Goodbye, Mr. Russert

I do my best on this site to avoid any talk of politics. The battle lines are always drawn it seems, and the inevitable result is the catapulting of epithets and arguments that go on interminably. I do not seek to resuscitate an old divide and therefore go back on my word. However, I do think the death of NBC's Washington bureau chief Tim Russert, however tangential in the minds of others, seems front and center to mine.

As a Washington, D.C. native, the pressure to be involved or at least aware of politics here is overwhelming. Choosing to make it no career, I still find the discussion fascinating and Russert, for all of his faults, still served as a shining example of attempted and appropriate effort in journalism. A steel trap for a mind, erudite and enthusiasm were his trademarks. And watching him tackle difficult subjects with ease even with prickly guests always made me internally say, "Hmm. So that's how it's done."

Not all share my opinion and again, I try hard to spend a moment talking about only mixed martial arts in this webspace. But this is a serious occasion and one that has overlap in my mind. So, goodbye Mr. Russert. Your contributions are appreciated more than you could possibly realize.