I don’t know how to start off an article like this because I’ve never been in this situation before–but yesterday, GuysGirl lost our long time lead writer, Rob Lazlo, due to ongoing health issues after open heart surgery in 2013.
Rob started off with GuysGirl back in 2010 when were partnered with the blog network, Bloguin. He reached out on a message board looking for a place to share his work and he immediately found a home sharing his opinion on everything from sports to television and movies. His series were some of the most well-read and written articles on the site for several years and became the “Guy” voice for “GuysGirl.”
Rob and I often talked about plans for the future of the site–where we saw it going and things we wanted to write about and if the Jaguars and Eagles were ever going to make a damn turnaround into winning franchises. He has been a vital part of how far we’ve come and to say we’re gonna miss him is an extreme understatement.
During peak NFL season, Rob was writing 5-7 articles per week—which was usually more than me. His NFL Power Rankings series was something I would read even if he didn’t write for GuysGirl and ‘Lazlo’s Clicker’ remains my favorite television column out of anyone on the web. The man wrote more than 1,000 articles on here and never asked for a dime—just a platform to share his voice.
After Rob suffered his first big health challenge that required open heart surgery (which he eloquently wrote about) he was making strides back to writing full time again. Just two weeks ago, he was knocking out 2016 previews for the AFC West and NFC East and told me he was *finally* picking the Jaguars to win the AFC South. But I was also aware that his doctors were changing up his meds in hopes he wouldn’t feel so depleted of energy. When I didn’t see any more NFL previews come through, I assumed something was up but didn’t want to press him because Rob always delivered if he was physically able to. And if he wasn’t, his health would always be my top priority.
However those would be the last articles Rob would write because his son, Nick, reached out with news that his dad was back in the hospital but he was alert and anxious to leave soon so he could”get back to writing.”
This morning, Nick provided me with the news of his father’s passing. To type that out is incredibly hard to do and tears are flowing from my eyes. But Rob battled through a lot and still found time to write so I can do the same for him.
I am proud to have provided a platform for Rob’s voice. His passing is a reminder that we’re only given so much time on this earth and it’s important to be a positive impact where you can. While we won’t be able to read his opinion on Carson Wentz making his first start for the Eagles, you can bet your ass his writing will always remain on GuysGirl so his vast knowledge of sports and entertainment can still be heard.
Read some of Rob’s best work below…
Share it. Hug your family. And never take a day on this earth for granted.
Power Rankings for every NFL team entering the 2016 regular season
Are these new female-led comedies worth the watch?
Should the NFL hire full-time clock managers?
Why ‘The People vs. O.J. Simpson’ is damn good television
4 easy ways to fix the NBA Draft
If we could pick the NFL Dream Team, these guys make the list
Giving a sad goodbye to David Bowie and Alan Rickman
Why Chip Kelly didn’t last with the Eagles
Christmas movies for people who hate Christmas
NFL Draft: How Teams Rank and Assess Each Position
Almost Dying: For Dummies
See ALL of Rob’s writings by visiting his author page.
