re: Cecil Hurt Passed Away Today

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You’re referring to John Servati, a swimmer at Alabama and also a good friend of mine.

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I did not know John Servati. When the time comes to allocate coverage to the various sports at the University of Alabama, swimming and diving usually gets a small portion, if anything at all. That is no reflection on the prowess of swimmers, who are supremely conditioned, fiercely competitive men and women. But when it comes to television coverage or space in the newspaper, swimming rarely gets a mention unless it is in the context of an Olympic year. So I only know John Servati through what has been said about him since his tragic, untimely death on Monday night by friends and teammates and stunned coaches, all of whom described a smiling, fun-loving teammate who turned into a focused, driven competitor during practice or meets. And I know a couple,of other things: that the last entry on his Twitter feed was about his concern for those affected by a tornado in his hometown of Tupelo, Miss., earlier on Monday, and I know that in his final moments, he thought first of others, his girlfriend, whose life he may well have saved when a retaining wall collapsed around them.

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“Some people march to the beat of their own drummer. Cecil conducted his own marching band. He saw the world differently than the rest of us but was uniquely gifted in communicating things the rest of us might have seen in a light that brought them to life anew"

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Alabama football coach Nick Saban  said in a statement that Hurt was “a good friend and one of the best sportswriters I have ever had the privilege of working with, not just at Alabama, but at all of our coaching stops.”

“He was a man of integrity and a fair-minded journalist blessed with wit, wisdom, and an ability to paint a picture with his words that few have possessed. Cecil was loved throughout this community and state as an old-school journalist who covered the Alabama beat with class and professionalism. He was a role model for young writers and the most trusted source of news for Alabama fans everywhere. He leaves a wonderful legacy as one of sports journalism’s best. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends as well as Alabama fans everywhere who loved Cecil as much as we did.”

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