Proper Goodbyes

Taking a page from MG, a proper response comes through your own blog, not through comments. This is a sentiment I totally agree with, given that most comments are trash, with the (notable) exception of younger communities such as PandoDaily. At least, that comment section hasn’t devolved into trash yet. Although it may never, since it’s pieces are more thought-provocative/analytic, drawing in a different audience.

Anyways, just as there exist proper responses, there definitely exists proper goodbyes. Seeing this post from Erick at TechCrunch which buried the goodbyes to a pair of great writers (Robin Wauters and Greg Kumparak) ticked me off.

But that’s not all – the real kicker was this:

There is one final change I’d like to talk about. TechCrunch has always prided itself on being a flat organization with no real editors other than Michael and myself.

Where the fuck is Sarah Lacy? How about all those years she spent at TechCrunch building up it’s name alongside the other great writers that have since left in droves? Oh yeah, she’s  at PandoDaily, stealing some of the best from the old TC, making a name for herself. All thanks to the back-stabbing ways of Erick Schonfeld. And yes, I’m inclined to believe that Erick did work a backroom deal with Arianna to get Mike kicked off and secure the Editor-in-Chief position Sarah rightfully deserved, based on all that Mike/Paul/et al wrote.

Certainly, I may be biased, because I enjoy the writing of MG, Mike, and Paul – but I am going to be upfront about that. And yes, I’m also biased about Erick because his pieces are the epitome of boring and lazy, something which MG recently railed about. Twice.

But let’s forget all of that backroom drama for a moment and just take a look at how he’s been rebuilding TC. For some reason, he feels that in the midst of a welcome/half-hearted goodbye post, he can properly talk about where he sees TC going. For readers such as me, who found their start of getting into the tech world through TC, this was a low-blow. I have invested countless hours in reading the pieces from TC, and learning much about the wide, exciting, and frankly, frightening world of entrepreneurship, leadership, and technology.

Erick, I’m calling you out here as a loyal reader – give us a proper post about where TC is going so that your community can decide whether to give TC a proper goodbye and stop following along. Take a page from your former compatriots MG/Mike and be upfront for once. And instead of hiding behind your new hires, celebrate what TC once was, and give those that deserve it the proper goodbyes they deserve – I know there’s probably some bad blood, but how about taking a page from Paul, and congratulating a fellow writer for their accomplishments, or heck, spreading the love all around even?

A true leader is one that makes tough decisions, and does the tough stuff – frankly, saying goodbye in a way that doesn’t burn bridges is one of those things I would admire, and make me slightly more apt to read your pieces. It would give TC a bit more of the credibility it has since lost after the exodus of amazing talent. At the moment, it makes me cringe to even see your name on TC, thanks to all the bad blood that has been spilt. How about doing us a favor and cleaning up the mess, and truly starting fresh by making it clear where you see TC going and how it fits into the tech blogging community? How about rebuilding bridges, rather than continuing to let them burn?

So come on Erick, join the Valentine’s Day spirit, spread the love, and give your readers and compatriots the love they deserve. Loyal readers such as myself may be the minority, but it would make us that much more comfortable with TC if you gave us this, so we can give a proper welcome to a new era for TC.