RIP Bob Greene

A truly sad day, as two-time Pulizer Prize winning journalist Bob Greene passed away this week at the age of 78. Greene was my mentor and professor at Hofstra University in 1999-2000, and his investigate reporting class remains one of the toughest challenges I've ever faced. He was a large, intimidating man (and God help you if you forgot the last "e" in his name) but was also very compassionate, caring and always helpful through his remarkable reporting insight. He called us his "pups," and that we were. It's said a lot about the old guard, but they truly don't make them like Bob Greene anymore.

If you want to be amazed at this guy's life --and the respect he earned while living it-- check out Newsday's front-page obit in today's paper.

When your passing is the splash on the cover of a paper like Newsday's, you realize the impact.