Good evening, 919 Gang. I am really happy about some recent
news from the U-T. Jay Posner is a person I like and respect a lot.
A 919ER writes:
Sports editors Larry Graham and Todd Adams were dismissed
yesterday after 3.5 years with the U-T. Former Sports editor Jay Posner is back
at the helm, after being reassigned to another section when those two took
over.
The response has been a mix of relief and joy across the
Sports department, as Graham was not liked or respected, and knew very little
about San Diego sports (and didn't care to learn). Adams was a bit more popular
with the staff, but unfortunately couldn't separate himself from Graham.
This move was long, long overdue. Many talented and good
people have left (or been forced out of) the department since Graham arrived,
including Bill Center, Ed Zieralski, Don Norcross, Chris Jenkins, Tim Sullivan
and multimedia reporter Annie Heilbrunn.
"Floating on a cloud right now. My friend of 30 years,
Jay
Posner, has been returned to his rightful place as executive sports
editor of the Union-Tribune. He never should have been away but now he's back
to a department that already celebrating what we've so badly needed in recent
years: professionalism, unrivaled knowledge of national and local sports,
impeccable news judgment and, most importantly, being a compassionate,
thoughtful and fair human being. Jay has always defined leadership without ego,
and it's our blessing to have him back."
News of this was also trending on the popular
SportsJournalists.com board, where one poster wrote this:
"Ok, let's clear up some things for those who seem
baffled by the firings on Friday. This is coming from someone who has intimate
knowledge of the day to day operations at the U-T:
“Todd was well-liked as a person by the staff, but though
he tried, he couldn't separate himself from the disaster that was LG. Whatever
the impressions are out there from meetings in APSE land, the staff didn't like
LG from the time he stepped in the door because he was arrogant, showed little
regard for other people, had huge gaps in his knowledge of sports, and was
arbitrary in his news judgment and dealings with people. What you men and women
in APSE saw as results in the section were a few good ideas by the top two and
executed on the backs of the good people on staff, who never got the
recognition or thanks from LG. He didn't have it in him to praise or share
achievements with others. And this feeling was nearly universal for the staff.
Even the people that LG hired came to have no respect for him. The staff worked
for 3 years to get rid of LG, and thought it might never happen. It came as
somewhat of a surprise, but if dancing in the aisles of the department wouldn't
have been frowned upon by management, everyone would have been doing so. There
is tremendous relief that they are rid of LG and all the bad baggage that came
with him. The staff hopes that no one is fooled again to put him in a high-level
management position in which he can so adversely affect others people's lives.
He needs to sit at a desk somewhere and shuffle copy.
“The staff feels much more disappointment for Todd, who has
been through a lot lately with his recent heart surgery. He is considered by
most to be a good guy with good ideas. He had his blind spots, but most of the
time dealt with the staff respectfully and professionally. He tried hard at
times to balance LG's toxicity, but he just couldn't do enough."
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REBER: A headline’s job
is to tell you something about the story and perhaps make you want to read it.
The subject line on an email message has the same purpose. Tonight when I
launched my email I saw a new message from Wyndham Hotels with a subject line that
said “Jack, We’d Hate to See You.”
Well,
gee, Wyndham. I know I’m no Fabio, but that’s harsh. Okay, I will stay away. I
can always stay with Tom Bodett who promises to leave the light on for me.
------------------------------------------------------
REBER: Ken Stone asked last night if
anyone knew when the first cameras were allowed in San Diego courtrooms.
DAVID COHEN writes:
Ken
Stone: my only recollection is that the decision was left up to individual
judges. Some said yes, some said no. And: no shots of jurors or of certain
witnesses, if so ordered. It was a pool arrangement, where one TV station would
shoot video and make copies for everyone else. I think the same was true for
still fotogs. And if TV stations got sound in the hallway, they would dub it
for the station whose camera was stuck in the courtroom. Mindless recollections
from someone who left the TV business in 1988.
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REBER: I wrote the other night about
three marijuana business opening or planning to open in my area.
GLENN GRANT
writes:
My last year at The Daily Transcript,
a pot dispensary opened unannounced next to our building in Bankers Hill.
Problems arose very soon with parking, shady characters loitering, people
smoking on our front steps, and finally a break-in at our offices. The
publisher was so annoyed, he wrote an editorial aimed at city leaders to do
something about the problems. Not sure it did any good, and I'm not sure the
dispensary is still there. It was a very unpleasant neighbor, though.
-----------------------------------------------------------
REX
SALMON writes:
Jack, why hassle with sending out web
copy which weaves into tangled fonts and ghostly faces?
I
haven’t received a 919 missive from you in years, yet I voraciously tackle the nightly
collection as the horses turn into mice. Or within minutes thereof. I like my
news fresh, and then I can turn in knowing the world is safe because another official
919 Gang droppings has been entered into posterity.
Jack,
why not post only onto
http://919gang.blogspot.com? Wouldn’t that cut out a hundred or so headaches? The type and photos faithfully
appear as you organized the page. Then let us chickens cluck in to feast on
your morsels of nightly authors by clicking on the website. You’ve told readers
many times to click on the blogspot if their 919 mail didn’t show. Is this too
simple? Save your energy to battle the gopher patrol.
And
Jack, thanks a bunch for your dedicated service in keeping the seniors thinking
young with yarns of back when!!!
Also,
methinks it’s time for a 919 social to honor Jack and to meet the names we
enjoy reading.
Why not set a date and time, like
Saturday, May 7th, at 11:00. Large bar with happy hour prices and seats
for 125 or so available. If you can make the date, just exrayfish@cox.net me!
Or pick another date. Or go back to sleep.
REBER: Rex, the blog is
on the web if people want to find it there. Most don’t. It’s unusual to have 10
people look at the blog on any given day. Another member commented on the weird
assortment of fonts in these messages, but he says if you click to forward the
nightly message, all the weirdness goes away and you see it all in 14-point
Arial.
May
7 works for me, Rex. It would be fun to see these folks again.
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CARL
LARSEN forwards:
With one glaring error, here's the
Houston Chronicle take on the recently opened exhibition there of the late
artist William Copley's work. The writer says the Copley Press still owns the
U-T.
MICHAEL
CAVNA forwards:
Ahead of Sunday's Oscars, here are a
couple of links of for "Spotlight" fans (one by my boss, and the
other in which I must write about my boss):
TIM WILSON
forwards:
Classic
comeback:
P.O. Box 2239
Ramona, CA 92065
U.S.A.
