The reason I ask this question is because of some shocking news I heard today. Having been out of town all week, I had missed that Alan Greenberg, sports writer for the Hartford Courant, had passed away at the age of 55. Alan was a fixture in the Boston sports scene. He was a regular guest on FSN New England and sports radio powerhouse WEEI. FSN has a video tribute here.
Boston Sports Media (BSM) was the first place I went to catch up on the news. BSM is a great web site, we have linked to it for years in our Sports links to the right. BSM is part blog, part aggregation site for all sports articles and columns from Boston (New England really). What I found did not disappoint, an amazing tribute to Alan Greenberg from his friends in the media. This in and of itself was interesting because the sports media, more so than the political media, tend to look down their noses at blogs. As much as they would be loathe to admit it, they all read BSM.
Anyway, Bruce Allen, the proprietor of the site, has received dozens of emails from sports media people from around the country each offering their personal tributes to Alan. I urge you to read them. It brought me to tears. Here are just a couple of example of what you will find,
About a year and a half ago , I found myself returning from a Patriots game and Alan was seated next to me on the flight. I was facing some important career decisions and also beginning to think about a family and the challenges of balancing both. Alan was so honest and articulate about my strenghths and weaknesses and the joys of what really mattered most, especially to him. It was the most respectful and insightful conversation I had with anyone during that time and I have often thought back to his wise words.
–Wendy Nix, ESPN, former local sportscaster in Boston
Let me echo what I’m sure you’ve heard many times: he relished being a dad. The idea that he leaves behind three kids is appalling. It’s a loss to our business. He was a talent. Even more, he was an intellect. We can’t replace him.
–Bob Ryan, Boston Globe
I first met Alan when I took over as Ted’s full-time producer, and he told me something that I will never forget and still abide by to this day: “Make sure sports is a job and don’t let it be the only thing you are passionate about. There’s more to life than just watching sports, and it’s easy to forget that in such a sports-crazed town like Boston.”
Marc Merriman, Producer, WEEI
I was wrong, Alan Greenberg was not a sports writer. He was a husband and father who worked as a sports writer. He leaves behind three young children, one of whom was to have his Bar Mitzvah this Saturday. Alan had prepared some remarks for that special occasion,
“I’ve made my living writing about the accomplishments of great athletes, but my greatest accomplishment, my and your mother’s greatest joy, is to introduce you and your sisters, Allison and Abby, as our children.”
Again, I urge you to visit Boston Sports Media and scroll down through the tributes. The tribute has become so moving that even Alan’s grieving wife sent Bruce a note about it.
If you don’t rethink your own life and your priorities after reading this, you are beyond help.
Donations can be made in the name of Greenberg Childrens Trust, at Citizens Bank; 450 Boston Post Road; Sudbury, Mass., 01776.