missjtiger Wrote:http://www.lmtribune.com/archived-obit/O...es/358298/

After reading about his life and his interests (especially his love for his dog and birds) it makes me even more sad that I never had a chance to really know him. Anyone that really knows me, knows I love my dogs more than life itself and I raised parakeets years ago so Tom and I really had similar interests. Sounds like the good Lord has a real keeper in Tom. Daisy loved her Daddy and will see him again for sure.

Like a few others, I am out of town on business (returning tomorrow) but this thread caught my attention.

My sincere condolences to the Mays family for this loss.

It is strange how one can read this board and form a mental picture of another poster based on how he/she writes. You feel compelled to read their posts. Tom Mays - IdahoTiger - was EXACTLY that type of contributor to this board. His input was absolutely superb and uncanny. I don't recall him EVER being upset or sarcastic to anyone, even in prose. It could well be he knew his life was short timed and he could not spend time on those types of communications.

We can learn a lesson from this man.

I know I have.

God bless the soul of Tom Mays.

Easterwood, you seem to have the best "connection" to his mother. Please let her know about this thread, so she and others in the Mays family can read these responses. I hope all of them realize the impact Tom had on this e-community.

missjtiger Wrote:After reading about his life and his interests (especially his love for his dog and birds) it makes me even more sad that I never had a chance to really know him. Anyone that really knows me, knows I love my dogs more than life itself and I raised parakeets years ago so Tom and I really had similar interests. Sounds like the good Lord has a real keeper in Tom. Daisy loved her Daddy and will see him again for sure.

This means absolutely nothing, but he was born 4 days before me. I know I never met Tom but I felt like I knew him somehow. My mother-in-law passed away Friday and another person I know died at the age of just 45. This has been one sh!t sandwich of a year. I need to start finding faith somehow. I'm just rambling I know. Just forgive me for letting off some steam or whatever it is I'm doing. I know I'm not making much sense.

God Bless the Mays family. They sure have lost a wonderful person in their lives.

I received a tear-jerker of a letter from Idaho's mom today. The family has visited the site and are proud of the love shown to Tom Mays. They wanted me to convey to everyone what an honor it is to have the recruiting forum named after Tom.

one of my all time favorite songs just came on and for some reason I thought of Tom. The lyrics (by Point of Grace) are incredibly profound. I hope this touches some of you like it touches me.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GW1daW6k0LE

Wake up to the sunlight
With your windows open
Don't hold in the rainbow or leave things unspoken
Wear your red dress
Use your good dishes
Make a big mess and make lots of wishes
Have what you want
But want what you have
And don't spend your life lookin' back


Turn up the music
Turn it up loud
Take a few chances
Let it all out
You won't regret it
Lookin' back from where you have been
Cuz it's not who you knew
And it's not what you did
It's how you live


So go to the ballgame
And go to the ballet
And go see your folks more than just on the holidays
Kiss all your children
Dance with your wife
Tell your husband you love him every night
Don't run from the truth
'Cause you can't get away
Just face it and you'll be okay

Turn up the music
Turn it up loud
Take a few chances
Let it all out
You won't regret it
Lookin' back from where you have been
'Cause it's not who you knew
And it's not what you did
It's how you live

Oh wherever you are and wherever you've been
Now is the time to begin

So give to the needy
And pray for the grieving
E'en when you don't think that you can
'Cause all that you do is bound to come back to you
So think of your fellow man
Make peace with God and make peace with yourself
'Cause in the end there's nobody else


Turn up the music
Turn it up loud
Take a few chances
Let it all out
'Cause you won't regret it
Lookin' back from where you have been
'Cause it's not who you knew
And it's not what you did
It's how you live

'Cause it's not who you knew
And it's not what you did
It's how you live

My prayers are with the Mays Family. May our Lord and Savior comfort their souls.

I have been away from the board a couple of weeks and just learned of Idaho Tiger's death. I knew a Tom Mays when I went to Memphis State (at the time), but I did not realize that Idaho was the same Tom Mays until I read the obituary.

Tom and I used to go to the Tiger games, especially the basketball games. Being students back then, we did not have a lot of money, but the tickets were part of the tuition. We never missed a game, stood in lines for hours to get tickets for the Louisville and Virgina Tech games. We enjoyed Bobby Parks, Doom Haynes, Keith Lee, the Little General. Tom really kept up with the Basketball Tigers back then, trying to figure out of the Master Blaster was going to stay in Memphis. It was a sad day for both of us when he signed with Kentucky.

I remember the time that we sat in the student section right under the goal at the Metro Conference Tournament and the Louisville players were next to us. I was sitting next to Pervis Ellison, and Tom and I ragged on him about his "Crummy" coach. Pervis was pretty cool with us and ribbed us about our "Jerk" coach. Then there was the time that Tom and I scraped up some money to buy big Jack Eaton a huge victory cigar, which he smoked after we smoked Louisville in the final. I had many a good time with Tom, he was a good friend.

Well Tom moved on and I lost touch with him. It did not suprise me much when I found out Idaho was Tom earlier today. The quality of his research and writing skills were unmatched. Tom was an english major at the University. His passion was Tiger blue. I will miss him alot. I just wished I knew who he was while I was reading his Idaho Tiger posts.

jamtiger Wrote:I have been away from the board a couple of weeks and just learned of Idaho Tiger's death. I knew a Tom Mays when I went to Memphis State (at the time), but I did not realize that Idaho was the same Tom Mays until I read the obituary.

Tom and I used to go to the Tiger games, especially the basketball games. Being students back then, we did not have a lot of money, but the tickets were part of the tuition. We never missed a game, stood in lines for hours to get tickets for the Louisville and Virgina Tech games. We enjoyed Bobby Parks, Doom Haynes, Keith Lee, the Little General. Tom really kept up with the Basketball Tigers back then, trying to figure out of the Master Blaster was going to stay in Memphis. It was a sad day for both of us when he signed with Kentucky.

I remember the time that we sat in the student section right under the goal at the Metro Conference Tournament and the Louisville players were next to us. I was sitting next to Pervis Ellison, and Tom and I ragged on him about his "Crummy" coach. Pervis was pretty cool with us and ribbed us about our "Jerk" coach. Then there was the time that Tom and I scraped up some money to buy big Jack Eaton a huge victory cigar, which he smoked after we smoked Louisville in the final. I had many a good time with Tom, he was a good friend.

Well Tom moved on and I lost touch with him. It did not surprise me much when I found out Idaho was Tom earlier today. The quality of his research and writing skills were unmatched. Tom was an English major at the University. His passion was Tiger blue. I will miss him a lot. I just wished I knew who he was while I was reading his Idaho Tiger posts.

Thanks for sharing your personal memories of Tom with us.

jamtiger Wrote:I have been away from the board a couple of weeks and just learned of Idaho Tiger's death. I knew a Tom Mays when I went to Memphis State (at the time), but I did not realize that Idaho was the same Tom Mays until I read the obituary.

Tom and I used to go to the Tiger games, especially the basketball games. Being students back then, we did not have a lot of money, but the tickets were part of the tuition. We never missed a game, stood in lines for hours to get tickets for the Louisville and Virgina Tech games. We enjoyed Bobby Parks, Doom Haynes, Keith Lee, the Little General. Tom really kept up with the Basketball Tigers back then, trying to figure out of the Master Blaster was going to stay in Memphis. It was a sad day for both of us when he signed with Kentucky.

I remember the time that we sat in the student section right under the goal at the Metro Conference Tournament and the Louisville players were next to us. I was sitting next to Pervis Ellison, and Tom and I ragged on him about his "Crummy" coach. Pervis was pretty cool with us and ribbed us about our "Jerk" coach. Then there was the time that Tom and I scraped up some money to buy big Jack Eaton a huge victory cigar, which he smoked after we smoked Louisville in the final. I had many a good time with Tom, he was a good friend.

Well Tom moved on and I lost touch with him. It did not suprise me much when I found out Idaho was Tom earlier today. The quality of his research and writing skills were unmatched. Tom was an english major at the University. His passion was Tiger blue. I will miss him alot. I just wished I knew who he was while I was reading his Idaho Tiger posts.

I enjoyed reading your post very much. We're all the same age. Thanks for sharing. It brings back wonderful memories.

Chi-TownTiger Wrote:

jamtiger Wrote:I have been away from the board a couple of weeks and just learned of Idaho Tiger's death. I knew a Tom Mays when I went to Memphis State (at the time), but I did not realize that Idaho was the same Tom Mays until I read the obituary.

Tom and I used to go to the Tiger games, especially the basketball games. Being students back then, we did not have a lot of money, but the tickets were part of the tuition. We never missed a game, stood in lines for hours to get tickets for the Louisville and Virgina Tech games. We enjoyed Bobby Parks, Doom Haynes, Keith Lee, the Little General. Tom really kept up with the Basketball Tigers back then, trying to figure out of the Master Blaster was going to stay in Memphis. It was a sad day for both of us when he signed with Kentucky.

I remember the time that we sat in the student section right under the goal at the Metro Conference Tournament and the Louisville players were next to us. I was sitting next to Pervis Ellison, and Tom and I ragged on him about his "Crummy" coach. Pervis was pretty cool with us and ribbed us about our "Jerk" coach. Then there was the time that Tom and I scraped up some money to buy big Jack Eaton a huge victory cigar, which he smoked after we smoked Louisville in the final. I had many a good time with Tom, he was a good friend.

Well Tom moved on and I lost touch with him. It did not suprise me much when I found out Idaho was Tom earlier today. The quality of his research and writing skills were unmatched. Tom was an english major at the University. His passion was Tiger blue. I will miss him alot. I just wished I knew who he was while I was reading his Idaho Tiger posts.

I enjoyed reading your post very much. We're all the same age. Thanks for sharing. It brings back wonderful memories.

+1

It's days like the past couple that IdahoTiger is really missed around here. I know he would be loving this. I bet he is up there somewhere with the real scoop, watching us get excited and squirm and having a great laugh at us.

tigers1985 Wrote:It's days like the past couple that IdahoTiger is really missed around here. I know he would be loving this. I bet he is up there somewhere with the real scoop, watching us get excited and squirm and having a great laugh at us.

I was thinking the very same thing....I bet Tom is sitting in heaven & already knows what's going to happen (you know...God pulled him aside and whispered who was going to sign with us) Tom's got this big smile on his face. I really miss you Idahotiger.

As we embark on being #1, I can't help to think how much Idaho would have enjoyed all of this.

Easterwood Wrote:As we embark on being #1, I can't help to think how much Idaho would have enjoyed all of this.

Last week I saw Billy White from SDSU play. He was a possible recruit for us from Las Vegas and all I could think about while watching him was Tom. He got me all kinds of info on the guy. There couldn't have been a nicer person than him. I still miss him.

It is this time of the year that I miss Tom the most. I was thinking back over the years, I was 9 years old when the Tigers played UCLA in 1973. In 1985, Tom and I were watching the games together and boy how we loved watching Keith Lee, William Bedford, Andre Turner, Baskerville Holmes, and Vincient Askew. Our favorites were Lee and Turner, but Bedford and Holmes were really great leapers. If he were still with us, Tom would love talking about how Joey Dorsey turned into a stud. How CDR was clutch. I just wished he got to see Rose, the missing piece.

Tom, here's hoping that we win this one in your memory. After we cut down the nets, I am going to light up one of those cigars, just like the ones we gave to big Jack when we beat Louisville. I miss you buddy.

jamtiger Wrote:It is this time of the year that I miss Tom the most. I was thinking back over the years, I was 9 years old when the Tigers played UCLA in 1973. In 1985, Tom and I were watching the games together and boy how we loved watching Keith Lee, William Bedford, Andre Turner, Baskerville Holmes, and Vincient Askew. Our favorites were Lee and Turner, but Bedford and Holmes were really great leapers. If he were still with us, Tom would love talking about how Joey Dorsey turned into a stud. How CDR was clutch. I just wished he got to see Rose, the missing piece.

Tom, here's hoping that we win this one in your memory. After we cut down the nets, I am going to light up one of those cigars, just like the ones we gave to big Jack when we beat Louisville. I miss you buddy.

exactly, I really wish Tom was around for this run...

It's this time of year - the spring signing period - that we all really miss you Idaho. You're irreplacable. If you're able from up there, guide the top recruits (Ebanks, Evans etc...) to Memphis so we can make another run.

Wow, I just finished reading this thread for the first time.. I am sorry that I wasn't a member of this board when Tom was still alive. I am wondering if there are still post available that he wrote, sounds like he was really loved by everyone here and that his writings were a joy to read. Since this post is way past the start of the thread I will contact some of the mods to see if there are post on file somewhere.. As I hang around this org. I am amazed at the amount of people around the country that are such great Tiger fans. I am really proud to be a member and look forward to knowing more and more about this group.
RIP Tom Mays and God bless you for being a Tiger

It's funny, I always reread a lot of this thread every time somebody posts a new thought.
When I first started reading Tom's insightful posts, I thought he was a former coach who had moved away from Memphis.
After learning of his situation, although I'd never met him, it made me proud of him and how he conducted himself on this board and his incredible love for and commitment to the Tigers and Tiger recruiting.
I guess what I'm trying to say is I still miss him and his contributions to this board.