[Reginald Rutledge]

One of the "Original Road Warriors" was Jon Thomas. Jon Thomas was going places with me, Dirk, Joyce Rogers, Jim Jackson, Mike Landsman, Frank Johnson, and Edgar Downs in the early days of trying to promote this thing through the midwest.

Jonny Thomas, Dirk Thomas, Jim Jackson, and I were always scheming to do things to bring notice to the game. Jon played Vince Peatros in Texas Shootout 1. At the time, Jon Thomas was among the greatest passers in the game. I credit him for the "Look Back Receiver". I remember seeing his Oilers and salivating over some of his custom figures he created. Right there is when I got the buzz to customize.

His death was untimely. I was talking with him one day and he was telling me it was time for him to play in the DFW. Weeks later, one of his co-workers told me he had passed away. I still have a hard time dealing with that one.

Dirk Thomas and I became so close so fast. I remember the second Miggle tourney walking around and seeing this older guy and lady with Cardinals paraphanelia on. I remember telling Rose "Let's follow them and see where they are going". I never thought anyone else played the game. By the time I got to them, they had went up the elevator. They came back down later as I was setting up my Metrodome. They came by (Dirk and Joyce). We began to talk. We exchanged numbers. The next thing I know, we began spending countless hours on the phone discussing the game. I saw his Cardinals he had painted. Unbelievable! Ahead of his time! He painted me a team! He came to my first Shootout. Could not pass a lick! Very ********ed off about how other guys could. Instead of using excuses, he told me, "I am going back to Ohio and learn how to pass". Next year, Dirk came back and played Frank Johnson in a defensive struggle. Hit enough passes to win. A few years later, Joyce revealed to me he was gravely ill. He would pass. And again, untimely for me. Our friendship had grown so much. He had traveled across the country with me helping promote the game. We went to Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, DC, and Texas hyping the game. He was as class of a guy as I ever came across in the hobby. Probably the greatest painter I have ever seen and one of the legendary coaches.

Another one is Annette Jackson, wife of Jim Jackson. A great EFLer who got her husband back into the game. Annette was very supportive of Jim and his EFL dreams. Annette rolled with the Cowboys back in the day. She was always willing, competitive and loved playing. She was a great wife and wonderful mother. Her kid, Bree, looks just like her. When I hear her on the telephone, I hear Annette and it makes me kind of happy knowing there is still a piece of this brave, wonderful lady still walking around and breathing on this earth of ours. Her death was a tragic loss in my home as we always looked at her and Jim as family.

There was Doc Smeby who I use to talk with quite often. Smeby and I had a long distance football friendship. Sometimes when Doc called, I would think he was crazy. He had his views on the game and I had mine. We would discuss. We always respected each other views. He started a HOF and put me in every category. I remember it well because that is how controversy on my impact to the game started. I told him "Doc, why the hell you do that?" He said "Reginald, I am looking from afar and that's how I see who is who in the game". A couple of years later, his wife wrote me and told me "Doc wanted me to let you know". She told me he had passed away. I remember I had told him that I would make a promise to get to England in the future and play him in a game of electric football. I hate I could never keep that promise.

Another person that passed was a young kid name Chris. This happened going on two years now. His father still plays in the league. He use to spend the night at our house. Rose and myself would take him out to eat. Chris was a great kid who absorbed everything. One day, his father, Pep and I, were working on 308s for the Shootout. Chris wanted to "shoot hookie" and stay home to help us. Pep let him and he came to my house to help. I remember Chris and I going out to Home Depot to pick up supplies. He told me he had been on home suspension for fighting. We talked about how to resolve fighting issues over "pride" at school, especially at a young age (14 years old). He always listened to me. I remember telling him if he needed to come to my house and chill out for a few days, he knew Rose and I loved him dearly and we had a room for him. A few days later, I get a call that Chris had shot himself. Devastated to say they least! I wish I would have gotten to him before this would have happened. We loved Chris because he had so much passion and energy to play the game. He had the Panthers. I had given him a team of them and he was kickin' butt in the league. He was a good kid who just got caught up dealing with issues that was hard to deal with. I just remember him always telling Rhianna and Reginald, "Y'all don't know how good y'all got it".

There was a customer of mine in LA name Randolph Jackson. We use to talk from time to time. He always supported what I did. His death was untimely too. I remember speaking to Al Clegg about Randolph one day, telling him how nice he was and I wish to meet him one day. I think Al told me, Randolph had passed away. My jaw dropped and I thought, "Why?"

There are great guys and gals who have graced us with their presence. Sometimes we never know we are walking in the midst of greatness because they seem so common in their demeanor and approach to life. These were some of those type of people who were ordinary people living extraordinary lives. They have been missed.

Reg