Call me the dick, but the ESPN thing this morning was if the guy was Ghandi or something.
He was a sportscaster. Yes, a good one, but a sportscaster. They are all relatively interchangeable. Let's be honest, during his hey day, he was actually more of a punchline than a valued 'sports journalist'. He was more about the flashiness and the silly phrases. Hell, his signature line became a derogatory term that was used to describe a ridiculous sports network 'The Booyahs'.
Seemed like a decent guy and yes, cancer sucks. Everyone reading this has a loved one who has or was affected by cancer. He fought it. Good for him. 3 of my grandparents died of cancer. My mother died of cancer at age 54 on my first wedding anniversary (after a 4 year battle). They all fought it. My wife's best friend is a breast cancer surviver. She fought it. What do we expect cancer sufferers to do? NOT fight it?
I have 3 kids. If I got cancer tomorrow, I'd fight it. Just as I'd expect anyone else to.
Maybe I'm just a cynical dick, but I don't know what this mawkish obsession with people who 'fight cancer'. That's kinda what you expect. Are there people who die of cancer and others say 'well, that guy was a pussy. He didn't fight cancer. He didn't take his medicine and showed up late and high to his chemo sessions'.
Now, I can absolutely appreciate having a positive attitude when fighting. What we saw of Stuart Scott where is filmed public appearances and what he tweeted. Sort of a 'put on the show' thing. My mother did that. Bitched and moaned and cried and wanted to give up when we talked one on one or when she was alone, but put on the happy face when around family, my brother's kids, etc.
So, yes, I feel sorry for his family and his children and his friends and those around him. And sorry he had to go through it.
I just don't get the deification we do of certain people in this culture.