Mark Smith will be off Lobo Hoops!

[Lobojumpman]

I have a source who I'm 100% confident in that says Ticky will be taken off Lobo hoops in the very immediate future and he will be assigned to something else within the Journal. Supposedly the search for an outsider to cover the team is on. Just wanted to give you guys a heads up on the great news!

[engr]

About doggone time. I'm never for him losing his job over this, but there has to be a better match.

[WeAre]

Hire MARK From the LAIR!

[Mark]

Mark Smith will no longer cover UNM basketball and will be replaced by Geoff Grammer. Mark Smith will still be employed by the journal.
#UNMerciful

I

[WeAre]

:)

[Lobojumpman]

As much as I don't care for Smith, I'm glad he still has a job there since he has a family to feed. The change was necessary for everyone involved.

[Lobojumpman]

Per Grammer's Twitter account: "Soon to be former Digital News Editor at Santa Fe New Mexican. Getting back into sports reporting at another company later this month. Very excited about it."

[Mark]

Nice scoop Lobojumpman!

[jjgriego]

Great find and even better news!

#UNMerciful

[growler]

This is very good news indeed. Aside from what people might think of Murky's other abilities as a reporter, it is simply a fact that he became way too personally involved in his stories and had a vendetta with SA. Despite all the backup he had from his editor, it seems that someone at the paper finally came to their senses. I for one am glad that we no longer have to be exposed to all his negativity and condescension towards Lobo hoops fans.

[JCB Lobo]

LOL!

[Louiefan]

For all those who said that Murky was the reason that they were no longer subscribing to the Journal, put your money where your mouth is and sign up today. I know I did.

[LIDOakaLJT]

Hopefully, Geoff Grammer's grammar will be impecable in his stories (lately, that has not been the case with newspapers around the country).


GO LOBOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[SpanaBaller]

Long overdue! The Journal screwed over Greg Archuleta for ticking off Locksley on a non issue but dragged their feet on Smith pissing off Alford and Drew Gordon

Thanks for the heads up LoboJumpman and RPS for the confirmation

[MRLobo]

Glad that we will see a change!

[P.L.A.C.T-ND]

GREAT NEWS FOR LOBONATION!!!

[LoboMike]

Great news! Don't let the door hit you in the you know what, Murky!

[EZLoboCat]

Very happy that he still has a job and hopefully the "new" sports editor will help support and promote NM "Lobo" sports. I will now start reading the Journal again!

[RIDIC]

LOBOS WIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Bloo]

Just did a cartwheel over here.
First time ever.
I'm a little dizzy, but it's OK. I think it's what giddy feels like.

[DROP-n-BOS1]

Cheers to that!!!

[FarsideLobo]

I for one am glad that Mark Smith still has a job. He and Coach were not a good match, but I hope the best for Mark in the future. This change seems best for all involved. Hopefully the new reporter and coach have a better relationship and we get more in-depth coverage in the Journal of Lobo Basketball.

[L0B0L0C0]

LOL!

That song is the first thing that popped in my head when I heard the news.

[TheLoboMan]

Mark Smith was promoted to Assistant Sports editor. The problem I have is now we have 2 aholes in charge there now.

Yes it's a good thing Mark is not the beat writer any more. Also You must understand before you cheer that Mark Smith and the editor hand picked his replacement. Grammar did not apply or have any clue he was up for the job. They offered out of the blue.

Geoff Grammer covered the Aggies for the Las Cruces Sun. Still trying to confirm that he is an Aggie Alumn.

[Burro lobo]

All of you that feel sorry for him just remember he was trying to get rid of Alford the same as he thinks he did in getting rid of the previous coaches (does not bother me losing them to get Alford.), but what he did and how he pushed to have the fans not support Lobo teams at the Pit, for me he does not get any sympathy and being promoted is like WHAT!

[Duke]

Mark Smith was promoted to Assistant Sports editor. The problem I have is now we have 2 aholes in charge there now.

Yes it's a good thing Mark is not the beat writer any more. Also You must understand before you cheer that Mark Smith and the editor hand picked his replacement. Grammar did not apply or have any clue he was up for the job. They offered out of the blue.

Geoff Grammer covered the Aggies for the Las Cruces Sun. Still trying to confirm that he is an Aggie Alumn.

Astute observation, LoboMan.
Let's read a column or two before we automatically conclude that this is headed in a more favorable direction..........

[Gonzlobo]

He got promoted? Cancel my subscription!

[LoboMike]

Who is the head sports editor there? It's not Asseltine anymore. As newspaper sales/subscriptions continue to go down and become a thing of the past, I'm not too concerned with Smith or whoever is in charge there. No one is long for a job of authority there as business continues to flounder.

Remains to be seen how good a job Grammer will do, but a fresh start is good from the perspective of covering Lobo hoops.

[NMFANINOKC]

I was in town last week, read a few days of the sports page.. Have to agree with Mike... Newsprint is on it's last leg and to be honest the Urinal is a glorified HS paper.. As for Smith, this is my tribute to him:

[James Staley]

Mark Smith was promoted to Assistant Sports editor. The problem I have is now we have 2 aholes in charge there now.

Yes it's a good thing Mark is not the beat writer any more. Also You must understand before you cheer that Mark Smith and the editor hand picked his replacement. Grammar did not apply or have any clue he was up for the job. They offered out of the blue.

Geoff Grammer covered the Aggies for the Las Cruces Sun. Still trying to confirm that he is an Aggie Alumn.

A couple things ...

Randy Harrison is the sports editor. Ed Johnson is a longtime assistant sports editor and now (or soon) Mark Smith will be too. That's three. So your math is off, even if I can't convince of the other part.

I have no clue how this shift changes any of their roles.

I'm not sure why you think Geoff didn't apply for the job. What job do you know that works that way? Randy was in contact with multiple qualified people about this position for several weeks. They wanted to get it done quickly, but Randy seemed to give it due diligence. I would expect nothing less from him (yes, Randy was a former colleague). As far as sportswriting goes, the Lobo basketball beat is the state's prime job.

As for Geoff ...

He spent two stints covering crime for the Santa Fe New Mexican. He also covered sports for the New Mexican — including the Lobos NCAA Tournament appearance two years ago — but most recently was the online editor.

Before that, he worked at the Tucson Citizen, covering high school sports. There he worked with some of the best college beat writers in the country before the Citizen closed. Before Arizona, he was sports editor at the Las Cruces Sun-News, primarily covering Aggie athletics (I worked with him there, and in college).

Ultimately I expect him to do very well in this position because of his sports, news and online background. He has won many awards and shown a nice touch on features. If I had to guess I'd say he will increase the online coverage, which will be appreciated by the diehards here. (Full disclosure: he is a friend.)

Obviously he's not going to make every Lobo fan happy with every story, that's the nature of sportswriting. And you can relax because he won't try to get Alford fired, even though he is an Aggie.

Give him a shot. Sometime later this month, you can expect Geoff to be in The Locker Room with Bob Brown.