Gene Sapakoff

Last week, Gene Sapakoff announced he's leaving The Post and Courier after 38 years at the Charleston newspaper. One of the strange elements of his departure: The leadership at the paper hasn't given him an opportunity to write a farewell column in the sports section that featured his mug shot since the 1980s. Sapakoff joins The Dubcast to reflect on when and why he chose to hang it up, and what his next chapter looks like. He also shares a wealth of anecdotes and memories of covering the biggest names in the Palmetto State's sports history. He recalls getting cussed at by Danny Ford when he wrote a column labeling the coach the "Prince of Paranoia" in 1987. And more recently, Sapakoff was publicly blasted by Shane Beamer at a press conference after he criticized Beamer's hire of offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains. While it's natural for old-timers to lament the departure of this state's last prominent newspaper sports columnist, Sapakoff has an optimistic outlook on the present and future of sports coverage in South Carolina and beyond.