Rusty Hampton

[HejiraHenry]

Seems like this should be a topic here, but somebody has to start it.

Rusty Hampton, sports editor at the Jackson (Miss.) Clarion Ledger, is leaving to join an engineering firm (!) as a writer. Day job!

Rusty and I go back to my very first day as a loaner at USA Today, in 1984. I was delighted to find that he was in Mississippi when I landed here in 2001. One of the real good guys in the business, his influence will be greatly missed in this state and this profession.

There are two sports editors it the entire universe I would get out of bed in the middle of the night to help, without asking why. Rusty is one of those.

 

[HejiraHenry]

I see that this initially emerged on the Jobs thread. I don't care. Rusty deserves his own thread.

 

[Justin_Rice]

Dang it. I was gonna start a Russell Hampton tribute thread.

Rusty remains my favorite boss of all time, and I thought he'd be in the business forever.

Jackson's gonna miss you!

 

[Mizzougrad96]

I met him when he was covering UK for the C-J.

Great guy. Friends who worked for him said he was a great boss.

Congrats to him.

 

[Mark2010]

I have a great deal of respect for Rusty and wish him the best in his new endeavor.

A lot of people have decided to leave the newspaper business in recent years for various reasons. Perhaps Rusty will share some insights into his thoughts.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

I'm always happy when someone leaves the business on their own, rather than being pushed out the door as so many of us have been...

I think one of the things we're seeing a bit of over the last couple years, is as these major chains are letting people go by the truckload, people start looking for other options. When those options work out, even the people who survive a few rounds of layoffs aren't willing to pass those options up.

 

[Mark2010]

Very true. Lot of people looking for lifeboats off a sinking ship.

 

[Bamadog]

Seems like this should be a topic here, but somebody has to start it.

Rusty Hampton, sports editor at the Jackson (Miss.) Clarion Ledger, is leaving to join an engineering firm (!) as a writer. Day job!

Rusty and I go back to my very first day as a loaner at USA Today, in 1984. I was delighted to find that he was in Mississippi when I landed here in 2001. One of the real good guys in the business, his influence will be greatly missed in this state and this profession.

There are two sports editors it the entire universe I would get out of bed in the middle of the night to help, without asking why. Rusty is one of those.

Fair winds and following seas, Rusty. Good luck in the next step.

 

[Ace]

I'm always happy when someone leaves the business on their own, rather than being pushed out the door as so many of us have been...

I think one of the things we're seeing a bit of over the last couple years, is as these major chains are letting people go by the truckload, people start looking for other options. When those options work out, even the people who survive a few rounds of layoffs aren't willing to pass those options up.

I don't think Rusty would have been pushed out the door. I think that most newsrooms -- especially Gannett places -- are pretty much pared to the bone and that job security is as solid as it has been in years.

Problem is, to put out a section Rusty could be proud of with what's left, he had to work tons of hours and put in stints at night on the desk.

So the siren call of a 9-5 gig can sound pretty sweet.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

I don't think Rusty was being pushed out either... I didn't think I was implying that, apologies if someone read it that way...

 

[Ace]

I don't think Rusty was being pushed out either... I didn't think I was implying that, apologies if someone read it that way...

Mark90210 was asking for Rusty's insights.

I don't think Rusty is going to come on and say that he was scraping by with a skeleton crew, so I thought I would suggest why a career change might be attractive.

 

[Bristol Insider]

Great guy. Loss for the business.

 

[Drip]

Rusty's a pro. I wish him well in his new endeavor.

 

[BillyT]

We had a guy who won a Pulitzer for editorial writing.

Within a year, he was doing PR for a major state association.

They rae dropping all over the place.

 

[Rockbottom]

A pro's pro. All the best.

-30-

RB

 

[da man]

I don't think Rusty was being pushed out either... I didn't think I was implying that, apologies if someone read it that way...

Mark90210 was asking for Rusty's insights.

I don't think Rusty is going to come on and say that he was scraping by with a skeleton crew, so I thought I would suggest why a career change might be attractive.

A career change is attractive simply because of the downward trend of the newspaper industry as a whole. Until an industry-changing shift/innovation comes along, it isn't going to get any easier from here no matter who you are or what position you hold in the business.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

I don't think Rusty was being pushed out either... I didn't think I was implying that, apologies if someone read it that way...

Mark90210 was asking for Rusty's insights.

I don't think Rusty is going to come on and say that he was scraping by with a skeleton crew, so I thought I would suggest why a career change might be attractive.

A career change is attractive simply because of the downward trend of the newspaper industry as a whole. Until an industry-changing shift/innovation comes along, it isn't going to get any easier from here no matter who you are or what position you hold in the business.

Worrying about losing your job and knowing you have no control over it can change you... I have no idea if that was the case with Rusty. I think we're way past the point where anyone is surprised when someone gets out of the business.

I would have happily been a lifer. Surviving a few rounds of layoffs and spending every day wondering if that was the day the call was going to come changed that... It was at the point where I was almost relieved when it was my turn to go.

I am very happy for Rusty. Sad for the business, but happy for him. There aren't many sports editors who I can say, "I've never heard a bad thing about them..." I've definitely never heard anything even remotely resembling a bad thing about Rusty.

 

[Drip]

I don't think Rusty was being pushed out either... I didn't think I was implying that, apologies if someone read it that way...

Mark90210 was asking for Rusty's insights.

I don't think Rusty is going to come on and say that he was scraping by with a skeleton crew, so I thought I would suggest why a career change might be attractive.

A career change is attractive simply because of the downward trend of the newspaper industry as a whole. Until an industry-changing shift/innovation comes along, it isn't going to get any easier from here no matter who you are or what position you hold in the business.

Worrying about losing your job and knowing you have no control over it can change you... I have no idea if that was the case with Rusty. I think we're way past the point where anyone is surprised when someone gets out of the business.

I would have happily been a lifer. Surviving a few rounds of layoffs and spending every day wondering if that was the day the call was going to come changed that... It was at the point where I was almost relieved when it was my turn to go.

I am very happy for Rusty. Sad for the business, but happy for him. There aren't many sports editors who I can say, "I've never heard a bad thing about them..." I've definitely never heard anything even remotely resembling a bad thing about Rusty.

I have. He picks his nose if he has a boogie. LOL