James Traynor: Why this is my last ever newspaper column
3 Dec 2012 00:01
AFTER 37 years the sports writer reveals he's leaving the world of newspapers with many happy memories.
IT was never a job. More of an absolute joy, if truth be told.
But all good things come to an end and when they do, it’s important to end with some good things.
When writing this, my final newspaper column, the memories come flooding in. When the time comes to change direction and move on, let the best of those memories rush from every corner of your mind and keep the worst of them locked away.
If people who have abused you because of their own bigoted and narrow-minded ways, or events that might have saddened you deeply, are allowed light and oxygen you let them tarnish and blacken what you’ve done and achieved.
For instance, this column – the final one after 37 years in newspapers – could bang on about supporters who have spat on my coats and jackets, thrown all sorts of insults and occasionally bricks and bottles. But that would demean everything.
I could name managers, players, club directors and administrators who, because the truth can hurt, have wished me all kinds of harm and misfortune. But neither they nor their words mattered. They damaged and shamed only themselves.
So from Andre Agassi (tennis is such a wonderful sport) to Zinedine Zidane (football really is a beautiful game despite the money grabbers and crooks), it has been amazing. It’s been a blast. Uplifting but also a deeply humbling and, at times, disturbing journey.
When Scotland were in Bucharest to play a European Championship qualifying tie against Romania, a couple of years after that madman Nicolae Ceausescu had been overthrown by revolution, players broke down. So too did supporters.
It was 1991 and the horrors of the Romanian orphan crisis were becoming clearer to the outside world.
It was heartbreaking. Even the most hardened cynical hacks cried at the sight of swarms of hungry, distraught children wandering the streets begging for morsels.
I know I said the bad memories should be locked away but those kids, who snatched all the money we could muster as though we were making them instant millionaires, can never be forgotten.
Strangely, another memory also concerns tears. But this time they came from a Brazilian great sitting right in the middle of Avenue Foch in Paris at the start of the 1998 World Cup finals.
Nilton Santos was there with Pele, Carlos Alberto and another great, Alfredo di Stefano, who was claimed by both Argentina and Spain.
I was there because I’d had a say in selecting the team of the 20th century – just for the Record that team was: Lev Yashin, Carlos, Franz Beckenbauer, Bobby Moore, Santos; Johan Cruyff, Di Stefano, Michel Platini; Garrincha, Pele and Diego Maradona. Then I sat with Pele, Santos and Di Stefano listening to their tales.
It was fascinating, even when Santos, who had been a father figure to the deeply troubled Garrincha, wept as he spoke of the tormented genius and his final tragic years.
But there were loads of laughs with the greats of the people’s game to giants of other sports. Heroic characters such as Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, Sugar Ray Leonard, Jack Nicklaus, Seve Ballesteros, Tiger Woods, Wayne Gretzky, Bjorn Borg, Rod Laver, Ilie Nastase, Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe (did I mention tennis is a wonderful sport?), Boris Becker, Pete Sampras, Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal, Mark McGwire (baseball is such an hypnotic and simply beautiful sport, maybe even the best) and the 49ers’ Jerry Rice.
There are just too many to list. But it’s been a privilege to have seen them in the flesh and even under the threat of extreme torture, such as being forced to listen to recordings of SFA/SPL meetings, I could never say my job has been anything like work. It’s been a pleasure.
Until recently.
Unfortunately, there has been the last twisted and bitter year during which Scottish football, unable to deal with the Rangers crisis in a civilised manner, has tried to tear itself apart. All in the name of sporting integrity, of course.
Actually, for the last couple of years some of the most bilious types have been allowed to emerge from the shadows and spew invective that sadly became regarded as fact, even though what they were saying and writing wasn’t even close to being definitive. Or honest. Overnight all sorts of anonymous bloggers became experts. These champions of decency had all the answers. They knew better than anyone else. They said over and over Rangers would be done for cheating the tax man.
They were wrong, the Rangers Tax Case blog in particular. Yet he/her/they stated: “This blog has been accurate on all of the major points of the case except the one that matters most to date – the FTT (First-tier Tax Tribunal) outcome”.
Excuse me? Accurate on all the major points except the bit that matters most. And that’s all right is it?
That’s a bit like a team manager saying after a defeat: “Hold on, I picked the right team and I believe my tactics were correct. So the result doesn’t really matter.”
Dolts. The result is everything. If any of the Rangers Tax Case bloggers are trained lawyers, would you want them to defend you in a court of law?
Even now so many – and I include some fellow journalists – still cannot bring themselves to accept Rangers did not cheat the tax man by using EBTs.
One journalist declared it to be “a government conspiracy” when he heard the ruling in Rangers’ favour.
Perhaps in time more will be written about this kind of hack and the rabid desire to help bring down Rangers, a fierce desire that, sadly, was widespread. Actually, I’m sure more will be written about them.
Just when did they become consumed by such eye-popping rage? Was it always there, a dormant fury against Rangers and their fans, who deserve enormous credit for having saved their club, just waiting for the catalyst?
Now they can’t help themselves. They can’t stop foaming at the mouth and we can be sure their determination to have titles stripped will go into overdrive.
They need some kind of victory or they might explode and that would be terribly messy. All that bile all over the walls and streets.
Unfortunately reason was never allowed to be a player in this grotesque game, which quickly became dominated mostly by incoherent imbeciles fuelled by all that hatred.
And let’s not forget how some with telly platforms were prompted by those bloggers and ill-informed commentators. Stupidly they allowed themselves to be duped by supporters with dangerous agendas hidden under the banner of integrity.
And the result? Some of the most shallow and infantile drivel ever written. These egotists are so into
themselves they’ve no regard for the safety or wellbeing of those about whom they have written some awful and completely inaccurate pieces.
Despicable, pathetic little creatures craving some kind of recognition but lacking in conscience and morality.
I’m so sorry they’ve had to be thrown up into the same piece as some of the true greats and gentlemen of world sport.
However, that’s it. My work here is done and I’m glad – but just for the record, I’ve not been sacked or made redundant. I was asked to remain but my conscience won’t allow me to stay in our profession.
The kind of journalism needed by the country, never mind sport, no longer exists in enough of the media outlets.
But as I’ve said, the good memories of all those sporting greats will always outweigh the negatives, especially those that bubbled to the surface throughout this last year.
Thanks to sport’s real heroes I’ve had a ball and thank you for reading while I was with The Herald, the Daily Express and the Daily Record.
Good luck to you – and be careful about what and who you read in the future.
There are people out there calling themselves by different names.
But that’s not the bit that should worry you. They are calling themselves journalists.
Excellent article - he seems as sick of the whole tawdry circus of the last year as i am
There are people out there calling themselves by different names -which Phil is he eluding to
Traynor in fairness as a journo fell in my eyes when he moved to the Record much the same as when Mcnee chose to write for the NOTW. But perhaps the Herald and Express are thankful both departed!
Fair points made on the treatment of the Bears tho
proper journo, will be a sad loss
driven out of the profession by hatred and bile
"... the sight of swarms of hungry, distraught children wandering the streets begging for morsels"
Like jackals?
Pffft
ish
TCD will go intae meltdoon ffs
Narrow-minded, biased, bitter, sycophant - He's exactly what's wrong with the `Scottish' Media.
The idiots really lap him up, just like he lapped up Murray.
"However, that’s it. My work here is done and I’m glad – but just for the record, I’ve not been sacked or made redundant. I was asked to remain but my conscience won’t allow me to stay in our profession."
Sure thing mate
Rumours on Twitter that he's joined Rangers!!!!
Although the sources appear to be the same 'journalists' he alludes to in his article.
"I could name managers, players, club directors and administrators who, because the truth can hurt"
well theres a f...in laugh in itself, you worked for the record pal and absolute a.rsewipe of a newspaper.
between him and king leaving maybe they could find a journalist who deals on fact and actually does a bit of investigating rather than allowing articles like "wealth of the radar" to be published without any real basis of fact.
man's an idiot, jounalism should consist of more than "record sport understands" followed by an article of 0 quotes.
he's a fat b.awbag and he can take jackson with him for being another mutant.
does anybody else see the pattern emerging here?
journo speaks out and defends rangers = biased, narrow minded, snidey cant etc etc
journo speaks out and condemns or criticises rangers = new messiah, hero
Many seem upset by his article...wonder why?
trfc
certainly is, you seem fine with him when he writes articles in your favour and you honestly goin to tell me this muppets a good journalist?
would you not rather that he, rather than allowing jacksons "wealth off the radar" article did a bit of digging before praising whyte as a messiah
might have worked out better for you if he had
Wow another opinionated side dig at Celtic and Celtic fans.
Unable to take his blue tinted specs off for one last article.
Not a sad loss. Hopefully others follow and we can get a media that tells the truth all of the time with no bias.
Ath, you think its a good article? You think Traynor is a good journo?
Ath
its cause he's a $hite journalist. its that simple.
How's it a dig at celtic?
might have worked out better for you if he had
===
right so do journalists now dictate who buys and sells clubs in scotland?
shock horror journo writes a piece likely to shift papers as new owner takes over a club.
comment by TRFC 2012 (U14832)
posted 3 minutes ago
does anybody else see the pattern emerging here?
journo speaks out and defends rangers = biased, narrow minded, snidey cant etc etc
journo speaks out and condemns or criticises rangers = new messiah, hero
________________________________________
Exactly
Never really liked Traynor to be fair, but hats off to him for this article
Gary - what like Phil, RTC, Paul McConville, CQN etc etc - THOS completely unbiased purveyors of only fact....
Are they media journalists? Writing for the biggest papers?
He was good at the Herald, obviously at the Record he has to dumb down, as they all do.
How's it a dig at celtic?
===
says alot when your reading into something that isn't there
if anything he was having a pop at D+P, whyte and Murray but you batter in with your paranoia
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James Traynor - I salute you
Page 1 of 5
posted on 3/12/12
Traynor
posted on 3/12/12
James Traynor: Why this is my last ever newspaper column
3 Dec 2012 00:01
AFTER 37 years the sports writer reveals he's leaving the world of newspapers with many happy memories.
IT was never a job. More of an absolute joy, if truth be told.
But all good things come to an end and when they do, it’s important to end with some good things.
When writing this, my final newspaper column, the memories come flooding in. When the time comes to change direction and move on, let the best of those memories rush from every corner of your mind and keep the worst of them locked away.
If people who have abused you because of their own bigoted and narrow-minded ways, or events that might have saddened you deeply, are allowed light and oxygen you let them tarnish and blacken what you’ve done and achieved.
For instance, this column – the final one after 37 years in newspapers – could bang on about supporters who have spat on my coats and jackets, thrown all sorts of insults and occasionally bricks and bottles. But that would demean everything.
I could name managers, players, club directors and administrators who, because the truth can hurt, have wished me all kinds of harm and misfortune. But neither they nor their words mattered. They damaged and shamed only themselves.
So from Andre Agassi (tennis is such a wonderful sport) to Zinedine Zidane (football really is a beautiful game despite the money grabbers and crooks), it has been amazing. It’s been a blast. Uplifting but also a deeply humbling and, at times, disturbing journey.
When Scotland were in Bucharest to play a European Championship qualifying tie against Romania, a couple of years after that madman Nicolae Ceausescu had been overthrown by revolution, players broke down. So too did supporters.
It was 1991 and the horrors of the Romanian orphan crisis were becoming clearer to the outside world.
It was heartbreaking. Even the most hardened cynical hacks cried at the sight of swarms of hungry, distraught children wandering the streets begging for morsels.
I know I said the bad memories should be locked away but those kids, who snatched all the money we could muster as though we were making them instant millionaires, can never be forgotten.
Strangely, another memory also concerns tears. But this time they came from a Brazilian great sitting right in the middle of Avenue Foch in Paris at the start of the 1998 World Cup finals.
Nilton Santos was there with Pele, Carlos Alberto and another great, Alfredo di Stefano, who was claimed by both Argentina and Spain.
I was there because I’d had a say in selecting the team of the 20th century – just for the Record that team was: Lev Yashin, Carlos, Franz Beckenbauer, Bobby Moore, Santos; Johan Cruyff, Di Stefano, Michel Platini; Garrincha, Pele and Diego Maradona. Then I sat with Pele, Santos and Di Stefano listening to their tales.
It was fascinating, even when Santos, who had been a father figure to the deeply troubled Garrincha, wept as he spoke of the tormented genius and his final tragic years.
But there were loads of laughs with the greats of the people’s game to giants of other sports. Heroic characters such as Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, Sugar Ray Leonard, Jack Nicklaus, Seve Ballesteros, Tiger Woods, Wayne Gretzky, Bjorn Borg, Rod Laver, Ilie Nastase, Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe (did I mention tennis is a wonderful sport?), Boris Becker, Pete Sampras, Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal, Mark McGwire (baseball is such an hypnotic and simply beautiful sport, maybe even the best) and the 49ers’ Jerry Rice.
There are just too many to list. But it’s been a privilege to have seen them in the flesh and even under the threat of extreme torture, such as being forced to listen to recordings of SFA/SPL meetings, I could never say my job has been anything like work. It’s been a pleasure.
Until recently.
Unfortunately, there has been the last twisted and bitter year during which Scottish football, unable to deal with the Rangers crisis in a civilised manner, has tried to tear itself apart. All in the name of sporting integrity, of course.
Actually, for the last couple of years some of the most bilious types have been allowed to emerge from the shadows and spew invective that sadly became regarded as fact, even though what they were saying and writing wasn’t even close to being definitive. Or honest. Overnight all sorts of anonymous bloggers became experts. These champions of decency had all the answers. They knew better than anyone else. They said over and over Rangers would be done for cheating the tax man.
They were wrong, the Rangers Tax Case blog in particular. Yet he/her/they stated: “This blog has been accurate on all of the major points of the case except the one that matters most to date – the FTT (First-tier Tax Tribunal) outcome”.
Excuse me? Accurate on all the major points except the bit that matters most. And that’s all right is it?
That’s a bit like a team manager saying after a defeat: “Hold on, I picked the right team and I believe my tactics were correct. So the result doesn’t really matter.”
Dolts. The result is everything. If any of the Rangers Tax Case bloggers are trained lawyers, would you want them to defend you in a court of law?
Even now so many – and I include some fellow journalists – still cannot bring themselves to accept Rangers did not cheat the tax man by using EBTs.
One journalist declared it to be “a government conspiracy” when he heard the ruling in Rangers’ favour.
Perhaps in time more will be written about this kind of hack and the rabid desire to help bring down Rangers, a fierce desire that, sadly, was widespread. Actually, I’m sure more will be written about them.
Just when did they become consumed by such eye-popping rage? Was it always there, a dormant fury against Rangers and their fans, who deserve enormous credit for having saved their club, just waiting for the catalyst?
Now they can’t help themselves. They can’t stop foaming at the mouth and we can be sure their determination to have titles stripped will go into overdrive.
They need some kind of victory or they might explode and that would be terribly messy. All that bile all over the walls and streets.
Unfortunately reason was never allowed to be a player in this grotesque game, which quickly became dominated mostly by incoherent imbeciles fuelled by all that hatred.
And let’s not forget how some with telly platforms were prompted by those bloggers and ill-informed commentators. Stupidly they allowed themselves to be duped by supporters with dangerous agendas hidden under the banner of integrity.
And the result? Some of the most shallow and infantile drivel ever written. These egotists are so into
themselves they’ve no regard for the safety or wellbeing of those about whom they have written some awful and completely inaccurate pieces.
Despicable, pathetic little creatures craving some kind of recognition but lacking in conscience and morality.
I’m so sorry they’ve had to be thrown up into the same piece as some of the true greats and gentlemen of world sport.
However, that’s it. My work here is done and I’m glad – but just for the record, I’ve not been sacked or made redundant. I was asked to remain but my conscience won’t allow me to stay in our profession.
The kind of journalism needed by the country, never mind sport, no longer exists in enough of the media outlets.
But as I’ve said, the good memories of all those sporting greats will always outweigh the negatives, especially those that bubbled to the surface throughout this last year.
Thanks to sport’s real heroes I’ve had a ball and thank you for reading while I was with The Herald, the Daily Express and the Daily Record.
Good luck to you – and be careful about what and who you read in the future.
There are people out there calling themselves by different names.
But that’s not the bit that should worry you. They are calling themselves journalists.
posted on 3/12/12
Excellent article - he seems as sick of the whole tawdry circus of the last year as i am
posted on 3/12/12
Fat snidey cant
posted on 3/12/12
There are people out there calling themselves by different names -which Phil is he eluding to
Traynor in fairness as a journo fell in my eyes when he moved to the Record much the same as when Mcnee chose to write for the NOTW. But perhaps the Herald and Express are thankful both departed!
Fair points made on the treatment of the Bears tho
posted on 3/12/12
proper journo, will be a sad loss
driven out of the profession by hatred and bile
posted on 3/12/12
"... the sight of swarms of hungry, distraught children wandering the streets begging for morsels"
Like jackals?
Pffft
posted on 3/12/12
ish
TCD will go intae meltdoon ffs
posted on 3/12/12
Narrow-minded, biased, bitter, sycophant - He's exactly what's wrong with the `Scottish' Media.
The idiots really lap him up, just like he lapped up Murray.
posted on 3/12/12
"However, that’s it. My work here is done and I’m glad – but just for the record, I’ve not been sacked or made redundant. I was asked to remain but my conscience won’t allow me to stay in our profession."
Sure thing mate
posted on 3/12/12
Rumours on Twitter that he's joined Rangers!!!!
Although the sources appear to be the same 'journalists' he alludes to in his article.
posted on 3/12/12
"I could name managers, players, club directors and administrators who, because the truth can hurt"
well theres a f...in laugh in itself, you worked for the record pal and absolute a.rsewipe of a newspaper.
between him and king leaving maybe they could find a journalist who deals on fact and actually does a bit of investigating rather than allowing articles like "wealth of the radar" to be published without any real basis of fact.
man's an idiot, jounalism should consist of more than "record sport understands" followed by an article of 0 quotes.
he's a fat b.awbag and he can take jackson with him for being another mutant.
posted on 3/12/12
does anybody else see the pattern emerging here?
journo speaks out and defends rangers = biased, narrow minded, snidey cant etc etc
journo speaks out and condemns or criticises rangers = new messiah, hero
posted on 3/12/12
Many seem upset by his article...wonder why?
posted on 3/12/12
trfc
certainly is, you seem fine with him when he writes articles in your favour and you honestly goin to tell me this muppets a good journalist?
would you not rather that he, rather than allowing jacksons "wealth off the radar" article did a bit of digging before praising whyte as a messiah
might have worked out better for you if he had
posted on 3/12/12
Wow another opinionated side dig at Celtic and Celtic fans.
Unable to take his blue tinted specs off for one last article.
Not a sad loss. Hopefully others follow and we can get a media that tells the truth all of the time with no bias.
posted on 3/12/12
Ath, you think its a good article? You think Traynor is a good journo?
posted on 3/12/12
Ath
its cause he's a $hite journalist. its that simple.
posted on 3/12/12
How's it a dig at celtic?
posted on 3/12/12
might have worked out better for you if he had
===
right so do journalists now dictate who buys and sells clubs in scotland?
shock horror journo writes a piece likely to shift papers as new owner takes over a club.
posted on 3/12/12
comment by TRFC 2012 (U14832)
posted 3 minutes ago
does anybody else see the pattern emerging here?
journo speaks out and defends rangers = biased, narrow minded, snidey cant etc etc
journo speaks out and condemns or criticises rangers = new messiah, hero
________________________________________
Exactly
Never really liked Traynor to be fair, but hats off to him for this article
posted on 3/12/12
Gary - what like Phil, RTC, Paul McConville, CQN etc etc - THOS completely unbiased purveyors of only fact....
posted on 3/12/12
Are they media journalists? Writing for the biggest papers?
posted on 3/12/12
He was good at the Herald, obviously at the Record he has to dumb down, as they all do.
posted on 3/12/12
How's it a dig at celtic?
===
says alot when your reading into something that isn't there
if anything he was having a pop at D+P, whyte and Murray but you batter in with your paranoia
Page 1 of 5