After reading Pitts' post below, it's time to return.(long)

Feb 8, 2005, 10:57 AM

I have no idea who Trey Reeves is, except that which I've learned of him on this site. I know he was a personality on WCCP's morning sports show. I listen to a show like that in Charlotte, so I probably have some idea the way many of you felt like you could relate to him.

The extremely tragic death of Mr. Reeves, though I have no idea who he was or what he was like, has had a pretty profound affect on me. It has really caused me to think. Pitts' message also really hit home with me about how hard things must be for some people, when the rest of us have absolutely no idea what they might be going through.

On these websites we have so much anonymity. We can just say anything we want about anyone we want, and many times there isn't a shred of truth to it. Kids that are currently in one of the most impressionable and vulnerable times of their lives read these boards (or at the very least know someone who reads these boards).

We discuss things about 17 and 18 year old kids in a very public forum that most of us never had to endure... grades, personality, homelife, girlfriends, etc. Often we go a step farther even. We don't just discuss these things (that we only have sixth, seventh, eighth hand knowledge); we often judge, ridicule, and try to embarrass kids for their grades, homelife, etc. Why would we do that?? Why does anonymity on a webpage make some people feel like they can try to tear kids down just because they don't go to our school?

We don't really know what people are going through. We hear all the time how stressful the recruiting process is on these young people. They consistently talk about the relief they feel when finally making a decision.

I'm not perfect by any stretch. And I will be far from perfect in the future. But I will try to think about the implications of what I say... even if i know no one knows who I am.

We just don't know what we think we know in most situations. The people closest to Trey Reeves probably thought they knew everything in his life. I pray for his family. I hope God gives them the strength to get through this. He can, and I'm sure He will.

If there is anyone out there that needs to talk to someone, please do. No one has to go through problems by themself. Hell.. get in touch with me. I'll listen.

I know this is sappy. But I don't care. I just keep thinking back to Pitts' message. How sad it is when someone feels like death is the only way out. We just never know what anyone is going through.

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"Our wide receiver coach has accomplished just as much as your legend."

- The man of a million handles.

We listen to the radio and begin to create a character in our heads. We see the voice as a happy (or beligerent, or smart, or whatever it is they are trying to be) thing. It becomes not a person on the other side of the radio but a thing. And a thing there for our amusement. Same with the folks on here (and on message boards in genereal, even FGF). The handles become characters. We see snide ones, wise ones, funny ones, argumenative ones, critical ones, dumb ones, and everywhere else in between. We see a handle and think of it as a thing, and not a person.

Then something like this happens.

Granted, I don't listen to that radio show or know much about its hosts, but like Toogie I have a similar radio show that has become part of my life and I've made things of those hosts. So much so that when I see their pictures ( either on a web page or in print) its actually a bit shocking to see their human face and not the one I'd imagined. Same with posters here. On occasion when I look at someones profile and see their picture I'm often ripped back to remembering that its a person on the other end of that keyboard.

All of this was to say this: In real like I imagine that 99.9% of the people here and on the radio and elsewhere are just normal folks who if I were given the opprtunity to, I'd enjoy sitting down and talking to. Even the vast majority of folks on FGF who we ejoy joking with and about are just normal folk (with an unfortunate loyalty to USC). In the end it takes moments like this for me to remember just how human we all are, and how similar we are.

In the end, I echo Toogie's sentiment, if anyone at any time needs to talk about anything I'm here. not to sound corny or cheesy, but no one should ever have to feel alone. Technology, for all its good points, has somehow given us the impression that though we are able to interract in so many different ways with so many different people it all comes across as impersonalizing and making us (at times) feel alone.

After reading Pitts' post below, it's time to return.(long)

No... that was nicely said.***

Football

Toogie... well said and welcome back. You have been missed.***

very nice***

Good post, Toogie. And not sappy. Well thought and said.***

Welcome back Toogie!!******

Nicely done !!!!***

Long time no see, welcome back***

Thanks, Toogie, for a class post.***

great post toogie well said!***

WHO VOTES THIS DOWN

Re: WHO VOTES THIS DOWN

I agree, but I have a question

Its so easy to forget just how human we all are

Re: After reading Pitts' post below, it's time to return.(long)

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