Friday, January 29, 2010

Goodbye from Stan Olson

Good afternoon and goodbye.

This is my last post, because of staff reductions at The Observer.

I think I’ll miss the Tar Heels fans the most—while I criticized their class, in-state and out, they were right that Butch Davis would finish strong—he and his staff are killing it today, and I’d like to be available for my verbal whipping.

Anyway, take care, send all your tips to Ken Tysiac, who is a great guy and a talented writer, and I’ll be around.

--Stan Olson

43 comments:

Unknown said...

That's awful. Let us know where we can see your work in the future. I appreciate everything you've done!

Anonymous said...

Stan I have read your work for thirty years. Appreciate your professionalism.

Nice way to say thanks and kiss my arse all at the same time to the establishment. Where you holding up the number one sign as you walked out? Oh, never mind. I agree.

You will be missed but are appreciated. john t.

Anonymous said...

Start your own website, dude!

Sam Vimes said...

Like Anon 4:50... I'll subscribe to your feed!

JohnP said...

Enjoyed reading your posts Stan. As one of those Tar Heel fans, I always felt you'd eat crow. Anyway, your posts will be missed. Perhaps, Scout or Rivals needs a recruiting analyst...

Anonymous said...

Stan,

Thank you for your coverage of the Charlotte 49ers over the years. I'm sure you will be great at whatever you choose to do.

It's a piss poor way to thank a long time employee if you ask me.

Stan Olson said...

Guys, thanks for the kind words--they mean A LOT to me. I'm going to figure out a way to stay involved.

Matt Privett said...

Stan,

When I lived in Charlotte and got the paper I always enjoyed your baseball columns on Sundays. I'm sorry to see you go, especially under these circumstances. All the best in your future endeavors.

Anonymous said...

Stan, thanks for all your work. I'll miss your baseball column more than your recruiting stuff. ;-)

anyways, good luck, maybe we'll still hear ya on Packman some??

Anonymous said...

Man the Charlotte Observer is a big piece of CRAP. How are you going to let one of your best sports writers go? You already give us a garbage sports section each and every day. We have no NASCAR writer (that Utter guy should be the one to go). Now this...I am planning to cancel my subscription.

Best of luck to you sir...

Stan Olson said...

5:04--Absolutely; Thursdays for sure. And thanks!

Unknown said...

Stan, loved your columns and enjoy you on the Pac Man show. I'll be listening to hear where you end up. Too much talent and love for sports not to get a gig quick. Take care.

Anonymous said...

maybe they can you give a baseball type show over at WFNZ?

sure would be better than Frank and Buck!!

Haha. Good luck!

Anonymous said...

F the Observer.

Definitely an hour or two baseball show would be pretty cool. Take it from Frank Garcia, the biggest moron on radio. Or should I say the Frank Garcias of the world...what a fruit loop. He and the Observer deserve each other.

Anonymous said...

Looks like the O has trimmed out most of Stan's final good-bye blog now. What a crock!!

Anonymous said...

dam, tell a man he's got to leave, then won't let him say a few things on the way out?

nothing he said was wrong or untrue.

horsecrap Observer. you just lost a reader.

Anonymous said...

Anyway to see Stan's original "un-edited" blog entry? Is it posted anywhere else?

minerniner said...

thanks for all the thoughtful pieces over the years. The internet has killed the print paper and the leaders of the print failed to figure a way out of this mess. I wish you the best and hope to find you on the net.

Gill said...

Im going to call FOUL here. There was a different original post by Mr. Olson, something about Mclatchey cutting lots of jobs and them trying to pay off their debt. Now the post has been altered...

Are you guys seriously going to censor his finals words?

Thanks for everything Mr. Olson

SECfan said...

Stan:

I appreciate all the info you brought the readers. Thanks for taking my emails and complaints in stride! Best of luck to you.

Anonymous said...

Good Luck, Stan... we will miss your writing. It's terrible that the Observer can't pony up the money neccessary to retain their best writers.

Anonymous said...

I only discovered you through the internet, and now I almost wish I hadn't, because it it the internet that is leading to the reductions in print media. If you can retire, great, just keep blogging from your home office. IF not, then I hope you catch on at another outlet. Either way, I hope to be reading your work in the near future. BOL

Anonymous said...

Stan, you will be missed. Keep writing for those of us who actually appreciate good writing.

Stan Olson said...

Guys, thanks for the support. I am overwhelmed. Don't be too hard on the paper. I've loved it for 40 years, and now they're caught between a rock and a hard place.

Anonymous said...

Hey Stan,

Start a blog, go with WFNZ, something.

Let us know where you are. Good luck. Stay in town.

49R said...

You're getting out of print media at the right time. Perhaps Charlotte needs an FM Sports Radio station?

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the coverage of the Niners and all other things sports. Good luck and best wishes on things to come!
-Ben Hemingway

Anonymous said...

Stan you are class......cut Langston Worst and keep Stan Olson

Anonymous said...

Hey Stan, I'm a Carolina fan and grew up reading your stories in the old Charlotte News, when we moved here in 1974. Pathetic that they're cutting you at this stage in your career. Shameful, but typical. I am losing my job myself soon, as have several of my friends already. The world is upside down now. Good luck to you and things will work out for all of us eventually.

Anonymous said...

You know who should get their jobs cut? All the idiots at the top of these giant newspapers.

They are running out all the good writers (see Mr. Olson) and failing to adapt.

These guys are failing to adapt to the Internet. Internet Advertising is more lucrative than print advertising, and the O could make a LOT more money if the people at the top knew what the hell to do, what to advertise, how to advertise, and how to consistently grow online.

Sure, there will still be a demand (albeit small one) for a print edition. But, most people get their news today via the Internet, whether it be a social app or a website.

The Observer should invest more into the online side of their business than the print side. You can't stay in business if you are a newspaper, and want to devote most your resources to print.

Not going to happen. Sucks they let possibly the best writer at the O go.

John said...

As someone who has experienced the effects of big business in journalism, I can empathize with your situation.

You were a classy writer, all of the way, and if I've learned anything it is that you WILL pass those blowhards who like to get their hands in where they don't belong (at a paper, I mean) while they're on their way down.

Best of luck.

Anonymous said...

Have really enjoyed your posts and your writing over the years. I've been an OBS subscriber for 40+ yrs, as were my parents & g'parents. And we get Fannie Flono instead of Stan Olson? Sports and features are the only things the print edition has going for it currently.

Anonymous said...

Stan,

I have enjoyed your articles since the early 1970's. It is a shame that the Observer is eliminating the writers that made them successful. It is similar to companies that eliminate their producing salesmen and keep their office personnel and management. I have seen that in industry and they do not survive long. It appears the Observer is trying their best to go out of business. I guess I will assist them when I cancel my subscription.

You will be missed. Larry (40 year subscriber)

rocky said...

Goodbye to a great writer and super individual! You will be missed by all sports fans. Thank you for all of the wonderful stories throughout the years. Best wishes!

Rocky White

Anonymous said...

Stan as you leave, so leaves what little credibility the Observer has. I've been reading your stuff as long as you have been writing it. The newspaper in its current form is a dead man walking. So consider that you are getting out before the whole house falls in. I know we'll still be hearing from you in some form of media. Thanks and best of luck.

John said...

I, too, would like to see the original post. It's a shame that a NEWSPAPER would be the censoring party. Then again, they do tend to get touchy when the published content addresses THEIR screw ups, as opposed to those of celebrities and politicians.

Oh, and the "Blog-o-sphere" can eat me.

Best wishes, Mr. Olson.

Wake73 said...

Stan- I grew up in Charlotte, and will always remember your stories from the 70's (along with those of Ron Green, Sr.) Loved the old afternoon Charlotte News and remember my dad reading the sportspage when he came home from work. I have lived in Chapel Hill since 1980 and just recently started reading your stories again through the internet. You will be missed.

Anonymous said...

The original post is available at:

http://charlotte.johnlocke.org/blog/?p=6543#more-6543

Anonymous said...

What stan got is karma!!!! Vengence is mine says the Lord!!!! Good now Victor Hampton at least can get an objective story or feed. For all the times you said he was kicked out...now who's kicked out....lol lol lol lol....Karma is a beast...now you kicked to the curb and it IS a FACT!!!Everytime they write about you they should say Stan, Remember he was kicked to the curb by The Observer.... Next time choose your words more carefully and be an objective reporter. Good riddance.

Anonymous said...

A very classy man who returned calls and emails. Someone who was excited to hear of young unknown athletes and encourage them in their pursuits. I will pray that you end up in a position that will give you even more of a voice and most of all that you find joy and fulfillment in.

Anonymous said...

Ha ha, they deleted the original post Stan wrote, then deleted the copy of the original post someone posted in the comments.

Its like were in the USSR!

Anonymous said...

The original blog goodbye:

Although my College Recruiting blog has consistently recorded some of the highest web hit totals at The Observer, the economy has made more cuts at the newspaper necessary, and the knife got me last week. It felt more like a two-by-four, and came as a total surprise after almost four decades at the paper.

This is a McClatchy-wide thing, as the company tries to pay down debt. My editors were all very supportive and disappointed at my departure, and we part as friends.

I won’t say I’m happy about it, obviously.

I was already working half-time, and loving all of this recruiting noise.

And I think I’ll miss the Tar Heels fans the most—while I criticized their class, in-state and out, they were right that Butch Davis would finish strong—he and his staff are killing it today, and I’d like to be available for my verbal whipping.

Anyway, take care, send all your tips to Ken Tysiac, who is a great guy and a talented writer, and I’ll be around.

--Stan Olson

Stan Olson said...

Folks, thanks again for the kind words. I never knew I had so many friends out there, and I'll never forget this. I'll be fine, and hopefully all of you will be as well.