What a strange thread. And what a equally strange, most unexpected person to have started it.

M.Ted -- was always near the top of my short list of people about whose postings I gave a care. Oddly, because he seemed: 1. full of good information, and 2. only a mild hit-and-run where BS was concerned -- and that mostly well-reasoned (even if I did disagree quite often) thoughts. Definetly NOT "one of the gang", but an MVP in my book.

PeterT -- god how I loved the way that guy could turn a phrase. You could isolate his "best of" posts and they'd be worthy of a forum of their own. Always wished I had that kind of mind. Similarly wish I'd that way with words to express it. Sure there was always a ten foot wall between us -- he was kinda the "anti-Fielding" if you will, where (as Peter once put it) caring for those "with their face pressed to the glass" is concerned. I kinda chalked that up to: 1. Inherent shyness on his part, and 2. Maybe I'd distance myself from me too -- maybe the guy just has taste that matches his wit. :^)

Big Mick -- symbolized the warmth of mudcat to me for a long time. Guy went out of his way (miles and miles) just to meet with me when I know he had to be BEAT from a long business trip. But the mudcat (and folks associated with it) were that important to Mick. Yeah, he's one of the first I think of when I think of the mudcat.

Fielding/Catspaw -- never knew either one of them. They would have been the Ruth & Gehrig, Larry Bird & Magic Johnson (I doubt that catspaw has the magic.....nevermind) to any music-related forum they ever chose to settle into. Enough personality, humor, creativity between the two of them to turn any forum into a community. Hell, catspaw's humor was so great, so unique, that I'd place a sizable wager that his humor posts from 1998 are the initial source for all that goddam forwarded email humor that spams my e-box every day. Thanks for nothing, catspaw! dickhead. :^)

DougR -- unflappable class. Has taken the worst and acted as a gentleman. Probably the closest to his comportment, but from the "other side" would be the equally "mudcat idol"-type -- McGrath of Harlew (or whatever the heck that nom-de-cyber is. I never remember it, idol or not).

I think the last one to come to the forum (chronologically, and before it became a political rather than musical forum) with the same kind of sensibility, humor, care for music and......heck, who I'd actually REALLY enjoy sitting down with and playing music....and the fact that he may not be on other's short list of "idol" candidates is testament to the changes here (and what's now valued), and not his "best-of-mudcat-esque" postings is Bee-dubya-ell.

It seems that Jeri posts nearly as infrequently as I visit. Had mudcat gone more the way of her way of being....my visits wouldn't be as infrequent (maybe not a good thing) and maybe she'd post more frequently (definitely a good thing). Some trades prove to just not be worth it.

That guy that some call "Leej" (is it lonesomeEJ or something?) and JenEllen. Marvelous writers. I DEFINITELY think of them when I think of the best of mudcat.

Mooh -- though less prominent, most every good thread had at least one contribution -- a worthy one -- from Mooh.

If this had remained a music site two of the first mentioned would be Frank Hamilton and Art Theime. Hmmmm.

There are definitely friends from mudcat that I have a greater affinity for -- admire more -- but this is a list of "mudcat idols", right?