ESPN's JOHN SAUNDERS passed away yesterday morning, and his family issued a statement saying while they "don’t yet have all the specifics, John wasn’t feeling well physically in recent days and sadly, he was unresponsive earlier this morning" (Mult., 8/10). In N.Y., Kaylee Pofahl notes Saunders "wore numerous hats during his tenure with ESPN, from hosting play-by-play and studio programming such as 'The Sports Reporters' to anchoring 'SportsCenter.'" He was one of the net's "most experienced commentators after joining ESPN in its infancy stages" in '86 (N.Y. POST, 8/11). Also in N.Y., Daniel Victor writes there was "no trace of bombast in his presentation." Saunders was "calm, steady and good-natured" (N.Y. TIMES, 8/11). The N.Y. DAILY NEWS' Bob Raissman notes Saunders' list of ESPN assignments "was long." To all of them, he "brought an informed, insightful and likeable style" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 8/11). On Long Island, Neil Best notes Saunders "was hugely popular within the company as both a colleague and mentor" (NEWSDAY, 8/11). ESPN colleague JEREMY SCHAAP said, "In addition to all that talent, and his preternatural unflappability, there was so much heart. He was generous -- which isn’t always the case with the big shots in the big chairs. I think most of that was simply John’s nature, but it was also because he was so secure" (SI.com, 8/10).
WELL-RESPECTED MAN: In Toronto, Morgan Campbell writes Saunders "leaves a legacy as a trailblazing journalist, tone-setting co-worker and cherished friend." Saunders' former broadcast partner LEO RAUTINS said, “He was just so cool. You can’t get any better than he was at his job. He was just such a giving, loving, caring person" (TORONTO STAR, 8/11). In a special to ESPN.com, Mike Lupica wrote, "Best of all, people liked John Saunders. Somehow he had the gift that the very best broadcasters have, in that the people who watched him felt as if he were their friend, too. He made them feel like they were part of our conversation" (ESPN.com, 8/10). In Pennsylvania, David Jones wrote Saunders "was also a unifier." He "was a lighthouse, confidant and trailblazer for all black sports journalists he touched at ESPN and throughout television." Jones: "All I perceived was a guy just trying to be really good at what he did" (PENNLIVE.com, 8/10). In DC, John Feinstein writes Saunders "was the guy every analyst wanted to work with for two reasons." First, his ego "was such that he had no problem setting up his analysts to be the stars of the broadcast, lobbing questions that made those he worked with sound smart." Second, he "was a joy to be around" (WASHINGTON POST, 8/11).
BIG HOLE TO FILL: MASHABLE's Sam Laird wrote Saunders' death "leaves a gaping hole in the world of sports media." His presence "often reminded so many of us why we entered this business in the first place, of both the height and depth sports journalism can reach when done right and done with human decency" (MASHABLE.com, 8/10). SI.com's Richard Deitsch wrote Saunders "will be missed, a generous and decent man" (SI.com, 8/10).
