Editor’s Note: As we move into the second half of this holiday week, we’ll be revisiting some of our favorite articles from previous years. This article was written by Dan after the passing of noted soccer journalist, Grant Wahl in December of 2022.

Yesterday, we all learned the news that noted soccer journalist Grant Wahl had passed away in Qatar while covering a soccer match. The soccer world has spent the time since sharing stories of Wahl’s life and individual interactions with him. It’s a bitter moment (I was going to say bittersweet, but there is no sweetness in our loss) for everyone but, just as the community circled the wagons after the passing of Daryl Grove (Total Soccer Show co-host) several years ago, there is a strong communal response to Wahl’s death.

And just as when Grove passed, I cannot offer much more than what so many others are offering. However, I did want to take a moment to share my personal experience with Grant, as limited as they were.

If you know me, you know I can be outspoken and aggressive on social media and that is where I first interacted with the man. I was critical of a social media post of his. Honestly it was a trivial thing, but suddenly I had a legend in my inbox, asking me to clarify my quick-fire twitter response. After asking for that clarification Grant appealed to reason. “You've got anger toward someone you don't even know, and that's fine, but if you ask a guy you respect like Pablo Maurer about me, he'll tell you what I'm about. Twitter is a cesspool of anger, and I guess I've accepted that, but it still bothers me when it comes from my colleagues in the business.” It was a shocking moment of truth and the first interaction with someone I had read for close to 15 years of my life.

After an exchange, I apologized for how aggressively I responded to him. Told him I was wrong and that I should have thought before I tweeted. And though he didn’t have to, he was gracious and encouraging. “Thanks for that, Dan. It’s not common to hear something like that on this platform. Hope we can cross paths in person at some point. Good luck with your coverage.”

I think it was the first time I really thought about how much shit journalists take on social media and how most of us don’t even think about it. After that first interaction, I had several more connections with Grant via direct messaging. He came on a podcast with me and was spectacular. Maybe the best interview I’ve ever done, though the credit was all his. And I figured that would be the end of our conversations, but Grant always made a point to send a comment here or there to know I was still on his radar. He didn’t have to, but he did it anyway.

He often lamented the state of discourse on social media, usually connected to hot take criticism of him not asking the right question or being critical enough of the federation or Berhalter. After one such conversation he summed up his thoughts. “It’s not that I can’t take criticism for my work, and journalism is an imperfect pursuit, but I wish fan criticism of journalists would be connected to those imperfections and not stupid stuff…Twitter is well-suited to being a rage machine, despite its other benefits.”

My last message to Grant was on November 21, the day he was delayed entering a venue while wearing a shirt with a prominent rainbow. Grant was fierce in his defense of his action and critical of the Qatari response: “But the entire episode left me wondering: What’s it like for ordinary Qataris who might wear a rainbow shirt when the world isn’t watching here? What’s that like?” Classic work. I messaged him that day and thanked him for his commentary and encouraged him to keep it up. Within two minutes he responded and thanked me.

Grant died doing what he loved. And no matter the cause of his death, I’m thankful for that. He was, and you don’t have to take my word for it, a good man. A principled man. A kind man. He was encouraging to me and so many people like me, not because he had to be, but because he was just that kind of person. While the discourse was toxic at times, he always engaged and appreciated the passion of those involved. He loved this game and, while it hurts to say it, I suspect he wouldn’t have been anywhere else yesterday.

They are silent today, but Grant had many detractors. People who took aim at him because he was the biggest name in soccer journalism. People who attacked him because he was too much of an insider or not aggressive enough with his criticism of the state of the game. I remember when Wahl’s salary was discussed openly and I too had hot takes to say about it. I’m thankful that I got the chance to meet him, get to know him, and realize how wrong I was about him. It’s a lesson we should all take from this moment. Being famous is no armor against attacks. Words hurt and I can say with some confidence that Grant was often hurt by some of the things people hurled at him. I can also say that he was the kind of person that forgave easily when an apology was offered with sincerity.

I do not like writing articles like this, but I think that sharing my thoughts and experiences are a tiny way to thank Grant for his impact on my life as a journalist, but also as a person. I am a better person because of the impact of Grant Wahl. We have lost a great contributor to our community. He was a cornerstone because of his work, but he was also a mason, building up the next generation of writers and content creators. He will be missed and there will forever be a gap in the wall.

- Dan Vaughn