TheManInBlack - Tribute Thread

[Bengals78]

As many of you know, TheManInBlack recently passed.
I really am not one for words, but I know there was talk about a tribute thread and I haven't seen one and I know hobbes is a much, much closer friend than I of his and I do not know if he is up to it right now. So I figured I will start this.

I just found out after his passing that I had played football in High School with him. He was a fun guy to be around. Small world sometimes. I had fallen out of contact with him over the years since HS and now I can officially say I do regret this but at least in some regard I never did lose contact with him.

When someone this young is lost, it always a wake up call. When it is someone you have known for years and in as tight knit of a community as we live in and take part in on here, it is even harder.

I will turn this over to Hobbes to decide what he feels should and should not be posted on here. But I'm sure we will get all this forwarded to his family.

Going to miss you man.

[StripedWalrus]

I am really sorry to hear this. I did not know him personally but TheManInBlack has always been a very friendly and knowledgeable individual. I have always enjoyed his take on the Bengals and enjoyed playing DayZ with the guy countless times. My condolences go out to his family.

[slightlyaraiderfan]

i was going through his post earlier, when i found out...and it stung a little more, always liked him as a poster.

rip tmib

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[TitanHope]

Thanks for making it, Ryan.

Here's what I had written up in case neither one of you could do it:

On what should be a joyous day for most here, our community has received some very tragic news. themaninblack, a poster here since '06, passed away early Christmas Eve from a car accident. hobbes2053, a personal friend of his, broke the news to everyone in the Random Discussion Thread, and as it turns out, Bengals78 also knew him personally from school. Be sure to keep them in your thoughts and prayers as they've been impacted first hand by this loss.

While many of our sympathies and thoughts have already been expressed in the RDT, and will surely be reiterated here, we agree that losing one of our own deserves not only a thread to commemorate him, but more - Vidae has already contacted Shane to see if the site can possibly give him a front page mention, and we've discussed pitching in for some flowers to send to his family. It's the least we can do for someone who contributed over 6,000 posts to this forum. Someone who made this forum a better place to be a part of.

Papa CJ said it well when he posted, "It would be foolish to say that we only know each other only by the words we type about a game." It's weird for some people to think you can create meaningful friendships with people who you've never met face to face, but what I find special about this place is how you can form relationships with people not based on their creed, color, religion, or political views, but for who they actually are underneath. Most here probably don't know what themaninblack's real name was, yet everyone who has said anything has mentioned what a great guy he was whenever they talked with him, whether it was here or online playing video games. He left an impression on a lot of people, and that's not easily done online. Even if we knew him through a screen name, for all that he was, he'll be greatly missed.

Hobbes is getting back to us concerning flowers, but if anyone wants to pitch in, just PM me. I'm thinking this arrangement called Serenity. I think they're fitting, considering his location. Of course, we can always go bigger with this, depending on the outreach.

[farfromforgotten]

Extremely saddened to wake up to this news this morning. I did not know the man but I knew the poster. He was one of us.

His last post was "RIP Ryan Freel".

Rest in Peace, themaninblack.

My thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends this morning.

[Hines]

RIP TMIB. Praying for him and his loved ones and friends today.

[vidae]

Over the past couple of years this place has become very important to me, and losing a member of it really hit home.

Like I said in the RDT, this is a strong knit community that I'm proud to be a part of. We don't always agree, we don't always see eye to eye on things, and we argue and bicker more than we should, but it's because we ARE close. It's because we ARE a family.

themaninblack was part of that family. He made this family better. He made this place that we love so much better. It won't be easy to get over the loss of a brother, it never is, I'm just glad we got a chance to know him as long as we did.

RIP themaninblack. You won't be forgotten.

My prayers go out to his friends and family.

(That's enough mushy out of me for one day.)

[ImBrotherCain]

Wow this is terrible news. Themaninblack was a good poster here. It's crazy to think that a random stranger barely any of us has met has become such good friends on an Internet message board. I have always said this place has given me some closer friends than even "real life".

RIP themaninblack you will be missed around here buddy.

[Cigaro]

Posted over in the other thread, but I'll pay my respects here as well. Although I didn't know him or interact with him much here, it seems the posters here who did had immense respect for him, and not simply because of any football or draft knowledge. It certainly sucks to lose a member of the community. Adding to that, I know a number of posters here were friends with him and had personally known him for some time. Its got to be even harder for them, and my thoughts go out to them and his family. RIP.

[CJSchneider]

My prayers go out to his family. May they somehow find comfort during this time. May they be, as Paul wrote, of "good courage", knowing that as he is now away from the body, he is with the Father.

[CashmoneyDrew]

R.I.P.

[Forenci]

Thoughts and prayers to his family. As Vidae said, for all the debating and bickering we do it's because we're like one big family.

Everyone be safe and have a great holiday.

[DeepThreat]

I was never close with themaninblack, but I certainly knew the name and who he was. I remember him as a good Reds poster, and I never held his Bengals fanhood against him. It's times like these that we realize how close of a group we are, and as sad as it may seem, how much we affect each other's lives. With that said, thoughts and prayers to his family and friends.

RIP, themaninblack. You're not forgotten.

[MetSox17]

God damn this is awful news. I'm sorry to all those that were close to him and his family members for losing someone like this.

[Bosanac01]

This message board is a huge part of our daily lives. Sometimes I don't talk to family members or close friends for days, but I don't go long before chatting (or arguing) with the guys on here. Themaninblack was part of this community who contributed to great discussions. My thoughts are with his loved ones, he will not be forgotten on here. RIP

[Brodeur]

Damn man, I had no idea. I enjoyed TMIB's posts when I saw them and definitely remembered him, so I'll cheer for the Reds and Bengals in his honor. RIP my good man.

[PackerLegend]

RIP themaninblack - you may be gone but you won't be forgotten buddy

[Shane P. Hallam]

RIP TMIB. Definitely sad to hear and if hobbes, Bengals, or anyone else needs anything, just let me know. I've often thought about what would happen if someone here passed away and how lucky we have been that it hasn't really happened often. I'll be in touch with TH and def. would love to send something from everyone at Draftcountdown.

[jballa838]

Rocking the Bengals sweatshirt in his honor tomorrow. RIP, buddy.

[Splat]

Hate to hear this. :(

RIP Thoughts and prayers to his family and friends.

[D-Unit]

This is the first thread I remember that has ever been created for a member of our brotherhood passing on. Rest in peace themaninblack. Gone but not forgotten.

[Hurricanes25]

Just terrible news.

RIP themaninblack

[hobbes2053]

I drank a fifth of Jameson last night. I still haven't talked to his brother and will likely call in a day or so to let some of the chaos cool down. I'll pass on whatever I find out. Flowers would be great.

[Paul]

RIP Buddy. Terrible news.

[vikes_28]

very sorry to hear this. Prayers to all of his family and friends.