Ron Drogo, (spnited), RIP

Just curious, but how did you and BYH recognize each other if you had never met?

Maybe one of the sisters realized you were both from SportsJournalists.com & introduced you?

 

Xan hasn't been super-secretive about who he is, and used to have a pic of himself as his avatar (if I remember correctly).

 

BYH was the one in the Night Ranger shirt.

 

You know, Starman drives me nuts on many occasions, but if I recall correctly, he drove several hours to attend Editorhoo's funeral (or maybe it was the wake) even though he didn't know him.

I thought that was really special & I think it was very special that Xan went today.

Thanks guys.

 

Ah, though I like the idea that YGBFKM's post was really how they met.

 

Thank you very much, Xan. Above and beyond the call. Stick around.

 

"He's probably saying 'What are you standing there for, dickhead?'"--Songbird after I walked back from Ron's casket

As noted by Songbird, I was there for the last 80 or so minutes of the 2-4 wake (was running late like a dickhead, hit a ton of traffic getting over the GWB). It was nice to talk to Songbird and to mend fences, even if we weren't entirely sure over what we were arguing about in the first place. Doesn't that sum up this joint? Ron would have gotten a kick out of that. Then we had a nice talk about the JRC and whether or not their citizen journalism meme will put us all out of work. As IJAG said, Ron would have liked that Xan and I were talking shop at his wake.

We were there for a brief sermon by the priest, who said that we all want answers at times like these but sometimes have to come to grips with the idea that we'll never know why some things happen. Probably the wrong thing to say to a room full of skeptical writers, but I give him points for honesty. The priest also said it is important to hang on to memories at times like these, which he probably says at every wake, but which nonetheless seemed appropriate.

This was the first wake in which I ever thought the words "Hi it's the dickhead" while at the casket.

We both chatted with Ron's sister Linda, who was very nice and extremely composed. She said someone told her about the SJ tributes. "You have to Google your brother's name, you have to see what these people are saying about him!" she said she was told. "That's my little Ronny," she said. I told her we all enjoyed his friendship very much, and on my way out the door, I signed the guest book "All of his friends at sportsjournalists.com."

Like Xan, I felt it was important to be at one of the wakes, not only because Ron was my friend but to represent all his friends at SportsJournalists.com who couldn't get to Jersey.

 

Damn. RIP to a SportsJournalists.com legend.

I say this is in all seriousness - this place won't quite be the same without Spnited owning OOP in discussions about salary caps.....

 

Nice touch, BYH and Xan.

 

Thanks to you too, babe. Wish I could have made it, but appreciate you two carrying the banner for us.

 

I saw his name in the guest registry with (Xan) next to it. I've seen his name and mugshot on Facebook replies, and in addition to the vaguely recognizable face, he just looked like an SJer. I mean that in the best way possible. I walked around the room for a minute, wondering how to introduce myself to the guy I'd been sparring with, and finally just said fuck it.

"Hi are you XXXX?" I said.

He said yes and I said "I'm XXXX" as we shook hands.

"Or, you know, BYH," I said in a somewhat hushed tone, because my screen name is serious, solemn stuff (snort).

"I know," he said.

Then we apologized for whatever it was we were arguing about and that was that. It was a pretty cool moment.

 

Five years ago, I asked about the name. Here is the PM I got.

It didn't make a damn bit of sense to me, but I accepted it. Over the past five years, a lot of what spnited said didn't make much sense to me. We disagreed a lot. And our personalities clashed. When he was at his best, though, he taught me things. And that was just some old guy on a message board. I can't imagine all that he taught to those who were fortunate to know the man behind the message board posts. I share their grief.

I've never bought into the SJ family thing. I guess that seems too personal for me. So I never sent a Santa gift or attended a gathering. But it sure seems like I lost a family member. Even if we didn't communicate often, he was ever-present on this board. I popped on here tonight fully expecting to see him involved in some discussion. Instead, I was stunned by the sad news.

I'm reminded that life is short. It makes me want to join the Santa exchange next year, and it makes me want to organize a gathering. And I intend to do that. Because I'm beginning to realize that this is one big family. It might be dysfunctional, but it's a part of all of us. And we should celebrate that.