Does anyone know SWC personally?

[AccuRater]

About 8-9 years ago Steve was a guest I think on the Brent Axe show on Syracuse sports radio. I called in from Georgia just to talk to him and thank him for his contributions to the board and other stuff. It was a pretty cool day for me. He was very humble and gracious and thanked me several times.

I'm really going to miss him

Are you in CNY? I'm sure he would love to see you.

 

[JarHeadJim]

Are you in CNY? I'm sure he would love to see you.

No Southwest Georgia.

 

[AccuRater]

I found out that Francis House has internet - of course they would. - and I am bringing my iPad tomorrow morning and am going to read as many tributes to him as possible. Wish me luck!

That is wonderful. Steve will appreciate your visit.

 

[stlorange]

Congratulations Steve on having thousands of fiends who care deeply about you. You did make a difference and will always be remembered fondly. Safe travels my friend.

 

[cliftonparksufan]

I found out that Francis House has internet - of course they would. - and I am bringing my iPad tomorrow morning and am going to read as many tributes to him as possible. Wish me luck!

You are an angel.

 

[SanDiegoCuse]

Thank you for all your contributions, Steve. It’s crazy to think we’ve been interacting for probably two decades. Just wanted to send you all my love and positive energy.

 

[kingtidge]

Loved Steve's season previews and the coach's show questions and recaps... plus upside/downside after games were always spot-on.

His posts are always well thought out and insigtful and he always has a great "pulse" on the games and program.

He's been a real asset to the board here.

Hate to see the Big C take another... it takes way too many and took my old man as well.

Thoughts and prayers are with him and his family in his twilight time.

 

[SUFan44]

Someone needs to continue with the Net Points database.

While they have not been nearly as fun to track the last 8-10 years, they really help to tell the tale of who is valuable and who is not. And was an analytical tool before it was cool.

Thanks to SWC75 (Steve) - thinking of him and his family.

 

[Jake]

Steve,
So sorry for this to happen to you. Cancer sucks. I hope these messages bring you joy and a sense of pride. You make a difference here. Your historical research and knowledge is unmatched. We should all hope to leave a legacy behind. You will.

Thank you for always being a kind, respectful member of this crazy community we all share.

God Bless.

 

[SUFan44]

So, many of us are in a certain age group that these things are happening now with greater frequency. I, too, have been fighting cancer for close to 3 years now. Mine started out as something seemingly insignificant, had surgery, they thought they got it all, but (of course) they didn't. And it spread, and it took about 9 months to get rid of the original set of tumors, three or four in all, in close proximity.

I was clear for about a year, and then they started coming back in September around Labor Day. My original cancer metastasized, and I've had a dozen more malignant tumors since then. Ten have been removed, two to go. I've had doctors visits pretty much once or twice a week for the last 6 months. Pretty much a new tumor every couple weeks, for half a year. I've had chemo, but so far I still have my hair! LOL

So, I reached out to Steve privately, to say, "hey, I'm going through something right now, too" and tried to offer some encouragement and hope.

The way I phrased it, though, went over like a lead balloon. My message missed the mark (as you often see on this forum!).

I said to him, "I've decided to make cancer my friend." What I meant by this was this: I know it's going to be with me for a while. I'm going to need to pay attention to this, and try to live with it. I have to embrace it, rather than be angry, because we know that when our body is in a positive place, we heal more effectively. Stress and anger and bullshit hurt the healing process. It's kind of a Buddhist outlook.

But he was not in a place of acceptance at that time (you know, on the "Stages of Grief" scale), he was angry about his tumor, and that's part of the process. It's totally understandable.

He wrote me back, though, and while he wasn't willing to accept his tumor as his "friend" (so understandably!), he told me that his brother is also going through something similar to me. And he said he would pass along my perspective, in hopes it could be helpful.

So, I wish Steve all the best. We're not really personal friends, but we have been "intimate strangers" on this board for the last 30 years. Many of us are like that. CTO and the Fine Mess gang have grown this community so much in person over all these years. I am grateful to you all for your friendship and community over the years.

I'm doing fine, knock on wood. Hope to continue to do so for many years to come. If you sense I'm irrationally angry sometimes in my posts, I hope you give me some grace and forgiveness, and keep this is mind. Namaste!

So sorry to hear this, Matt. Hang in there and keep fighting.

 

[rrlbees]

So, many of us are in a certain age group that these things are happening now with greater frequency. I, too, have been fighting cancer for close to 3 years now. Mine started out as something seemingly insignificant, had surgery, they thought they got it all, but (of course) they didn't. And it spread, and it took about 9 months to get rid of the original set of tumors, three or four in all, in close proximity.

I was clear for about a year, and then they started coming back in September around Labor Day. My original cancer metastasized, and I've had a dozen more malignant tumors since then. Ten have been removed, two to go. I've had doctors visits pretty much once or twice a week for the last 6 months. Pretty much a new tumor every couple weeks, for half a year. I've had chemo, but so far I still have my hair! LOL

So, I reached out to Steve privately, to say, "hey, I'm going through something right now, too" and tried to offer some encouragement and hope.

The way I phrased it, though, went over like a lead balloon. My message missed the mark (as you often see on this forum!).

I said to him, "I've decided to make cancer my friend." What I meant by this was this: I know it's going to be with me for a while. I'm going to need to pay attention to this, and try to live with it. I have to embrace it, rather than be angry, because we know that when our body is in a positive place, we heal more effectively. Stress and anger and bullshit hurt the healing process. It's kind of a Buddhist outlook.

But he was not in a place of acceptance at that time (you know, on the "Stages of Grief" scale), he was angry about his tumor, and that's part of the process. It's totally understandable.

He wrote me back, though, and while he wasn't willing to accept his tumor as his "friend" (so understandably!), he told me that his brother is also going through something similar to me. And he said he would pass along my perspective, in hopes it could be helpful.

So, I wish Steve all the best. We're not really personal friends, but we have been "intimate strangers" on this board for the last 30 years. Many of us are like that. CTO and the Fine Mess gang have grown this community so much in person over all these years. I am grateful to you all for your friendship and community over the years.

I'm doing fine, knock on wood. Hope to continue to do so for many years to come. If you sense I'm irrationally angry sometimes in my posts, I hope you give me some grace and forgiveness, and keep this is mind. Namaste!

Sorry to hear that Matt. Keep fighting the good fight.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Sorry to hear that Matt. Keep fighting the good fight.

Thanks, Bees. I bust your balls sometimes, but you're a really good dude, and one of the foundation blocks of this board. Thanks for everything you do.

 

[bballbeadle]

You are so sweet! That time we had lunch back before COVID, I wish I hadn't felt so compelled to rush back to the office for my lousy employers. You are a wonderful person, Ms. Beadle. Looking forward to seeing you at a future tailgate!

Oh shucks.

 

[bballbeadle]

A big shoutout to bballbeadle on this. She contacted some people and JB was told about Steves condition and he called Steve and they spent some time together on the phone today. Great job bballbeadle.

Dasher,YOU contacted Mike before I did, you sweet funny man!

 

[bballbeadle]

You are an angel.

You are an angel for saying that, but of course I am not. I went to Francis House a couple years after I retired because I wanted to see if they could use anyone to visit residents who had little or no friends or family. As a therapist, I had worked a lot with grief and death and it was very meaningful. But I had an interview with someone who said no, they didn’t need that. So I volunteered for a couple months on a Sunday night re-stocking supplies because I DON’T cook and the thought of working in the kitchen gave me a panic attack. But it was so boring and I just couldn’t keep it up.

So the opportunity to visit Steve makes me feel happy and peaceful, as weird as that sounds. I feel honored to meet him.

 

[bballbeadle]

So, many of us are in a certain age group that these things are happening now with greater frequency. I, too, have been fighting cancer for close to 3 years now. Mine started out as something seemingly insignificant, had surgery, they thought they got it all, but (of course) they didn't. And it spread, and it took about 9 months to get rid of the original set of tumors, three or four in all, in close proximity.

I was clear for about a year, and then they started coming back in September around Labor Day. My original cancer metastasized, and I've had a dozen more malignant tumors since then. Ten have been removed, two to go. I've had doctors visits pretty much once or twice a week for the last 6 months. Pretty much a new tumor every couple weeks, for half a year. I've had chemo, but so far I still have my hair! LOL

So, I reached out to Steve privately, to say, "hey, I'm going through something right now, too" and tried to offer some encouragement and hope.

The way I phrased it, though, went over like a lead balloon. My message missed the mark (as you often see on this forum!).

I said to him, "I've decided to make cancer my friend." What I meant by this was this: I know it's going to be with me for a while. I'm going to need to pay attention to this, and try to live with it. I have to embrace it, rather than be angry, because we know that when our body is in a positive place, we heal more effectively. Stress and anger and bullshit hurt the healing process. It's kind of a Buddhist outlook.

But he was not in a place of acceptance at that time (you know, on the "Stages of Grief" scale), he was angry about his tumor, and that's part of the process. It's totally understandable.

He wrote me back, though, and while he wasn't willing to accept his tumor as his "friend" (so understandably!), he told me that his brother is also going through something similar to me. And he said he would pass along my perspective, in hopes it could be helpful.

So, I wish Steve all the best. We're not really personal friends, but we have been "intimate strangers" on this board for the last 30 years. Many of us are like that. CTO and the Fine Mess gang have grown this community so much in person over all these years. I am grateful to you all for your friendship and community over the years.

I'm doing fine, knock on wood. Hope to continue to do so for many years to come. If you sense I'm irrationally angry sometimes in my posts, I hope you give me some grace and forgiveness, and keep this is mind. Namaste!

Okay, Matt, I don’t know what we are going to do about this but I am PMing you. I am so glad you told us. Now we are able to support you.

 

[SU94]

Dasher,YOU contacted Mike before I did, you sweet funny man!

This guy, our SWC, is the fan with greatest analytical investment in Syracuse sports. He studied, reviewed as charted. And while he held coaches and to a lesser degree players accountable, he was also measured/civil. There are a lot of people on here that can take a cue from SWC. We need more like him.

I loved his streams of consciousness contained within the Coaches Show reviews. Dang.

 

[kingtidge]

So, many of us are in a certain age group that these things are happening now with greater frequency. I, too, have been fighting cancer for close to 3 years now. Mine started out as something seemingly insignificant, had surgery, they thought they got it all, but (of course) they didn't. And it spread, and it took about 9 months to get rid of the original set of tumors, three or four in all, in close proximity.

I was clear for about a year, and then they started coming back in September around Labor Day. My original cancer metastasized, and I've had a dozen more malignant tumors since then. Ten have been removed, two to go. I've had doctors visits pretty much once or twice a week for the last 6 months. Pretty much a new tumor every couple weeks, for half a year. I've had chemo, but so far I still have my hair! LOL

So, I reached out to Steve privately, to say, "hey, I'm going through something right now, too" and tried to offer some encouragement and hope.

The way I phrased it, though, went over like a lead balloon. My message missed the mark (as you often see on this forum!).

I said to him, "I've decided to make cancer my friend." What I meant by this was this: I know it's going to be with me for a while. I'm going to need to pay attention to this, and try to live with it. I have to embrace it, rather than be angry, because we know that when our body is in a positive place, we heal more effectively. Stress and anger and bullshit hurt the healing process. It's kind of a Buddhist outlook.

But he was not in a place of acceptance at that time (you know, on the "Stages of Grief" scale), he was angry about his tumor, and that's part of the process. It's totally understandable.

He wrote me back, though, and while he wasn't willing to accept his tumor as his "friend" (so understandably!), he told me that his brother is also going through something similar to me. And he said he would pass along my perspective, in hopes it could be helpful.

So, I wish Steve all the best. We're not really personal friends, but we have been "intimate strangers" on this board for the last 30 years. Many of us are like that. CTO and the Fine Mess gang have grown this community so much in person over all these years. I am grateful to you all for your friendship and community over the years.

I'm doing fine, knock on wood. Hope to continue to do so for many years to come. If you sense I'm irrationally angry sometimes in my posts, I hope you give me some grace and forgiveness, and keep this is mind. Namaste!

Dang brother...

Glad to hear you are beating it.

Stay strong of heart and positive.

 

[DoctorBombay]

Today (3/12), Steve was moved from Community General Hospital to Francis House, a Hospice facility. There will be no further treatments. Just palliative care.

Cards and messages would be appreciated.

The address is:

Steven Chappel
C/O Francis House
108 Michaels Avenue
Syracuse, NY 13208

Damn.
The older I get, the more I really hate that one word...hospice, and all its negative connotations.

 

[cliftonparksufan]

Loved Steve's season previews and the coach's show questions and recaps... plus upside/downside after games were always spot-on.

His posts are always well thought out and insigtful and he always has a great "pulse" on the games and program.

He's been a real asset to the board here.

Hate to see the Big C take another... it takes way too many and took my old man as well.

Thoughts and prayers are with him and his family in his twilight time.

His letters to his brother's season preview was top notch journalism that there was no other place to receive such a comprehensive piece.

After his brother passed away, he continued writing them. Not sure if it was a way to remember his brother or if he just liked writing them.

Either way, I had reached out to him at that time to let him know how special they were and how we looked forward to reading them.

 

[baggerbob]

Damn.
The older I get, the more I really hate that one word...hospice, and all its negative connotations.

Francis house is special, much different then anything I have seen . When my cousin Susan was there her last month, we had lived together for 24 years. The last months at home were hard.
When she got accepted at Francis House I was there every day and it felt like home and Family with all who work there.
It is a special place and always will be for me.

 

[IthacaMatt]

His letters to his brother's season preview was top notch journalism that there was no other place to receive such a comprehensive piece.

After his brother passed away, he continued writing them. Not sure if it was a way to remember his brother or if he just liked writing them.

Either way, I had reached out to him at that time to let him know how special they were and how we looked forward to reading them.

Steve was our version of "The Old Scout", who he would refer to from time to time in his posts.

 

[kcsu]

Francis house is special, much different then anything I have seen . When my cousin Susan was there her last month, we had lived together for 24 years. The last months at home were hard.
When she got accepted at Francis House I was there every day and it felt like home and Family with all who work there.
It is a special place and always will be for me.

My wife, her dad and mom, my mother all benefited from the angels that work at Hospice. My sister-in-law is a hospice social worker. I'm extremely grateful for everything that they do and so glad that Steve is in their care. God Bless Steve and all of the people that care for him and are caring for him.

 

[SUFaninNJ]

My wife, her dad and mom, my mother all benefited from the angels that work at Hospice. My sister-in-law is a hospice social worker. I'm extremely grateful for everything that they do and so glad that Steve is in their care. God Bless Steve and all of the people that care for him and are caring for him.

My sister is a Hospice social worker as well. I know that I would not be capable of doing half of what she does. She’s told me that Francis House is “a wonderful place.” I’m glad to know that Steve’s in the best possible location. He has set a bar that us mere mortal posters can only hope to achieve.

 

[bballbeadle]

Report on Steve:

When I got to Francis House there were 3 other people in the room. I was happy to see them. Two were his first cousin and her husband from perhaps Pennsylvania? The other was a woman who checks in on him 3 times a day - a neighbor? She calls herself his friend - and she told him she was going to his house today to pick up some tax things, which made him groan. The three of them gave me privacy so I could read to Steve.

Steve was weak. I only stayed with him about 15 minutes. I was told that he was very agitated when he arrived so they were giving him anti-anxiety drugs and it made him sleepy. He apparently sleeps, then wakes up, then sleeps. I am hoping that he can adjust to the meds so he can have more alert time. With his tiredness, it is hard to say how much time he may have left. And of course, no one really knows that.

I probably was able to read him about 25 messages. He listened but he had his back to me. A couple of them made him chuckle. Can’t remember which ones, sorry. After about 15 minutes he said he had to sleep. I asked if I could come back tomorrow and read to him some more and he said yes. Francis House is only 1 1/2 miles from my place. I touched his arm and told him it was an honor to meet him.

He said two things to me while I was reading. One was he made a suggestion that maybe we could have a health thread so people could post there if they were struggling with an illness. I think this must have come from his place of loneliness that he was going through this but didn’t feel he could tell the board. I think that is not a bad idea. I do know many people want to keep their health issues private but probably some would like to share, like Ithaca Matt. I am wondering if our Covid thread could be turned into a Covid/health thread? I don’t know who makes these decisions. The admins?

He also told me there would be no ceremony. I said, “Well, ceremonies are usually for the living but I am sure your wishes will be respected.”

When I first entered the room and we were introducing ourselves, Steve’s friend said, “And guess who called him yesterday? JIM BOEHEIM! We were all so excited because we were in the room. The receptionist was so excited she could barely get the words out. JIM BOEHEIM!” I was very pleased.

I am going to copy this to the basketball board because I am sure some of them don’t come to the OT board. I will go back tomorrow to read to him some more.