RIP Pittsburgh Post Gazette

[Steeldrama]

As a journalism major (and former paper boy), I admit the writer wannabe in me finds the end of the newspaper era a little depressing.

Just like most of the modern world, I’m addicted to my phone. I do however make a conscious effort to holster it at work and leave it on the kitchen counter when unwinding with some TV.

No, I don’t think the Post Gazette was any great periodical, but I credit that paper for developing my love of sports and its influence on me becoming a lifelong reader and writer.

I remember trudging through the snow of my parents’ front yard at 5:00 AM , out to that little green box next to the mailbox to get our still soggy wet paper. I quickly grabbed the sports section, my dad read everything else during breakfast.

Writers like Smizik, Collier, Ron Cook, Mike White, Phil Axelrod, and even Easy Ed Bouchette were must read for me as a kid and young adult.

Smiz’s “Nobody asked me…” and love of all things Pirates baseball

Cook had his moments but kind of a negative dude

Mike White’s Fab 22

Collier had some dry humor and a creative writing style, “Jesus of Nazereth…can’t believe he was still available”

As my Steelers’ obsession grew, it was easy Ed Bouchette who was must read for me. Dude was clearly dialed into the Steelers’ organization. Ed NAILED the ’87 draft in his morning preview. Hell no I never heard of Rod Woodson, Hardy Nickerson, or Greg Lloyd, but Bouchette correctly identified them as potential Steelers’ selections.

Anyway

I can’t tell you the last time I read a newspaper.

Here in Atlanta, the AJC hasn’t gone out of business, but it’s digital access only and frankly not worth reading.

In college, I bought a Post Gazette daily on the way to the cafeteria to read during lunch.

When I lived at Pacific Beach, my morning routine was to stop at this tiny shack at the top of the stairs leading down to my glorious view of the Pacific Ocean. I’d buy an orange juice, chicken biscuit, AND a copy of the San Diego Union Tribune. Find an old wooden reclining chair and just relax and read before starting my day.

When I visit my dad, I still see framed front pages from both the Post Gazette and Press of all the Steelers' Super Bowl wins hanging in my mom's Steelers woman-cave

I miss those simpler times, but honestly the instant access to sports news and sites like PFT, Twitter, and yes SteelerFury on my phone is just too convenient.

RIP Post Gazette

Thanks for the memories

[DumlinBumlinStumlin]

All newspapers are extinct as it comes to content and distribution all controlled by anti humanity voices

sad though about the PPG

[swissvale72]

Just read about the papers closing… Sounds like maybe there are some forces at play that could result in being kept open. It's too bad… I read the PG daily and listen to their podcast as well.

Of course, I go back further than you, to the days of the Pittsburgh press the afternoon paper, which was delivered to my home and which I had the paper route delivering the press… Pat Livingston columns on the Steelers always look forward to them

[.Kodiak]

It's definitely a sad decline. But seeing what papers had become trying to compete with social media - "news"papers already died a long time ago.

One day, years from now, we may have quality journalism again....if people are willing to pay for it. Right now, people prefer free cat videos.

[Deebo]

As a journalism major (and former paper boy), I admit the writer wannabe in me finds the end of the newspaper era a little depressing.

Just like most of the modern world, I’m addicted to my phone. I do however make a conscious effort to holster it at work and leave it on the kitchen counter when unwinding with some TV.

No, I don’t think the Post Gazette was any great periodical, but I credit that paper for developing my love of sports and its influence on me becoming a lifelong reader and writer.

I remember trudging through the snow of my parents’ front yard at 5:00 AM , out to that little green box next to the mailbox to get our still soggy wet paper. I quickly grabbed the sports section, my dad read everything else during breakfast.

Writers like Smizik, Collier, Ron Cook, Mike White, Phil Axelrod, and even Easy Ed Bouchette were must read for me as a kid and young adult.

Smiz’s “Nobody asked me…” and love of all things Pirates baseball

Cook had his moments but kind of a negative dude

Mike White’s Fab 22

Collier had some dry humor and a creative writing style, “Jesus of Nazereth…can’t believe he was still available”

As my Steelers’ obsession grew, it was easy Ed Bouchette who was must read for me. Dude was clearly dialed into the Steelers’ organization. Ed NAILED the ’87 draft in his morning preview. Hell no I never heard of Rod Woodson, Hardy Nickerson, or Greg Lloyd, but Bouchette correctly identified them as potential Steelers’ selections.

Anyway

I can’t tell you the last time I read a newspaper.

Here in Atlanta, the AJC hasn’t gone out of business, but it’s digital access only and frankly not worth reading.

In college, I bought a Post Gazette daily on the way to the cafeteria to read during lunch.

When I lived at Pacific Beach, my morning routine was to stop at this tiny shack at the top of the stairs leading down to my glorious view of the Pacific Ocean. I’d buy an orange juice, chicken biscuit, AND a copy of the San Diego Union Tribune. Find an old wooden reclining chair and just relax and read before starting my day.

When I visit my dad, I still see framed front pages from both the Post Gazette and Press of all the Steelers' Super Bowl wins hanging in my mom's Steelers woman-cave

I miss those simpler times, but honestly the instant access to sports news and sites like PFT, Twitter, and yes SteelerFury on my phone is just too convenient.

RIP Post Gazette

Thanks for the memories

As a Pens and Steelers fan from out of town, I was really reliant on PPG and Trib Review for my coverage. So I definitely feel the nostalgia that you are experiencing.

[Louis Lipps Service]

I do miss the times when you only got your news from newspapers and the morning and 6 o'clock news broadcasts. I do think that having information crammed down your throat 24/7 creates far more bad than good.

But the times, they do change.

[CKSteeler]

This paper could stay open at least some time longer. How similar it would look to what it was before is up for debate.

The union killed any chance of that happening. Part of the story here and elsewhere. I don't want to get overly political. I'm actually not inherently anti-union from a technical standpoint. If workers want to organize, I'm fine with it on paper. When the government gets involved beyond just protecting basic fundamental rights in these cases, you get this. A demand that they honor a union contract that was clearly untenable. You can have whatever labor contract you want. The reality is if you are bleeding money it's going to die one way or the other. The real minimum wage is always $0 no matter what the government says.

[.Kodiak]

I do miss the times when you only got your news from newspapers and the morning and 6 o'clock news broadcasts. I do think that having information crammed down your throat 24/7 creates far more bad than good.

But the times, they do change.

I feel like I was one of the last classes where high schools sports and the local paper really created a sense of community.

We'd have 10k people at some of our basketball games. Now it's probably more like 500. Heck, you probably don't even get 100 students at the games now.

[Dan Smith--BYU]

On the other hand, remember when a classified ad cost 300 bucks in the eighties and NOTHING now on Craigslist?

Newspapers died for a reason.

Who is old enough to remember the Pittsburgh Press? And all the local papers like the McKeesport Daily News?

[Gonzo]

I do miss the times when you only got your news from newspapers and the morning and 6 o'clock news broadcasts. I do think that having information crammed down your throat 24/7 creates far more bad than good.

But the times, they do change.

the key is its pointless and non-representative information thats being crammed down

[swissvale72]

On the other hand, remember when a classified ad cost 300 bucks in the eighties and NOTHING now on Craigslist?

Newspapers died for a reason.

Who is old enough to remember the Pittsburgh Press? And all the local papers like the McKeesport Daily News?

I referenced the Press earlier....had a paper route with the Press

[Dan Smith--BYU]

the death of the newspaper paralleled the death of the mall

one killed by Amazon the other by Craigslist and online media

Downtown McKeesport was a great shopping area until Eastland Mall then Amazon turned it into a Soviet parking lot

Is downtown Pittsburgh still great for Christmas shopping. Fun fact: "Silver Bells" was inspired by a Christmas decorations there.

Sic transit gloria

[swissvale72]

the death of the newspaper paralleled the death of the mall

one killed by Amazon the other by Craigslist and online media

Downtown McKeesport was a great shopping area until Eastland Mall then Amazon turned it into a Soviet parking lot

Is downtown Pittsburgh still great for Christmas shopping. Fun fact: "Silver Bells" was inspired by a Christmas decorations there.

Sic transit gloria

Braddock was a great shopping area! Used to go down with my parents on Saturday night

[MJG75]

As a journalism major (and former paper boy), I admit the writer wannabe in me finds the end of the newspaper era a little depressing.

Just like most of the modern world, I’m addicted to my phone. I do however make a conscious effort to holster it at work and leave it on the kitchen counter when unwinding with some TV.

No, I don’t think the Post Gazette was any great periodical, but I credit that paper for developing my love of sports and its influence on me becoming a lifelong reader and writer.

I remember trudging through the snow of my parents’ front yard at 5:00 AM , out to that little green box next to the mailbox to get our still soggy wet paper. I quickly grabbed the sports section, my dad read everything else during breakfast.

Writers like Smizik, Collier, Ron Cook, Mike White, Phil Axelrod, and even Easy Ed Bouchette were must read for me as a kid and young adult.

Smiz’s “Nobody asked me…” and love of all things Pirates baseball

Cook had his moments but kind of a negative dude

Mike White’s Fab 22

Collier had some dry humor and a creative writing style, “Jesus of Nazereth…can’t believe he was still available”

As my Steelers’ obsession grew, it was easy Ed Bouchette who was must read for me. Dude was clearly dialed into the Steelers’ organization. Ed NAILED the ’87 draft in his morning preview. Hell no I never heard of Rod Woodson, Hardy Nickerson, or Greg Lloyd, but Bouchette correctly identified them as potential Steelers’ selections.

Anyway

I can’t tell you the last time I read a newspaper.

Here in Atlanta, the AJC hasn’t gone out of business, but it’s digital access only and frankly not worth reading.

In college, I bought a Post Gazette daily on the way to the cafeteria to read during lunch.

When I lived at Pacific Beach, my morning routine was to stop at this tiny shack at the top of the stairs leading down to my glorious view of the Pacific Ocean. I’d buy an orange juice, chicken biscuit, AND a copy of the San Diego Union Tribune. Find an old wooden reclining chair and just relax and read before starting my day.

When I visit my dad, I still see framed front pages from both the Post Gazette and Press of all the Steelers' Super Bowl wins hanging in my mom's Steelers woman-cave

I miss those simpler times, but honestly the instant access to sports news and sites like PFT, Twitter, and yes SteelerFury on my phone is just too convenient.

RIP Post Gazette

Thanks for the memories

Love this eulogy, Drama. Your posts are one of the reasons I keep returning here.

Sad days. Times changing. Not really on board, bit what can you do.

[MJG75]

the death of the newspaper paralleled the death of the mall

one killed by Amazon the other by Craigslist and online media

Downtown McKeesport was a great shopping area until Eastland Mall then Amazon turned it into a Soviet parking lot

Is downtown Pittsburgh still great for Christmas shopping. Fun fact: "Silver Bells" was inspired by a Christmas decorations there.

Sic transit gloria

Braddock was a great shopping area! Used to go down with my parents on Saturday night

Man, yeah was great there!

[MJG75]

On the other hand, remember when a classified ad cost 300 bucks in the eighties and NOTHING now on Craigslist?

Newspapers died for a reason.

Who is old enough to remember the Pittsburgh Press? And all the local papers like the McKeesport Daily News?

I referenced the Press earlier....had a paper route with the Press

Me too. Paper routes were how I was able to go to Bucs and Steelers games. And buy comic books.

[Dan Smith--BYU]

When I tell my kids I took two buses to Pirates games to sit in bleachers for 2 bucks from Munhall with my cousin at age 9 they find it hard to believe.

We'd also take public transport to downtown or even McKeesport at Christmas and make a day of it with or without parents. We never worried about safety.

No matter what we buy them today they will never know the joy of being a free range kid.

We were born at the best time at the best place. Always be grateful.

[swissvale72]

When I tell my kids I took two buses to Pirates games to sit in bleachers for 2 bucks from Munhall with my cousin at age 9 they find it hard to believe.

We'd also take public transport to downtown or even McKeesport at Christmas and make a day of it with or without parents. We never worried about safety.

No matter what we buy them today they will never know the joy of being a free range kid.

We were born at the best time at the best place. Always be grateful.

Same deal...I would take the 61B from swissvale to Oakland, pay a buck to sit in the Forbes field bleachers...by myself...11 years old.


Same with Pitt Stadium

[.Kodiak]

No matter what we buy them today they will never know the joy of being a free range kid.

It's crazy. We'd sometimes disappear on our bikes at 9am and not come home until dinner.

I guess the kids that have it "good" today are the ones with shitty parents.

[Dan Smith--BYU]

"shitty parents"

parenting is hard but money and living in fear make it ten times harder