Former Carthage Press sports editor writes final column

After almost 50 years in journalism, former Carthage Press Sports Editor Corky Simpson closes the door today with his final column for the Tucson, Arizona Citizen. Simpson retired a year ago, but continued to write a once-a-week column. That apparently was a financial burden for the newspaper, which gave the column the axe:

Where to begin? Well, how about "The End"? This is it for me at the Tucson Citizen. This effort will be my final column after 32 years as a full-time employee and a year writing once a week.
My column has been put out to pasture. I've been a deskman, reporter and sports columnist, and now I'm a budget cut.
It's a strange assignment, but if the absence of my presence is what the newspaper needs, at least I'm helping the cause.
I actually retired Dec. 22, 2006, the last dinosaur on Planet Newspaper, and was given the opportunity to write one column a week.
It's been fun, and the Saturday gig kept me in the game a while longer. Had it lasted just a few weeks more, I could have bragged about being a 50-year man in the business.

I am constantly amazed at the shortsighted approach of newspapers that throw away strong assets to improve the bottom line. It almost always results in the loss of customers, most of whom will never come back.