Not That It Has To and Not That It’s Supposed To, But Sometimes Life Just Doesn’t Make Sense
Sunday, June 15th, 2008It’s certainly overstating the obvious, but with life comes death. The main problem is that while impending life gives us a period to prepare for it, many times death gives us zero time to face it.
In the past few days, the American public has lost, not to discount others who’ve passed away (while maybe less famous, but no less loved and admired): Jim McKay, Charlie Jones and Tim Russert. All three were the ultimate personification of professionalism in what they brought to their viewers and listeners. And each, on occasion, were given assignments that the general public would find either completely disinteresting or totally distasteful, yet all of these men delivered every time like the pros they were.
And now, somewhat inexplicably, they’re no longer with us. It’s sad to think that Jim McKay would pass away just months prior to an Olympic year, since he was such a symbol of the Olympic Games and all they represented.  With Charlie Jones’ beloved San Diego Chargers so close to a possible Super Bowl victory (hey, it’s easier to believe they’d win it than the Giants would have last year), should that event occur, some of its luster would definitely be lost if it weren’t accompanied by his dulcet tones.Â
But, of each of these fine gentlemen, I have to admit that when my wife called and shocked me (I was stuck in LA traffic - see yesterday’s blog) with the news that Tim Russert had died, the first thought that actually crossed my mind was, “What a shame! Now, he’ll never know who won one of the strangest presidential elections of all-time” (the first since 1952 where neither of the candidates was either an incumbent or a sitting vice-president). Maybe because I was at a virtual stand-still for 45 minutes on I-5, my mind drifted into a different space, but Tim Russert was such a fixture in anything political (being the host of Meet The Press for 17 years tends to categorize you), I sincerely felt a deep sadness for a man who obviously took his job so seriously. Russert was thoroughly prepared, but still fair; tough, but not mean-spirited; had no pre-existing personal agenda, yet was hard-hitting, and put so much into his profession, but always made sure to leave plenty of quality time for his family that his passing had so much of an impact on me. Or maybe it was because he was so much younger than either McKay or Jones (Russert was 58, which is considered extremely young for someone who’s 59, and about to be 60 in just a few days).
All in all, each of these men had the three traits that all successful people - in any walk of life need: talent, integrity and passion. If a person can make a comfortable living and have the attitude Charlie Jones told his wife, Ann, he had, he or she can truly be regarded as a success. What Ann said Charlie told her was:
“I never felt like I ever went to work.”Â