Let me show you the ropes…

September 15, 2017 /  apco  /  1 Comment  /  Memories Journal

I met Adam in person on his birthday in 2014, the day of the Patriots/Packers game at Lambeau Field (a game the Packers won in thrilling fashion). It was at the Distillery over a beer before the game and little did we know that a year later, he would learn of his cancer diagnosis.

But that’s not where the story begins. In summer 2012, I was newly married and looking forward to a new life and expanding my family. The possibilities were endless. I stumbled into sports blogging about the Packers for a small website and quickly learned of ALLGBP.com. I reached out to Jersey Al and soon, I was writing regularly for the site. I was green. VERY green. I could write, but it wasn’t crisp or “blog ready”.

Adam stepped in and gave me some pointers on the in’s an out’s of AP writing guidelines and his own suggestions for what makes good content on the site. He embraced my being completely new to the game and also stepped up as one of the senior writers on the site. His pride for what we were doing was evident and I quickly realized that I needed to get my act together to keep up. Shortly after I started writing, we began doing regular podcasts. Adam joined one of the first ones that we did and his unique sense of humor was immediately apparent. It made sense, as his writing style was similar. He had a way with words that told a story, compelled the reader but kept it light. He easily had the biggest following of any writer on our team and when he announced his fight against cancer, we were flooded with those wanting to support and help Adam and his family.

Sports writing has been a dream of mine since childhood. Life took me down another path for my career and source of income, but being a part of the team at ALLGBP.com and CheeseheadTV has been an absolute blast. Adam made me feel welcome and that’s no surprise, knowing him. But that little boost of “let me show you the ropes” jumpstarted what is still my favorite hobby nearly 5 years later.

Edward & Reggie, your Dad might not be here in front of you, but he’s with you all the time in your hearts. Know that he was an incredible guy who loved your Mom and both of you to the ends of the earth. Be proud that you’re a Czech and carry his name. Like I did, you’ll learn that there’s a lot to live up to. And like your Dad did with me, his spirit inside of you will be there to guide and support you!

Jason Perone