MBB: Midwest Conference

jeffp · April 21, 2014, 07:52:05 PM

I've just been informed that our friend and d3hoops colleague Mark Ruppert - "The Roop" - has passed after a short illness. This board will never be the same...

May the four winds blow you safely home.

Mr. Ypsi · April 21, 2014, 10:27:14 PM

Quote from: jeffp on April 21, 2014, 07:52:05 PM
I've just been informed that our friend and d3hoops colleague Mark Ruppert - "The Roop" - has passed after a short illness. This board will never be the same...

May the four winds blow you safely home.

OMG. He was just running a write-in campaign! I had no idea he was ill.

RIP, The Roop. You WILL be missed.

cubs · April 21, 2014, 10:46:18 PM

You are correct in the fact that the boards will never be the same.... Might just have to have a "Roopachino" (TM pending) in his honor tomorrow!!!

Mr. Ypsi · April 22, 2014, 12:14:25 AM

What IS a Roopachino? I'd like to have one too - in his honor.

Pat Coleman · April 22, 2014, 10:26:46 AM

Quote from: jeffp on April 21, 2014, 07:52:05 PM
I've just been informed that our friend and d3hoops colleague Mark Ruppert - "The Roop" - has passed after a short illness. This board will never be the same...

May the four winds blow you safely home.

Sorry to hear that. Jeff, thanks for bringing the news to the board.

Pat Coleman · April 22, 2014, 10:28:13 AM

Quote from: Mr. Ypsi on April 22, 2014, 12:14:25 AM
What IS a Roopachino? I'd like to have one too - in his honor.

I'll let Jeff answer the specifics but it was a running joke on this board some years back centered around a nice little coffee shop in Grinnell, Iowa.

scottie · April 22, 2014, 10:52:22 AM

Big blow to the boards, folks. Mark's passion for "America's Team," The MWC, and D3 sports was awesome. I had the chance to meet him several years ago when he came to Monmouth, I believe for a playoff football game (wearing a home-made "Mount Monmouth" sweatshirt). I suspect that several of you greeted him at your home field/court when the Bucs had an away game. An interesting guy, to say the least!

RIP, The Roop.

AO · April 22, 2014, 11:25:01 AM

Prayers for the Roop's family. I always enjoyed his banter.

Maverick · April 22, 2014, 01:05:42 PM

Quote from: scottie on April 22, 2014, 10:52:22 AM
Big blow to the boards, folks. Mark's passion for "America's Team," The MWC, and D3 sports was awesome. I had the chance to meet him several years ago when he came to Monmouth, I believe for a playoff football game (wearing a home-made "Mount Monmouth" sweatshirt). I suspect that several of you greeted him at your home field/court when the Bucs had an away game. An interesting guy, to say the least!

RIP, The Roop.

I remember you bringing The Roop over to the tailgate for that playoff game wearing his "Mount Monmouth" sweatshirt--funny and classic, just like many of his posts on here. It's always fun to get to know fans of other D3 schools and people from the boards, and I'm glad I had the chance to meet him. Hard to believe that things like this can happen so suddenly. Prayers and thoughts to his family. RIP, The Roop.

fulbakdad · April 22, 2014, 03:08:02 PM

Very sorry to hear about the "Roop". Was lucky enough to meet him when he visited Lake Forest this last fall to watch a new Freshman he knew through family. After reading his posts, he lived up to the hype in real life! Prayers to his family.

Gregory Sager · April 22, 2014, 03:12:15 PM

Here's his death notice:

http://www.hansengravitt.com/sitemaker/sites/hansen0/obit.cgi?user=1290799Ruppert#

It just won't be the same around here without the Roop and his larger-than-life personality.

badgerwarhawk · April 22, 2014, 03:27:33 PM

Sorry to learn of his passing. He was a real character on these boards. My sympathies to his wife, family and friends.

jeffp · April 22, 2014, 04:32:02 PM

Mr Ypsi~
The Roopachino...or Roopacinno depending on Mr The Roop's mood...was a 16 oz hazelnut latte loaded with whipped cream and sprinkled "liberally" with cashew nut pieces. Mr The Roop always blanched when I used the word "liberally" and would call me a left wing hippie know-it-all when I would (intentionally) point out that the drink recipe he concocted was really a latte instead of a cappuccino. He refused to be known as a "latte swilling liberal".

The Roopachino was part of a bet on a Grinnell/Beloit basketball game Mr The Roop attended - the first of several trips he made to Grinnell to watch basketball games. The original bet was that I would receive a Beloit College coffee mug if Grinnell won, and Mr The Roop would get a Saints Rest mug filled with the newly developed Roopachino and a GC sweatshirt if Beloit won. Grinnell ended up winning but we exchanged everything anyway...including the BC sweatshirt that he literally took off his back and gave to me even though it was not part of the original bet. I still have the Mug and the sweatshirt and consider them prize possessions.

I always enjoyed Mr The Roop's visits to Grinnell and was disappointed that he and his wife Beth had to cancel a visit this February at the last minute due to family concerns. Mark was a great sport, a great fan, and just loopy enough that we got along quite well. I'm gonna miss you, Mr The Roop.

RIP Mark...

jeffp · April 22, 2014, 04:36:20 PM

Thanks for posting the funeral notice Greg. It wasn't yet available when I signed off last night.

Mr. Ypsi · April 22, 2014, 04:50:49 PM

jeffp, thanks for clarifying what a Roopachino is - I'll see if I can get my local coffee shop to make me one in his honor.

Jeez, 48 is WAY to young to die - my bowling ball is two years older than he was (though lately it can't seem to knock down many pins).