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View Full Version : R.I.P. Al Featherston (aka Olympic Fan) - a Dukie through and through!



Tom B.
11-05-2018, 02:18 PM
http://bluedevilnation.net/2018/11/remembering-my-pal-al-featherston/

jjasper0729
11-05-2018, 02:20 PM
A lot of Duke (and baseball) history is gone with this passing. Definitely a treasure trove of anecdotes. Not just Duke related, but all of the ACC.

He'll be missed.

OldPhiKap
11-05-2018, 02:20 PM
http://bluedevilnation.net/2018/11/remembering-my-pal-al-featherston/

A very talented man. He will be missed.

Prayers for his family and friends.

Al, thanks for all you did!

Philsfan
11-05-2018, 02:21 PM
So sad. I worked at the H-S from '01-06 on the news side. He was a legend. RIP, Feather.

pfrduke
11-05-2018, 02:22 PM
Al was a vital contributor to this community and Duke fandom generally. He will be sorely missed.

jimsumner
11-05-2018, 02:23 PM
I'll share some thoughts down the road. But I'm going to take some time to process this.

CameronBornAndBred
11-05-2018, 02:24 PM
Thank you for sharing all of your knowledge, history and stories with us. RIP. :(

JasonEvans
11-05-2018, 02:25 PM
I checked with the powers that be and they say it is ok at this point to reveal to folks that the poster known as Olympic Fan was Al Featherston. I know some posters were aware of this but I wanted the rest of you to know.

Al loved being a part of this community and I know from my conversations with him that he cherished the back and forth and spirited, but honorable, debate that happened here.

All Blue Devil fans have lost a friend today. Godspeed, Al...

fidel
11-05-2018, 02:28 PM
I loved reading Al's articles. I wish I'd known him. Godspeed.

WiJoe
11-05-2018, 02:30 PM
Awful news. Very sad.

R.I.P.

Reilly
11-05-2018, 02:32 PM
Al was a vital contributor to this community ...

Always enjoyed reading his detailed, history-filled pieces, providing such wonderful context. I'm guessing Cut will have some kind words and thoughts to share at tomorrow's press conference.

flyingdutchdevil
11-05-2018, 02:37 PM
I checked with the powers that be and they say it is ok at this point to reveal to folks that the poster known as Olympic Fan was Al Featherston. I know some posters were aware of this but I wanted the rest of you to know.

Al loved being a part of this community and I know from my conversations with him that he cherished the back and forth and spirited, but honorable, debate that happened here.

All Blue Devil fans have lost a friend today. Godspeed, Al...

Thanks Jason. Had no idea that was Al Featherston. OF was always an insightful poster.

RIP Al.

Troublemaker
11-05-2018, 02:38 PM
Just sent some prayers for him and his family. Will certainly miss (and have missed) Oly Fan's posts on here. I was always really happy to see a sportswriting legend post among us.

BLPOG
11-05-2018, 02:42 PM
I'm pretty sure I've shared more articles by Featherston over the years than other sportswriter. RIP.

ChillinDuke
11-05-2018, 02:43 PM
I also did not know that was Al.

Prayers to his family. RIP.

- Chillin

sagegrouse
11-05-2018, 02:46 PM
Oh, what a loss. I was just thinking of him yesterday, missing his insightful posts at DBR. My condolences to his family and many friends.

CrazyNotCrazie
11-05-2018, 02:46 PM
Very sad to hear this. I met Al as a Chronicle sportswriter. He was not particularly warm and fuzzy, but once you passed the test and showed that you took the role seriously, he would warm up. Despite his incredibly strong allegiances to Duke, he considered himself to be a member of the working press, writing to make a living, and he expected the same from everyone around him. He had the most encyclopedic knowledge of Duke sports as well as ACC history of anyone out there.

I quickly figured out that Al and Olympic Fan were one and the same. Though I did not always 100% agree with his takes on things, I always appreciated his well thought out and explained posts and his invaluable historical references. His by-lined articles for DBR were even better.

We used to joke that the greatest compliment one could receive as a writer in the ACC was to get name-checked by Coach K - Brill was deservedly the most frequent recipient of these. Hopefully word will get to Coach K and he will be able to mention Al tomorrow night, ideally after a win in Al's honor.

rtnorthrup
11-05-2018, 02:50 PM
Truly a sad day. RIP Al, and thanks for all that you shared with us along the way.

MulletMan
11-05-2018, 02:54 PM
There's nothing really to say other than he will be missed. Gosh... I was not ready to read that when I logged in for the first time in forever.

The first time I met Al was years ago at Bullock's. I spent 3 hours there that night and barely said a word. I'd never heard so much Duke history.

Ugh...

Atldukie79
11-05-2018, 02:55 PM
A great loss. I never met Al, but felt he was a kindred spirit. A life long Duke fan like Al, albeit a few years younger, I often thought that I would have been proud to write the articles he wrote and make the observations that he did. A true Duke legend. I followed him throughout his career.

My condolences to Al's family.
He will be missed.

BeachBlueDevil
11-05-2018, 03:00 PM
Like many others, I loved to read Al's articles. When I would come here and see new article from Al was posted, it was a MUST read.

REST IN POWER, Al.

DukieInKansas
11-05-2018, 03:01 PM
RIP, Al/Olympic Fan. Your generous sharing of Duke/ACC history was appreciated and will be missed.

Condolences to your family, friends, and fans.

Highlander
11-05-2018, 03:03 PM
"Tobacco Road" is by far the best book on ACC basketball I have ever read. So sad to see Al go. I did not know his board pseudonym either.

Tripping William
11-05-2018, 03:14 PM
Terribly sad to hear this news. Hoping he and Bill Brill are swapping stories right about now. RIP, Al.

Faison1
11-05-2018, 03:20 PM
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!

Was he sick???? I'm more than stunned........

Al was must-read material every time I saw something from him.

I am so bummed. I can't imagine what his family must feel.

Thank you, Al. Rest in Peace.

blazindw
11-05-2018, 03:21 PM
This is a huge loss for the DBR community and for the Duke community as well. He was one of the great minds on Duke sports and I still look back fondly at our interview we did with him for the podcast.

I knew he was OF here on the forums and always respected his candor and his spirited debate. I never left a thread with his words or finished one of his articles where I didn't learn something new about Duke sports. He made our community better and kept it well informed. It's a sad day, and he'll be missed by a lot of people on here, myself included.

kako
11-05-2018, 03:34 PM
Extremely sad to read this. My condolences to his family. His columns were the best ones on DBR. His knowledge of the history of Duke and ACC sports was unsurpassed. I hope DBR can archive them for viewing on demand.

Lauderdevil
11-05-2018, 03:35 PM
I got to know Al a bit back in the late ‘70s, when I was a sportswriter for the Chronicle. At the time, he was assistant sports editor at the Durham Sun, which was a welcome alternative to the rabidly pro-Carolina Art Chansky-led Durham Herald sports section. Even back then, close to 40 years ago (before Coach K — yes, there was such an era), the Feather was an incredible font of historical knowledge about Duke and Duke basketball. His articles were always well-grounded in reality, always written at a level or two above the other local sportswriters. He just added to his lead in the years since. He’s been an incomparable source of wisdom, insight, perspective, evenhandedness and rationality about Duke and the ACC for two generations. I can’t imagine who will follow in his footsteps.

DangerDevil
11-05-2018, 03:39 PM
Sorry to hear about his passing, add me to the list that admired his work and Olympic Fan’s posts; I will miss them all.

Apparently Al had been battling numerous health issues, ALS and heart trouble.

http://bluedevilnation.net/2018/11/remembering-my-pal-al-featherston/

Kedsy
11-05-2018, 03:42 PM
Put me among those who did not realize Olympic Fan was Al Featherston, but in retrospect it makes some sense. I only met Al once, in the press room during the first two rounds of the 2013 NCAA Tournament. He gave me some good advice and seemed like a good guy.

I've also had a family member with ALS. It's a terrible disease. I'm happy for Al and his family that his illness didn't get to the late stages.

Indoor66
11-05-2018, 03:49 PM
I knew Al in the 70's and he was a great guy. I did not know that Oly Fan was Al's board name. He will be missed. May he know an earned peace.

gam7
11-05-2018, 03:51 PM
Put me among those who did not realize Olympic Fan was Al Featherston, but in retrospect it makes some sense. I only met Al once, in the press room during the first two rounds of the 2013 NCAA Tournament. He gave me some good advice and seemed like a good guy.

I've also had a family member with ALS. It's a terrible disease. I'm happy for Al and his family that his illness didn't get to the late stages.

This is very sad (and unexpected for me and I assume much of the DBR community). My thoughts are with his family and to the folks on this site who knew him personally.

I suspected he was Olympic Fan when he mentioned in a post several years ago that he had attended one of those mock NCAA tournament selection committee experiences that they offered to the media, and of course, for his incredible recall/knowledge of long ago Duke games, ACC happenings and sporting events.

Anyway, I'm very sorry to hear about this

MChambers
11-05-2018, 04:02 PM
I didn't know him, except through his articles. He was a great writer, though.

CathyCA
11-05-2018, 04:08 PM
I knew Al when I worked in the Basketball office at Duke. Back then, our offices were downstairs in Cameron Indoor Stadium, and Coach K's weekly press conferences were next door to our offices in the Hall of Fame Room. Al always stopped in to say hello to the office staff on his way out of the press conferences. He usually brought a few slices of leftover pizza from those press conferences to share with us.

My prayers are with his family.

camion
11-05-2018, 04:14 PM
Oh my. I'm very sorry to hear this. As a good many others I only knew Al through his writing where I found him to be passionate, knowledgeable and decent. This seems like a more than a page turned, perhaps a book or series completed.

Thoughts are with his family and friends.

summerwind03
11-05-2018, 04:15 PM
I am sorry to hear this. I always enjoyed his writing, and his board persona too. I was sad when he left the boards earlier this year, amid some drama. He will be missed by many.

75Crazie
11-05-2018, 04:19 PM
I remember when the Sun merged (or was subsumed by) the Morning Herald, and the two heavyweight sports writers of the Sun, Dascenzo and Featherston, both came over to the Herald. While I liked both writers, I found Al the superior of the two, as Dascenzo seemed to me to be too enamored of his own writing style. I don't believe it was long after that when Featherston was dismissed, and I remember being stunned that they kept the inferior writer. I don't think it was until sometime after that when I learned that Al was pro-Duke … I think he took great pains to not show his bias while he worked at the paper. His talent should have made him a giant in his field, but at least he was a giant to those of us that favor the correct shade of blue. RIP Al.

OZZIE4DUKE
11-05-2018, 04:26 PM
RIP Al. You will be missed. Loved reading his articles. I am among those who did not know he was OlyFan.

Losing Brill and now Feather takes so much Duke history knowledge to the grave. Glad they wrote it down for us to share. LGD GTHc!

dukelifer
11-05-2018, 04:44 PM
I very much enjoyed Al's writing and perspective. He will be missed on this board and in life. Condolences to his family and friends.

ice-9
11-05-2018, 05:18 PM
Al and Olympic Fan were one of the main reasons I loved DBR. His passing is a shock, a reminder that there is a mortality even on the Internet. He will be dearly missed.

My mother passed away after battling ALS for over seven years. It’s a difficult disease.

dudog84
11-05-2018, 05:47 PM
Didn't know him, but Al's were always my favorite articles, must read from first word to last.

R.I.P.

sammy262
11-05-2018, 05:50 PM
Al was a fraternity brother of mine at Duke back in the 1960's. He and I played a LOT of hearts, spades, and bridge back then. I last saw Al at a fraternity reunion in Durham a few years ago (2015?). He wowed us all with his knowledge, stats, and stories. He was a great guy...and this is a great loss.

subzero02
11-05-2018, 05:51 PM
RIP... I didn't know that he was Olympic Fan. I bookmarked the civil war thread from the off topic board largely because of Olympic Fan's contributions. He was a treasure trove of knowledge who seemed extremely kindhearted... he will be missed.

Wheat/"/"/"
11-05-2018, 06:05 PM
Really sorry to hear of the loss of Olympic Fan...he was a dedicated and passionate Duke fan and great contributor to the community. He will be missed.

My condolences to his family.

hudlow
11-05-2018, 06:11 PM
Regardless, if it was Al or Oly, I enjoyed and learned from the insight.

For that I'm grateful.


Hud

devildeac
11-05-2018, 06:13 PM
So very sad for his family and the Durham/Duke/DBR community. He will be greatly missed. Prayers and condolences to his family. It's difficult enough recovering from open heart surgery but when you add ALS or any other serious/severe/relentless disease, it's devastating.

El_Diablo
11-05-2018, 06:14 PM
Very sad news to hear of his passing, and it feels like a double gut-punch to learn that we have lost Olympic Fan as well. :( He will be missed.

Reddevil
11-05-2018, 06:31 PM
Although I did not know him, as a member of the DBR community I feel diminished. From what I have read here, he is admired and appreciated. His legacy is well established and his life was full of experiences and learned knowledge which he shared with others, both as a living and as a hobby. Godspeed.

RPS
11-05-2018, 06:39 PM
I first read Al as a student and a subscriber to the Durham Sun in the 70s. I always enjoyed and appreciated his work both in newspapers and at DBR (articles and OF posts). I would love it if someone would link some particularly great articles and posts from down through the years. I would love to read them again.

Jackson
11-05-2018, 06:49 PM
I remember seeing him at a Duke game a couple of years ago telling my daughter "that's Al Featherston!" For me it was like seeing JJ Redick walking past me. He was a legendary voice.

grossbus
11-05-2018, 07:07 PM
He was the best. This is sad news.

MarkD83
11-05-2018, 07:11 PM
Prayers to Al's family and all of us at DBR. JD's article on the front page is also a must read just like all of Al's articles.

Ima Facultiwyfe
11-05-2018, 07:20 PM
Irreplaceable Al Featherston is gone. An impeccable researcher and writer of factual, fun reports. I cancelled my Durham paper subscription the day those idiots fired him. They broke the mold after that one.
Love, Ima

Nick
11-05-2018, 07:21 PM
Wow... read him in the H-S in the 90s and always noticed him at the games. One of those people you unthinkingly assume will always be there. R.I.P.

Duke79UNLV77
11-05-2018, 07:31 PM
Al was a treasure. Fantastic mind and writer.

fuse
11-05-2018, 07:45 PM
I wish I had a story, anecdote, or experience to contribute beyond I was an avid reader and enjoyed all Al’s work.

I definitely did not know he was Olympic Fan.

Rest in peace, Al. Your contributions to both the Duke and ACC are a historic legacy that will echo into eternity.

Edouble
11-05-2018, 07:53 PM
Wow, this is a loss of some magnitude.

With the way journalism and newspapers are headed, we may not see another Al Featherston.

I hope the team has some recognition of Al's passing on their uniforms tomorrow night.

Rest in peace, sir.

TheDevilMadeMeDoIt
11-05-2018, 07:57 PM
I was at Duke the same time as Al. I didn’t know him but I was an avid reader of The Chronicle, so I read him. Then long before the internet those of us who lived a long distance from Durham could subscribe to a weekly sports section of the Herald Sun. Not sure how long it lasted. See, I already need to ask Al. For those of us desperate for sports news of Duke it was the only option. So we got to read Chansky Dacencso and Al. Everyone knew Chansky was a Heel Homer. Al was the best. Like everyone else on this board when Al wrote an article it was the first thing you wanted to read. I loved them. If they were two pages long I always wished they had been three.

Bill Brill didn’t get to live to see Duke football become relative. Thankfully Al saw Duke become competitive across the board in sports. As a kid Al saw Duke field good football teams in the 50’s. As a student he saw Duke fall far under Tom Harp. Al saw the great 60’s basketball teams under Bubas. He witnessed the fall under Waters and then the resurgence under Foster. Then he witnessed the GOAT take Duke to the top. Thanks Al for the timely reporting along with the incisive history lessons. You will be long remembered by all of us.

To DBR please repost some of Al’s previous articles.

blueprofessor
11-05-2018, 08:04 PM
Al was an esteemed voter for the Biletnikoff Award. I tweeted the following:

Biletnikoff Award
@biletnikoffawrd
·
2m
Esteemed, brilliant sports journalist & Biletnikoff Award voter Al Featherston died today. We will miss his profound insight & encyclopedic knowledge of sports (esp., the ACC) and bet he will be writing again soon in a better place. Rest in peace, Al.

Lord Ash
11-05-2018, 08:33 PM
Such a loss. Been reading here for years and years, even if I haven’t posted as much over the last years but I ALWAYS made sure to come check out Als work. Such a loss, but I am so glad we have so much of him still with us through his writing.

Btw, JD, lovely piece on the front page.

NSDukeFan
11-05-2018, 08:52 PM
I always enjoyed his articles and posts as Olympic Fan. I have learned a lot about Duke sports, history and Duke sports history from him. I have missed his posts and will definitely miss his articles this basketball season. All the best to his family and those who knew him.

brlftz
11-05-2018, 09:52 PM
I checked with the powers that be and they say it is ok at this point to reveal to folks that the poster known as Olympic Fan was Al Featherston. I know some posters were aware of this but I wanted the rest of you to know.

Al loved being a part of this community and I know from my conversations with him that he cherished the back and forth and spirited, but honorable, debate that happened here.

All Blue Devil fans have lost a friend today. Godspeed, Al...

thanks a ton for sharing that, Jason. this was going to be sad either way, but this makes it more personal. i feel like i lost two people :(

edit: that was a sincere thanks, not a sarcastic one, btw

moonpie23
11-05-2018, 10:02 PM
well, crap... :( health is fleeting......

WillJ
11-05-2018, 10:11 PM
Al's death is a real loss to our duke and DBR communities.

CameronBornAndBred
11-05-2018, 10:18 PM
Others in this thread have mentioned it, but I just wanted to link to JD's wonderful tribute on the front page. I don't often visit it, but this is worth the trip.

https://www.dukebasketballreport.com/2018/11/5/18063604/very-sad-news-al-featherston-has-died-duke-basketball-dbr

AusDuke
11-05-2018, 10:24 PM
Always enjoyed reading his articles and posts. Insightful, thoughtful, and well written. He will be missed.

richardjackson199
11-05-2018, 10:39 PM
Very sad to hear this. I'll miss reading Al and Olympic Fan. (I also did not know they were the same person). He was and will always be known as one of DBR's all-time greatest-ever contributors. I'll forever be an Oly Fan. And forever, Go Duke!

buddy
11-05-2018, 11:19 PM
Al was a fraternity brother, although I graduated the year before he pledged. I came back for his rush, then spent a week the following year following basic training hanging around the house and the brothers. Had occasional run-ins with Al, especially after I returned to North Carolina in recent years. Attended a book signing when he graced me with a particularly gracious inscription. We had long intended to get together so that I could buy him a meal and he could inscribe the rest of his books, each of which I owned. He surprised me by saying that "Saving the Breakout" about the North Carolina National Guard at Mortain, France after D-Day was his most remunerative opus, one from which he continued (at the time) to receive royalties. The lesson learned is to not proscratinate--life gets shorter by the day at my advancing ages. RIP Al. You will be missed

cato
11-05-2018, 11:49 PM
Al Featherstone’s front page articles were a must read. But his contributions as Olympic Fan may leave a more lasting mark in my mind.

I am going to miss him.

martydoesntfoul
11-06-2018, 12:37 AM
A terrible loss... man do I feel empty. Didn’t know Al personally and wasn’t aware he was Olympic Fan. A truly gifted and thorough researcher and writer, he represented the best of a bygone era. This community may be virtual, but the pain of his passing is very real.

RIP Al. You found your passion and dedicated your life to it. And we all benefited tremendously. So sorry you were suffering during your last days but glad to read you were at peace right up to the end. Already you’re missed. Will be thinking of you tomorrow night...

ricks68
11-06-2018, 02:10 AM
Sigh.😪 It was a big downer for me when we lost Bill Brill. Now, with the loss of Al, it's as if the heart of Duke basketball commentary has been ripped out. R.I.P.

ricks

CameronBlue
11-06-2018, 02:33 AM
Olympic Fan was on a very short list of DBR posters whose posts I would always make time to read, no matter the thread topic, on a site where superb writers abound. He was often the authority that righted the course of a conversation that had wandered a bit in the hands of posters with faulty recall, spinning out stories embellished, as memories often are, by the passage of time. The conversation benefited from his exactitude, punctilious course corrections leading us back to reality and sanity.

But if he was first and foremost the board's historian, he was equal measures its spirit guide. His final, passion-filled post left no question of what he hoped DBR would continue to be, and would aspire to be. I secretly applauded him for his stand and hoped he would return again. But sometimes things don't work out the way they should.

RIP OF.

Bob Green
11-06-2018, 04:52 AM
Jim on Al:

https://www.dukebasketballreport.com/2018/11/5/18063606/jim-on-al-featherston-dbr-duke-basketball

arnie
11-06-2018, 06:46 AM
Olympic Fan was on a very short list of DBR posters whose posts I would always make time to read, no matter the thread topic, on a site where superb writers abound. He was often the authority that righted the course of a conversation that had wandered a bit in the hands of posters with faulty recall, spinning out stories embellished, as memories often are, by the passage of time. The conversation benefited from his exactitude, punctilious course corrections leading us back to reality and sanity.

But if he was first and foremost the board's historian, he was equal measures its spirit guide. His final, passion-filled post left no question of what he hoped DBR would continue to be, and would aspire to be. I secretly applauded him for his stand and hoped he would return again. But sometimes things don't work out the way they should.

RIP OF.

Agree, Olympic Fan was easily my favorite poster and knowing that his opinions were based on long term relationship with Duke, made his posts a must read.

OldPhiKap
11-06-2018, 06:58 AM
One of my lasting memories of DBR is unintentionally starting a raucous debate with Oly over the merits or demerits of the Woodrow Wilson Administration. It was really funny how quickly it spun out of control, leading to the temporary locking of a thread.

A brilliant writer, an informed voice, and a perspective that demanded your attention.

You have been missed, and sad to hear the news. Rest well, fellow traveler.

ArkieDukie
11-06-2018, 07:07 AM
Popping in after a long absence to join all of you in paying my respects to Al Featherston. I, too, didn’t realize that he was Olympic Fan. It sure explains a lot! May he Rest In Peace.

budwom
11-06-2018, 07:46 AM
I've known Al since 1969, and I believe Jim's nice piece on him captures his essence extremely accurately...good job, Jim...

jv001
11-06-2018, 07:52 AM
I too didn't know Al and OF were one and the same, but it makes sense now. Great writing and great knowledge of all things Duke. We lost a great one. Prayers for the family.

GoDuke!

DevilHorse
11-06-2018, 08:17 AM
I read (and enjoyed) Al's articles in the Durham Sun while in Durham, and later on this website when he first started to contribute.
It was the first thing I would go to in the morning, to find out what was going on with the program (until the Chronicle came out of course later that day - no internet yet).

There is no running list of names/aliases, other than those of us who reveal our identities and share word of mouth.
I didn't know Al was Olympic Fan, but with many knowledgeable people out there it would have only spiced the conversation up a little.

In the horse world, when a President passes, an all black riderless horse, named for the WWII Medal of Honor winner Sergeant York is walked behind the Caisson, with boots reversed in the stirrups to honor the fallen leader. This thread is a great homage, DBR's Sergeant York salute to one of its fallen.

RIP.

Larry
DevilHorse

uh_no
11-06-2018, 08:20 AM
I fondly remember the conversations I had with Al on the chances I was randomly standing behind him in section 17. Of course I don't think either of us knew who the other was at the time, and I'm glad to know I've had many more great conversations with him here to fondly remember.

sagegrouse
11-06-2018, 08:35 AM
One of my lasting memories of DBR is unintentionally starting a raucous debate with Oly over the merits or demerits of the Woodrow Wilson Administration. It was really funny how quickly it spun out of control, leading to the temporary locking of a thread.

A brilliant writer, an informed voice, and a perspective that demanded your attention.

You have been missed, and sad to hear the news. Rest well, fellow traveler.

OPK, I believe it was this thread (https://forums.dukebasketballreport.com/forums/showthread.php?36363-Leadership-in-WW1-and-WW2&highlight=woodrow+wilson) that has the most meat. The title was "Leadership in WW1 and WW2." Ol' Sage started it, and you commented but OF jumped in with both feet. It was a thrilling ride for a couple of weeks -- and what was impressive about OF's posts was their exuberance. We never convinced each other of a thing, but I eventually broke it off because it was so time-consuming.

It seems like it went on for weeks, but it was only August 21-26, 2015 -- a memorable thread for me, and I got a real impression of Al and his enthusiasm for many topics.

OldPhiKap
11-06-2018, 09:01 AM
OPK, I believe it was this thread (https://forums.dukebasketballreport.com/forums/showthread.php?36363-Leadership-in-WW1-and-WW2&highlight=woodrow+wilson) that has the most meat. The title was "Leadership in WW1 and WW2." Ol' Sage started it, and you commented but OF jumped in with both feet. It was a thrilling ride for a couple of weeks -- and what was impressive about OF's posts was their exuberance. We never convinced each other of a thing, but I eventually broke it off because it was so time-consuming.

It seems like it went on for weeks, but it was only August 21-26, 2015 -- a memorable thread for me, and I got a real impression of Al and his enthusiasm for many topics.

Same here, and thanks for linking it. I will peruse it tonight before our game with Kentucky.

I thought maybe the linked thread spun off from a different thread but not sure. I seem to recall someone said something about "Woody," and I made a comment/joke about not insulting Woody Wilson. Oly jumped on me with both feet.

Always a spirited and informed discussion with him, whether we agreed or not. A true staple of this board for many years.

Billy Dat
11-06-2018, 09:26 AM
Having roamed these hills for many years, it becomes obvious that there is both a generation gap and a regional gap among DBR denizens. Let's say the generation gap is roughly "those who had internet in college vs those who did not" and "those who grew up in ACC country and those who did not". As someone right on the internet border and a definite 4-year-undergraduate carpetbagger, I have (mostly) enjoyed the friendly "get off my lawn" rebukes from those in the other group, and Olympic fan was a titan of that other group. Discovering, on this thread, that Al was Olympic Fan puts a smile on my face...would I have rather known who he was? It's hard to say. Did I ever get a spork from him? Does it matter? My ego says, yes, a spork from Al would have been well earned, as Julian said in his tribute about his earning Al's praise for a post about Tamir Goodman. I used to get a kick out of K referring to Al by name during pressers, and his voice was unmistakable, especially in huge national games where the media scrum included all manner of accents. I didn't recognize the references on this thread to Olympic Fan's decision to "leave" DBR but some DBR sleuthing led me to the fateful thread and post and I am cracking up...the impartial journalist getting to be an unrelenting Duke homer in this safe space. That settles it for me...he needed that anonymity so we could see his Duke fire burn through. Godspeed Olympic Fan.

p.s. Anyone know why he was "Olympic Fan"? I always assumed it was because he liked that K got the US National Team gig but that theory seems off-base considering who he really was. Was he simply a fan of the olympics?

johnb
11-06-2018, 09:44 AM
Sad news.

Al (and Oly) were definite reminders that an essay is better than a tweet and a book is better than a meme. His contributions to DBR were such great examples of knowledgeable, thoughtful perspective. Even if you disagreed with his conclusions, the exploration was always worth hearing. Here's an Olympic Fan forum entry from September 2014. It's not the usual posting on a sports site.


200 Years Ago Today

On the morning of Sept. 14, 1814, the sun came up over Baltimore harbor and the view inspired an American lawyer on a British ship to write a poem that we're all familiar with.

The latter verses are a mite bombastic, but the first verse is a wonderful, clear expression of his sentiments as the dawn's early light revealed that the Star Spangled Banner was still flying over Fort McHenry after a 25-hour British bombardment. For most of the night, Francis Scott Key was able to tell that the fort held out because the British still bombarded it (more than the glimpses of the flag he caught by the rockets red glare and the bombs busting in air), but at a little after 3 a.m., the bombardment stopped. For two hours he wondered if the fort had fallen. His fear wasn't quieted until the first rays of the rising sun showed the American flag still flying over the fort.

Interesting to me that the flag he saw -- the Star Spangled Banner -- was the only official US flag with more than 13 stripes. It had 15 stars and 15 stripes ... as more and more states lined up for admission to the union, somebody realized that we couldn't keep adding stripes. So they went back to 13 stripes for the original 13 states and merely added stars for each subsequent state.

But here's the odd thing -- in 1814 there were not 15 states -- there were 18 states. I guess the flag had just not caught up.

https://forums.dukebasketballreport.com/forums/showthread.php?34250-200-Years-Ago-Today

jv001
11-06-2018, 09:58 AM
Same here, and thanks for linking it. I will peruse it tonight before our game with Kentucky.

I thought maybe the linked thread spun off from a different thread but not sure. I seem to recall someone said something about "Woody," and I made a comment/joke about not insulting Woody Wilson. Oly jumped on me with both feet.

Always a spirited and informed discussion with him, whether we agreed or not. A true staple of this board for many years.

I wonder if OF found his Woodrow Wilson bumper sticker? :confused: GoDuke!

tbyers11
11-06-2018, 10:00 AM
p.s. Anyone know why he was "Olympic Fan"? I always assumed it was because he liked that K got the US National Team gig but that theory seems off-base considering who he really was. Was he simply a fan of the olympics?

I recall the moniker was due to a love of Olympic Sports (Track and Field in particular).

91Duke
11-06-2018, 10:02 AM
I've only posted here a couple of times, but I have read DBR for years, and I *always* enjoyed seeing the contributions from Al Featherston. He was clearly someone with a lot of knowledge and passion for all things Duke, and he had an eloquent way of expressing his points. I'm shocked to hear of his passing, and am sorry that we all won't benefit from his insights on this year's young team as the season goes on (and the many seasons to come).

Highlander
11-06-2018, 10:04 AM
If any of you are transplants to the NC college basketball landscape and would like to read more of Al and his encyclopedic knowledge of the history of basketball in our state, I can think of no better resource than this:

https://www.amazon.com/Tobacco-Road-Carolina-Backyard-Rivalries/dp/1592289150

Natty_B
11-06-2018, 11:21 AM
Nobody wrote better about Duke basketball that Al Featherston. He was a year behind my old man at Duke. Just really sad.

NSDukeFan
11-06-2018, 11:40 AM
OPK, I believe it was this thread (https://forums.dukebasketballreport.com/forums/showthread.php?36363-Leadership-in-WW1-and-WW2&highlight=woodrow+wilson) that has the most meat. The title was "Leadership in WW1 and WW2." Ol' Sage started it, and you commented but OF jumped in with both feet. It was a thrilling ride for a couple of weeks -- and what was impressive about OF's posts was their exuberance. We never convinced each other of a thing, but I eventually broke it off because it was so time-consuming.

It seems like it went on for weeks, but it was only August 21-26, 2015 -- a memorable thread for me, and I got a real impression of Al and his enthusiasm for many topics.


Sad news.

Al (and Oly) were definite reminders that an essay is better than a tweet and a book is better than a meme. His contributions to DBR were such great examples of knowledgeable, thoughtful perspective. Even if you disagreed with his conclusions, the exploration was always worth hearing. Here's an Olympic Fan forum entry from September 2014. It's not the usual posting on a sports site.


200 Years Ago Today

On the morning of Sept. 14, 1814, the sun came up over Baltimore harbor and the view inspired an American lawyer on a British ship to write a poem that we're all familiar with.

The latter verses are a mite bombastic, but the first verse is a wonderful, clear expression of his sentiments as the dawn's early light revealed that the Star Spangled Banner was still flying over Fort McHenry after a 25-hour British bombardment. For most of the night, Francis Scott Key was able to tell that the fort held out because the British still bombarded it (more than the glimpses of the flag he caught by the rockets red glare and the bombs busting in air), but at a little after 3 a.m., the bombardment stopped. For two hours he wondered if the fort had fallen. His fear wasn't quieted until the first rays of the rising sun showed the American flag still flying over the fort.

Interesting to me that the flag he saw -- the Star Spangled Banner -- was the only official US flag with more than 13 stripes. It had 15 stars and 15 stripes ... as more and more states lined up for admission to the union, somebody realized that we couldn't keep adding stripes. So they went back to 13 stripes for the original 13 states and merely added stars for each subsequent state.

But here's the odd thing -- in 1814 there were not 15 states -- there were 18 states. I guess the flag had just not caught up.

https://forums.dukebasketballreport.com/forums/showthread.php?34250-200-Years-Ago-Today
These are definitely not the kinds of posts that initially drew me to this board, but I agree with other posters in that if I saw the last post of a thread was by Olympic Fan, I would probably read it, no matter the topic, to read his perspective and likely learn something interesting, presented in an interesting manner.

I recall the moniker was due to a love of Olympic Sports (Track and Field in particular).
I believe I also remember him being very enthusiastic during the Olympics threads on the Off-Topic board and making a reference to his moniker.

I will be disappointed that in future GOAT basketball player debates, I won’t get to read his defense of Bill Russell. I always loved those posts.

Thanks to those sharing their memories of him.

Newton_14
11-06-2018, 11:57 AM
Just a very sad deal. A big big loss for the ACC sports community and even bigger loss for the Duke community. I grew up on tobacco road watching ACC basketball with a family devoted to it, and reading about the games the next day in newspaper articles written by Al Featherson. Through his writings, Al taught me more about ACC basketball than anyone else on the planet. The internet was a blessing in that it gave us even more access to his articles but also gave us Olyfan.

Al will be missed for a very long time. I think the basketball team should wear a patch on their jersey's with his initials. That would be very cool and appropriate.

weezie
11-06-2018, 03:49 PM
Sorry to be late to offer my condolences. Al was kind to me and we had a little fun chatting during baseball seasons.

Godspeed to a hearty soul...

jimsumner
11-06-2018, 04:16 PM
Duke press release

"The passing of Al Featherston has certainly been one of the saddest moments in the 10-plus years that I’ve been here. I’ve had a lot of great memories with Al – working with him, chatting with him and talking with him about anything and everything. What a creative and talented journalist; what a great mind; what a person you could trust and count on. Duke football, Duke University and this community will all miss Al Featherston, may he rest in peace.”
-- Duke head coach David Cutcliffe

JStuart
11-06-2018, 04:57 PM
Al was a year ahead of me at the Durham Academy (formerly known as Calvert Method School in an old house on Duke Street) and I remember this near-adult from the 6th grade talking to my 5th grade class about the World War II naval maneuvers around Guadalcanal, specifically 'The Slot", and my being impressed with his detailed knowledge. He graduated from Jordan High School, in 1967, and when he reappeared as a sportswriter for the Durham Sun, I was delighted to read about ACC sports from his perspective, and to see his writing skills were far above those of the other unc homer types that populated all of the NC papers. It wasn't too obvious way back then that the only journalism school in the state was in Chapel Hill. I believe Al was the only Duke grad sportswriter in the State (Brill wrote for a Virginia paper...). Al would correct me here were he still around
Years later when the Herald and Sun merged, he continually outshone other writers, and I remember one article celebrating the coolness of being a triangle-based ACC sportswriter, and the steady number of trips to the NCAA tournament and Final Fours he was able to attend.
When he, and many other fine folks at the newspaper, was let go, when the paper was sold, and Frank Dascenzo was retained, I was aghast. I remember one of Frank's lines, 'the tension was so thick, you could cut it with a stiletto." Yeah, that was the writer they kept.

I rejoiced when the DBR arranged to have Al do routine reports on Basketball, and I'm hopeful the Powers That Be will arrange to have a Featherston Repository of past years' articles available.

I had also hoped for Al and Dan Kane to get together and write The Definitive Coffee Table book on the unc academic/sports fraud history, and toyed with the idea of starting a goFundMe effort to that effect, but, alas, I wasn't quick enough on the uptake.

This is a definite sad day in Duke University history, and I appeal to JD, Jason, and even Boswell to set up a Memorial Archive. Movie reviews, Duke-UNC articles, the works.

I'm depressed about this,
JStuart

Mike Petrik
11-06-2018, 06:57 PM
Al will have the best seats in the house.

jimsumner
11-06-2018, 07:12 PM
Olympic Fan?

One of Al's formative events in becoming a sports fan was the 1960 Rome Olympics. I think that led to his nickname. His imprint sport, so to speak. And yes, he never lost that interest in the Olympics.

Our mutual friend Barry Jacobs is also a Duke grad. Barry did a lot of free-lance stuff for the New York Times back in the day but lived in the Triangle. But I don't he ever had a full-time beat gig with a local paper.

The great irony of Al's work with the Herald-Sun was that he was the NC State beat writer for many years. Not that he didn't like covering the Wolfpack. But it did cause him to miss a lot of great Duke games.


And for the record, some very good, very objective sportswriters went to UNC's J-school. Bill Cole, for starters.


But, yes, there have been some homers.

Devil in the Blue Dress
11-06-2018, 08:09 PM
Olympic Fan?

One of Al's formative events in becoming a sports fan was the 1960 Rome Olympics. I think that led to his nickname. His imprint sport, so to speak. And yes, he never lost that interest in the Olympics.

Our mutual friend Barry Jacobs is also a Duke grad. Barry did a lot of free-lance stuff for the New York Times back in the day but lived in the Triangle. But I don't he ever had a full-time beat gig with a local paper.

The great irony of Al's work with the Herald-Sun was that he was the NC State beat writer for many years. Not that he didn't like covering the Wolfpack. But it did cause him to miss a lot of great Duke games.


And for the record, some very good, very objective sportswriters went to UNC's J-school. Bill Cole, for starters.


But, yes, there have been some homers.

I've had a number of conversations with Bill Cole. His reporting was objective, but privately he leans toward Duke.

Tom Suiter was objective in his live reporting for WRAL TV, but retirement has allowed him to reveal his great love for Duke.

Newton_14
11-06-2018, 08:10 PM
Olympic Fan?

One of Al's formative events in becoming a sports fan was the 1960 Rome Olympics. I think that led to his nickname. His imprint sport, so to speak. And yes, he never lost that interest in the Olympics.

Our mutual friend Barry Jacobs is also a Duke grad. Barry did a lot of free-lance stuff for the New York Times back in the day but lived in the Triangle. But I don't he ever had a full-time beat gig with a local paper.

The great irony of Al's work with the Herald-Sun was that he was the NC State beat writer for many years. Not that he didn't like covering the Wolfpack. But it did cause him to miss a lot of great Duke games.


And for the record, some very good, very objective sportswriters went to UNC's J-school. Bill Cole, for starters.


But, yes, there have been some homers.

Jim thanks for all your contributions in this thread and for your article on Al on the DBR Home Page. Very well done. It is now on you and Barry to carry the torch. And for the record, the torch could not be in better hands and I am positive Al and Oly both would insist it be you two guys that carry it. :)

Also, just so that everyone knows, you are also a graduate of Duke, correct? You are certainly one of the better and well respected journalist in my humble opinion as well. All of your articles are certainly "must read" for me and have been for years. Like I said above, the torch is in very good hands. Carry it well my friend.

jimsumner
11-06-2018, 09:21 PM
Jim thanks for all your contributions in this thread and for your article on Al on the DBR Home Page. Very well done. It is now on you and Barry to carry the torch. And for the record, the torch could not be in better hands and I am positive Al and Oly both would insist it be you two guys that carry it. :)

Also, just so that everyone knows, you are also a graduate of Duke, correct? You are certainly one of the better and well respected journalist in my humble opinion as well. All of your articles are certainly "must read" for me and have been for years. Like I said above, the torch is in very good hands. Carry it well my friend.

Thanks for the kind words.

I have an undergraduate degree in American history from Duke and a Master's in the same field from NC State.

FWIW.

OldPhiKap
11-06-2018, 11:15 PM
Thanks for the kind words.

I have an undergraduate degree in American history from Duke and a Master's in the same field from NC State.

FWIW.

What that is worth, is your double understanding of UNC’s haughty arrogance.

(Although in reality your are likely much more objective about UNC than I am. Always enjoy your articles and your posts, Jim).

JBDuke
11-07-2018, 12:27 AM
Al would have loved tonight's game.

Indoor66
11-07-2018, 08:17 AM
Al would have loved tonight's game.

I had that very thought during the game. It was very emotional for me then and still is now.

I lost another friend who was a life long Notre Dame fan - actually played Center for them in the early 50's (football). Robert lived for ND football. I get the same feeling for both Robert and Al. Notre Dame being undefeated and Duke whooping up on KY. It makes life so much more appreciated for me. They have to look down, I still get to look out...

Lord Ash
11-07-2018, 09:13 AM
I had that very thought during the game. It was very emotional for me then and still is now.

I lost another friend who was a life long Notre Dame fan - actually played Center for them in the early 50's (football). Robert lived for ND football. I get the same feeling for both Robert and Al. Notre Dame being undefeated and Duke whooping up on KY. It makes life so much more appreciated for me. They have to look down, I still get to look out...


Yep, same here... he would have really enjoyed that.

Indoor66
11-07-2018, 12:33 PM
Yep, same here... he would have really enjoyed that.

As I get older and there are more and more of these passings, I get more and more thankful for each day and far more tolerant of that which is around me....

OldPhiKap
11-07-2018, 07:08 PM
I know Cut’s quote was listed earlier, but here is the video:

https://twitter.com/dukefootball/status/1060290800834101248?s=21

WakeDevil
11-07-2018, 08:32 PM
So sad. I worked at the H-S from '01-06 on the news side. He was a legend. RIP, Feather.

They got rid of him but kept that worthless pile of crap Frank what's-his-name.

budwom
11-08-2018, 06:09 AM
^ Dascenzo. No love lost there, I can assure you.

blueprofessor
11-08-2018, 10:32 AM
Interesting in memoriam in the Cadillac News by Al's brother Mark Featherston.
Apparently, Al found errors in Trivial Pursuit questions/answers and submitted
corrections.
All the best.
BlueProfessor
https://www.cadillacnews.com/obituaries/alwyn-louis-featherston-jr/article_e7e159ff-bfaa-51ba-9173-1109545ed344.html

buddy
11-08-2018, 07:12 PM
Bumped. Al would have loved this team. Can't let him disappear off the page yet

Faison1
11-12-2018, 10:20 PM
Bumping this back to the top. I was just thinking how bummed I am I didn't realize Al was Olympic Fan.

I would have liked to have read his thoughts on this year's basketball team...or Duke beating UNC in football for the third straight year.

WV_Iron_Duke
11-13-2018, 11:15 PM
I too was surprised to find that Al Featherston was Olympic Fan. Really admired Olympic Fan's off topic posts, especially those on the Civil War and the Pacific Theater in WWII. In honor of AL, I propose that DBR publish his remembrances of the ACC Tournament each year at the appropriate time. Those were gold to me as I witnessed Larry Brown and Art Heyman play in Raleigh in '63. Rest in peace AL Featherston.

-jk
11-14-2018, 08:01 AM
I too was surprised to find that Al Featherston was Olympic Fan. Really admired Olympic Fan's off topic posts, especially those on the Civil War and the Pacific Theater in WWII. In honor of AL, I propose that DBR publish his remembrances of the ACC Tournament each year at the appropriate time. Those were gold to me as I witnessed Larry Brown and Art Heyman play in Raleigh in '63. Rest in peace AL Featherston.

Al tried really hard to keep the the fanatic separate from the professional journalist, and seemed to disdain those journalists who didn't.

-jk

throatybeard
11-23-2018, 12:02 PM
I don't think the nasty words here about Dascenzo are necessary. The ailing newspaper industry made a lot of tough decisions in the 2000s, many of which were driven by fairly awful neoliberal incentive structures. Season V of The Wire dramatizes that situation aptly, albeit with too much David Simon snideness. It's possible to eulogize Featherston without taking it out on someone else.

sagegrouse
11-23-2018, 03:28 PM
I don't think the nasty words here about Dascenzo are necessary. The ailing newspaper industry made a lot of tough decisions in the 2000s, many of which were driven by fairly awful neoliberal incentive structures. Season V of The Wire dramatizes that situation aptly, albeit with too much David Simon snideness. It's possible to eulogize Featherston without taking it out on someone else.

For example, it is not clear the Denver Post will survive. The Rocky Mtn
News is long gone. The Post has virtually no ads.

Small town papers seem to be doing OK in places.

75Crazie
11-23-2018, 08:49 PM
For example, it is not clear the Denver Post will survive. The Rocky Mtn
News is long gone. The Post has virtually no ads.
Oh wow, you should see the online version of the Post (I live in Bailey and cannot get good delivery service here). Sometimes I have to page through 7 or 8 full-page ads in a row. Amended to add: Dinosaur that I am, I will gladly page through those ads in order to continue to get a print-like online version of a newspaper. I cannot get used to reading news from online pages that are tailored to mobile users.

Mike Corey
11-23-2018, 09:05 PM
I'm very tardy to this, but I wanted to offer my deepest condolences to all that loved and learned from Al's writing.

I learned from Al's writing when I worked for The Chronicle, but all the more so in his longform writings for this website.

His ability to weave a tale, calling upon his encyclopedic knowledge of college basketball (among other things), never ceased to amaze...or make me exceedingly jealous.

As someone that persisted with sportswriting for a few years after college, Al was someone I admired and tried to learn from in terms of his style, and his willingness to employ his analytical skills, with whatever he was putting forth.

With his passing, a treasure is gone; we Duke fans are fortunate to have his writings that will enrich us for decades to come.

JStuart
11-23-2018, 10:11 PM
I'm very tardy to this, but I wanted to offer my deepest condolences to all that loved and learned from Al's writing.

I learned from Al's writing when I worked for The Chronicle, but all the more so in his longform writings for this website.

His ability to weave a tale, calling upon his encyclopedic knowledge of college basketball (among other things), never ceased to amaze...or make me exceedingly jealous.

As someone that persisted with sportswriting for a few years after college, Al was someone I admired and tried to learn from in terms of his style, and his willingness to employ his analytical skills, with whatever he was putting forth.

With his passing, a treasure is gone; we Duke fans are fortunate to have his writings that will enrich us for decades to come.

Is there an archives section in the current version of DBR? Or am I just missing the tab somewhere?
I had saved a couple of his articles -notably a review of the Texas Western-Kentucky Championship movie, Glory Road- but would love to see a Featherston repository for all DBR users.
JStuart

buddy
06-17-2021, 11:38 AM
The picture for today's front page story features the Feather front and center. Only he is slightly out of focus. About sports, Al was NEVER out of focus. Good to see him again at the old stand. If only . . .

JStuart
06-17-2021, 11:46 AM
The picture for today's front page story features the Feather front and center. Only he is slightly out of focus. About sports, Al was NEVER out of focus. Good to see him again at the old stand. If only . . .
Buddy,
You beat my post by a couple of minutes! Good catch. If only, indeed.

JasonEvans
06-17-2021, 02:02 PM
The picture for today's front page story features the Feather front and center. Only he is slightly out of focus. About sports, Al was NEVER out of focus. Good to see him again at the old stand. If only . . .

Do you see who is right next to him?