No football preview from the Athens Messenger

[The Enforcer]

Mark Me down as another one who will miss the football preview, But the decline in Highschool sports coverage has been going on for years now, I remember a few years ago when the sports page was 2-3 pages of Highschool Football. Man I miss the good ole Days!! LOL

[Orange and Brown]

Down here, The Register does a Madison County Sports section. It is 5 pages (or more) on Sunday, and from 2 to 4 pages Monday through Friday. During Basketball season that can double. They actually talked about making the Sunday edition separate from the Newspaper, but in the end they decided that would hurt the overall sales of the Newspaper.

[NYBuckeye96]

Taken from the Athens Messenger facebook page:

The Athens Messenger: Rather than one HS FB preview, we've elected to bring our readers a special section every week of the season that will provide preview coverage for the five Athens County schools and also Vinton County. The remaining area teams will be previewed in upcoming editions of The Athens Messenger. Look for the first football "Blitz" next week.

Translation:

Instead of having a detailed preview of every team, we will give you a brief skimming of the surface for each game every week.

The Messenger already previewed each teams games in the past. That isn't anything new.

Why don't they give us another "Can You Spot The Differences" puzzle! Make it two pictures of the Messenger. One from 20 years ago and one from today. Man, I bet I could spot at least 50 differences!!!

[fortdawg]

I will miss the preview. I will also freely admit to having no clue about the business end of running a newspaper but, there is still a huge interest in high school sports when a school puts a quality team on the field or court (boys or girls). Enrollment is down throughout the area and readership is declining but again---if you attended the Athens vs Nelsonville football game last year or the volleyball games between the two schools you would have seen great attendance at all these events. I have to think a good business person should be able to make money on the love of high school sports.

[Steely Dan]

Motivator and O&B - Thanks fellas. I almost hung up my hat for good after that last bunch of BS. I'm not sure how much longer I can put up with the vitriol, and the inane thoughts of the lazy arsed immoral minority, I could just scream. You guys, with your support, tell me I haven't lost my mind, so I will keep at it, but try to keep it civil (even though the other side cannot).

Week 1 is just around the corner. Let's get it on! Decision made, I will be in Stewart, to see how the Lancers fare against the Arno Army of Albany.


Oh, and one more thing. I'm not 50 yet either, you presumptuous youngster.

You are showing all kind of biases, for a "young and in tune" blogger. I could throw out a million different funny insults, but I won't. I'm taking the high road.

However, here's a sage piece of advice that I heard 30 years ago, and it is still true today:

"Age and treachery will always overcome youth and stupidity". Well, guess what? This thread still proves that adage is true.

[The Enforcer]

Trimbles preview is in todays Messenger

[g w mclintock]

Here is a new development. Everyone who is above 50 years old on SEOP's are standing up for one another. This is America, no one under 30 has a dang on clue on how to live life. Maybe you are the problem with this country SD, you read 2 sentences and you can pinpoint my political preferences? Not exactly cultured are we?

I do not know how old you are SD but one thing is usually true, the elderly do not like change, and when change happens they complain from their recliners and talk about how people are ruining America.

I know I won't get any likes on this post probably because it is only the elderly who cares about having an advertiser anyway.

Maybe Bulldog and SD could volunteer to do a few preview of teams in the area with all of their vast knowledge.

Ok, you nailed me. I admit I'm over 50. I'm also the person at my business responsible for advertising choices. I use the Athens Messenger very little (much less than I used to) due to their declining subscriber base. Yes I'm one of those "advertisers". So go ahead CavsFan, blame all your woes on me.

Sadly, The Athens Messenger is not what it used to be.... neither is CavsFan... nor am I....

[surfsider]

This would've never happened on sportfolio's watch while he was a writing sports for the Messenger. Such a shame but I'd put the blame on the editor and the advertising director. I'd call them out and ask why they'd deny their paper's readers a football tab. Sure it's a lot of work but why not put your OU students who do part of their classes at the Messenger to work with photos and stories.

[Orange and Brown]

Here is a new development. Everyone who is above 50 years old on SEOP's are standing up for one another. This is America, no one under 30 has a dang on clue on how to live life. Maybe you are the problem with this country SD, you read 2 sentences and you can pinpoint my political preferences? Not exactly cultured are we?

I do not know how old you are SD but one thing is usually true, the elderly do not like change, and when change happens they complain from their recliners and talk about how people are ruining America.

I know I won't get any likes on this post probably because it is only the elderly who cares about having an advertiser anyway.

Maybe Bulldog and SD could volunteer to do a few preview of teams in the area with all of their vast knowledge.

Ok, you nailed me. I admit I'm over 50. I'm also the person at my business responsible for advertising choices. I use the Athens Messenger very little (much less than I used to) due to their declining subscriber base. Yes I'm one of those "advertisers". So go ahead CavsFan, blame all your woes on me.

Sadly, The Athens Messenger is not what it used to be.... neither is CavsFan... nor am I....

It's funny ole' Cavsfan hasn't had anything else to say.............

[noreply66]

Here is a new development. Everyone who is above 50 years old on SEOP's are standing up for one another. This is America, no one under 30 has a dang on clue on how to live life. Maybe you are the problem with this country SD, you read 2 sentences and you can pinpoint my political preferences? Not exactly cultured are we?

I do not know how old you are SD but one thing is usually true, the elderly do not like change, and when change happens they complain from their recliners and talk about how people are ruining America.

I know I won't get any likes on this post probably because it is only the elderly who cares about having an advertiser anyway.

Maybe Bulldog and SD could volunteer to do a few preview of teams in the area with all of their vast knowledge.

Ok, you nailed me. I admit I'm over 50. I'm also the person at my business responsible for advertising choices. I use the Athens Messenger very little (much less than I used to) due to their declining subscriber base. Yes I'm one of those "advertisers". So go ahead CavsFan, blame all your woes on me.

Sadly, The Athens Messenger is not what it used to be.... neither is CavsFan... nor am I....

It's funny ole' Cavsfan hasn't had anything else to say.............

A lot of changes came from the 60s--these were people from about 20 to 30 years old making them 60+ to 70+ today---the elder must be the one 80 and older.

[kahn]

The whole thing works both ways. Lower revenue means less resources which means worse coverage. That leads to lower revenue, less resources and worse coverage...

Every time someone cancels a subscription, a paper gets a little worse. I don't know whether the chicken or the egg came first, but all the people who cancel their subscription and only buy Saturday papers during football season will miss the local papers when they're gone.

[g w mclintock]

You compare-


http://www.mariettatimes.com/page/categ ... ports.html (notice the details of the Athens (Home) vs Marietta scrimmage at the bottom of the page, I guess it was too much of a road trip for local coverage)

http://www.lancastereaglegazette.com/section/sports

or

http://www.logandaily.com/sports

http://www.athensohiotoday.com/sports

Now, before you say those are "big" newspapers, here are the respective circulation numbers- - http://www.mondotimes.com/newspapers/us ... apers.html

[Pol pot]

The new format is much better than the old one and done preview. Really enjoyed this weeks pullout, and I look forward to one each week. A tip of the cap to those in charge for making the change!

[newlex/sheridan]

I have a friend who has been a sports writer for the Zanesville Times Recorder for awhile. He claims free internet access to several of these papers has hurt them the most. I know right now you can access the Marietta TImes for free but was told that is going to change. We are a nation of convenience and it is easier for people to sit down in front of their computer than it is to run to the store for a print copy.

[superfan12]

Has NY or Athens been highlighted yet? I might have missed it

[NYBuckeye96]

There has been no update in the Messenger about the major road repair in Nelsonville concerning the brick rebuilding of Jefferson and Watkins streets, yet this past week there were *THREE* front page stories about a f*cking lost and found turtle.

[Steely Dan]

NYBuckeye is not exaggerating, this is true! Three different stories about a purported "box turtle" of gigantic proportions (think Gammera, you sci-fi nerds) on the loose in Athens County. Well, it wasn't a box turtle, it was some type of desert turtle from California that was an escaped pet.

But hey, that warranted three stories in the Athens Mess. WoooHoooo!!!!!!!!