GrizzledVeteran wrote:Sean McCann, the Eagles beat guy from the Courier, is also out.

Warszawa wrote:I don't understand why either newspapers either:

A) Charge people to read them online. I read the Inquirer and Daily News every day for free. Why buy it?

B) Change the price to free for the print edition and then charge higher ad rates due to higher circulation

Drugs Delaney wrote:I thought the Obama election was supposed to put an end to this stuff. Am I to take it that he isn't the be all end all some would have us believe?

19 years, six months, 23 days and it’s all over
December 02, 2008 • 10:54 pm
By Michael Radano

I’m not going to get all teary-eyed, it just wouldn’t be right. Remember the saying is “there is no crying in baseball” but my time at the Courier-Post has come to an end, so maybe I’m not in baseball anymore.

On Tuesday, at 2:34 p.m. I was laid off. I was far from alone as our newsroom staff went from about 107 people to 70 in one day. The Courier-Post lost a lot of good people today and it’s a sad state of affairs for the newspaper industry as a whole.

I’m not bitter. I’m not angry. I’m saddened by the slow death of the industry for countless reasons. I do however want to thank some people before this blog comes to an end but certainly not everyone because I can’t think of everyone off the top of my head.

First I thank my wife Gina and sons Justin and Jake, for allowing me to put in odd hours and time away following baseball players of all things. You are my life.

I have to thank Albert and Bernadette, the first of whom taught me patience and the second taught me to say screw patience, let’s get this thing done.

I have to thank my first sports editor was Bob Kenney who hired me as a part-timer in April of 1988. More importantly, I have to thank Bob Kenney for not firing me because at 21, I was a complete jackass with a big mouth and probably should have been fired at least once, but probably twice.

Next, John Vogeding was my assistant sport editor and deserves a lot of credit for putting up with me. Voge actually understood me and while I drove him nuts, in the end he always laughed at my idiocy. When I took over wrestling everyone thought we’d kill each other bust instead I gained more respect for him than I ever had before. Then, when I went back last year, I think I saved his life. How’s that for irony?

Dave Treffinger was a guiding light not only for Varsity but as a calming influence. If you knew Bob and Voge you’d understand how important that was.

The Dream Team of part-timers as we dubbed ourselves in the early 90’s was worth the price of admission. Joe Koch showed us how to fall without spilling our coffee and Bob Viggiano the right way to handle Clarence Turner. Jeanne Sigman and Sue Tharp taught us how to handle Bob Viggiano. Bob “Flipper” Cabnet showed us how to torture high school girls when they called in scores. Bob Elder who once wrote a football story with no score until the tenth graph and shaved a B into the side of his head. Big Daddy Mike Horner who had a thing for hats worn only by Confederate plantation owners. Mike Shute, Tom McGurk and Mike Garbett who drove our local coverage as part-timers with full-time duties.

Bob Florich - what’s the matter Bobby? - deserves a ton of praise as the two of us made the agate page a one hour job and allowed us to mock Bob “Agateman” Brookover whose ego was matched only by his ability.

Thanks has to go to Chuck Bausman who took me off agate and allowed me to write and then hired me full-time. His departure opened the door for Diane Fuhrer, who put me on the Camden Riversharks and set the table for my four years with the Phillies and Janice Gill-Linneman who guided all of the above in the right direction. I also must thank Janice for doing my expenses before Cindy Grassia had me shot.

I’ve worked with some of the best writers in the region, all of whom I consider friends and wish I could still work with. From Don Benevento, who gave me a lead I use at least once a year “On a night the Phillies needed everything to go right, almost nothing did,” to Celeste Whittaker, Chuck Gormley - the hardest working man in show business - to Kevin Callahan, Walt Burrows - who has forgotten more about South Jersey sports than any of us will ever know - to Brookie, Sean McCann and Rusty Pray, I thank them all and all of those I’ve left out.

I must thank a slew of desk workers, all of whom have had to clean up copy that failed to use the right there/they’re/their nearly every night. To the Todd Shaner’s, Jeff Wolfe’s, Jeff Lyon’s, Chris Vivlamore’s and Chris Joneses of the world I say thank you. To the Kevin Minnick’s Karen Naylor’s, Anthony Miller’s and Barrie Dawson’s, I say sorry for that.

To Charlie Manuel, Rich Dubee, and of course Mick Billmeyer, I say thank you. To Milt Thompson, Bill Dancy, Steve Smith and Gary Varsho, I say thanks for your time. To the players, like Aaron Rowand and Cory Lidle and Scott Eyre and Brett Myers and Ryan Madson and Shane Victorino and Chris Coste and Greg Dobbs and 99% of you that gave me your time, I say thank you. To Chase Utley, I say sorry that we won’t be able to continue that social experiment, and it was nice knowing you.

To the Phillies PR staff, Larry Shenk, Bonnie Clark, Leah Tobin Greg Casterioto, Kevin Gregg, Ms. Gettis and Ms. Sabeac I say thanks for your help. To the front office, David Montgomery, Ruben Amaro Jr., Mike Arbuckle, Steve Noworyta, Mike Ondo et. al., it was never as bad as some would have you believe.

Finally, I have to thank two people for all of their help over the last eight years.

Without Kevin Roberts, I would have amounted to nothing as a pro baseball beat writer. Through all of the laughs and silliness - and there was a lot of silliness - I learned more from you than anyone. Most of all, I knew if I wrote just to have you read something, you would give me an honest appraisal. You made me a better writer just by sitting next too me at countless baseball games and more than a few football games as well.

Last but certainly not least, I have to thank Phil Anastasia, simply the best sports columnist and writer this city has produced in the last 20 years. You gave me the shot at doing the Phillies and your faith in me helped me get through my first year, which is never easy. Without your guidance, I’d have no future right now and for that I am eternally in your debt.

Looking back on 20 years at the Courier-Post I can sum it all up with only one sentence and two thoughts. One sentence and a pair of thoughts that sums up 20 years of work and a certain maturity, because that 21-year old jackass would have written something completely different given today’s circumstances.

No Maria, cheerleading is still not a sport and I’m still a bit of a jackass.