so much for that
AA News: Hire Brian Cook
Filed under:
Dear Ann Arbor News,
You have a job to fill. Sports columnist. The problem with your last one (Jim Carty): not enough of a homer. You could go the traditional, boring route: hire some other dude with the "right" credentials. And watch us all hate him.
Or you could hire Brian Cook. Brian, as you may know, happens to run the best damn Michigan blog in the land. He would make an excellent hire, and would make a splash (the mixing of new and old media, and all that).
So, a choice. Hire some lame dude/dudette. Or hire Brian (if he's willing). Don't miss the opportunity!
Your pal,
Coach Schiano
These words are here in order to meet the 200-word diary minimum that Brian so ruthlessly enforces. I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I enjoyed writing them. Especially these words: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0.
October 7th, 2008 at 8:41 PM | 
Self respecting journalists
Self respecting journalists
October 8th, 2008 at 8:16 AM |
dont change mgoblog
dont change mgoblog
nevermind. carry on brian.
i only respect other superfans
October 7th, 2008 at 9:04 PM |
Yeah right
Yeah right
Quick story: I was living in Ann Arbor two years ago or so, walking my dog and found some Ann Arbor News Sports Reporter's Portfolio laying in the ground. It had lots of notes and important information, so I called expecting a sports fan like me.
He showed up at my apartment and was A. pretty much a jerk and B. clearly not a sports fan. My apartment was filled with Tigers and U of M memorabilia and we sat there and made very awkward small talk.
First of all, he didn't notice or care about any of the sports stuff I had which is fine but it would would have relieved our awkward conversation "hey looks like your a sports fan" and we could have talked about michigan for 2 minutes. 2nd it was very clear that he was a typical writer who wanted a job in journalism or wanted to write a book and didn't care about sports, but it was a job and he took it. The tweed jacket, scarf and driving cap said it all.
I thought I was being a good Samaritan, by finding and returning a lost item on a Sunday, and the guy looked at me like I stole his stuff.
This is the type of writer that writes sports in newspapers. People who want to write about other stuff, but get stuck writing sports and end up hating sports and everything else. (Drew Sharp I'm looking at you.)
This is exactly the type of guy who will be promoted to Carty's job.
So unfortunately Brian who likes sports and writes about something he likes, and doesn't try and find people to rip doesn't qualify.
I expect nothing and therefore never disappointed.
October 7th, 2008 at 9:26 PM |
if nothing changes except that brian gets
if nothing changes except that brian gets
more money and more time to devote to mgoblog, then i don't care.
...the Canadians make up for it with their emotion and classic ice-dancing skill.
October 7th, 2008 at 9:46 PM |
If anything....
If anything....
....writing for a newspaper will 1) cut into the time Brian has for the blog; 2) in this day and age, cause him to take a pay cut; 3) seriously impede on what he can write in the blog (conflict of interest issues, content issues, etc.); 4) cause him to get laid off anyway when the AA News goes under.
October 7th, 2008 at 9:58 PM |
Ain't interested. Honestly,
Ain't interested. Honestly,
October 7th, 2008 at 10:42 PM |
I can't tell
I can't tell
Brian,
I can't tell if that's an indictment of the journalistic career field or a statement to the phat lootz you are pulling in.
Which one?
-yvgeni
October 8th, 2008 at 1:29 AM |
Some of both. Have you *seen*
Some of both. Have you *seen*
October 8th, 2008 at 2:12 AM |
Anyway...
Anyway...
If you started working for the News you'd have to become The Man. And your editor would demand that you lie to players and humiliate them by posting their GPA and whatnot.
Thankfully this unpleasant scenario will never come to pass!
October 8th, 2008 at 10:02 AM |
This is reassuring. I think
This is reassuring. I think
This is reassuring. I think our (i.e. the mgoblog community) desire to
see you succeed is trumped only by our desire for mgoblog to continue
at its current clip. It's good you're able to reconcile both of these
concerns simultaneously.
October 8th, 2008 at 7:02 PM |
You get paid?
You get paid?
I just assumed you were a robot that was fed data and then cranked out charts. I thought the humor and analysis was a sheer anomoly. That ruins my whole theory on robots taking over sports and the world.
October 7th, 2008 at 11:14 PM |
awesome
awesome
Schiano is always worried that Brian is underpaid. Now at least Schiano knows Brian makes more than Carty. Schiano is happy. Schiano does wonder, though: is it mostly adsense revenue? It can't be the T-shirts.
-Coach S.
I am not really Coach Schiano. -Coach Schiano on Mgoblog
October 8th, 2008 at 12:08 AM |
Anything that distracts Brian
Anything that distracts Brian
Anything that distracts Brian from MGoBlog is my worst fear and enemy. My life enjoyment would diminish by about half without this website.
October 8th, 2008 at 1:41 AM |
License mgoblog content
License mgoblog content
Brian, you should negotiate a deal with Ann Arbor News to license the mgoblog content. It is obvious that the AANews needs greater circulation, hence the requirement for a bigger homer to cover U of M sports. It is always nice to get paid twice for the same work.
"I would hope that understanding and reconciliation are not limited to the 19th hole alone." - President Gerald R Ford, Michigan '35
October 8th, 2008 at 7:21 AM |
Jason Whitlock used to write
Jason Whitlock used to write
Jason Whitlock used to write for the Ann Arbor News, not sure what that says. But I grew up reading that paper. I live in another state now and read it online periodically to see how my Ann Arbor area high school I went to did in their football games. I noticed this year they were asking for volunteer writers for their high school sports. Their game articles are about the same length of blurb I'm typing and no author seems to be listed. Is the AA News going broke?
Jim Carty and Michael Rosenberg are equally bad. I don't think either of them talk sports, they just overly cover minor controversies. It is like both those guys are padding their resumes trying to get a job reporting for Outside the Lines.
October 8th, 2008 at 7:21 AM |
Jason Whitlock used to write
Jason Whitlock used to write
Jason Whitlock used to write for the Ann Arbor News, not sure what that says. But I grew up reading that paper. I live in another state now and read it online periodically to see how my Ann Arbor area high school I went to did in their football games. I noticed this year they were asking for volunteer writers for their high school sports. Their game articles are about the same length of blurb I'm typing and no author seems to be listed. Is the AA News going broke?
Jim Carty and Michael Rosenberg are equally bad. I don't think either of them talk sports, they just overly cover minor controversies. It is like both those guys are padding their resumes trying to get a job reporting for Outside the Lines.
October 8th, 2008 at 8:06 AM |
THIS JUST IN:
THIS JUST IN:
Brian admits to not making Jay-Z cash money. Personally, I don't buy it.
Honestly BC-- I used to be in the newspaper business, and staying out is about the best advice I can give you. It's a dying animal-- you might as well become a pay phone repairman. These interwebs things are the future.
Love the site, love the community you've built here. No one around me felt the pain this weekend, but at least I could turn to MGoBlog.
GO BLUE
October 8th, 2008 at 8:11 AM |
Where did Jason Whitlock used to write?
Where did Jason Whitlock used to write?
I forgot.
Give me piss troughs or give me death.
October 8th, 2008 at 8:41 AM |
I read it was the AA News. I
I read it was the AA News. I
I read it was the AA News. I don't remember where I heard that, though.
October 8th, 2008 at 9:06 AM |
carty
carty
isn't the only one leaving... they are cutting back all across the board, from what i hear.
Harvard: The MICHIGAN of the East
We're not arrogant, we're just better.
October 8th, 2008 at 9:19 AM |
Agree with Six Zero
Agree with Six Zero
I am a recovering news repoter and editor.
Pay blows, I swear I put in 80 hour work weeks, and I got sooooo burned out. When I ended my career, I had gained more than 80 pounds....so it was unhealthy as well.
Its been four years, and, at times, I miss it, but I know if i ever go back in, I might slit my wrists while at a city council meeting past midnight.
When I started my career, I covered high school sports up in northern Michigan, won some awards and had the time of my life doing that.....but, I dont want to cover high school sports full time again......
Keep blogging.
Help My Friend Allison Fight ALS
MSU/IU at the JCB
October 8th, 2008 at 12:32 PM |
Brian, close the income gap
Brian, close the income gap
Between you and HOVA, and start calling out Nas... now.
Self respecting journalists work at the Ann Arbor News? Is this the same Ann Arbor News that dropped its AP subscription?