of JOAs. See: Post, Cincinnati.

 

[tenacious_g]

Your paper is in trouble because it's owned by Gannett, buddy.

They're a PM paper in a JOA, and they've done better than most papers in similar situations. The JOA expires in 2015.

Yeah and then what? Who's going to survive, the Citizen or the Daily Star?

If/when the day comes that Tucson is a one paper town, I don't think there is much question which will be the last one standing.

As for the purpose of this post, I'll just say again Corky will be missed.

 

[SportsDesigner]

Well-written column by Corky.

I'll add that retired Seattle Times columnist Blaine Newnham's contracted finale was this Sunday also. Same reason he's leaving.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/blainenewnham/2004099131_newnham30.html

 

[EnZona]

If you have to ask that question, you aren't familiar with Tucson papers or the nature of JOAs. See: Post, Cincinnati.

My bad. I should have read better ... the Citizen is the PM in the JOA. Not much of a guess then.

 

[chazp]

Great, great column.
This line really sums up our relationship with our readers. Don't think I've ever seen it put so well.

But you wouldn't know it by talking to critics - fans who judge sportswriting by whether it puts their team in the most favorable light.