Strode was one calm, cool, collected sports editor

Iwould be remiss if I didn’t take a moment before diving into this rather shallow pool of Mailbox letters to acknowledge one of the prior occupants of this weekly hot seat who passed away last week.

George Strode ran our Sports department and served as a Page 3 Sunday sounding board for central Ohio sports fans for 15 years, from 1985 to '99. He took some heat, and he got some love — darts and flowers, he called them — and in the end, he didn’t sweat it one way or the other.

In fact, George didn’t sweat much of anything about being a sports editor of a midsize Midwestern daily, which is a lesson I wish I’d learned better from him.

He had a saying — well, he had a lot of interesting sayings. But one that he brought to The Dispatch from his days at The Associated Press was this: “Two hands, eight hours.” Do what you can, go home, come get ’em tomorrow.

George’s attitude and countenance were so totally cool that it could be disarming. People who met him for the first time — and I admit I was one when he became my boss 32 years ago — would wonder whether anyone really could be such a happy- go- lucky dude.

But that’s exactly what he was. He did have a mighty passion for the news business and for sports writing and section editing and even this silly old weekly letters column, but his secret, his gift, is that he refused to let it consume him. George’s attitude and countenance were so totally cool that it could be disarming. People who met him for the first time — and I admit I was one when he became my boss 32 years ago — would wonder whether anyone really could be such a happy-go-lucky dude.

In that context, it’s no wonder that upon hearing of George’s death at age 81, our news editor, Danny Goodwin, who followed Strode and preceded me in this chair, said, “George always seemed younger than whatever his age was.”

If that’s not a high compliment, I don’t know what is. Happy trails, Smoke.

Ray: I am sorry to read of the passing of George Strode. He is indirectly responsible for what some might say is my obsession of writing not only to the Mailbox but letters to the editor, as well.

On Sept. 7, 1997, not only did George publish my first letter to the Mailbox, he also made it the lead letter with the headline. That article now proudly hangs framed in my bedroom.

When George retired, I continued writing, first to Danny Goodwin and now you. During the past 20 years, I have written the three of you a total of 158 times, and have had many published, for which I am grateful.

Steven H. Spring, South Charleston

Steven: On behalf of my predecessors, I thank you for your many contributions to our weekly madness. I’m with George, though, on your original missive: Joe Germaine was a better OSU quarterback than Stanley Jackson.

Editor: I just finished Tuesday’s Sports section and only saw one paragraph about an OSU team! Is this the first time this has occurred? I thought Columbus revolved around their beloved Buckeyes!

Maybe the city, and The Dispatch, are maturing and seeing that there is more than OSU sports in the world. It was good to see the Jackets and the Crew as the only stories on the first page.

Dave Gellert, Pickerington

Dave: Or maybe it’s the summer and school is out and the only activity at Ohio State is from the beancounters trying to figure out ways to soak the fans of their sports teams for more money.

Editor: OK, he finally went and did it. He has gone too far and needs to be impeached.

I have gotten used to the constant lies. I have gotten used to blaming everyone else. I have gotten used to the nonsense tweets.

The collusion. The hate for anyone who is different than him or disagrees with him. His lack of compassion for the sick and poor. His disregard for the environment, women, gays and any race other than white. His tax cuts for the rich at the expense of health care for millions.

But now he drives a golf cart on the green! I don’t care if he owns the course or not — that’s just too much! William Quick, Hilliard William: Well, I suppose everyone has their limit. But I suspect a lot of people would cheer the president if he explained this golfing faux pas by saying he swerved onto the green while try to run over a reporter with his cart.