The sports department has been like working in a toy store

I start a new chapter in my journalism career today.

After spending the past 19-plus years as the sports editor of the Ledger-Enquirer, I am moving into a new role with McClatchy, which owns the Ledger-Enquirer and other newspapers around the country.

The best part of my new role is that I don’t have to move. I have done a lot of that in my career, having worked in Valdosta, Warner Robins, Americus, Thomasville, Savannah and Athens before I moved to Columbus.

I get to come to the same building, sit at the same desk and get to see the same friends I have seen for the past two decades.

While I am excited to take on my new role, I know I am going have serious withdrawal pains.

I have been in the newspaper business for 34 years, mostly in sports and as a sports editor.

I have had the privilege of working with very talented people over the years, who made my job a lot of fun. I take great pride in seeing their bylines anywhere from the Washington Post to espn.com.

Thanks to each of you for challenging me to be a better editor and boss.

The joke inside newsrooms is that the sports department is the toy store.

In a lot of ways, it is.

As a kid, I loved visiting the toy store, or at least the toy department inside the general store.

As an adult, I have come to work each day in the toy store. I have always told people that I had the dream job because I got to talk about sports all day.

Part of that fun was also talking to the athletes and coaches we covered.

Columbus is blessed that there are a lot of great athletes, but also that there are a lot of coaches who really care about their kids.

Part of that fun has also been interacting with you, our readers. Well, at least most of the time. There have been a few over the years who used colorful language to express their dislike for something we wrote.

But it is that passion for sports that allows us to do what we do.

Thank you for your time and attention over the years.

This story was originally published November 27, 2016 at 8:16 PM with the headline "The sports department has been like working in a toy store."