Vale Ron Murray aka @LeetoRainestoRoach

[Ian4]

Just saw this thread now (will read through all the pages later), and I’m flabbergasted. RIP to Ron and condolences to his family.

I never met him, but I have a story about him.

Leading up to the 2019 GF, I asked around PRE to see if I could land a ticket for my mate. Lee PM’ed me and offered up a ticket for him. Then on the morning of the GF, my mate had a fall and broke his hip and couldn’t attend the game. Lee was good about it and I was happy and thankful he was able to give it to someone else.

We all have our political ideals, and Lee and I had our fair share of arguments. But I believe the mark of a man is someone you can still be friends with, even if you disagree with their politics. And we live in a time where political volatility has never been higher (at least not in my lifetime).

I mean, it’s a bit hard to say Lee and I were friends because we only chatted on an online forum, but offering the GF ticket to my mate, despite our political differences, told me a lot about the type of person he was. And I respected that.

We will all miss his brilliant stats keeping. LTRTR is/was an irreplaceable member of PRE. His contributions will be sadly missed.

 

[Baloo]

I mean, it’s a bit hard to say Lee and I were friends because we only chatted on an online forum

That's something many of us probably grappled with. My wife asked me what was wrong when she saw me visibly upset as I reading some of the posts on this thread. It was difficult to succinctly explain what Ron was. A friend? A mate? An acquaintance? Some random anonymous person on a Richmond forum? I settled for "A member of my Richmond family", it seemed to fit.

 

[RoarEmotion]

Like some others I just came across this thread today and have had quite an emotional reaction. Really gutted. Always looked forward to seeing what weird (to me) correlation had been posted on the global warming thread or crazy AFL stat had been generated.

I listened to the BigFooty podcast on Monday night and heard them talk about big Ron for a part of their show. Clearly L2R2R was a prolific contributor on both forums.

If one thing it has brought home to me is that belonging to a group of people that share something in common that is apolitical (a hobby or a sporting endeavour or AFL fandom) opens the door wide open to learning about the myriad of other views and opinions out there, that doesn’t otherwise exist, in a generally productive way. As like mates you can go back to the footy when the other stuff gets maybe too heated.

Will miss his postings and unbelievable responsive detailed statistical outcomes that so many others have talked about. ….. and the disdain for Shockings’ / AFLs’ rule changes backed up with data data data.

My condolences to family and friends. RIP.

 

[Mr T.]

Thanks to @Baloo for suggesting - I've communicated with @Barbieup and arranged for flowers to be sent on PREs behalf.

 

[MD Jazz]

2021 may be the best yet

Great post carter! For what it’s worth, I was wrong a few times in 2017... #i was w w w w

www.puntroadend.com

 

[MD Jazz]

Just posting another stat Ron posted after another request. I wanted to know the ave age of the Hawks & Lions 3-peat sides. He added the Cats 07/09/11 dynasty for good measure.

I'm still staggered that he's gone.

 

[Mr Brightside]

Such a sad but great thread , if it hasn’t been suggested I’d like to see something on PRE named after L2R2R such as the player of the year

 

[Baloo]

Such a sad but great thread , if it hasn’t been suggested I’d like to see something on PRE named after L2R2R such as the player of the year

PRE Poster with the best stats post of the year. "The L2R2R Wannabe Award"

 

[taztiger4]

Thanks to @Baloo for suggesting - I've communicated with @Barbieup and arranged for flowers to be sent on PREs behalf.

Let us know if you want donations to assist mate, I am happy to contribute

 

[Mr T.]

Let us know if you want donations to assist mate, I am happy to contribute

We had some extra in the kit - the little we get from the ads on the site pay for unforeseen requirements, btw when we didn't make finals the site revenue increased with all the extra page views! (don't think I can retire with ad revenue, maybe a few extra coffees or panadols)

 

[123cups]

I don't know what to say other than I feel the same as others have described. I'm shocked and saddened.

Early on, I first thought about forums as an anonymous place in which we're all faceless, non-people. Over time, the anonymity and facelessness remain, but the people become real people, and conversations about sensitive topics become possible due to a type of respect that is usually only reserved for family or closest friends. To me, L2R2R was a symbol of that respect in conversation that we wish everyone could hold towards people holding different views in society. It's safe to say the world would be a better place if more people treated others in the way described by many on these forums after their exchanges with Ron online. I don't have any studies to cite as evidence, but if I could find one, I'm sure this claim would be proven with statistical significance.

Condolences to Ron's family.

 

[23.21.159]

I don't know what to say other than I feel the same as others have described. I'm shocked and saddened.

Early on, I first thought about forums as an anonymous place in which we're all faceless, non-people. Over time, the anonymity and facelessness remain, but the people become real people, and conversations about sensitive topics become possible due to a type of respect that is usually only reserved for family or closest friends. To me, L2R2R was a symbol of that respect in conversation that we wish everyone could hold towards people holding different views in society. It's safe to say the world would be a better place if more people treated others in the way described by many on these forums after their exchanges with Ron online. I don't have any studies to cite as evidence, but if I could find one, I'm sure this claim would be proven with statistical significance.

Condolences to Ron's family.

I've spent 30 years working in IT support for a piece of relatively little-used but lucrative business software so the community of people involved in terms of customers and other people in the company is very small. I've dealt with these people mostly in written forms of communication and phone calls. Only on rare occasions have I actually met any of them face-to-face. They are really just anonymous names. Working out what they are really like in terms of appearance and personality has become a bit of an art form. The skill has been useful on this forum! It's surprising how often I'm on the mark and I reckon from what I've learned about Ron since his passing, I got him fairly right too. Having said that I have also had the occasional bad miss!

 

[23.21.159]

We had some extra in the kit - the little we get from the ads on the site pay for unforeseen requirements, btw when we didn't make finals the site revenue increased with all the extra page views! (don't think I can retire with ad revenue, maybe a few extra coffees or panadols)

Media pundits and fans of other clubs coming to gloat?

 

[Mr T.]

Media pundits and fans of other clubs coming to gloat?

Maybe, or just group therapy.

 

[Dyer'ere]

I'll always be a big fan of L2's work. He's always been a favourite. This is very sad news indeed.

My condolences to his family.

 

[UKTiger]

I settled for "A member of my Richmond family", it seemed to fit.

This statement seems to fit very well with our thoughts. However, to add to this thought, I know many of you socialise together whilst many of us are anonymous but I, as I am sure many others, regard many of the posters as a family as well, even those that we occasionally spar with. It speaks volumes of the community values the forum has built up over the years.

 

[Jason King]

I have been away with health issues myself and this was the first thing I see when I came back He was still so young and I really do feel for his family. Its hard to not reflect on life itself and how fleeting it is.

I always viewed him as someone who is obviously intelligent, opinionated and always respectful and helpful. You could ask him anything and he would whizz off and come back with the stats for you.

On a side note once again everyone on PRE just demonstrates the way to do a forum. Pretty heartening to see all the comments and condolences and genuine care shown for another human being.

 

[Fighting Fury]

That's something many of us probably grappled with. My wife asked me what was wrong when she saw me visibly upset as I reading some of the posts on this thread. It was difficult to succinctly explain what Ron was. A friend? A mate? An acquaintance? Some random anonymous person on a Richmond forum? I settled for "A member of my Richmond family", it seemed to fit.

Was trying to explain my sadness to my partner too and struggled. Something about coming through that 37 years of bleakness (the reason that so many of us became welded to PRE) to climbing to the glorious highs of 2017 etc. together as a Richmond Family.

Even explaining the L2R2R handle is something that only Richmondites would understand. Really saddened by this news and sincere condolences to Ron's/Lee's family.

 

[bullus_hit]

I will miss Lee, his politics were the opposite to my views but he always encouraged robust debate without getting personal. As a stats man he was the best, not sure we'll ever get another like him. RIP Ron, gone but not forgotten.

 

[jesstigers]

I'm shocked. We had some barnys about climate change, but I respected his opinion and his resilience when it seems at times he was being ganged up on.

He's a year younger than me, and we had a chat many years ago about how we both jumped the fence after Roach's 100th goal in 1980. He made it, but a copper stopped me in my tracks.

After seeing his photo, I realise that I have met him many times standing behind the goals at PRE (my favourite place to watch the footy beer in hand and engage in banter). He had a booming voice when he disagreed with an umpire's decision, and was always up for a chat. So weird that after all those years I'd been chatting to Ron.

I always knew when I went to the footy, Ron would be there. He was a constant.

RIP mate

Ron’s youngest sister here.
I was going to read all the comments first and post a thank you to everyone, but I came across yours and had to reply.
You made me chuckle, which is very hard right now. I used to visit Ron at half time at the G with my son. We would only stop for a few minutes and chat to him, then go back to our seats to watch the game, due to his loud (and at times, not family friendly, voice). He was a true gentle giant, except of you watched the footy with him!