News from Chicago

[Moderator1]

And of course it isn't good. Buyouts were accepted and people were shown the door. Today.

From Sports: Skip Myslenski, Ed Sherman (though he will finish PGA coverage this weekend), Barry Temkin (Prep columnist), Alan Sutton (prep writer) and Mark Shapiro (copy desk).

Word is involuntary layoffs will come next week or so.

 

[JakeandElwood]

And of course it isn't good. Buyouts were accepted and people were shown the door. Today.

From Sports: Skip Myslenski, Ed Sherman (though he will finish PGA coverage this weekend), Barry Temkin (Prep columnist), Alan Sutton (prep writer) and Mark Shapiro (copy desk).

Word is involuntary layoffs will come next week or so.

That's terrible news, they're all good. Barry Temkin actually spoke at a high school journalism conference that I went to years ago. He was great.

 

[Clerk Typist]

WBBM-AM reporting more than 100 leaving from the newsroom. No breakdown on voluntary/fired, or the time span involved. But it'll be quick.

 

[Norman Stansfield]

****.

Skip is one of my favorites.

Will this madness ever end?

 

[Clerk Typist]

It's 80 rather than 100, says Crain's Chicago Business, referencing a Tribune flack, but some big names:

(Crain’s) — The Chicago Tribune’s managing editor for news, its Washington bureau chief and its public editor are leaving Friday as the paper begins a new round of newsroom cuts.

Hanke Gratteau, who was promoted to managing editor in May; Michael Tackett, who has covered every presidential election since 1988, and Timothy McNulty, who has been public editor since 2006, head a list of staffers who are leaving voluntarily.

Including involuntary layoffs, which also started Friday, the Tribune expects to cut a total of 80 newsroom positions.

---

Will whoever's left please water the flowers on Col. McCormick's grave? You know, the one that's spinning?

 

[wisportswriter]

I will miss seeing Skip at the Kohl Center (in between his smoke breaks) each winter. Good guy.

 

[JBHawkEye]

Wow. Just wow.

I've talked to Skip quite a few times on the Big Ten trail. He will be missed.

All of those names will be missed.

A sad, sad day for one of my favorite papers.

 

[bake1234]

I'll also miss Skip. Covered the powerhouse that is Northwestern football with him this past season, and I crossed paths with him covering college basketball and auto racing. Good guy with good stories to share.

 

[slappy4428]

Skip AND Ed?

I remember when Eddie was THE conscious of college football... damn... nice going Zell you ****tard...

 

[JBHawkEye]

Skip, Ed Sherman, Sam Smith.....lot of talent bought out because of poor management.

I can only shake my head.

 

[Joe Williams]

Wonder if the 80 means 60 actively held job and 20 positions that already were vacant? That was the original plan.

Skip once had one of the best jobs in this business and was revered for his results. But being a takeout writer meant being a seriously endangered species as space and budgets got cut.

As for JBHawkeye's quick list: Let us not forget Don Pierson, either. He got snubbed in his request for a buyout in 2007, so he left anyway.

 

[slappy4428]

Once again, forward-thinking suits cut the prep guys as the season is upon us...

 

[JBHawkEye]

Wonder if the 80 means 60 actively held job and 20 positions that already were vacant? That was the original plan.

Skip once had one of the best jobs in this business and was revered for his results. But being a takeout writer meant being a seriously endangered species as space and budgets got cut.

As for JBHawkeye's quick list: Let us not forget Don Pierson, either. He got snubbed in his request for a buyout in 2007, so he left anyway.

Forgot about him. Shouldn't have, though. He was one of my favorites.

 

[Cadet]

awwww, this blows. Skip is one of the great ones. Helped me out a time or two.

 

[Clerk Typist]

Here's a partial list, posted by the Tribune's religion writer online:

Hanke Gratteau, Mike Tackett, Tim McNulty, Vanessa Bauza, Joe Sjostrom, Jack Pointer, Barbara Rose, Dan Gibbard, Ernie Torriero, Wendy White, Hung Vu, Marsha Peters, Brenda Kilianski, Barry Temkin, Alan Sutton, Skip Myslenski, Mark Shapiro and Ed Sherman, Heather Stone, Charles Osgood, John Schmeltzer, Steve Franklin, Glenn Jeffers, and Maurice Possley.

and the link to her blog, which contains unedited comments from Randy Michaels and Le Abrams:

http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/religion_theseeker/2008/08/tisha-bav-at-th.html

 

[Prince of Persia]

And of course it isn't good. Buyouts were accepted and people were shown the door. Today.

From Sports: Skip Myslenski, Ed Sherman (though he will finish PGA coverage this weekend), Barry Temkin (Prep columnist), Alan Sutton (prep writer) and Mark Shapiro (copy desk).

Word is involuntary layoffs will come next week or so.

Sad to see Temkin get the axe. Good guy and always willing to lend a hand. This is really sickening to see.

 

[Clerk Typist]

I'm told Temkin wanted out, likewise Myslenski and Sherman.

 

[JBHawkEye]

I did not see the name of a friend/college classmate on that list so far.

I'm worried she might be on it at some point.

 

[Cousin Jeffrey]

Aside from those mentioned, Osgood does good photo work in the Trib Sunday magazine...

 

[LWillhite]

I covered Northwestern's FB practice/media day Thursday with Skip.

Afterward, we spent some awkward moments in the parking lot -- Skip staying balanced on his 10-speed while negotiating his cigarette -- trying to sum up the incalculable.

I don't want to claim to know what Skip's thinking right now. All I know is I looked at him and thought, "Is this all there is? Is this how our careers, our livelihoods, go down?"

For roughly 40 years, he has written hundreds of thousands of inimitable words on some of the most intriguing people and situations in professional and collegiate sports. He has been kind enough to share several of those stories with me and so many others, including JBHawk and others who have chimed in here.

And, yes, he enjoyed a beer or two along the way.

There's a note above that says Skip (and the others) wanted out. Well, technically, yes. He did the math and figured it could be OK. But who puts the lion's share of their life into this profession -- or any profession for that matter -- and "wants out?"

Yes, there are worse fates in this world than heading into a retirement a year or two earlier than you planned. No, there probably shouldn't be a parade to commemorate all that he and so many others no longer in this business accomplished.

But this is how it ends? Please leave as fast as you can? The line for the ice floe starts on the right?

I guess in this economy, there's no more room in the budget for dignity.

All the luck to Skip and Ed and Barry and Larry Watts of the Pioneer Press (who didn't ask to leave) and so many others.

On the bright side, maybe Skip now has time to write his sequel to "Lou: Winning at Illinois" ;D
And Barry can write the original "Bo: Winning at Wisconsin. No, really!"

LW