Wow. Just wow.
Rick was an institution, a guy who ached to get things correct. He would frequently check in to the desk – worked with one guy who was really annoyed by this, and to this day I don't understand why – and while he'd be the first to disagree with a hed he didn't think worked with a piece he had just submitted, he'd be the first to compliment a hed he thought was really good and do so in a heartbeat. While writers didn't have to be in the newsroom at all, we saw more of Rick than of any other staffer by a mile. (Saw some of Tom Sorensen – another wonderful soul – and of Scott Fowler, a kind beacon of decency who always does his homework and never criticizes merely because he possesses a columnist's pen.) He was the first to call in to the desk, and always asked someone at the desk how things were there. By the tone, it was obvious that he meant it and wasn't just looking for small talk. His time in the newsroom made it obvious that, if he could help out at the desk, he would. Not all staff writers share that sentiment.
It should be of zero surprise that Scott lifted the veil to let us in on Rick. The point he nailed was that when anyone had some input on the Hornets or whatever else he was writing – he was highly versatile ... it's just that no one in that city knew the Hornets or what was going on in the NBA better than he – he would talk with you about it. He might dispute something, he would agree with you quicker but he was never demeaning or nasty about it no matter how dumb your hot take was. Plenty of journalists with his background and experience fail to duplicate that.
Rick handled that 7-59 Bobcats season with good humor and grace. Goodness knows that team was so awful that you had to laugh to keep from crying. There was a lot of snark, especially from Rick. That franchise had richly earned it.
This is flat-out gut punch even though it has been a few years. RIP to one of the best, Rick. Make no mistake that you will be missed.
