whoa..wait a second here... what is up?

The other day, Ray Charles died. I took the time to listen to Ray Charles Mp3's and just celebrate the music...

...And now this... Sportswriter Ralph Wiley Dies at 52... I get the AP news wire sent to my Blackberry. When I saw this, I stopped in my tracks. He was my favorite writer, and he wrote and spoke eloquently. He reminded myself of me, if I was to be a sports writer. He probably was chided growing up for speaking "too white" or making good grades, etc... he always paid homage to the history of sports, the history of all things (black or white), taking special care to not forget where we have come from, but not losing sight that we have to move forward as a people, and a society.

You know how when you read some peoples writing, you read it and you hear their voice talking. I always heard his distinctive voice, with a little edge... a little anger, a little reflection, a little arrogance, and a little homage to those he was writing about. I heard his voice, not mine, when I read him.

Ralph Wiley was huge, if only to me. I am saddened because I placed a sports blackout on myself because of the Lakers, and are just now finding out. I cut on my Blackberry and got my backlog of messages, and there it was. Like a rock in my stomach.

Ralph Wiley was huge, if only to me.