The Blogfather.
In a way, it was an appropriate moniker, as Carp would go out to work to feed his Bonehead children with information about their favorite hockey team. Like a father with children, he would share his perspective and wisdom earned through years of experience. Often times, like children, we would react in a bevy of different ways: we could listen and try to learn, or we could disagree and think he knows nothing, or we would take irrational positions that he just didn’t understand the game or hated certain players. And, like a father, no matter how much we could disagree or stray, he just loved to spend time with us or listen to us prattle on like the Boneheads that we are.
Carp’s untimely termination from The Journal News and the effective closure of Rangers Report, in a way, feels like a part of us has died. I’ve been posting at Rangers Report for almost a decade. I was in at the ground floor when Sam first started the blog in 2006. I am certain that I am (sigh, was) the longest tenured regular poster, although some people who predate me may have been lurking around or may have changed handles. My first post came on October 26, 2006, a full breakdown of the state of the team and suggestions on how to fix it. I closed my lengthy post with “This was my first post and I promise from now on they’ll be shorter.” I don’t think I’ve kept that promise.
There are few things that I’ve been a part of for as long as I have been a part of the Rangers Report blog. It’s been a significant part of my life, not just in terms of hours invested reading and commenting, but in terms of real life friendships and the profound effect that they’ve had upon my life. I don’t want to point out too many people, but I think ilb deserves special mention here. I’m certain that his unending kindness and generosity has touched many of you the way it has me. I’ve always maintained that he is the best of us.
Much like when someone dies, the survivors are left to carry on. To me, the most important part of Rangers Report has always been the people. I want that to carry on. I won’t be in the dressing room, I won’t be doing investigative reporting. But I can write list-based game reviews give everyone a place to comment and keep the discussion going. I can put up a Twitter widget so that you can have a place to look for all of your Rangers and NHL-wide news. Most importantly, I can give you an alternative to the ignorant corporate pigs at the Gannett Company.
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I am still a Bonehead. I hope you will be, too.