Sad news: R.I.P. Stuart Scott

[toughbuff1]

R.I.P. Stuart Scott. You were as cool as the other side of the pillow. Cancer sucks.

[Bob Green]

Here is a link:

http://espn.go.com/espn/story/_/id/12118296/stuart-scott-espn-anchor-dies-age-49

He was way too young.

[duketaylor]

R.I.P.

He had many likable qualities and will be missed by many.

[Duke95]

R.I.P. Stuart Scott. Age 49. Terrible news.

[Billy Dat]

Thanks for the link to the well written ESPN obituary which is lengthy and contains many tributes from colleagues. The guy was so young and full of life. This is a very sad day.

[TKG]

Loved his " Booyah!" call during highlights....R.I.P.

[wilson]

I'm a little surprised at how much this news has affected me this morning. Stuart Scott first came onto SportsCenter when I was in middle school. I remember his "young" style, peppered with hip-hop stylings, being a big deal at the time, both for the old-timers who hated it and the kids (like me) who loved it. Based on the ways he helped to transform that program and all of ESPN, he was one of the first people who helped show me that my generation had a voice that would soon be heard. I haven't watched much SportsCenter in recent years, but I have followed Stuart Scott's story and his fight, including his forming of a friendship with Duke's own cancer warrior, Gloria Borges.
It's very clear across all of the ESPN networks this morning how beloved he was. Whether in direct tributes to him or in halfhearted attempts to break down today's NFL games, it is obvious that all of Scott's colleagues are heartbroken. A fitting tribute to someone who lived so passionately.

[Billy Dat]

I'm a little surprised at how much this news has affected me this morning.

I agree about taking this really hard. Prior to his illness, I basically found him annoying, kind of cheesy and affiliated to a hideous degree with the wrong 15-501 shade of blue. But, I certainly never had anything against him personally, and as he's battled this illness I have been rooting hard for him. He's not much older than me, was obviously a great person, this is terrible.

[MarkD83]

RIP Stuart. It is wonderful to see how devoted you are to your daughters. Our children our are legacy and through them you will always be here.

[Tripping William]

As one who knows the cancer battle all too well, and whose office looks out toward R.J. Reynolds High School (from which Stu graduated), I am so very saddened to hear this news. We need to eliminate this disease . . . . . soon! At that point, I'll give a huge, hearty, "Boo-Yah!"

[uh_no]

As one who knows the cancer battle all too well, and whose office looks out toward R.J. Reynolds High School (from which Stu graduated), I am so very saddened to hear this news. We need to eliminate this disease . . . . . soon! At that point, I'll give a huge, hearty, "Boo-Yah!"

"Boo-No" :(

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5roG8L3edE

[uh_no]

Also: if you haven't seen it, a beautifully moving soliloquy from rich eisen:

http://www.sbnation.com/lookit/2015/1/4/7490133/stuart-scott-rich-eisen-video

[Newton_14]

RIP Stuart. Way too young to die. I should know. He and I are the same age. Chilling.

[OldPhiKap]

Very sad.

[Edouble]

Also: if you haven't seen it, a beautifully moving soliloquy from rich eisen:

http://www.sbnation.com/lookit/2015/1/4/7490133/stuart-scott-rich-eisen-video

Thanks for the link. I think you mean eulogy though.

A soliloquy is a (usually dramatic) monologue that is spoken to oneself when alone, or at least unaware of the presence of others. Eisen's speech was obviously meant for sportsfans everywhere.

I never cared for his work, mainly because he was an incredible Carolina homer and often had to throw in some anti-Duke comments into his shtick. I don't think he'd want me to drum up some fake sentimentality for him now. It is tragic that he died so young and I will give credit where credit is due... "Boo-yah" is one of the great sports catch phrases.

[jv001]

Here is a link:

http://espn.go.com/espn/story/_/id/12118296/stuart-scott-espn-anchor-dies-age-49

He was way too young.

Thanks Bob for the link. After watching/reading about Stuart Scott and his battle vs. cancer, I just wish he'd been a Blue Devil and instead of a tarheel. He was an amazing young man. Death can cross over rivalries but so can class. RIP, Stuart. Yes, way too early to leave this part of life. God bless the Scott family.

[richardjackson199]

Recent ESPY speech. Very inspirational...

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=11225895

[duketaylor]

I was watching ESPN just before noon today as Boomer started talking about "Stu Scott" and most of the talk after the intro was done by Robin Roberts, who has fought cancer. I was moved to tears. As others have noted about how moved they were today I felt the same. I had to think about how much time I spent watching him do his work. It was a lot. I had to think about how much he changed broadcasting sports and reporting sports in our generation or the generation before me and maybe even after. It's actually pretty profound. He connected to the younger crowd in a sort of hip-hop way.

He will be very missed!!

[Turk]

RIP Stuart. Way too young to die. I should know. He and I are the same age. Chilling.

Even more chilling for me, as I am a few years older than botha yins.

I thought Stuart's Carolina references were generally positive and not too overboard. There are some passionate unc fans / alums who provide serious counterpoints to those of us who bleed Duke blue (e.g. our friend Wheat), and I would count Stu in that category. It is a lot of fun to discuss ups and downs and all the history of both programs with folks like that, rather than drooling illiterates whose every other word is an f-bomb. I think it's possible to be a loyal fan and yet still acknowledge quality elsewhere; when we see it in our enemies it makes the rivalry great.

As for Stu's catchphrases on ESPN, I thought he carried on the tradition of Patrick and Olbermann quite well; he was just lacking a wingman or partner, so therefore some may feel his schtick was contrived. For me, Stu met three important criteria: he was true to himself, original, and timely. As one who spent many summers sleeping in houses without air conditioning, I have a special fondness for "cool as the other side of the pillow".

Sometimes I imagine heaven as a place where similar souls congregate. For example, there is one corner where our grandmothers and elderly aunts are playing cards, snacking on homemade baked goods or having a cuppa coffee, telling embarrassing stories about their own kids, yet bragging to each other about the grandkids and great-nieces and nephews and how well they turned out, despite all the idiotic stunts pulled by their parents.

Similarly, there is another corner of heaven where all the ballplayers and coaches hang out. Stu has joined Jimmy V, Hank Gathers. Pistol Pete, Reggie Lewis, Len Bias and other hoopheads, no matter whether they passed too soon or after a long and healthy life, such as Coach Wooden. (Although not even God knows where Wilt is; He would only know if Wilt felt like sharing that little tidbit of information, and then I bet even God couldn't tell whether it was true or not.)

My sincerest condolences to the Scott family, the ESPN and Carolina communities, and basketball fans everywhere.

“Dying is no big deal; the least of us will manage it. Living is the trick.”
― Red Smith

[luvdahops]

I was watching ESPN just before noon today as Boomer started talking about "Stu Scott" and most of the talk after the intro was done by Robin Roberts, who has fought cancer. I was moved to tears. As others have noted about how moved they were today I felt the same. I had to think about how much time I spent watching him do his work. It was a lot. I had to think about how much he changed broadcasting sports and reporting sports in our generation or the generation before me and maybe even after. It's actually pretty profound. He connected to the younger crowd in a sort of hip-hop way.

He will be very missed!!

Very good points. Scott got his start on SportsCenter at a time when it was dominated by snarky white guys with outsized personalities (Patrick, Olbermann, Kilbourn, Mayne, etc.). Many ESPN fans look back on this era, with much justification, as SC's golden era, and all of the aforementioned were (are) very smart, knowledgeable and entertaining guys. But they were all also arguably riffing from the same basic approach. Scott brought something entirely different - a more youthful and unabashedly enthusiastic love of the games he was watching and highlighting, with a fresh vocabulary and visual style to boot. We are all much better for it.

[Henderson]

Google "Stuart Scott commercials".