Not sure how many people here would read him but he was a GREAT writer, wrote great articles on ESPN's Page 2, a few great books, I think he even helped write the screen play for He Got Game. Always provided an opinion that no one else had but provided plenty of back up that made you wonder why wasn't anyone else thinking of this. If anyone hasn't read his stuff you should check out Page 2 or some of his books... He was 52, way too young, way too young...
RIP Ralph Wiley, I always enjoyed his little pieces on Sports Center from time to time. And his writting was timeless. This guy will be missed. And am I the only one to notice alot of famous people are dying lately?
This is a very big loss to the sports world. He was only 52 years old. For some reason his death has been very unsettling to me. I wish that more people give these men who work their entire lives as men the credit they deserve. What I mean to say is that it shouldn't take for someone to make a fortune for them to be truly recognized as a great person. Ralph Wiley worked hard to get to where he was. There is something to be said for people who worked as hard as he did. Celebrities are praised and immortalized for what they do in their field. Ralph Wiley and others like him should get the same recognition for who they are as men.
One of the last things he wrote in his last piece (just a few days ago, sadly- June 10) was that "All a man's got is the integrity of his work". It's really fitting for him, as he built a reputation as one of the best writers on ESPN.com; I used to read his great work regularly. And, for what it's worth, he picked the Pistons over the Lakers while both teams were still in the Conference Finals (when people still thought the Pacers would go to the Finals). RIP Ralph Wiley.
I heard this on the Jim Rome show today. Big loss for the sports world. I loved watching him and Skip go at it on Rome is burning.
I heard about this last night. Sad news. I didn't always agree with the delivery style that Wiley employed at times, but the man almost always had sound research to back his points and usually came at matters from an angle that most people don't instantly think of. It's too bad that the good writers pass too soon and the hacks seem to last forever.
