I've been away from the site for a few days and this is the first thread I read when returning. Hit me like a ton of bricks. I knew Tom had had some serious health problems in recent years, but ... as others have said, Tom was an institution here. He was here at the very beginning (was it 1999?) and those of us who know him, figured he would be here forever.
Tom was "candid" to say the least, and his words on the screen could sometimes sound blunt to the point of hurting feelings. But I talked to him by phone a few times, and his sincerity and concern for the players always came through. Like many others here, he offered recruiting advice for my baseball playing son Joe when he was in high school, free of charge or obligation of course.
But Tom also shared his knowledge of the music business with my family. Did any of you know Tom was a professional songwriter at one point in his career? My younger son Tony is a musician and songwriter, and a few years ago Tom listened to a bunch of Tony's original songs and gave his opinion... a mix of positive and negative feedback that was once again candid, even blunt in a few remarks, but "spot on" accurate.
My sincere condolences to Tom's family. He will be missed, indeed!
Julie