Ron Drogo, (spnited), RIP

imjustagirl · Feb 21, 2011

Re: Ron Drogo, RIP

From Zeke:

This really hurts.

Never met Ron in person but enjoyed talking baseball with him on the boards and in PMs so much. He had a quality that I aspired to. He was tough and he was gruff and he was firm in his convictions.

Most of all, he was a newspaperman. As the obit said, he did anything that needed doing to make the paper come out the next day. We all know people like that, and spnited really seemed like the blueprint they were all cut from. Just a newspaperman, I suppose.

I happen to know, too, that he approached real life the same way. I know when people on the boards were stuck in a tight spot, if they needed money or a place to stay or anything within his power to give, they got it, immediately, and without thought of payback. Hell, good luck even trying to thank him.

RIP, spnited. Everybody gives a fuck about your passing.

_________________________________________________________

Re: The service. Depending on how early it is, I might be driving up after work on Tuesday and back down after the service on Wednesday. Anyone who wants to meet up for a post-service Irish wake, let me know.

Herbert Anchovy · Feb 21, 2011

Re: Ron Drogo, RIP

God bless you, Ron.

Moderator1 · Feb 21, 2011

Re: Ron Drogo, RIP

Some things I really appreciated about Ron/Spnited:

*He could separate reality from this place, which sadly is something many of us can't do. Given his crusty and sometimes combative nature, his style and my position as a moderator were at odds now and then. I could be sending him one PM saying, "goddamnit sp, tone it down here" and we'd be talking away as Ron and Mike on another one about the business, some job applicants up his way, etc. If he disliked something I did as Moddy, it never showed in the way he dealt with Mike. And vice versa I might add.

*He cared about the business. A lot. About doing it the right way. About appreciating those who made an effort to do it the right way. Passion HAS to be part of it to do this job right and it has become harder as the business has changed. Ron had passion.

The best thing I can say about him (and those who knew him know exactly how I mean this)? He was a crusty old SOB who could pull that off while still being a great guy - and he cared.

Huggy · Feb 21, 2011

Re: Ron Drogo, RIP

Dyno said:

I've been sick, so when my sore throat woke me up too early this morning, I picked up my Blackberry and started reading SJ. I clicked on this thread, not knowing who Ron Drogo was. As I read each post, with growing dread, I figured it out.

I never met Ron and didn't interact much with spnited on here, but this is a big loss.

I always smiled when a newbie referred to him as spirited. I'll miss that.
Click to expand...

I could never figure out his handle until he came up to me in Toronto and introduced himself: "Ron Drogo, I am spnited." He pronounced it as "ess-pee-night-ed". Then it all made sense: sports night editor. I think I got it.

Why do I feel like Moddy should dim the lights in this place, just like they did in Vegas when one of the legends like Frank (another Jersey guy) or Sammy passed....

Boom_70 · Feb 21, 2011

Re: Ron Drogo, RIP

Wow bad start to a Monday. Spnited as we knew him on the board was a curmudgeon in the finest sense of the word.

Truly old school with rock solid core beliefs from which he never wavered.

We differed on the Mets and Yankees but found common bond in our interest in what once was the mecca of basketball -- Madison Square Garden. I will truly miss our conversations on the good old days of the NBA when The Knicks were on top and The NIT was still a serious post season tournament.

RIP to a man I came to greatly respect.

Michael_ Gee · Feb 21, 2011

Re: Ron Drogo, RIP

Although we are contemporaries, I only knew Ron here. It was wonderful knowing him here, and certainly not dull knowing him here. I am desolate at this news, and am only so late to the party because spnited's real name was unknown to me.
RIP, and the rest of you, take care.

Baron Scicluna · Feb 21, 2011

Re: Ron Drogo, RIP

Huggy said:

Dyno said:

I've been sick, so when my sore throat woke me up too early this morning, I picked up my Blackberry and started reading SJ. I clicked on this thread, not knowing who Ron Drogo was. As I read each post, with growing dread, I figured it out.

I never met Ron and didn't interact much with spnited on here, but this is a big loss.

I always smiled when a newbie referred to him as spirited. I'll miss that.
Click to expand...

I could never figure out his handle until he came up to me in Toronto and introduced himself: "Ron Drogo, I am spnited." He pronounced it as "ess-pee-night-ed". Then it all made sense: sports night editor. I think I got it.

Why do I feel like Moddy should dim the lights in this place, just like they did in Vegas when one of the legends like Frank (another Jersey guy) or Sammy passed....
Click to expand...

I'm not a newb, but that's what I've always thought his name was. Just an optical illusion of letters.

I never met Ron, but I enjoyed reading his posts. I just went and looked back at them, and I remember laughing my ass off when he listed the Mets' calendar of events for this year (April 1, Ollie Perez injured, etc.)

I'll miss him. RIP spNited.

Moderator1 · Feb 21, 2011

I edited the thread title. He's probably screaming at me from above, "Hey you SOB, NO OUTING."

Bob Cook · Feb 21, 2011

Re: Ron Drogo, RIP

imjustagirl said:

From Zeke:

This really hurts.

Never met Ron in person but enjoyed talking baseball with him on the boards and in PMs so much. He had a quality that I aspired to. He was tough and he was gruff and he was firm in his convictions.

Most of all, he was a newspaperman. As the obit said, he did anything that needed doing to make the paper come out the next day. We all know people like that, and spnited really seemed like the blueprint they were all cut from. Just a newspaperman, I suppose.

I happen to know, too, that he approached real life the same way. I know when people on the boards were stuck in a tight spot, if they needed money or a place to stay or anything within his power to give, they got it, immediately, and without thought of payback. Hell, good luck even trying to thank him.

RIP, spnited. Everybody gives a fuck about your passing.

_________________________________________________________

Re: The service. Depending on how early it is, I might be driving up after work on Tuesday and back down after the service on Wednesday. Anyone who wants to meet up for a post-service Irish wake, let me know.
Click to expand...

BTW, funeral home person said details should be available sometime this afternoon.

imjustagirl · Feb 21, 2011

A great piece by Dave D'Alessandro:

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/02/ron_drogo_former_staffer_in_st.html

Rosie · Feb 21, 2011

Re: Ron Drogo, RIP

K, it's official. I'm sobbing.

Gonna miss that old curmudgeon.

And Moddy, he'll get over it. :'(

mustangj17 · Feb 21, 2011

This place is going to be different without Spnited. Will miss his input on the rare track/marathon threads we have on here. He seemed to be the only one who ever knew what he was talking about - even though we disagreed about long jump.

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Ron Drogo, (spnited), RIP

imjustagirl Active Member

Herbert Anchovy Active Member

Moderator1 Moderator Staff Member

Huggy Well-Known Member

Boom_70 Well-Known Member

Michael_ Gee Well-Known Member

Baron Scicluna Well-Known Member

Moderator1 Moderator Staff Member

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Ron Drogo, (spnited), RIP

imjustagirl Active Member

Herbert Anchovy Active Member

Moderator1 Moderator Staff Member

Huggy Well-Known Member

Boom_70 Well-Known Member

Michael_ Gee Well-Known Member

Baron Scicluna Well-Known Member

Moderator1 Moderator Staff Member

Bob Cook Active Member

imjustagirl Active Member

Rosie Active Member

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