On our desk, we have some of all kinds. Another copy editor has been a copy editor most of his career. Still another was an assigning editor elsewhere before being downsized to us. By superiors in some cases. Much less frequently by reporters and line editors.
Salary is good.
We have a lot of leeway in what we can change in sports, more than on any other desk. We are asked to develop and use news judgment. Other times, no. Desk is where all the pressure is and when we complain we are told the reporters are using their time to do more reporting and bring their stories up a level. If that means we get 10 minutes to edit a 20-inch story, so be it.