RIP James Armstrong

[WillJ]

I only knew James through this community, never met him, so it's odd but true to say that he has been an important person in my life. While I have gotten a lot out of (and occasionally given something to) this board, by far the most salient event in my DBR life was the kind words and support I received in 2002 after I posted about the sudden death, 19 years ago this week, of my Duke-basketball-loving, nine-year-old daughter Maria. There were kind messages from ongoing stalwarts of DBR like Jason Evans, Julian King, and Stray Gator, but also many from other DBR contributors of the time who no longer seem active on the board. Not to creep anyone out, but I've still got hardcopies of the thread and they still mean a lot to me. I've had many points of support, both then and now, but I am still grateful for what the DBR boards did for me in providing a gentle space in which to share my grief with people who understood the role that shared fanship can play in parent-child relationships. As DevilGrad put it back in 2002, "This is `just' an online community, but I hope that we will all pick you up and hold you just as long as you need it." I'm grateful to the DBR community and, for that, I have to thank James Armstrong and, while it's mostly coincidence, I note that my son, born in September 2002, three months after Maria's death, is also named James. I'm not a religious person, but Godspeed to James Armstrong.

[Rich]

Beautiful tribute by Jason on the front page. I was one of the early participants on the Sagarmatha parquet floor boards and it was one of a kind. I didn't know James but greatly appreciated his work and tireless voluntary efforts. The Boards were a one of a kind place to join like minded Duke fans to discuss all sorts of things and I spent much time on them as I do now.

Lagavulin happens to be my favorite scotch as well and I will toast James the next time I indulge.

[JasonEvans]

For folks who have not read it, I wrote a bit about James on the main page of the DBR. I hope all who have been impacted by the little community we have built will read it because this community would not exist without James.

https://www.dukebasketballreport.com...ameron-crazies

[ehdg]

I'm so sorry and sad today to come here and read that our good friend and founder/starter of the forum part of our board has past. If not for him a lot of us here would never have gotten to know each other and have this awesome place to chat. Granted I haven't always been as active as I use to be in the old days I still love this place and relish that no matter what I could always come back here and post my thoughts on anything Duke!! For this we had James to thank!! Sadly I never personally got to meet James but still felt like I knew him well. Honestly I don't recall when this board originated, Jason or some of the other older folks probably do but I'm pretty sure it goes back to before 2007. Cause when I checked my information it said I joined in February of 2007. But I believe it was before then. So James gave me something to enjoy for over 14 years and got me to get to know a lot of others who I never would have gotten to know and share our love for all things of Duke and also talk about other topics at times as well. Thank you just doesn't seem enough to say to James for giving us this gift!! James you will be sorely missed by everyone here and may you finally no longer be in pain and may you RIP!!

[budwom]

A whole lot of people have made long time friends thru this board and its predecessor...we met a lot of people in 1995 with whom we're still very good friends.

[Rich]

I'm so sorry and sad today to come here and read that our good friend and founder/starter of the forum part of our board has past. If not for him a lot of us here would never have gotten to know each other and have this awesome place to chat. Granted I haven't always been as active as I use to be in the old days I still love this place and relish that no matter what I could always come back here and post my thoughts on anything Duke!! For this we had James to thank!! Sadly I never personally got to meet James but still felt like I knew him well. Honestly I don't recall when this board originated, Jason or some of the other older folks probably do but I'm pretty sure it goes back to before 2007. Cause when I checked my information it said I joined in February of 2007. But I believe it was before then. So James gave me something to enjoy for over 14 years and got me to get to know a lot of others who I never would have gotten to know and share our love for all things of Duke and also talk about other topics at times as well. Thank you just doesn't seem enough to say to James for giving us this gift!! James you will be sorely missed by everyone here and may you finally no longer be in pain and may you RIP!!

There was a site refresh in 2007 so unfortunately anyone who was a member before then was automatically bumped to 2007. I believe these Boards originated in the early/mid 1990's.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

There was a site refresh in 2007 so unfortunately anyone who was a member before then was automatically bumped to 2007. I believe these Boards originated in the early/mid 1990's.

I was definitely on the precursor before the turn of the millennium. Definitely had a different username at the time.

Sorry to see a founding father take leave. Jason, great write up.

[Windsor]

I was at Duke with James. We camped out (pre-Kville) and travelled to some road games together. We lost touch and then reconnected through the original boards (oh how we loved those approval codes before you could post 'we recommend copy and paste') and have stayed connected mostly through cyberspace since then. I've known James a little over 40 years and this is a gut punch. Just when everything was coming together for him - what a cruel twist of fate. I haven't posted here in years, but when I heard of his passing this is where i had to come, because I couldn't think of a better place to say good bye.

Thank you for the years of friendship James, I will miss you.

[ehdg]

Thank you Rich, Mtn.Devil and Windsor.
Happy to know my memory does work to some degree!! LOL
Windsor wow your bringing back memories I do recall having to wait on the approval codes before we could post and yes Cut and Paste was the way to go about it!!
I'm thinking then I found this awesome place somewhere between 1994 and 1996. So James gave me a home for over 25 years to share the good times and sad times
about Duke with all you find folks that I consider friends here. Thanks again for this James!!

[Rich]

I hope it's not too trite, and I understand the song misuses the term "ironic," but the cover story makes me think of this.

So freakin' sad how life can throw a gut punch...

[sagegrouse]

I feel like I knew James well, because his on-line personality was so true to his own self. But we only had dinner together about three times over the years, when I went to SF to visit my daughter (Duke '95). He was a polymath -- knew a lot about everything. In fact, given his frequent writings showing off his knowledge of science and math and lots of other stuff, I looked forward to catching him in a mistake, but it didn't happen often.

He was a published expert on Unix and was hired for this expertise, first by Twitter, and then by Snowflake. He was among the first 20 employees. He was on the screen during the fabulously successful IPO -- a bearded and regal presence, giving the "royal wave."

After departing DBR post-LAX, he set up a list serve that I was pleased to participate in, along with Jason Evans, Jim3K, -jk and other participants on this Board. Although we frequently argued, we were a very loyal band of correspondents. He was extremely open about his various physical ailments, and so we were well-informed on his condition, but he seemed to keep plugging along.

He will be sorely missed by me and many others.

[HCFthird]

Oh man, such crappy news. I remember many emails and phone conversations with him in the past. His quick wit was always fun to be a part of, and his tech knowledge made all of this possible. Rest easy, Sir James.

[luvdahops]

For folks who have not read it, I wrote a bit about James on the main page of the DBR. I hope all who have been impacted by the little community we have built will read it because this community would not exist without James.

https://www.dukebasketballreport.com...ameron-crazies

Very well said, Jason. I am another of those who've been around the DBR since the very earliest times (through a few posting name changes), and I consider myself incredibly indebted to James, Mike and Julian for all that it has meant to me over many years. And maybe James in particular for building the infrastructure and establishing the culture for a message board ecosystem that is the envy of sports fans (and others) everywhere. He could be quirky and difficult, for sure. But the very best among us often are. RIP James.

[Nugget]

Very well said, Jason. I am another of those who've been around the DBR since the very earliest times (through a few posting name changes), and I consider myself incredibly indebted to James, Mike and Julian for all that it has meant to me over many years. And maybe James in particular for building the infrastructure and establishing the culture for a message board ecosystem that is the envy of sports fans (and others) everywhere. He could be quirky and difficult, for sure. But the very best among us often are. RIP James.

I never really knew James - our only interaction was some brief debate about The Clash - but I've been a participant in DBR since the parquet floor days (I think I found the site and board during the recruitment of the Burgess, Battier, Brand, Avery class) and am grateful to James for his role in building this community.

Wholeheartedly agree that DBR has been unique in establishing and maintaining an extraordinary ecosystem of thoughtful, vigorous, entertaining, engaging and respectful debate and camaraderie for these past 25+ years that really can be found almost nowhere else in the cesspool of the internet. Thanks and RIP James.

[CathyCA]

James and I were at Duke at the same time. His sister Lillian was in my class. When I moved to California, he, Jim3K, HC5Duke and I met up for lunch at a Korean hot pot restaurant in the East Bay area. It was so much fun to gather with fellow Duke fans for an afternoon so far away from Duke. James regaled us with stories of his days in Cameron--including his starting the very first ever "Air Ball" chant. Those of you who know me know that I always have a camera. James did everything that he could do to avoid my taking his picture on that occasion.

James relished being outdoors, and he loved Yosemite National Park. After I moved back to North Carolina, I decided to return to California for a trip to Yosemite with my mom. I put a plea out to my friends, including James: Help me plan a trip to Yosemite. James sent me a detailed itinerary of where my mom and I should go and what I should see while visiting the park. We followed James' plan down to the last detail. It was a glorious time. I sent James a note to thank him for the itinerary. He responded back with a note letting me know that he loved planning my itinerary so much that he decided to follow it himself the next weekend. That was classic James!

My heart goes out to his family and friends. I pray that God's perpetual light will shine on James.

[ricks68]

A very, very sad day for me after hearing of James' passing. Who knows if the board would ever had existed without his contributions------and I never sent him the BBQ I promised him so many years ago. Sigh. What a fine person, and someone that, obviously, meant so much to so many of us. RIP, buddy.

ricks

[jdk]

Wow, tough news. I never met Mr. Armstrong, but we had some conversations back in the day on rec.sport.basketball.college, and probably on the old forum as well. I also remember having overlapping interests with college basketball and the growing UNIX/Linux world of the late 90's. It was over 20 years ago, and I was just a know it all, barely a teenager. Everything was new back then.

He was one of the DBR members who reached out when my sister died unexpectedly.

The internet was smaller and more intimate in those days. RIP, and condolences to anybody who knew him.

[Mike Corey]

So deeply sorry to hear this news.

James' contribution to building this community of Duke basketball fans from around the country and world together--whew.

May his memory be eternal.

[Edouble]

I didn't know James and maybe through the years I have forgotten his contributions to the original DBR.

I am also a fan of the site since the parquet/Juliovision days when you had to copy and paste the pass code (per return email suggestion) to post a comment.

It's really great to read in this thread how many of the old time members are still here. Thinking about what URLs I still visit from 25 years ago... well let's just say this is the only one.

What a legacy for James Armstrong. Rest in Peace, sir.

[gep]

I didn't know James and maybe through the years I have forgotten his contributions to the original DBR.

I am also a fan of the site since the parquet/Juliovision days when you had to copy and paste the pass code (per return email suggestion) to post a comment.

It's really great to read in this thread how many of the old time members are still here. Thinking about what URLs I still visit from 25 years ago... well let's just say this is the only one.

What a legacy for James Armstrong. Rest in Peace, sir.

Well... another old-timer here. I also remember the posting codes that were required before a post would go "live". I recall James saying that waiting for the posting code allows one to re-read/review the post before the post goes "live"... I thought that was a good thing and helped create the DBR community as it is. Thanks James... Rest In Peace.