I realize this is fairly overdue, but with Media Days approaching, I figure I had better go ahead and get this out of the way.
I temporarily posted a month or two ago about how I'm leaving the beat to cover Auburn. It was slightly premature at the time because the plans hadn't been settled yet, but that's what is going to happen. My paper's chain plans to use one writer to cover Georgia for the papers in both Columbus and Macon. As it turned out, another possibility popped up when Josh Kendall (the Macon UGA writer, if you didn't know) decided to leave the UGA beat and I interviewed to be his replacement. It was a job I wanted very much, but I didn't get it. They hired David Hale, who covered Georgia for the Albany Herald a couple of years ago. It was disappointing to me, but as backup plans go, leaving to cover Auburn is a pretty good one. I've made no secret of having grown up an Auburn fan and attending the school, so I really didn't want to cover Auburn. You typically want your impartiality to be beyond question, which is why most beat writers who are worth their salt don't want to cover the school they attended...but I'll make it work.
At any rate, I've thoroughly enjoyed covering Georgia and interacting with you guys. This is a fun job and I hope that came through in the stuff I posted here. The good experiences I've had with the UGA staff, coaches and players are SIGNIFICANTLY more numerous than the bad ones. I felt like I was just getting started, but now it's time to move on.
My boss asked me not to post about the final plans until we had everything established. Well we do now. David Hale plans to take over my blogging responsibilities on the Georgia beat and I'm sure he's going to do a great job. I'm guessing he'll start at Media Days next week, and you'll be able to find it here.
If you want to catch up with me, I'll still be blogging for the Ledger and writing for the new SEC football site we're about to get up and running. You can find my blog here (I just started it this weekend) and the SEC site should be ready to roll soon and I'll post about that when it's ready. It'll always be good to hear from you guys, so feel free to check in with me anytime.
Again, it's been a blast,
David
Monday, July 14, 2008
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44 comments:
Damn, we are going to miss you. Your blog was the best blog around on GA. Good luck. It should be an interesting year in Auburn with their defense and the new offense.
David:
You did a great job covering the beat. Best of luck.
Brian
David..this is my favorite blog during the season; best way to catch up from Delaware. I'm sure you'll do great with Auburn; closest to brothers that we have in the SEC.
I'm gonna' miss your comments and coverage. You have been my third read every morning. Best of luck and I hope you can get back here in the future. If you think the SouthGA Mafia can help...
David -- Best of luck. It is a real disappointment to see you go. You did a great job with this blog and your newspaper beat writing. I am sure you will continue to do equally well at AU and your future assignments. Take care!
David:
To say that your work here will be missed is a tremendous understatement. This blog was the best source of Dawg info. Period.
Poor Mr. Hale will forever live in your shadow. I only hope he puts forth half the time effort you did...
damn. he's got some big shoes to fill.
WOW - the Macon Telegraph are a buncha morons.
I guess they can't see talent, passion,and excellence when it slaps them in the face!
Good Luck - maybe the AJC will wake up and hire you on the spot, we Dawg fans can only hope
You did a great job here. THANK YOU
New guy better be good. You've done a great job and after YEARS of mediocre reporting by others on the Dawgs, you've definitely raised the bar. Thanks, and be proud of a job well done. All the best.
This was the top blog out there for up to date information on the Dawgs. You'll be missed.
Thanks David. I really enjoyed your work. Perhaps the team can use this for motivation: you stole our best beat writer! :-) Take care.
I've notified the Columbus Ledger of my disappointment with their decision. Auburn just hit the jackpot. The dawg nation thanks you for all of your efforts and for covering UGA with such enthusiasm.
NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You've done a great job, David. Auburn's still not LSU, but I guess it will have to do.
Best of luck.
I pray all goes well in your new stomping grounds. You've been a source of great information for us Dawg fans. Hopefully, we will see you around our neck of the woods in the future.
I really enjoyed reading your blog and your articles in the Columbus paper (online). Hard to believe you went to Auburn!
I wish we could keep you, but have a great time over there. I am sure you will do a good job and will be promoted in the future.
Thanks for everything you've done; you'll certainly be missed around here. Good luck with the next step! :)
Damn, you are an Auburn fan? Oh well, at least it wasn't UF. I still appreciate you.
Thanks for your good work. Best wishes.
Thanks for your hard work and excellent reporting. Good luck covering the WarTigerMenPlainsEagles next year.
You were absolutey the best! Dr. Tom Johnson Class of '74
David:
Just adding my voice to the chorus. Your Dawg blog (and daily articles in the L-E) were remarkably informative and formula-free... you always seemed to get some detail or bit of conversation into a story that no one else had. And you conveyed it in a very engaging way. Dawg fans will truly miss you.
Can't believe we're losing you AND Josh Kendall. Does that mean Carter becomes the elder statesman UGA beat writer? Yikes!
You may want to print out a copy of all these heartfelt (though maybe a bit funereal) comments for use at your next L-E salary negotiation. It's mighty high praise, since you've now become only the second Plainsman (after Coach Dooley) to gain the respect of Dawg fans.
Thanks.
I thought y'all liked Erk fairly well, too...He wasn't half bad for an Auburn guy, right?
Just kidding. I appreciate the nice comments everybody. Georgia fans were (almost) always nice to me, which is part of what made the job and interacting with you all so much fun. I'll miss that. Here's hoping that things with AU go so well.
Ching, you're a pro. I might even read some Auburn coverage now.
Travis Fain
staff writer
The Macon Telegraph
David,
Best of luck in your new post. I enjoyed your coverage of the Dawgs and felt you did a great job. Your enjoyment of the position did show through.
Good luck, David. Your blog was my first stop everyday.
UGA's losing a great one. you've been probably the best source for any UGA news (and far and away the best source during camps and practices and the like). disappointed to see ya go.
best of luck, maybe something will happen to bring you back to athens.
Good Luck David! You did a great job covering UGA.
Thank you for your even-handed coverage of the Bulldogs and good luck on the Auburn beat.
I'm sorry to see you go. You provided the best coverage on Georgia that we have received in many a year. Good luck on the Auburn beat and beyond. If there is any justice in the sportswriting world, we will see you on a big stage one day. Thank you, Keith Summers.
Thanks for all the great writing. This blog has been a joy to read. Good Luck and farewell!
David, the quality of your coverage has been outstanding. The information you provided came with a perspective and personal insight that is seldom received from other writers. You are such a professional that I doubt you will have much difficulty maintaining your impartiality during your new assignment.
David:
Sorry to see you go. You were the best beat writer we have had. It seemed that you always asked the questions that we wanted to know about. You must have been liked by the players and coaches as well because you always had great interviews. We will miss you and may even read your Aubie blog.
Reddawgbill
You have a bright future in some very-lucky sports city. Best of luck.
Ching,
My roomate and I were avid readers every day, and we're hoping this new Hale character can contribute to our daily football talks half as much as you did. I'm tempted to read your Auburn blog just to see what you're up to.
Best of luck from a couple of UGA students in search of a new UGA college football insider.
this was the lead blog out there for up to appointment selective information on the Dawgs.and I hope you can get back here in the future.
__________________________
james
Addiction Recovery Montana
Holy crap I've only been reading off and on during the off-season so I had no idea. That really sucks for me as you were an AWESOME contributor. Wish you the best in your knew job but will miss your coverage of the Dawgs!!
David, good luck with your new assignment. This is Auburn's gain and our loss.
Thanks for all you've done and good luck in the future. This blog, this coverage and your insights will be missed.
I guess this just makes you DAWG FOOD!!! lol, thanks for making the season more fun.
You're a real class act Ching. (Can't believe I just said that about an Auburn guy;-) Your blog will be missed by bulldog fans everywhere. Thanks for all the hard work you've shared with us.
Bubba
Once again David I wish you nothing but unmitigated success with the new job. The Auburn folks are getting one fine journalist and your writings will be sorely missed!
I'll pop my head into your new blog from time to time to see if you're short changing the AU faithful on coverage as what you provided for us was simply outstanding work!
We'll see you in Athens in a year and a half! Be safe my friend!
Wishin' U the best David,Thanks for keeping all of us dawgs so well informed ! Good luck in Aubie land.
Hows everything going over there?
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