For me few things are easier than becoming too caught up in sports. Each year, both the Ravens and the Orioles are a massive part of my life. I have a strong suspicion that this is true for most of the BSR readership. Thus, as accusations of greed between the NFL players and owners dissolve and the Orioles limp their way through another wasted season its important to realize that there are aspects of our lives that supersede the Shakespearian drama of sports.

This morning I was reminded of this in a manner so brutal that comparing it to last year’s Ray Lewis hit on Dustin Keller is not hyperbolic. Dave Cameron announced that he has been diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Dave is the one full time employee at Fangraphs. He also co-founded one of the first team-centric advanced metirc baseball blogs: USSMariner. I became familiar with Dave’s work through Fangraphs. When Dave writes I am captivated by his ability to explain advanced topics, mired in complexity and minutia, quickly and in a straightforward manner. I am unaware of an author who is more adept at identifying the main ideas behind a new advanced concept and clearly highlighting those ideas to the reader.

This year at the Sloan Sports Analytics Conference I got to meet and discuss some of my work with Dave. He seemed completely unaware of the vast status difference between us in our very niche community. Instead he was focused on giving me feedback and encouraging me to submit my work to Fangraphs. Despite the minuscule sample size of our interaction, I could not help but conclude that Dave’s generosity and kindness match his acumen for analysis. Get well Dave, once again you have highlighted to me exactly what is important.