Remembering Joseph Suhoski (@vabeachrep)#RIPJoe

Good afternoon,

I blog with a heavy heart today as I talk about my friend, Joe Suhoski, who I think was a wonderful person (Joe was on Twitter at @vabeachrep).  Joe was only 40 years old.

He passed away on Saturday, September 1, 2018, the beginning of the college football season.

If you know Joe well like I did, you knew many distinct things about him:  Joe loved Old Dominion University (ODU) Monarchs football.

I love you, @ODUFootball

— Joe Suhoski (@VaBeachRep) April 20, 2018

Joe loved his Buffalo Bills, and he loved the band, Extreme (yes, a hair metal fan – he loved Nuno Bettencourt – who doesn’t!!).  Joe also loved baseball, NHL game sevens, and the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA).  Joe even kept an interest in the CAA after the Monarchs left the conference.

Joe was a really smart guy – we’re talking about someone who was in the ODU Bachelor of Science/Master of Science in Accounting combined degree program – and he passed the Certified Public Accounting examination on the first try (it’s not easy to do that).

Joe and I actually first met via Twitter – and I could tell that he and I were instantly going to get a long because he liked my Airplane movie jokes.

Joe’s Twitter bio was basically, “I like ODU football, the Bills, I live near Baltimore, and let’s get some beers.”  Who isn’t going to like a person with this bio?  I’m from from North Dakota – and have family members that attended North Dakota State University (NDSU) – and of course he knew of NDSU because Phil Hansen is one of the most decorated players in Buffalo Bills history.  And NDSU is the best football championship subdivision team in the country – not close – sorry you James Madison University pokes.

Joe and I first went to an ODU football game in the 2012 football season – it was a road game at Towson University.  ODU won that football game by the score of 31-20.  We had dinner before the game at a sports bar in Towson.  I remember telling him during the game that ODU would be going for it on 4th down even if the Monarchs were ahead because ODU had to show it could score in a pressure backed playoff game.  He was like, “Matthew, Bobby Wilder is too conservative to do that.”  And sure enough, ODU went for it on a fourth down inside the Towson red zone – and Joe immediately said, “I have to give Matthew credit for this prediction on Twitter.”  I chuckle a bit thinking about it.

I remember when ODU made the big announcement that they were moving to the football bowl subdivision (FBS), immediately found membership in Conference USA, and Joe immediately wanted to get to know his conference brethren – that’s the kind of guy he was.  I’ve gone to ODU football games with Joe in 2014 (Marshall), 2015 (Western Kentucky), and 2017 (Florida Atlantic) – we didn’t go in 2016 because there was a storm warning with UMass coming to town.  We were scheduled this year to go to the Virginia Tech – Old Dominion University football game.  Joe was always a willing podcast guest for @AllSportsDACC as ODU was getting on the football schedules of a lot of ACC teams.

As I said, Joe loved his Buffalo Bills.  Joe had his unbridled optimism that this was going to be the year of the Bills Super Bowl 😉

I love you, @buffalobills

— Joe Suhoski (@VaBeachRep) April 20, 2018

The good news about my stupid sleep schedule is I should wake up just in time to see the Bills’s second 1st rounder tmrw

— Joe Suhoski (@VaBeachRep) April 26, 2018

So this is what a Super Bowl winning schedule looks like #BillsMafia #Championship https://t.co/GaY1Kg64Nx

— Joe Suhoski (@VaBeachRep) April 20, 2018

The best part will be the week-long vacation following the Super Bowl LIII victory! #BillsMafia https://t.co/YlXALMIMGK

— Joe Suhoski (@VaBeachRep) April 20, 2018

pic.twitter.com/PZ2YFjITMq

— Joe Suhoski (@VaBeachRep) April 19, 2018

Did I mention that Joe liked Extreme?  He did – along with me (@HokieSmash_ASD), @JerryBeach73, and @MaryEllen74.  Jerry and Mary are my hair metal brother and sister.

Most of all, Joe loved life – and loved people that were kind – like our friend, Jerry Beach.

And here’s a picture of me & @VaBeachRep from a 2011 Hofstra-ODU game at Hofstra. HU was unbeaten in #CAAHoops coming in but ODU did ODU things & won going away. We went to Chrebet’s/Bogarts afterward and ate wings and watched playoff football. Damn. Joe was a great dude. pic.twitter.com/gfI09xuX0l

— Jerry Beach (@JerryBeach73) September 3, 2018

As sad as it makes me, I’m glad I found this: @VaBeachRep w/Molly at the 2015 #CAAHoops tourney. He gave her that Winnie the Pooh doll, which she still has. That’s the kind of guy Joe was, and the kind of family engendered by the CAA. I wish I’d seen him since then. RIP friend. pic.twitter.com/3UPCNiUkbE

— Jerry Beach (@JerryBeach73) September 3, 2018

Joe always gave me encouragement on my weight loss journey. On January 1, 2014, I weighted 246 – I’m about 70 pounds less today (I have maintained this over four years now).

Joe was also very self-deprecating:

I started tipping bartenders more than 20% because they have to put up with me.

— Joe Suhoski (@VaBeachRep) April 15, 2018

Most of all, Joe was very self-aware of what he had in his life – and wanted to make the lives of other people better:

This is outstanding.

Pls consider donating to your local charities. We can’t all afford $50K but every donation helps. Thank you. https://t.co/B33RDjDFuD

— Joe Suhoski (@VaBeachRep) April 12, 2018

We can honor Joe best by:

1.) Attending Joe’s funeral on Saturday September 8th at 10:00am at St. Adalbert Church, 160 South 15th Street, Pittsburgh PA 15203.

2.) Making a donation to the Maryland Food Bank in honor of Joe.

3.) Making a donation to ODU Athletics in honor of Joe.

Rest in Peace, Joe Suhoski.  Go Bills – Go Monarchs (except when they play my Hokies – I know Joe is smiling now when I say that).

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