While this space is usually reserved for the girls and boys, the men and women who are known for their athletic abilities, the Sun’s athlete of the week for Nov. 8 is someone who spent more time sitting at his desk than chasing fly balls in a field or record times in a pool.
Since Jeremy Thomas began at the Sun, he threw himself into the local sports scene, covering college, high school, junior high, and even elementary-school events, talking to professionals and amateurs, writing about entire teams and solo athletes.
We’re sad to report, however, that Thomas took a job in the Bay Area, and last week marked his final edition with the paper. Well, it’s sad for us. But it’s great for him.
The staff—and, we’re sure, our readers—will miss his enterprise and enthusiasm.
And perhaps I was a bit uncharitable before; he didn’t strictly stay tied to his keyboard. Thomas was known to put his body on the line for a story, most recently braving zip lines and a water-powered jetpack (not on the same day) in his efforts to keep the sports section varied and interesting.
He also piloted the Bleacher Bum column, which brought a broader scope to the Sun, often putting a local spin on national events, from NBA predictions to top-tweeting athletes. In his first column, he wrote, “At times, professional hoops and I have had a love-hate relationship, but, as hard as it is to admit, I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for the Los Angeles Lakers. Sometimes that spot was more like a cancerous lesion, as I grew up a die-hard fan of the Phoenix Suns, the Lakers’ main Pacific Division rival for the past 20-plus seasons. Many a playoff run ended in tears for my soft and staid underdog Suns at the hands of the flashier, prettier gang in Hollywood yellow.”
Thomas will be missed for his words and his wit, for his commitment to sports, and for his drive to fill this column—and the Sun—with relevant, timely, interesting, and thought-provoking content each week.
—Ryan Miller
This article appears in Nov 8-15, 2012.