Greg Cote, a longtime Miami Herald sports columnist of 54 years, was among about 30 employees cut in McClatchy Media's latest layoffs. The news was first shared publicly in a video by Valerie Scheide, wife of Dan Le Batard, who blended humor with the announcement. Cote has previously argued that long-serving staff deserve buyouts or graceful exits rather than abrupt firings; he will address the Herald's decision on his show Monday.
Greg Cote, Miami Herald Sports Columnist, Laid Off After 54 Years Amid McClatchy Cuts
Credit: DraftKings Network
Greg Cote, a veteran sports columnist who spent 54 years at the Miami Herald, was among roughly 30 employees affected by the latest round of layoffs at McClatchy Media that have hit newsrooms across the country.
Cote confirmed the job loss on social media, but the initial public announcement came from Valerie Scheide — the wife of broadcaster Dan Le Batard — in a short video posted to the The Dan Le Batard Show social channels. Scheide mixed humor with the news, referencing an old on-air rivalry and teasing that Cote would discuss the situation on his show.
How the News Broke
In the clip Scheide opens by noting, "I've never seen Dan this angry," as Le Batard is heard off-camera. She added:
"I'm sorry to do this, but I have been waiting about eight years to get my revenge on Greg Cote for breaking our wedding news. ... But the legend Greg Cote has been let go from the Miami Herald after 50 years, on his birthday. It happened actually on his birthday."
The remark referred to a 2018 incident in which Cote first reported Le Batard's engagement to Scheide before Le Batard announced it himself — an awkward moment that became memorable radio content.
Cote's View on How Veteran Staff Should Be Treated
Earlier this summer on The Dan Le Batard Show, Cote reacted to ESPN's layoffs and argued that companies trimming staff should give long-serving employees the option of a buyout or a negotiated retirement rather than abrupt dismissals. As he told Le Batard:
"I don't think I'm owed the next year. I don't think I'm another year in that company. What I do think I'm owed is the respect for me to fashion an exit on my terms, whether they're 'allowing' me to retire or they're offering me a buyout I can't refuse."
Cote is expected to explain more about what happened with the Herald on his program on Monday. Available information suggests the paper did not offer him a negotiated exit along the lines he described.
This item was first posted by Awful Announcing.
Help us improve.
