OT: Bruce Allen of Boston Sports Media Watch Has Passed Away

[Ian]

I saw on BlueSky that his wife let everyone know he passed away on September 19th after complications with cancer treatment.

This one is definitely tough. I was fortunate to meet up and have dinner with him back in the day, as both of us shared a bond since we both obviously had websites and he lived near me at the time, and we had a good time discussing both the media landscape and the online world, as well as family stuff. He was just a really great guy and somebody that I always had plenty of respect for, and he was also supportive of this place. He ran our links in his daily updates as well as on a secondary Patriots Links page he had, and I would help him out with some things with keeping that up-to-date as well.

And he built a really great community of people on his site and was a guy who essentially changed the landscape when it came to keeping the writers honest, having been the first site locally - at least that I'm aware of - to do it. I think he changed things for the better as some of those guys seemed to tighten up how they did things, especially since he often higlighted various pieces if someone had gone a bit outside the lines. And he had remained pretty feisty on Twitter (and later BlueSky) over the years, even though he wasn't really running his site the same way as he had been.

But definitely really sad to hear this news, and definitely thinking of his family. We were close in age and had fallen out of touch, but I'm certainly lucky to have known him. I'm sure many of you in here likely also remember his site, so I wanted to pass this along.

 

[Steve102]

Sorry for your loss, bud.

 

[Ian]

Sorry for your loss, bud.

Thanks, man. I'm sure there are probably a bunch of people who used to follow his site each day as it was always a must-read, so I'm guessing I won't be the only one who is sad to hear this news.

 

[WinstonSmith]

I used to visit his site often, as well as follow him on Twitter. You're right, he changed the landscape of Boston sports media for the better, and will be missed.

 

[Rob0729]

Sorry to hear. Over the last five year or so, his reporting was crucial with all the shake ups going on throughout the local sports media especially at WEEI. RIP.

 

[aluminum seats]

I was definitely a fan, I always thought it was good to find another voice of reason out there in the wilderness. RIP

 

[RobertWeathers]

Sorry to hear it. Bruce put out good stuff. F-ing cancer.

 

[jmt57]

Man, very sad to hear this.

We conversed a bit on the internet. Never met him in person, but he seemed like a really good, down to earth guy.

Really enjoyed BSMW - especially his articles exposing Ron Borges.

RIP

Ron Borges – Boston Sports Media Watch

Posts about Ron Borges written by Chris Warner and Bruce Allen

bostonsportsmedia.com

 

[SteveKiner]

A must read back in the day.
RIP and condolences to his loved ones.

 

[AQPE]

I am gashed by this his one. I absolutely loved his site (except for their forum which was a clown car). You are so right about his approach and I do think he was effective, at least to remind the local sports media that there can be some accountability for their laziness, hypocrisy, and incompetence.

 

[Tunescribe]

I saw on BlueSky that his wife let everyone know he passed away on September 19th after complications with cancer treatment.

This one is definitely tough. I was fortunate to meet up and have dinner with him back in the day, as both of us shared a bond since we both obviously had websites and he lived near me at the time, and we had a good time discussing both the media landscape and the online world, as well as family stuff. He was just a really great guy and somebody that I always had plenty of respect for, and he was also supportive of this place. He ran our links in his daily updates as well as on a secondary Patriots Links page he had, and I would help him out with some things with keeping that up-to-date as well.

And he built a really great community of people on his site and was a guy who essentially changed the landscape when it came to keeping the writers honest, having been the first site locally - at least that I'm aware of - to do it. I think he changed things for the better as some of those guys seemed to tighten up how they did things, especially since he often higlighted various pieces if someone had gone a bit outside the lines. And he had remained pretty feisty on Twitter (and later BlueSky) over the years, even though he wasn't really running his site the same way as he had been.

But definitely really sad to hear this news, and definitely thinking of his family. We were close in age and had fallen out of touch, but I'm certainly lucky to have known him. I'm sure many of you in here likely also remember his site, so I wanted to pass this along.

What Allen did was a noble pursuit. We need that kind of thing more than ever these days with social media being so prolific. Sadly, it's become increasingly scarce.

I recall having some informative exchanges with him, he was not above interacting with those who followed his valuable work.

 

[Ross12]

Loved this guy's stuff, so sad to hear.

 

[ViperGTS]

RIP. Big loss.

 

[maust]

Godspeed Bruce Allen, thanks for shining the light

 

[FCB02062]

Sad to hear this. I was a lurker on the fourm bigly. there was lots of great discussion to read on that forum. I never joined but it was great. I go back to the sports huddle and eddie andelman on Sunday nights and all these forum members on BSMW were also raised on eddie. the forum was amazing, but IIRC - just like many things - some people lost their minds in the summer and fall of 2016 and I think Allen shut down the forum. I looked for it every now and then but could never find the forum. It was really great to read. One topic I remember specifically was when John Dennis got ****faced and decided to call Ryen Russillo and left a drunken rant to Rusillo about him hitting on Dennis's daughter. Those were the days. RIP Bruce

 

[ViperGTS]

Oh and I will add something else. **** cancer.

 

[Opus232]

Sad to hear this. Boston Sports Media Watch was a very good website. Really had a good handle on what the Boston media was like, offered sharp and accurate criticisms. Condolences to Bruce Allen's family and friends.

 

[SammyBlueCat]

So sorry

 

[NovaScotiaPatsFan]

I was expecting this, but was hoping he'd be able to beat it. Same kind that got my sis...

f**k cancer!

 

[DarrylS]

He was always a favorite of mine as well, but somewhere along the line I lost track of him.. If I remember correctly he was not a fan of "curly haired boyfriend" and "Wrong Borges" and often spent a lot of time critiquing their foolishness...