To anyone who is interested:
This is off the top of my head and won't be a polished, perfectly edited work by far, but it's something I need to write. And if by chance you don't know who I am on here (even though my posting has gone way down in recent years,) you will now, and I don't care if you do, because I have a reason for spilling my identity.
After over 11 1/2 years between the Times Recorder and the Coshocton Tribune (with the past four spent mostly at the Tribune), I was informed Tuesday that my sports writing position was being eliminated as a cost-cutting measure for the company. This isn't surprising in the least. Worldwide, the entire newspaper industry is struggling with the double-whammy of losing subscriptions to the Internet as well as the overall economic woes.
Now, I don't need the, "I'm sorry," and, "It'll be okay," stuff, because I know I'll be fine. I have a strong support system around me, and I will get back on my feet. Besides, given other personal situations in my life right now that accompany my unexpected job loss, trust me, I'm a heck of a lot more upbeat than anyone would think I'd be. I am at total peace despite a heck of a lot of turmoil, and there's little stress. But this writing is not about that. Nor is this writing about what happens from here within the papers for sports coverage (I don't know, and it's no longer my business, so no use asking because you won't get answers from me.)
The reason for this collection of words is that I never had the chance to write one last column to say good-bye to all of those who respected me, worked with me, cared for me, or anything in a positive capacity. There's way too many names to say specific ones, but trust me, it's people like you who made my job enjoyable and rewarding. Yeah, I made my mistakes, and yeah, I also dealt with senseless and completely false accusations that were so terrible it wasn't even funny (I'm biased towards X school, I hate X school, I hate X child, I have X vendetta against school/child), but those people who were a pleasure to deal with made me forget about the bad and keep my focus on the good.
For what it's worth, in May 2008, I won the Associated Press of Ohio Division I (small paper division) Sports Writer of the Year Award based on my 2007 work. At the 2009 AP of Ohio banquet, I won three awards based on my 2008 work, a second for Sports Writer of the Year, a third for Best Sports Event Coverage (2008 state wrestling final day) and a first place for Best Sports Enterprise (a story on a River View softball pitcher wearing a defensive mask.)
I didn't win those awards to brag about them, and I feel weird even calling attention to them, even if it is solely to prove a point that soon follows. I didn't even care to enter in those contests until I was pushed to do so the past two years. I won the honors because the people I worked with made it possible. If I didn't have wonderful people to cover and talk to, none of that would have happened. Those awards are a testament to the communities and people I've dealt with over those two years -- moreso than my own abilities -- and the awards are also a small representation of everyone across the Muskingum Valley League, East Central Ohio League and other areas I've had the pleasure of conducting my job with over the nearly dozen years with the Newspaper Network of Central Ohio.
But as of Tuesday, that came to an end. Again, I will be fine, and I WILL bounce back, regardless of what direction my life takes. But I just wanted to have a few final words to those people I care about, for my own peace of mind. Ideally it would have been in print in the Tribune and the TR, but this will have to do.
So in closing, thank you for your time, the memories, and your overall support and care. It meant a lot to me, and it won't be forgotten. Life will carry on, but the experiences I had thanks to all of you will be hard to replicate, even if I live to be 100 years of age. The past 12 years of working with the community itself was priceless, and I can only hope that my next path in life is as rewarding as this recently-concluded path was.
Sincerely,
Devin Shultz
This is off the top of my head and won't be a polished, perfectly edited work by far, but it's something I need to write. And if by chance you don't know who I am on here (even though my posting has gone way down in recent years,) you will now, and I don't care if you do, because I have a reason for spilling my identity.
After over 11 1/2 years between the Times Recorder and the Coshocton Tribune (with the past four spent mostly at the Tribune), I was informed Tuesday that my sports writing position was being eliminated as a cost-cutting measure for the company. This isn't surprising in the least. Worldwide, the entire newspaper industry is struggling with the double-whammy of losing subscriptions to the Internet as well as the overall economic woes.
Now, I don't need the, "I'm sorry," and, "It'll be okay," stuff, because I know I'll be fine. I have a strong support system around me, and I will get back on my feet. Besides, given other personal situations in my life right now that accompany my unexpected job loss, trust me, I'm a heck of a lot more upbeat than anyone would think I'd be. I am at total peace despite a heck of a lot of turmoil, and there's little stress. But this writing is not about that. Nor is this writing about what happens from here within the papers for sports coverage (I don't know, and it's no longer my business, so no use asking because you won't get answers from me.)
The reason for this collection of words is that I never had the chance to write one last column to say good-bye to all of those who respected me, worked with me, cared for me, or anything in a positive capacity. There's way too many names to say specific ones, but trust me, it's people like you who made my job enjoyable and rewarding. Yeah, I made my mistakes, and yeah, I also dealt with senseless and completely false accusations that were so terrible it wasn't even funny (I'm biased towards X school, I hate X school, I hate X child, I have X vendetta against school/child), but those people who were a pleasure to deal with made me forget about the bad and keep my focus on the good.
For what it's worth, in May 2008, I won the Associated Press of Ohio Division I (small paper division) Sports Writer of the Year Award based on my 2007 work. At the 2009 AP of Ohio banquet, I won three awards based on my 2008 work, a second for Sports Writer of the Year, a third for Best Sports Event Coverage (2008 state wrestling final day) and a first place for Best Sports Enterprise (a story on a River View softball pitcher wearing a defensive mask.)
I didn't win those awards to brag about them, and I feel weird even calling attention to them, even if it is solely to prove a point that soon follows. I didn't even care to enter in those contests until I was pushed to do so the past two years. I won the honors because the people I worked with made it possible. If I didn't have wonderful people to cover and talk to, none of that would have happened. Those awards are a testament to the communities and people I've dealt with over those two years -- moreso than my own abilities -- and the awards are also a small representation of everyone across the Muskingum Valley League, East Central Ohio League and other areas I've had the pleasure of conducting my job with over the nearly dozen years with the Newspaper Network of Central Ohio.
But as of Tuesday, that came to an end. Again, I will be fine, and I WILL bounce back, regardless of what direction my life takes. But I just wanted to have a few final words to those people I care about, for my own peace of mind. Ideally it would have been in print in the Tribune and the TR, but this will have to do.
So in closing, thank you for your time, the memories, and your overall support and care. It meant a lot to me, and it won't be forgotten. Life will carry on, but the experiences I had thanks to all of you will be hard to replicate, even if I live to be 100 years of age. The past 12 years of working with the community itself was priceless, and I can only hope that my next path in life is as rewarding as this recently-concluded path was.
Sincerely,
Devin Shultz
