RIP: D. Tom Patterson

RIP

 

Tom gave a compelling seminar at a sports writers convention in my hometown in 1987. Terrific ideas, inspiring delivery -- and amazing patience with some in attendance who didn't have the courtesy to show up sober (or courteous). He never knew it, and my name would mean nothing to him, but he was one of my first inspirations in the business.

RIP.

 

Pete, you should have stopped at the (Roseville) Press Tribune and said hi to me.

I last saw Tom in December 2008, following his stint at The Record (in Stockton) and shortly after I was laid off in Modesto. We talked for a few minutes and introduced the wives. My point here being there was another side to Tom than sports journalism. I ran into him at ARCO Arena in Sac, during a Sarah Brightman concert. We shared a real joy and appreciation for that wonderful voice of hers.

 

i also appreciated Tom's ethics. He was a finalist for the editorship of The Sporting News at a time when The National was contemplating a weekly edition, too. As Tom got deeper and deeper into the TSN interview process, he was learning more and more about its operation and its plans. At the same time, he was involved deeper and deeper in The National's discussions about a weekly. He felt terribly awkward being privy to both so, finding himself in what was becoming an ethical quandry, he recused himself from the TSN race and remained at The National. It folded a short while later. As much as I liked what John Rawlings did with TSN, I'd love to have seen what Tom would have done with it.

Oh, and a lot of us appreciated the various off-day pub crawls Tom led us on throughout Manhattan!

 

Never had a chance to drink with Tom. Wish I had. Maybe someday.

 

The best day of my professional life began with a phone call from Tom Patterson. The Denver Gold USFL team had just fired la ocal legend, Coach Red Miller, and had scheduled a press conference. Tom needed someone to write a sidebar and asked me to help out at the presser. Coincidentally, the columnist Tom had hired for The Denver Post had just hit town that morning and Tom asked me to come by the office to pick him up and deliver him to the presser. And that's how I met the great Shelby Strother. I will forever be grateful to my friend for that, and for a whole lot more.
Tom was a great editor but an even better friend. I doubt any sports staff ever had more fun than the Denver Post staff enjoyed under Tom's twinkling eye. If you partied with us at the Bucksnort Saloon in Sphinx Park, well, you know.
RIP, indeed.

 

The man was a legend. When I was first starting out as a part-time guy in Denver, he used to rip us. But you came to respect him. I learned so much from him as a young kid in the business. And, boy, did he like to have fun. Tough, but fair. That's all you can ask for in this business. Two bosses in my life, one now, died in the past three weeks. That's hard to believe. Two good men. Two good journalists. RIP.

 

Learned a lot from Tom during his teaching sessions on the bar stool. God speed, my friend ...