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LOMBARDI’S WAY: Goodbye Jimbo

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Since July 3, 2003, the day we launched Ravens24x7.com, I’ve had the unique pleasure of meeting many, many Ravens fans.  It’s one of the luxuries of managing this site. I’ve encountered fans from all walks of life but rarely have I met someone with the spirit and lust for life of Jimmy Staymates’.
 
I didn’t know Jimmy very well but his smile and his warm handshake were always welcoming.  He had a perpetual twinkle in his eyes – at least the small portion of his eyes that you could see.  Jimmy’s grin devoured his face and nearly closed his eyes.  What a warm grin it was and whenever I hear the name Jim Staymates, that effervescent smile that was like a beam of light from a joyful soul is the image that my mind will conjure up and when it does, I know I’ll smile too.
 
I never got to know Jimmy all too well.  Our time together was rather fleeting and I only shared moments with him in Lot H with friends of his like Gary Kimmel and Jeff Brouillette.  But from what I can gather and from what his friends have shared with me about Jimmy, I didn’t have to spend a great deal of time with him to understand the man.  What you saw is what you got.  And that was a lot.
 
But don’t take my word for it – take the words of Jimmy himself and Gary Kimmel.  I think they tell the story of this great Ravens’ fan, this wonderful man.  The world was a much brighter place with Jimmy in it.  Let’s let his memory keep his beautiful light burning.
 
 
THE JIM STAYMATES LEGACY
May 27, 1950 – January 4, 2008
By Gary Kimmel
 
IT’S DIFFICULT TO BEGIN THIS COMMMEMORATIVE STORY…
WE ALL KNOW JIMMY WAS THE MASTER…WHEN IT CAME TO PRAISE AND GLORY.
 
WE’VE LOST OUR GOOD FRIEND….IT CAME AS SUCH A SURPRISE…
BUT LET THERE BE NO DOUBT…HE’LL BE A SPARKLE IN GOD’S EYES.
I MET THAT BOY 40 YEARS AGO AT GOOD OLD TSU…
A FRIENDSHIP WAS FORMED THAT QUICKLY DEVELOPED…AND GREW.
 
SOON…FROM EVERY CORNER OF THE CAMPUS…THERE CAME A COLLECTION OF CHARACTERS THAT FIT EVERY DESCRIPTION….
THE BIGGEST GOAL WE HAD AT THAT TIME…WAS TO AVOID AN EVICTION!
TOO NUMEROUS TO MENTION…BUT YOU CAN BE ASSURED THOSE CHARACTERS ARE ALL HERE…
TO CELEBRATE THE LIFE OF JIMBO…AND GIVE HIM ONE HUGE LAST CHEER!
 
HE COULD HIT A GOLF BALL…MUCH FURTHER THAN MOST… BUT THAT BIG SWING TOOK ITS TOLL…
IT WAS ALL JUST TO SHOW THE PINEY BRANCH BOYS…"THAT’S HOW I ROLL!”
HE WANTED TO PLAY FOR MANY MORE YEARS…SO HE WORKED ON HIS OWN SEQUEL…
HE WAS PIECING HIMSELF TOGETHER…REPLACED SHOULDER AND KNEE…AS THE BIONIC MAN…HE WOULD THEN HAVE NO EQUAL.
 
JIMMY LOVED TO ENTERTAIN ANYTIME…ANYWHERE…HE MADE IT HIS ART…
BEING THE LIFE OF THE PARTY…WELL THAT WAS ALWAYS THE EASY PART.
THE STORIES WOULD COME RAPID & EASY…HE ALWAYS DID HAVE THAT KNACK…
NONE OF US WOULD EVER AGREE THAT THE STUFF ACTUALLY HAPPENED…BUT WE’RE ALL GETTING OLDER…WHO CAN REMEMBER THAT FAR BACK?
 
SUUUUUURE…SOME OF THE FACTS WOULD BE EMBELLISHED A BIT…BUT WE ALL ENJOYED THE SHOW…
WHEN YOUR KNICKNAME IS “THE TRUTH”… DO YOU REALLY HAVE TO KNOW? 
CROSS COUNTRY IN SNOW TO VEGAS WE WENT…THE CASINOS THERE WERE GUARDING OUR CASH…
WE WATCHED THE REDSKINS MAKE THE DOLPHINS SEASON PERFECT…AT THE ’72 SUPER BOWL BASH.
 
MIAMI…JACKSONVILLE…ATLANTA….PHOENIX…TAMPA BAY…WE’VE TRAVELED ALL OVER THIS LAND…
THAT SAME CAST OF CHARACTERS WOULD COME FROM ALL AROUND…MAKING EACH AND EVERY TRIP…ALL THE MORE GRAND.
OUR RAVENS TRIPS WILL NOW NEVER BE QUITE THE SAME…
WE JUST MIGHT GET TO SLEEP BEFORE DAWN….WON’T THAT BE A SHAME?
 
JIMMY’S FAMILY HAS ALWAYS COME FIRST…
SANDY…DANIELLE…& BRET MADE HIM SO PROUD…SOMETIMES WE THOUGHT HE MIGHT BURST!
WE ALWAYS KNEW WHAT WAS GOING ON WITH YOU GUYS…EVEN THOUGH YOU WERE APART…
HIS SPIRIT WILL ALWAYS BE INSIDE YOU…HOLD IT VERY CLOSE TO YOUR HEART.
 
THEY SAY HE’S GONE TO A BETTER PLACE AND HE’LL BE IN GOD’S HANDS…BUT IT’S STILL  HARD FOR ALL OF US…NOT TO BE SAD….
LET’S CELEBRATE HIS LIFE….REMEMBERING THE MANY GREAT TIMES WE’VE ALL HAD.
WE’LL ALL MISS YOU JIMMY…WITH EVERY BREATH WE TAKE…
HOPE YOU ARE SMILING DOWN ON US AND ENJOYING…ALL THE FUSS WE WILL MAKE.
 
Now Jimmy in his own words….
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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