RIP Dwayne Erickson

Covered rodeo (and other sports, I believe) for various Canadian media outlets for some 50 years. By the time I got to know him in the late 90's, he freelanced rodeo stuff almost exclusively.

Definitely one of those old-school journalists. Rarely saw him without a cigarette in one hand and a drink in the other. Stories of his all-nighters in Las Vegas during the National Finals Rodeo were legendary. I once hit the lobby about 7 a.m. to find him slumped over a slot machine, a lit cigarette still in his hand.

Even once they instituted a no-smoking rule in the NFR press room, Dwayne would light up anyway. When told to put it out, he would, but he'd light it again a few minutes later.

He was one of those loveable old curmudgeons that you couldn't help but like.