Ron Drogo, (spnited), RIP

RIP

 

Holy fucking shit. I saw this on FB from some people but had no idea until I came here.

Man oh man. A punch to the gut. RIP ...

 

I second this. Thanks to everyone who knew Ron for sharing about what kind of person he was. I know that couldn't have been easy. He sounds like the type of editor many of us would love to work for, a true journalist. I only wish I had gotten to know him.
RIP Ron/spnited.

 

I had no idea until this minute...I only knew him though the board, never knew his real name but he covered the area I grew up in and we once traded PMs about the best pizza places. Very sorry to hear this.

 

Well, now I know. Damn. spnited was actually the first possibility that crept into my mind, but I so hoped I would be wrong.

RIP again, Ron. This board has a void that will never be filled.

 

I echo the same. I am very sad. I have always considered him to be the veteran of this board and someone who was going to give it to you straight, whether its popular or not. I respected that because it was has made me go from a fan and reader to someone who regularly pops on here as a non-journo.

spnited, you are in my prayers and thoughts today as we remember and celebrate your life and your candor on this board everyday.

 

Wow. I sit here, stunned. Stunned by the news and equally stunned -- in a good way -- by posters' reactions to the unmasking of Ron as Spnited and vice versa.

I've known Ron since 1966 and the Ron Drogo I met then was the same Spnited you've all come to know on SJ -- passionate about the biz, a storehouse of sports knowledge and a guy who was genuine. He's being called a "curmudgeon with a heart of gold" but the curmudgeon part came later. Not too much later, of course, because it was an image he cultivated for years.

Moss Klein nailed it when he said Ron could do anything. In my two tours with the Star-Ledger Sports department, Ron was the most versatile individual on the most versatile sports desk crew I've ever encountered. While I was its sports editor, Ron was my Sunday editor who readily and eagerly "bought in" to my vision for that sports section.

These past few years, while I've been on the West Coast, we've been in touch almost exclusively via SJ PMs -- especially on our mutual birthday (he was born exactly one year younger). No matter the topic, Drogs unfailingly shot straight in his no-nonsense manner but almost always with a touch of sarcasm or wit.

He was a pro's pro and good friend besides. And I absolutely love the impact he's had on SportsJournalists.com posters through the years and especially today. I share your loss.

 

I was going to send him a message too asking him how he knew so much around track. Never got around to it. Figured I would have more time.

 

Another West Coaster joining in.
His handle was already in the title when I got to SJ this morning. It's taken me awhile to get to here.
Of the whole SJ Nation, he is the one I relate to the most. In fact, we might be clones except I'm probably not as curmugeony as him -- age, background, experience, dedication to the biz.
I stumbled over SPIRITED when I first game on board a little more than 4 years ago, then finally deciphered the correct spelling and figured out for myself that he was a sports night editor, another thing I can relate to.
He was the person I most admire on this board, because we tend to agree on most things.
However, I'd like to have his ability to get away with calling people "dickheads" and "fuckheads." I usually use "clown" when it's personal, like to BYH, and go with "dickhead" when it's general, like "the dickhead sabrdudes."
Spnited, never met you, always admired you, certainly will miss you.

 

I didn't know Ron except through the board. For the fun of it, for the inkstained shop talk of it, for the glorious off-my-yard voice of it, I looked for spnited every time I signed on. I messaged him twice, once for a source of the tag (we agreed it sounded like Red Smith), and once for advice on my newspaper book (he loved the newsroom jargon). But as gingerbread said, the tag told me everything I needed to know about him.

 

I've known Ron for more than 20 years. He was a great person. I'm saddened to hear of his passing. My heart and prayers go out to his family. He was one of the guys who did it the right way and didn't mind showing you ways of doing it better.
As spnited, I think I speak for many to say that his voice here at S.J. com was welcomed and appreciated.
He will be missed.