UT beat for Chattanooga

[Jay Greeson]

We lost a very good reporter and a better guy when Wes Rucker went online.
Here is the job ad:

UT athletics beat writer

The Chattanooga Times Free Press is looking for an aggressive reporter with a velvet writing touch for its top sports beat – the University of Tennessee Volunteers.

The job emphasizes football and basketball and is based in Knoxville. We travel to all football games and to most men’s basketball games.

Chattanooga is called the “Scenic City” for a reason. Nestled along the Tennessee River and amid the Appalachian Mountains on the Tennessee-Georgia border, we are one of the few U.S. newspapers growing its print circulation (75,000 daily, 100,000 Sunday). We are owned by a private company and are committed to our readers, not shareholders (we have only one, the owner).

We are looking for a passionate and talented professional who is a self-starter with an eye for storytelling in traditional and non-traditional ways and on multiple platforms. We expect this writer to contribute front-page stories and then Tweet about it.

A college degree and previous college beat-writing experience are required. E-mail your résumé, cover letter and five best clips to Sports Editor Jay Greeson at [email protected]. No phone calls please.

If you have any questions feel free to e-mail me.

Jay Greeson
Sports Editor
Chattanooga Times Free Press

 

[Highway 101]

PM to me if you'd like to know more about the TFP.

 

[NightHawk112005]

I despise Twitter with every fiber of my being, but it'd be worth going to the dark side for a job like this.

 

[JackReacher]

One of the biggest regrets in my former life as a newspaper guy was never being able to work at this paper. Good staff of writers. Good boss. But Newcastle still tastes like raisins.

 

[Shifty Squid]

From all accounts, Jay is a great guy and a fantastic editor to work with. It's a crazy beat, but Jay will push to make you better while you do it. Wes knocked the hell out of Twitter, so I'm sure you'd be expected to hit that hard, but it really is a good tool for reporting. Good luck to all who apply (and there will be many).

 

[Barsuk]

I despise Twitter with every fiber of my being, but it'd be worth going to the dark side for a job like this.

You're doing it wrong.

 

[BTExpress]

You're doing it wrong.

Yeah. Guy probably goes on there expecting that what he reads is, you know, true.

 

[Dr. Van Nostrand]

From all accounts, Jay is a great guy and a fantastic editor to work with.

I can personally attest to this. As the expression goes, Jay Bird is good people.

 

[novelist_wannabe]

Indeed. If I had any inkling I wanted to live in Knoxville, I'd apply just because of Greeson. A fine human being he is.

 

[Piotr Rasputin]

I get so few chances to pump up people on these Job threads, so:

I'd like to officially espouse the virtues of David Uchiyama for this gig.

He is an excellent, diligent reporter even if his Southern accent needs major work. He is the best star pilot in the galaxy, he is a cunning warrior.

And he is a good friend.

;D

No, seriously, Uch is awesome.

 

[NightHawk112005]

I despise Twitter with every fiber of my being, but it'd be worth going to the dark side for a job like this.

You're doing it wrong.

Actually, I'm not doing it at all. My paper doesn't require me to use Twitter, and I think Twitter is just dumb, so I don't have an account. When it's required by my employer, I'll post on it. Until then, I will have nothing to do with Twitter.

Let's return the focus to the job. It seems like a great opportunity for a qualified candidate.

 

[John]

I've been at the TFP for four years now. It's a great paper (one of the few that's growing), Jay's an excellent boss and this is a very good opportunity for someone.

 

[JackReacher]

Jesus. 4 years already? Hell, you must be pushing 50 by now.

 

[LeftCoastWrite]

Loved Chattanooga when I was there covering the FCS championship. The downtown is one of the best I've been to in any city.

Wes is a tough guy to replace. Great writer, and one of the reasons Twitter is worthwhile, for me.

 

[Wes Rucker]

I despise Twitter with every fiber of my being, but it'd be worth going to the dark side for a job like this.

You're doing it wrong.

Actually, I'm not doing it at all. My paper doesn't require me to use Twitter, and I think Twitter is just dumb, so I don't have an account. When it's required by my employer, I'll post on it. Until then, I will have nothing to do with Twitter.

Let's return the focus to the job. It seems like a great opportunity for a qualified candidate.

Ignoring Twitter now is like ignoring the web 15 years ago. I suggest embracing it. You'd be amazed how many people these days use Twitter as their primary source for news.

 

[Shifty Squid]

You'd be amazed how many people these days use Twitter as their primary source for news.

*Raises hand*

 

[BTExpress]

You'd be amazed how many people these days think Brett Favre retired and Jon Gruden will coach Miami because they use Twitter as their primary source for news.

Fixed.

 

[BigRed]

I despise Twitter with every fiber of my being, but it'd be worth going to the dark side for a job like this.

You're doing it wrong.

Actually, I'm not doing it at all. My paper doesn't require me to use Twitter, and I think Twitter is just dumb, so I don't have an account. When it's required by my employer, I'll post on it. Until then, I will have nothing to do with Twitter.

Let's return the focus to the job. It seems like a great opportunity for a qualified candidate.

Ignoring Twitter now is like ignoring the web 15 years ago. I suggest embracing it. You'd be amazed how many people these days use Twitter as their primary source for news.

I'd agree completely. Mr. Ostrich, raise your head from the sand. Print-based people have a hard enough time keeping up with the Web culture. If you don't embrace Twitter, it's your loss, by far. I cover a BCS beat and Tweet constantly throughout games - it's become a second front for news for me. And it's paid off - I see it in the Web referrals we get. Anyone who thinks Twitter isn't a great tool will be left behind. Period.

 

[NightHawk112005]

I despise Twitter with every fiber of my being, but it'd be worth going to the dark side for a job like this.

You're doing it wrong.

Actually, I'm not doing it at all. My paper doesn't require me to use Twitter, and I think Twitter is just dumb, so I don't have an account. When it's required by my employer, I'll post on it. Until then, I will have nothing to do with Twitter.

Let's return the focus to the job. It seems like a great opportunity for a qualified candidate.

Ignoring Twitter now is like ignoring the web 15 years ago. I suggest embracing it. You'd be amazed how many people these days use Twitter as their primary source for news.

I'd agree completely. Mr. Ostrich, raise your head from the sand. Print-based people have a hard enough time keeping up with the Web culture. If you don't embrace Twitter, it's your loss, by far. I cover a BCS beat and Tweet constantly throughout games - it's become a second front for news for me. And it's paid off - I see it in the Web referrals we get. Anyone who thinks Twitter isn't a great tool will be left behind. Period.

I run a live blog during the games I cover, and I'm actually very tech-savvy. Heck, the online stuff is my generation. Most of the technical stuff, I don't mind doing at all and actually enjoy. Want me to blog? Happy to do it. Think I should have a work-only Facebook page? Sure. Post stories to the Web that won't be in print? Absolutely.

Get on Twitter? If I absolutely have to, I'll do it, but I really don't want to. It has nothing to do with my stance on technology, I just think Twitter is stupid. It's online text messaging, and that's it. We have a lot of great online tools at our disposal now. I don't believe Twitter is one of them.

If you want me interacting with fans during the game, I love doing it. I just want to do it on a blog and in complete sentences. Is that so much to ask?

One other thing: tweeting is something birds do, and it's not capitalized. It's a post. That drives me nuts.

Man, who would have thought my Twitter vendetta would dominate this topic? Can we return to the job?

 

[JackReacher]

You'd be amazed how many people these days think Brett Favre retired and Jon Gruden will coach Miami because they use Twitter as their primary source for news.

Fixed.

Yeah, because real reporters or whatever are 100 percent accurate. All the time. I bet you get cised for Joe Schad and Thayer Evans.

Anyway....Nooga is a great city. There's a Sticky Fingers BBQ joint in town, too, which helps.