A prayer for Van McKenzie

I always found it so poetically perfect that Van ran a movie theater during his downtime between The National and his return to Orlando. In the years I worked for Van, I often thought, "This must have been what it was like to work with a Big Shot Movie Producer from the 1930s or '40s."

No idea was too big, no cast of thousands was ever out of reach, few high-profile projects (or bar tabs) couldn't be bankrolled. Van's imagination couldn't be confined by web width -- he was CinemaScope all the way.

He once told us his favorite movie was "Let it Ride" -- the Richard Dreyfus day-at-the-races pic from the late '80s. I can hear you scribes clicking it into your Netflix queue already.

Greg Hardy/Columbia, S.C.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097731/

 

It was June 1999. Van was a little less than a month into his stint at the Sentinel. He scheduled one-on-one meetings with all his writers. He brought Alan Schmadtke (FSU) and I (UF) into town on the same day.

We had our individual sit-downs. I'd only met him once before, at the department meeting to announce his hiring. I spoke to him only briefly that first day to get a quote, as the paper assigned me to write the sports-front story about his arrival at the Sentinel.

He wanted to know what I knew about the Gators. He wanted me to know that I needed to know everything. He spoke of writing great stories; the kind of stories that most papers were getting away from writing. He asked each writer to bring five ideas that would make the section great. He did most of the talking, which was fine with me. At a time when sweeping cutbacks were the rage, Van talked of spending and expanding. He was easy to listen to.

As it turned out, a going-away party for a news-side editor was scheduled that night. Van wanted to go with us, but he wanted to go to dinner first. We went to a local barbecue joint beforehand. We ordered beers. My first went down quickly. The waitress walked by.

"I'll take another Coors Light, please,"

Van looked across the table ... over his still nearly full bottle.

"Ohhhh,'' he said. "So you want to take on the new guy, eh?"

"Excuse me?"

Too late. A challenge had been issued and I didn't even know it.

It was on.

About 45 minutes later - and about five or six beers each -- we got to his car. He handed Alan (Diet Coke or tea, if memory serves me) the keys to his SUV. "You gotta drive,'' he said. "If the cops got me, I mean, we'd HAVE to write about it, right?''

Off to the party. He immediately found a cooler full of Heinekens.

"Think you're ready for the second quarter?''

I had no idea how this had happened, but had no choice but to drink. And drink. By the time it was time to leave, I was more than ready to go back to my hotel.

"Where you staying?"

"Radisson."

"Me too."

F--k!

To the bar we went. I figured I had one left in me.

"Double Jack and water."

Van nodded. And smiled.

"Impressive,'' he said. "Ever heard of a Bloody Brain?"

This was a truly great guy who cared deeply about his craft. He was in a constant search for "Vanadu," the world of the perfect sports section (which only existed in Van's mind, as our desk people liked to say).

In the name of sports journalism, when you get a chance, raise a glass to Van McKenzie.

-Chris Harry, Sentinel staff writer

 

the occasion obviously sucks big-time, but the posts on this thread might be the best ever,

just one more reason to raise a glass of whatever to van the man. 8) 8) 8)

 

When I was in Orlando for judging last March, I took a photo of Lynn and Van.
I just opened it up, then a Coors Light, and I offered a toast.
"Farewell Van, it was a hell of a ride and it was an honor to have a beer with you.
Rest in piece, sir."

 

Let's toast to that.

 

As a reporter for The National who made it to NY only a couple times during that awesome, short-lived gig, I got to meet Van only very briefly. He was my boss's, boss's boss, or something like that. Anyway, in the very short time I spent with him, I came away thinking "What a terrific, great guy to be around, a real jewel in this business." I never forgot that. Wish I could have known him better.

 

I really am enjoying this immensely. I've heard lots of great things about Lynn. I sure hope he offers us a few stories.

Also, it'd be great to see some examples of Van's work. Perhaps a cover or a column or just about anything that exemplifies the type of risks he took and the kind of talent he had. That would be great.

As an aside, I went out to cover a small-school district soccer game tonight, and I felt for the first time in months like it was the most important thing in the world. Just reading about Van today was a huge inspiration. Sometimes, it's easy to think that sports journalism is a trifling affair. To hear about a man who took it so seriously and with such passion reinvigorates me. I once lived by the adage that life is about doing one thing well. But it's easy to get sidetracked on that noble quest. Van, though, didn't have that difficulty, and that may be one of his greatest talents, a strong faith in the importance of that which we do each day. Nothing could be more refreshing.

 

This has been updated with Chapter Two.

 

Thank you for this, dan. I greatly admired what The National tried to accomplish, and this is terrific reading.

 

Lads and lasses...

as the movie "Them" comes on the TV here, I can say that I've had a couple of Bloody Brains...

Taste was pretty good. Texture, aw, well...(of course, there were other things on the side)

Yes, I'm somewhat buzzed.

Won't be maudlin. Rather, I'll say that I've been 30 years in this business, and wouldn't pick another one. And that's just the way it is.

People like Van McKenzie were the reason. And that ain't mauldin.

Golf tomorrow. Hangover, too, I suppose.

Bloody brain!

 

Oh, one guy knew how to make it, exactly....

He taught the other guy.

Van would have been fine here.