Paul Klee leaving the News-Gazette

MTILLINOIS · Oct 17, 2012, 06:05 PM

Good for Klee. He was fair and balanced. I wish him well.

mreed1855 · Oct 17, 2012, 06:14 PM

Paul Klee was a saint for a die hard hoops fan-he not only had insight and great access, but he had an endless array of connections across the coaching landscape. He will be surely missed, and the next guy certainly has some major shoes to fill. Best of luck to him.

carmelillini · Oct 17, 2012, 06:17 PM

Good reporter. He will be missed.

mreed1855 · Oct 17, 2012, 06:17 PM

I only hope the next guy has a black shirt to wear to Paul's inevitable "funeral" in December

illini80 · Oct 17, 2012, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmore

I wonder if he knew he was leaving and felt like he could say anything he wanted to. I have to be honest, I lost some respect for him this last month or so. He said some things about the football team and staff that he shouldn't have said. All of what he said may come to be fact, but I feel that was not his job to talk about Beckman as he did. Nonetheless I wish him the best of luck moving forward.

Sums up my feelings exactly.

SCillini · Oct 17, 2012, 06:51 PM

Paul Klee was a great beat writer for Illini b-ball fans. He had good insight, respect from the players and staff, and was honest in his reporting and answering of questions. I appreciate that more than a blindly loyal writer. Good or bad, with the fans or against, I always felt I was getting his honest opinion on things.

Obelix · Oct 17, 2012, 07:10 PM

Good luck to Paul, seems he is getting a great job in a great city, where he has family ties.

I thought Klee did an excellent job and got better and better by time. He was hard working and very actively involved with fans covering the Illini. Fair and balanced.

Rich · Oct 17, 2012, 07:10 PM

Cheers for a promotion.

RenoGray80 · Oct 17, 2012, 07:12 PM

Paul Klee is a damn good sportswriter. I will miss his insight.

DaytonIllini · Oct 17, 2012, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmore

I wonder if he knew he was leaving and felt like he could say anything he wanted to. I have to be honest, I lost some respect for him this last month or so. He said some things about the football team and staff that he shouldn't have said. All of what he said may come to be fact, but I feel that was not his job to talk about Beckman as he did. Nonetheless I wish him the best of luck moving forward.

This says it all.

EddiesSweetJ · Oct 17, 2012, 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RecLeagueHero

Time for Rossow and the NG boosters to open the purse strings and get Dawson back!!

Really liked Dawson. He knew his stuff, was enough of a fan to root for the team but still be objective. He had some great insights and some great info.

Klee made it clear where he stood by taking about "your team" all the time. He writes well, but there was always a negative edge to him when it came to Illini sports. He seemed almost overly negative.

Best of luck to him and it is back to his first love, Denver.

DaytonIllini · Oct 17, 2012, 09:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EddiesSweetJ

Really liked Dawson. He knew his stuff, was enough of a fan to root for the team but still be objective. He had some great insights and some great info.

Klee made it clear where he stood by taking about "your team" all the time. He writes well, but there was always a negative edge to him when it came to Illini sports. He seemed almost overly negative.

Best of luck to him and it is back to his first love, Denver.

He did have to report on some miserable teams. It was almost enough to make me consider UofI "Your" team on some nights.

JSpence · Oct 17, 2012, 09:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RenoGray80

Paul Klee is a damn good sportswriter. I will miss his insight.

Yup. I hope his path takes him to places he wants to go. We were lucky to have him.

combes · Oct 17, 2012, 09:48 PM

Klee was good. Dawson was better. Imo

Dan · Oct 17, 2012, 10:57 PM

Paul Klee talked about his new job in Colorado tonight on WDWS.

Quote:

Podcast: Sports Talk 10-17-12

http://www.wdws.com/audio/2012-10-17...-10-17-12.html

illineuron · Oct 17, 2012, 10:58 PM

Klee was mired in a difficult time for Illini sports for much of his time here and his relatively objective reporting reflected this. However he has repeatedly voiced a extremely positive bordering on excessively optimistic opinion about the hiring of Coach Groce.

Because he was honest before when expressing his negative views, his assessment of Coach Groce has more credibility. Klee has been around a bunch of coaches and he thinks Groce has tremendous potential.

So I'm excited that Klee's excited and it bodes well for Klee's future as a sports reporter/journalist. He seems to be a straight shooter with some good insight as to what tends to create success in a program.

Good luck Mr. Klee. Come back and share the thrill of the first NCAA championship.

Groundhogday · Oct 17, 2012, 11:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmore

I wonder if he knew he was leaving and felt like he could say anything he wanted to. I have to be honest, I lost some respect for him this last month or so. He said some things about the football team and staff that he shouldn't have said. All of what he said may come to be fact, but I feel that was not his job to talk about Beckman as he did. Nonetheless I wish him the best of luck moving forward.

I wonder about this as well. I was really surprised at some of the things he said, but perhaps it makes sense if he was a short timer.

If I have the right Gazette, it is a paper based in Colorado Springs with the second largest circulation in Colorado. This is a move up for Paul, and a move home.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gaz...orado_Springs)

Future Walk-On · Oct 18, 2012, 07:46 AM

FALLOUT

illynifan34 · Oct 18, 2012, 07:54 AM

Do the insiders have any sources that will be able to help us out with his replacement?

Are any of the current insiders losing their source now?

Big Mystery of the fall.

RichMahogany · Oct 18, 2012, 10:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmore

I wonder if he knew he was leaving and felt like he could say anything he wanted to. I have to be honest, I lost some respect for him this last month or so. He said some things about the football team and staff that he shouldn't have said. All of what he said may come to be fact, but I feel that was not his job to talk about Beckman as he did. Nonetheless I wish him the best of luck moving forward.

He was a columnist for a private newspaper. He can say whatever he wants about Beckman and the coaching staff.

All he did was give his honest opinion.

It's not his fault that Beckman is not smart enough to be a head coach in the BIG. It's Mike Thomas's fault.

FinalFour88 · Oct 18, 2012, 10:35 AM

I'll definitely miss Klee. He did great work at the N-Z.

IlliniRunIn07 · Oct 18, 2012, 10:36 AM

Good luck to Klee. He was my 2nd favorite source for Illini news, with this board being #1.

illiniguy24 · Oct 18, 2012, 11:48 AM

Big Broncos fan, excited I'll still be able to follow Klee with another one of my favorite teams.

schlagboy · Oct 18, 2012, 01:17 PM

I will definitely miss this guy. I was hoping he would be our hoops reporter for years to come. Maybe we will get a replacement from Ohio.

C6Z06 Todd · Oct 19, 2012, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrewD007

I nominate Robert from ALionEye!

I second and triple that.... I love his blog. Has the knowledge and the passion for the job that is for sure. Good writing skills too.

Oct 17, 2012, 07:12 PM	#34
RenoGray80 King of 'Paign Location: Des Moines Posts: 32	Paul Klee is a damn good sportswriter. I will miss his insight. __________________ Go Illini!

Oct 18, 2012, 07:46 AM	#43
Future Walk-On of House Targaryen Location: Peoria, IL Posts: 1,432	FALLOUT __________________ 6 stars or bust

Oct 18, 2012, 07:54 AM	#44
illynifan34 That's a winner!! Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 7,635	Do the insiders have any sources that will be able to help us out with his replacement? Are any of the current insiders losing their source now? Big Mystery of the fall. __________________ www.afsp.org In Mike I Trust Aggressive

Oct 18, 2012, 11:48 AM	#48
illiniguy24 Posts: 188	Big Broncos fan, excited I'll still be able to follow Klee with another one of my favorite teams. __________________

Oct 17, 2012, 06:05 PM	#26
MTILLINOIS Location: Chicago Posts: 4,197	Good for Klee. He was fair and balanced. I wish him well.

Oct 17, 2012, 06:14 PM	#27
mreed1855 Posts: 24	Paul Klee was a saint for a die hard hoops fan-he not only had insight and great access, but he had an endless array of connections across the coaching landscape. He will be surely missed, and the next guy certainly has some major shoes to fill. Best of luck to him.

Oct 17, 2012, 06:17 PM	#28
carmelillini Location: Hamilton Co. Posts: 2,064	Good reporter. He will be missed.

Oct 17, 2012, 06:51 PM	#31
SCillini Posts: 352	Paul Klee was a great beat writer for Illini b-ball fans. He had good insight, respect from the players and staff, and was honest in his reporting and answering of questions. I appreciate that more than a blindly loyal writer. Good or bad, with the fans or against, I always felt I was getting his honest opinion on things.

Oct 17, 2012, 07:10 PM	#32
Obelix Posts: 1,959	Good luck to Paul, seems he is getting a great job in a great city, where he has family ties. I thought Klee did an excellent job and got better and better by time. He was hard working and very actively involved with fans covering the Illini. Fair and balanced.

Oct 17, 2012, 07:10 PM	#33
Rich JFG Fan Club Posts: 94	Cheers for a promotion.

Oct 17, 2012, 09:48 PM	#39
combes Posts: 2,430	Klee was good. Dawson was better. Imo

Oct 17, 2012, 10:58 PM	#41
illineuron Posts: 143	Klee was mired in a difficult time for Illini sports for much of his time here and his relatively objective reporting reflected this. However he has repeatedly voiced a extremely positive bordering on excessively optimistic opinion about the hiring of Coach Groce. Because he was honest before when expressing his negative views, his assessment of Coach Groce has more credibility. Klee has been around a bunch of coaches and he thinks Groce has tremendous potential. So I'm excited that Klee's excited and it bodes well for Klee's future as a sports reporter/journalist. He seems to be a straight shooter with some good insight as to what tends to create success in a program. Good luck Mr. Klee. Come back and share the thrill of the first NCAA championship.

Oct 18, 2012, 10:35 AM	#46
FinalFour88 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 4,831	I'll definitely miss Klee. He did great work at the N-Z.

Oct 18, 2012, 10:36 AM	#47
IlliniRunIn07 Location: Central Florida Posts: 3,788	Good luck to Klee. He was my 2nd favorite source for Illini news, with this board being #1.

Oct 18, 2012, 01:17 PM	#49
schlagboy Posts: 377	I will definitely miss this guy. I was hoping he would be our hoops reporter for years to come. Maybe we will get a replacement from Ohio.