Bedard Leaving The Journal Sentinel

Yes, we may make fun of him sometimes, but the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has experienced a real loss from the Green Bay Packers beat.

Greg A. Bedard, not to be confused with Greg B. Bedard or Greg C. Bedard, is leaving the paper and the Packers beat. His last day will be October 24.

Bedard will be moving onto greener, and larger, pastures at the Boston Globe. The writer gave public notice in an emotional blog post, last night.

And you, the readers…I am sorry about this, I truly am. I never once ever said, “I need to leave,” or “This isn’t right for me.” This was right for me. You were right for me. And you all made me better.

I never had any intention of leaving. Even this summer when a large paper asked me if I had any interest in speaking with them, I said no. I wasn’t leaving here unless it was the right place and the right job – because this place is special.

But the right place and the right job did call, suddenly, in the past week.

The Boston Globe is the paper I grew up reading. It’s why I wanted to be a sports writer. And it’s home.

Unlike most of the Packers beat reporters, Bedard will be missed. He had some of the best sources and information on the Packers beat and made it easier for people like us — you know, people the Packers won’t give a press pass.

The quality of his work also made it easier for me to sit around and make fun of the rest of the reporters on the Packers beat, though, I imagine that was an unintended consequence.

Let’s hope the Journal Sentinel can pick up the considerable slack that’s being left behind, at least until the Packers’ policies on the press catch up to those of the rest of the world here in the 21st century.