Week Five Crystal Ball - Thursday: A Devastating Loss
My friends, THE GURU writes with a heavy heart after the sudden and devastating passing of my old friend Jeff Pomeroy. He was a husband, a father, a confidante and, simply put, a one-of-a-kind human being.
In these pages through the years, he was known as JEFFY THE SKIN or PIGHEART JEFF and he loved his team, whether they were called the Redskins, the Washington Football Team or the Commanders. Indeed, he was always sure that good things were around the corner for the Burgundy & Gold, and, in 2024, his faith was rewarded.
We hadn’t seen one another in a few years but we were always closely connected during football season by text, Twitter, or telepathy. It only made sense given that Jeff and I were friends for 20+ years and he was there at the outset of THE TRE MAN’s Washington fandom, tailgating at the youngster’s very first Skins game.
Jeff and Tre had a special connection, and my son loved having my fun-loving buddy around, especially when we vacationed in Cape May, N.J. Separated by 50 years, they nonetheless kayaked together, ate together and, yes, drafted a fantasy team together. I’m not sure how much value the young man added to Jeff’s squad but he sure enjoyed learning more about football at his older friend’s knee.
This year, of course, we’ve all reveled in the Jayden Daniels Experience, with Jeff and I continuing to reminisce about past teams as well. In fact, the day before he passed, we traded Twitter messages about the historic 1991 Skins, who dominated the NFL from wire-to-wire in one of the most impressive runs the league has seen.
Jeff always expected great things from his football team and, away from sports, led by example with a rare selflessness and empathy for others. No matter the situation, he was the consummate glass-is-half-full guy, quickly dismissing the negative. Simply, the tagline beneath his LinkedIn photo spoke volumes about his approach to life.
Yes, Jeff was always moving forward, putting one step in front of the other and, importantly, bringing others with him. It was an attitude and approach that I always admired and, to hear him talk, it came from his late parents, Jack and Sally. And Jack, it should be said, was a Lehigh man.
Jeff’s steady pace began when he was a young man, running like the wind at Rider College, where he was a star. Hitting the track or the open road with a pair of athletic shoes was a lifelong pursuit of Jeff’s - surely, I was the yin to his yang - and he shared that passion with old teammates and, especially, his dear wife Barbara Jean.
That passion - that unique, one-of-a-kind passion, is what I’ll remember most about my dear buddy. A passion for life, for family, for others. From sunup to sundown.
One of the last pics Jeff sent me was this snapshot from late September, taken near the home he and Barbara shared in Florida. Like my old pal, it’s rare, awe-inspiring and rings of optimism.
Farewell, my faithful friend, until we meet again. Sunday afternoons may never be the same, but you’ll never be forgotten. HTTR!
Great, great tribute.