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RIP Fred McLeod

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It's hard to explain, but it is like there is a comfort to some people calling a game because you know you are in good hands. Fred was that and I agree with all the sentiment in here because I had the same thoughts. So glad he got to see the championship.

I hope AC is doing alright. I'm sure they were very close because that is a unique working relationship. I wonder if he will continue to do it.
 
It's hard to explain, but it is like there is a comfort to some people calling a game because you know you are in good hands. Fred was that and I agree with all the sentiment in here because I had the same thoughts. So glad he got to see the championship.

I hope AC is doing alright. I'm sure they were very close because that is a unique working relationship. I wonder if he will continue to do it.

Almost wonder if AC will retire. A little worried about him too. Obviously Fred's entire family. This just sucks.

AC and Fred seemed liked brothers. I wouldn't be surprised if he just didn't want to do it anymore, because he lost his partner.

No one could blame him. It's going to be really tough.
 
Austin's one hell of a man for doing that broadcast with his emotions out there for all to see. The fact that Austin did that says a lot about both Fred and Austin.

I think there should be a "Fred & Austin" banner. Plus he's Mr. Cavalier, he SHOULD be up there twice.

On another thread there's a debate about losing interest in watching the Cavaliers. For me Fred and Austin really added to the broadcasts -- even if the team and/or the game sucked they kept a positive attitude and were always entertaining, which after all is their job. More to the point -- Austin is right, if you're friends that comes out and if you aren't that comes out too. Fred and Austin added so much to the viewing experience -- I was always a bit bummed when I only had the away telecast on League Pass. It won't be the same this year without Fred.

They'll have a tough job replacing Fred. I never had a chance to meet him, but I've met Austin, and he's totally authentic. Obviously Fred was too.

Also remembering when we lost Nev Chandler, Steve Olin and Tim Crews. And Don Rogers.
 
Man I'm in tears too after watching AC's reaction to Fred's death..
I was one of those too that was a little unexcited about the upcoming season but Fred and of course AC would've found a way to keep it interesting. Damn we really did lose a treasure here...
So grateful that we have both Fred and AC on video calling the Cavs championship which will live on..
 
Austin's one hell of a man for doing that broadcast with his emotions out there for all to see. The fact that Austin did that says a lot about both Fred and Austin.

I think there should be a "Fred & Austin" banner. Plus he's Mr. Cavalier, he SHOULD be up there twice.

On another thread there's a debate about losing interest in watching the Cavaliers. For me Fred and Austin really added to the broadcasts -- even if the team and/or the game sucked they kept a positive attitude and were always entertaining, which after all is their job. More to the point -- Austin is right, if you're friends that comes out and if you aren't that comes out too. Fred and Austin added so much to the viewing experience -- I was always a bit bummed when I only had the away telecast on League Pass. It won't be the same this year without Fred.

They'll have a tough job replacing Fred. I never had a chance to meet him, but I've met Austin, and he's totally authentic. Obviously Fred was too.

Also remembering when we lost Nev Chandler, Steve Olin and Tim Crews. And Don Rogers.
Edit- @godfather already posted it but here is an embed


Man, that is so heart breaking to watch. Like I thought, it seemed like they were very close, way more than the average colleagues.
 
Looking at Fred's twitter. He was tweeting recently about the Browns game. Just so unexpected.

You can just see from his tweets, what a great guy he is. Engaging with fans, wishing people well. James Worthy had knee replacement surgery, and Fred's tweeting wishing him a speedy recovery. Just a great guy. This just sucks he's gone.
 
Both Allie Clifton and A.C were on the radio yesterday afternoon talking about Fred. They both had a hard time keeping it together.
 
I have something to confess here. My aunt died this year in exactly this same way. Her heart stopped and no one knew anything but the daily routine until that point. So, I am having more feelings about Fred than I did about my aunt and I feel pretty ashamed about it. But I have been thinking a little more about it, and 82+ games a year and that is more than 160 hours a year I hear Fred's voice. Maybe it isn't so weird that I felt closer to him than my aunt I haven't seen in many years.

I hate to draw such a morbid comparison, but it's hard to gauge how the media you consume affects your life, but this is the worst "celebrity" death I have ever experienced maybe? John Candy is the only other one that is springing to mind where I really felt like I had been cheated somehow. I wanted more John Candy movies, and I wanted Fred to call the games in 20-21 season.
 
I have something to confess here. My aunt died this year in exactly this same way. Her heart stopped and no one knew anything but the daily routine until that point. So, I am having more feelings about Fred than I did about my aunt and I feel pretty ashamed about it. But I have been thinking a little more about it, and 82+ games a year and that is more than 160 hours a year I hear Fred's voice. Maybe it isn't so weird that I felt closer to him than my aunt I haven't seen in many years.

I hate to draw such a morbid comparison, but it's hard to gauge how the media you consume affects your life, but this is the worst "celebrity" death I have ever experienced maybe? John Candy is the only other one that is springing to mind where I really felt like I had been cheated somehow. I wanted more John Candy movies, and I wanted Fred to call the games in 20-21 season.
Chris Cornell was a really rough one for me and I'm not sure why it hit me as hard as it did. I mean, I always loved Soundgarden and his solo stuff and even Audioslave to a certain extent ... but listening to him on Howard Stern and other interviews through the years, it seemed like he had been a pretty dark guy in his younger years (as many of us are) and he had gotten through all of that with such an amazing family and of course ridiculous natural talent. And I had seen Soundgarden play in San Francisco a couple years before he died.

I don't know ... just a rough one for me.

Fred is a level beyond that though, because I spend so much time with the Cavs every year and it is almost like a seasonal rite of passage ... get through the summer months, football starts gearing up and then the nightly sessions with Fred and AC. They had become an integral part of my annual renewal that I didn't fully realize, I guess, until the news came down yesterday.

Been sick to my stomach since and yes... this has hit me harder than some family deaths as difficult as that is to say. Maybe because I have the knowledge that Fred was such an incredible person away from the court and I just know his family and those who actually knew him are going through the most difficult time of their lives. Some people just have that charisma or character or whatever it is that draws others to them. It is a quality that goes way beyond basketball.

We all have people in our lives that are the glue holding everything together.
 
Fred literally won over Cleveland fans. Reg is/was so good. Fred was damn great.

When you see Donovan in that video it makes you appreciate him and Tom Hamilton...

Hell, even Rick Manning in every game going: ”Etzel Lincoln from Perrysburg is celebrating her 119th birthday today”...

Makes you appreciate the little things with all these folks..
 
Fred literally won over Cleveland fans. Reg is/was so good. Fred was damn great.

When you see Donovan in that video it makes you appreciate him and Tom Hamilton...

Hell, even Rick Manning in every game going: ”Etzel Lincoln from Perrysburg is celebrating her 119th birthday today”...

Makes you appreciate the little things with all these folks..

The Cleveland Media is just bad, but our play by play team I think is damn good.

Both Allie Clifton and A.C were on the radio yesterday afternoon talking about Fred. They both had a hard time keeping it together.

I miss Allie Clifton. Of course the Lakers had to steal her away from us.
 
Looking at Fred's twitter. He was tweeting recently about the Browns game. Just so unexpected.

You can just see from his tweets, what a great guy he is. Engaging with fans, wishing people well. James Worthy had knee replacement surgery, and Fred's tweeting wishing him a speedy recovery. Just a great guy. This just sucks he's gone.
He was very engaged with fans. I messaged him often through forum site and always would reply back. He so badly wanted to be part of are community and he was. Gone but never forgotten
 

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