When I finally decided to work as a producer at CitrusTV instead of as a copy editor at The Daily Orange, I considered giving up writing completely to just focus on television. Sitting across from me in Watson Theater as I made that decision, Tomer Langer urged me to do what was best, whether it would be producing or copy editing. But he made me make a promise that afternoon that I couldn’t quit writing. I agreed, fully planning on keeping that promise for one semester, realizing the workload was too much and leaving. But here I am, two years later, producing one final piece for the best collegiate paper in the country.

Since I never worked as an editor, I never wrote a duck to thank those who have helped me on my journey. Thus, with my final few words, I’m going to do so now.

Tomer, thank you for that promise. I am a better person and journalist because of it. L’Chaim brother!

Schwed, thank you for yelling at me about a terrible women’s soccer gamer and then letting me cover the men’s game the next night. Thank you for being more excited about my Opal Curless A1 than I was. Want to talk about Yorktown lax?

Charlie, thank you for being my first friend at ‘Cuse. We said on the first week that we’d be sports editors and cover men’s basketball together. While that didn’t happen, we did some pretty good work. That guy we beefed with on Twitter might not think so, but he’s wrong.

Sam, thank you for being the person whom I’ve tried to emulate every day of my college career. Let’s hang, bud, maybe not for a six-hour read though. Please never wear all black to run a marathon again. You’ll cook like a Thanksgiving turkey. 

Guti, thank you for being the biggest goofball I’ve ever met. When I first met you, you were like a 45-year-old kid writing about pistachios. Miss you.

Courtesy of Matt Liberman

Schaf, thank you for laughing even harder than I did when Graham decided he couldn’t handle himself on the commuter rail. Maybe we’ll find that Airbnb in a video someday.

Graham, thank you for booting on the commuter rail. You should go on Jeopardy and beat James Holzhauer.

Kaci, thank you for being an even bigger Thrones fan than I am. “Janos Slynt” will never know what’s coming. Don’t forget to eat and sleep, those are important. Thank you for being the friendliest person I have ever met at 744.

Dabbundo, thank you for being you. Let’s grab Wendy’s sometime and talk more about Tony Bennett. Maybe we’ll take a trip to Destiny and set up shop.

MJ, thank you for not being Delt Mike anymore. Sorry I called you an a**hat. You’re a tremendous editor and a better friend.

Billy, thank you for being the guiding light. Looking at you each day, I always knew whatever I was doing, there was someone working harder.

To the rest of the sports staff, thank you for the memories. I’m sorry I can’t mention everyone. You guys know how much I hate word counts.

This past year has been one of the toughest of my life, but everyone at the DO gives me a reason to smile. To my friends and family elsewhere, you’ve been there every step of the way.

Couches, thank you for the concussions in the ceiling, the bonfires and the Revolutionary War knife. Thank you for the stationary giant and Qdoba dates.

CTN boys, thank you for the New Year’s celebrations and for the half apps. Thank you for the Billy Joel, the tree-outs and Pagodas. To next year in Jerusalem, or Jonny’s basement.

Dugan, Thomsen, Riccardi, thank you. I can’t think of three people at school who had a bigger influence on me than you.

Kat, thank you for waiting for me at Citrus every Thursday after ‘Cuse Countdown. Thank you for letting me raid your food every day and not openly getting mad about it. Thank you for being there for over three years and hopefully for many more, maybe in Greece.

Brianna, thank you for not listening to me, or mom, or dad and not going to Ithaca. Thank you for guest swipes and the jokes about pantsuits. Thank you for the pictures of Cody for the first three years when I was the only one here. Thank you for being my best friend.

Courtesy of Matt Liberman

Dad, thank you for never letting me hang up the phone peacefully. Thank you for always being the funniest guy in the room, even when most times you shouldn’t be. Thank you for putting a little Everett in me and for always being my biggest supporter. Thank you for teaching me to be the man that I am. I love you.

Mom, thank you for yelling at me when I got a 95 on a spelling test, I’m better off for it.

Thank you for calling me every day to say hi even when you know I don’t have the time. I may sound frustrated on the phone, but it just means you’re being my mom. Thank you for being the most important person in the world. I’m sorry about all the times I caused you pain and for all the times I didn’t say I’m sorry. I love you and tell Myra she’s wrong.

I don’t know what will come for me next in life, but I only ask of one thing: don’t be a stranger.

Matt Liberman was a staff writer for The Daily Orange, where his column will no longer appear. He can be reached at mdliberma@syr.edu and on Twitter @Matt_Liberman.

— 30 —

Published on April 28, 2019 at 8:08 pm