Lutz

I have two-and-a-half pages of notes on Bob Lutz’s discussion, and he was mostly just fielding questions.

Man, can that guy put out a lot of information in a small amount of time. That’s probably what makes him a good columnist. Short, usually not-so-sweet, opinionated, to the point.

Lutz himself thinks he is meant for a columnist job. He says he doesn’t mind controversy and tells it how he thinks it is. “You’re either confrontational or you’re not,” Lutz said.

I couldn’t help but write down ridiculous snippets of what he said:

“We’re appealing to the underbelly of society.”
“I don’t know where the business is going, I don’t care.”
“We’re like old ladies in there.”
“I don’t think people need more Bob Lutz.”
“You’ve all disappointed your parents greatly. Anybody who’s played sports and didn’t make it, you’re a failure.”

In person, and in his writing, he has a way with words. He is gruff, in-your-face and blunt, and that’s why he’s made a name for himself and become someone that you love to love or love to hate.

I’m impressed with his optimism for the newspaper business and all the changes, especially because many people who have been working in the business for more than 35 years are so stuck in their ways and feel concern for where things are going.

I think Lutz is realistic, and genuinely likes what he does, but he’s just not too worried about it. What will be will be. It’s refreshing. Compared to the messages of other speakers we’ve had (good luck getting a job, newspapers are going bye-bye) it was definitely a nice change of pace.

Just the sheer base of sports info the guy keeps in his brain is what astounds me. It’s like he can remember every single Shocker team from the past 35 years. He knows how seasons went and whether they were special teams, just good or terrible. I know I’d run out of space in my noggin.

The one thing that I really agreed with Lutz on, and think people are starting to realize, is that the character is gone from newsrooms. People are afraid to be experimental and fun because they are afraid that one mistake will put them on the chopping block.

Love him or hate him, at least Lutz doesn’t operate with that attitude.