Richard Stevens hired by......UNM?

[badger77]

Deep down, he's a fan and hasn't written anything that wouldn't be posted here. Good move by UNM. He's doing the pre-game show with Stigs for football. Don't know about that one.

[pjamj]

Richard Stevens was, and will once again be, the best sportswriter in New Mexico. He is intelligent, witty, funny, sarcastic, and just plain interesting to read. He also has solid insight into sports.

And I too have e-mailed him and he always answered my e-mail and was a perfect gentleman.

[loboray]

Don't expect any more "stirring the pot". Those days are over. He knows Krebs is signing his check and wouldn't stand for the kind of writing he did for the Trib. Since Mike is no longer on staff, maybe Richard will be the resident "Homer" now.

[Bret]

Well..........as of today. Go Lobos has one less reader.

[Burro lobo]

I'm surprised that UNM would hire him from his past 5 year history, the last few months were much better I will admit, but he and Murkey Smiyh did more to empty the Pit during that span than all the lousy coaching combined! They/he never gave the team with Danny any praise and a very good team was not attended at all mostly thanks to their cheap shots and lack of good press. Fans read those reports and stopped going to the Pit based on their reporting. UNM is much kinder to him than I would have been based on the cost of his past writing. I hope some of the damage done can be rectified by his new position at GoLobos.com, but it's hard to see him as "The Lobo P.R. man" and I don't think he will get the press space to rectify his past deeds. The Lobos are already much better due to the new coaching and I see him as a tag along.
This is my own opinion and not in any way the feel of the Lair. But it's the way I see it!

[Lobodawg92]

I'm surprised that UNM would hire him from his past 5 year history, the last few months were much better I will admit, but he and Murkey Smiyh did more to empty the Pit during that span than all the lousy coaching combined! They/he never gave the team with Danny any praise and a very good team was not attended at all mostly thanks to their cheap shots and lack of good press. Fans read those reports and stopped going to the Pit based on their reporting. UNM is much kinder to him than I would have been based on the cost of his past writing. I hope some of the damage done can be rectified by his new position at GoLobos.com, but it's hard to see him as "The Lobo P.R. man" and I don't think he will get the press space to rectify his past deeds. The Lobos are already much better due to the new coaching and I see him as a tag along.
This is my own opinion and not in any way the feel of the Lair. But it's the way I see it!

Burro, you state my feelings better than I do. He was very damaging to the program as a whole for a long time. I did really like him at the end, but it is hard to forgive and forget. I am not going to boycott golobos, but can understand why some may want to.
Some of the media, maybe even most, feel that contraversy builds an audience. I think there are studies to support that theory. However, contraversy is not what is best for the program.

I think the best thing for the programs right now, is a win over those toads, and both sets of baggies this year! (Obviously, I am talking football in the hoops thread). If the team can somehow go 3-2 during this first 5 games, this town should be Lobo football crazy!

Go Lobos!

[loborick]

The media in Albuquerque don't want to be "homers" for some reason. They feel they can gain more readers by being controversial. That was Stevens' job at the Trib. Wold he have rather written more positive stories? I don't know. But he did his job. And the Trib closed. I guess in the long run, it didn't work.

I am very interested to read his articles with a positive spin. I always thought he was a good writer. And I did have my problems with him. But he never shirked from responding to negative e-mails. Although I didn't like most of his stories, I always respected him because he promptly and personally responded.

[Loboexpat]

The media in Albuquerque don't want to be "homers" for some reason. They feel they can gain more readers by being controversial. That was Stevens' job at the Trib. Wold he have rather written more positive stories? I don't know. But he did his job. And the Trib closed. I guess in the long run, it didn't work.

I am very interested to read his articles with a positive spin. I always thought he was a good writer. And I did have my problems with him. But he never shirked from responding to negative e-mails. Although I didn't like most of his stories, I always respected him because he promptly and personally responded.

I've never understood why "not being a homer" in the Albuquerque print means "going negative and stirring the pot." There is a middle ground. I've seen plenty of examples from around the country and one really good one right there in New Mexico: Tom Trujillo.

Of course professional journalists cannot be homers. I've never thought that should be the alternative. All I've ever wanted was truly objective, quality reporting. that's been sorely lacking.

[Roob]

I had a couple of email exchanges with him after I made some comments on the online version of the Tribune. I always found him very accessible and open to discussing ideas. I don't hold the pot stirring stuff against him. The man was trying to make a living - he had to follow editorial direction from his bosses. I'm sure he was influenced by their decisions on how to report the news. And he will be influenced by his new bosses at GoLobos. His reporting is about to become biased in the other direction. And I won't blame him for being a hypocrite. He's making a living and he's taking direction from his new boss. That's life. A man's got to do what a man's got to do to take care of his family. I would never hold that against him.

[loborick]

I had a couple of email exchanges with him after I made some comments on the online version of the Tribune. I always found him very accessible and open to discussing ideas. I don't hold the pot stirring stuff against him. The man was trying to make a living - he had to follow editorial direction from his bosses. I'm sure he was influenced by their decisions on how to report the news. And he will be influenced by his new bosses at GoLobos. His reporting is about to become biased in the other direction. And I won't blame him for being a hypocrite. He's making a living and he's taking direction from his new boss. That's life. A man's got to do what a man's got to do to take care of his family. I would never hold that against him.

You said it well, brother.

[Burro lobo]

Let him make his living, with any and all who care, he still urged or questioned why anyone should attend the Pit, stir the pot , he did, rag the Lobos he also did, and though I'm glad to exchange Mckay for Alford, he, McKay, was never given a fair shake by him. If that makes it all right for you that's fine with me, I still feel he hurt the program more than the ex coaches did and that the way he wants to change his views is exactly what you called it Roob, being a hypocrite. His choice and it fits his mood, now.
I read Go Lobos and enjoy it and I'm sure I'll read his by-line, but I'm sure I will have to smile a little when he gives his new biased views, after all we know he only writes what his boss tells him to, right?

[Lobodawg92]

Didn't Illiana (sp?) work for the same boss? I always thought she was fair. She wasn't just trying to stir the pot. I can't understand the "his boss made him do it" theory, as I would think it would have applied to the other sportswriter. Unless, of course you want to apply the good cop, bad cop theory on top of it, only Illiana wasn't always for the Lobos either. She was pretty straight shooter I thought.

Regardless, I am trying to be on board with Stevens, as long as he keeps it clean, as in honest, fair and researched. Krebs made the decision and OK, let's see what happens.

Go Lobos!

[geezer]

Mr. Stevens can be a really great writer. He has written some very good stuff in the past. If he was given direction to "stir the pot" then he was done a great disservice. He could'a been a contenda. As it is he became a pariah. If he can just keep from being such a manic writer then he will do just fine. I wish him well.

[Burro lobo]

Ahh.....geezer, my hero, you are the man and quite fair I'll add!
But let's not forget the other two before Illiana, also very good and fair Lobo scribes, he was the head of the group and sadly they moved on and he gets the Golobos job? I hope he does the site justice and I am through with my gripe, he is ours now.

Go Lobos, beat TCU!!!!