suzzer, are you familiar with the awesome new technology called the internet?

THE INTERNET SUZZER FFS

Probably the part I copied out of your post and quoted, Columbo.

It is pretty amazing, it made Thremp a foot taller.

You don't get paid a living wage to be a blogger. There aren't that many who are going to stick with it until they reach some kind of national audience. Or they have another life and get burned out like Ken Tremendous. At least you know a guy who went to journalism school and made it a career isn't going to abandon the gig. Maybe your city gets lucky and gets a Bill Simmons, maybe they don't. Also there's the whole journalistic integrity, having an editor to vet sources, etc.

lolol

I figured that's what you meant, but then I thought you might be making some snarky point about how it's a good thing columnists are dying off. I didn't really feel like guessing.

But just go ahead and keep lobbing smart-ass shots for no reason whatsoever and I'll keep taking the high-road until you finally get under my skin.

You act like there aren't newspapers and news sites that are published online...just because you write online doesnt mean you have to be a freelance blogger

If you like sports and are a good smart writer, the landscape right now >>>>>>>>>> the landscape 20 years ago.

Yeah definitely there are some new avenues. I just don't think it equates to what we had with newspapers in all the major league cities hiring 1-2 full time sports columnists. Maybe I'm wrong and there are more paying gigs out there overall. I just don't get that impression based on the quality of stuff I see. It feels like a lot of those spots are basically intern-level.

The only decent KC commentary right now is by a guy named Rany who does it for love. Oh and Pos still dedicates a column or blog post to the Royals every now and then. But that's just the Royals. There is literally no one even resembling a sports columnist covering the Chiefs. In the past (pre Pos and Whitlock days) they would have had at least someone semi-passable. The only chance right now is if someone good just starts trying to build an audience on his own. No one's going to pay him.

Maybe things are just worse for small markets, but better nationally or something.

I know a number of people who went to journalism school; they are now in law school.

One friend, who I've known since day one of undergrad, was your typical turboliberal hippie idealist and found his way into Columbia's journalism school. This is from the last time I saw him:

"I want women to **** me only because of my money."

Looking around and seeing a newsroom full of middle-aged guys making 45k a year (but with integrity!) is in no way more alluring than blogging.

Outstanding.

Here's a typical writing sample from our local KC "sports columnist": http://www.kansascity.com/2011/04/28...ight-call.html

Unreadable. His final conclusion says absolutely nothing. And he suggests the Chiefs might have wanted to pick up a shut-down corner in the first round, when after primary running back that's probably our position of least need.

It's depressing that this is all we have.

Suzzer, go back to oot

fyp

A very good friend of mind just got diagnosed with MS (2 days ago). He's only 27. Do you guys know anyone who has/had MS and what his life may be like????

Lol shocking that the exact same crowd would come in high-fiving with zero content or even acknowledge my points. Which all stem from a pissing contest that I didn't start, and wasn't really warranted from the normal conversation we were having.

Just. Simply. Shocking. You guys really make this forum what it is.

TSC, F60, and NozeCandy, the three amigos

Suzzer,

Your examples of intern level writers being hired by a big newspaper in KC isn't evidence of the hardships of sports journalists during the death of the newspaper. It is instead an example of the talented writers no longer needing to pander to the old boys network that guides the sinking ship that is newspaper journalism.

Great young writers are still writing. Just not for newspapers, because they no longer need them.

I have two roommates who have parents with MS. As far as what he should expect going forward, I really have no idea since I haven't been around someone who is affected by it every day. It definitely sucks and will probably only continue to get worse, but as long as you and the people around him continue to give encouragement and support he can definitely live a somewhat normal life until the disease starts to do its real damage down the road.

I know someone who went to Columbia J-school. She is a journalist.

That quote you posted makes your friend sound like a deeply disturbed person.
C'mon dude, the Columbo line was pretty funny. Also that you didn't seem to get that people write on the Internet now.

That's fine. I could be wrong/KC-biased. I just know the outlook is pretty bleak in that market.

While I don't particularly like the guy (I mean, he is in law school), I found it a particularly apt retort to Suzzer's living wage nonsense. And he was doing the kind of work that most people would find more noble and fulfilling than writing about sports yet the monetary incentive was wholly insufficient.

He was also half-kidding.