Joey Russ

@msc did a survivor analysis of some of the top contenders survivors around the midpoint of the year, so I decided to do the same. I made it to include anyone in the current top ten along with a few other special interest names, and I try to be as unbiased as possible. List in spolier: So, if we take all the people I put as an 7.5 or higher in likelihood, and assume that David Shutts obit and Vervoort goes the natural route, the scoreline would look like this:

I thought he was a cert for a NYT obit tbh, though one that doesn’t come till a few days later. Anyways, kudos to both of you picking him. What a great find...

I know that I'm nowhere near the best poster on the forum, but I would never tell someone that I hope that they don't win just because they're not a great poster.

I thought that was only true for Australians, but maybe I’m wrong. Oh well, that does give some hope for a certain celebrity builder when he goes...

Is it possible to request a different color palette in our profile? I’m honestly not a big fan of that shade of yellow and would have a red one instead (or if that isn’t an option, make it blue)...

I know he’s famous in New Zealand, but I feel like it’s very much appropriate to put Dick Quax death here.

Maybe drol was intentionally misleading us so no one would guess him...

He was on my longlist, but I’m not sure if I would’ve picked him anywhere apart from deathrace as I’m unsure of his obitality...

Drol says writer. Does he potentially mean a songwriter by any chance?

He could become the next Sri Sri guy tbh...

It's Herman Wouk, isn't it?

It seems like Sean really wants to know who this person is.

If it's who I think it is, I can say that they have been on my shortlist for a while now, and probably would be on my team barring any new names coming up (which of course more new names will show up). But I think the chances of them making the starting line is slim indeed...

Alan Bean is easily the biggest death in May so far (cue John McCain dropping dead in a few hours)...

Ah Steve McQueen would've been a good thread to see. Terminal cancer gets revealed in March, and he goes on experimental treatment where everyone hopes he makes the 1981 starting, only to die in November before he could be picked...

We missed two last word episodes. Two episodes ago, it was: Baroness Tessa Jowell, Will Alsop, Tom Wolfe, Dennis Nilsen. And last episode, it was: Beth Chatto, Philip Roth, Doreen Simmons, Khurshid Drabu, June Milne

The Grim Reaper caught the midnight rider (Gregg Allman) one year ago aged 69.

If he goes this year (which I have a feeling that he will), he’d only be the 5th person who dies older than 102 and the first to go at 103...

I just got to Nightswimming in my full listen of the album, and I agree that it's a superb song, along with the rest of the album (even Everybody Hurts is a great song despite it being overplayed). Apparently John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin helped with Nightswimming's orchestral arrangement, not something I'd guess on first listen...

Alan Bean's death reminded me of this great song today: Yeah, I know that it's about Andy Kaufman, but it's still a great song... EDIT: I'm listening to the album again and it reminds me on how good it is...

Been quite a big week for big names. Phillip Roth, TotalBiscuit, and Clint Walker were all influential in their field, and are all sad losses for sure...

Would a last surviving moon man poll be appropriate? I know generally these types of polls are ridiculed, but considering that two moon men polls were made in the past and the rarity of these type of people, I thought it might be appropriate. I just won't start one if the general answer is no...

Truthfully, I don't care what other people say about my music tastes. I try to be as open minded in my music as possible, so I try to listen to a lot of stuff, even if there are some artists that certain people say are uncool to listen to. And yes, I do enjoy a lot of older music...

Ooh, you have to feel bad for Dead Cow right now...