Sports Writer Bill Nichols dies

The Associated Press reported that longtime Plain Dealer sports writer Bill Nichols has died at 80.

Nichols is perhaps best known for breaking the story that Cleveland was getting an NBA expansion team in 1970. That team, of course, was the Cavaliers. He covered them for more than a decade.

I met Nichols once, when I was a rookie reporter for the Kenton Times. I was covering an Ohio Northern-Baldwin-Wallace football game in Berea. Nichols sat next to me for a while in the press box. Once I knew who I was sitting next to, I peppered him with questions.

He seemed more than happy to talk sports with me, and the conversation went on for a while.  In truth, I remember little of the conversation. I just couldn't believe I was talking to him.

Thoughts go out to his friends and family.