Social media now allows to "know" people we previously wouldn't have had much chance of knowing. This then leads to things like today, when Boilerdowd called me to let me know that one of our regular site visitors and Twitter followers, Matt (@m___o___b on Twitter) had passed away.

Matt was a friend of one of B-Dowd's high school buddies who went to IU, a guy who I've also gotten to be friends with despite his Hoosier diploma. So we didn't know Matt, per se, but then again, we kind of did.

Matt would often send us messages via Twitter or drop an email with something like a link or vid he found and wanted to share, etc. He was a Texas Rangers baseball fan and he and I went back and forth a bit last fall. He was also a big Steelers fan, no doubt looking forward to his team being in yet another Super Bowl. "MOB" also enjoyed beers, dogs, and outdoor sports. But more than anything else, Matt was a Boilermaker.

He was a loyalist who had tickets for basketball and football and he seemed to always be the optimist, truly enjoying his experience as a fan. He would send us messages via Twitter that didn't so much ask what we thought as proclaim things like, "Black N Gold will get it done tonight." His last tweet to us was about the Purdue-MSU game last weekend... and at 5 AM that morning he was at Triple XXX. Not a bad last game day experience.

Matt's obituary includes: "Matt was a 1996 graduate of Zionsville High School, and a proud alumnus of Purdue University." I guess my point is, Matt wanted it known by all that he was a proud Boilermaker -- and it looks like all did indeed know that.

In addition, towards the end of the obit is the following:

In lieu of flowers, contributions in memory of Matthew may be made to St. Alphonsus Liguori Catholic Church, Purdue University Athletics, c/o Purdue Foundation, 403 West Wood Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907 or the American Heart Association.

We lost a loyalist... and anyone who reads BS regularly knows what it means to be such a Boiler.

Happy trails, MOB. May the road rise up to meet you, may the wind be always at your back... may the sun shine warm upon your face, and the rain fall soft upon your fields... and until we all meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand.