Joe Giampino All our time together was
precious Mike Glass It is a fine time to recall all things Joey in the context of this great
thing we've had. The spirit of our little community makes such events cut a
little deeper yet, also allows us to share our collective burden among us.
Please add our support to any who may need it.
Shocked and
speechless. Prayers with all.
Nob
I perhaps have in this group, the unique honor of
having played against Joey for many years and then being teammates with him for
a few years in Boston.
He was quite simply, the most amazing, gifted player I have ever
seen. He was the Michael Jordan or Lebron James of Ultimate. It was like he
was a different species at times on the field. The hang time in the air was
unearthly, like can that dude actually fly? I saw him get to discs on offense
and defense that I swear would have been physically impossible for anyone else
that has EVER played this game. I also thought it was really cool how he always
caught the disc on defense too, never just knocking it away. I asked him once
why he did this and he said “because that way I know it’s MINE!”
I will never forget him and am very saddened he is
gone. Life is so fragile and fleeting, I wish we could all be happy and live
forever. My condolences to his family. Jeff Williams
I wish you Godspeed as you travel. May the
strength of friendship carry you through and the love from all of us be evident
in your presence there. I'm so glad you will be there, and I'm so sorry for his
passing. Heartfelt and heart breaking sympathies, big puddle in the middle of the spirit circle. can't believe, just saw him what seems like yesterday. wtf. we live but once forever. keep it lit. Elliot Fu
I'm very sorry for the loss to the Giampino and Windy City families. When I started playing you guys were rock stars to me and none
bigger than Joey.
Unbelievable. Iron you were not his only bitch. I think we all enjoyed getting
saddled up by Joe, you don't know how hot the fire is until you stick your hand I can't imagine how sad and stunned you guys are. It doesn't seem real. But I want to just offer my condolences for the loss of Joey. He was with you from the beginning and it's just not right to have lost Dean and now him, too. Please know that all of the Tunas are saying prayers for Joey's family, the Windy City family and especially for you guy, Dean and Joey were part of "the core" in our view and now two of "the core" are gone. Joey. There is love for you and your family and friends, teammates and
opponents, at this moment being spread all over the globe. Great stories being
told and tears being shed. They broke the mold when they made you. Just last
week I saw these great pics of you entertaining the crowd with your voice and
piano. You made more circus catches in Ultimate per point played than anyone.
Have a Heineken with Deano up there. He's been needing some company. Thanks for
yelling my name over and over again at Tune Up that year to join you and JC on
stage. Great, great memories! Much
love always, so
sorry to hear of this .. good god... good memories to all of you. Robert A. Sick Joy came to teach Ultimate to Japan in 1991. When I first met Joey (he was
with Spin-Itch at the time, and not to return to rookie status, but it was long
after I met him that I knew of any attachment to City), he was like a Super
Hero, flying through the air with a seemingly magic power to run and fly to the
exactly perfect place in the end zone for an impossible catch. He was an amazing human, and it
seems impossible to comprehend right now. Love to all Feared and
revered. Had the good
fortune of spending an evening with him a couple of months ago. Love to all, Chris Being an ECF like Ironman, I brought to Windy a certain level of
expectation regarding my teammates. But Joey was larger than life. He Like probably most people writing or looking at this wall, I have many great memories of Joe. Chief among them is in the good old college days playing against or watching Windy City, it seemed that if anybody on that team ever got beat deep, somebody (probably MOD) would yell “JOEY”, and he would come out of nowhere to get the long D. Joey truly had peoples’ back!!! He was a truly gifted and special person! Phil Lawrence For you Joe. You were way more than a
ripple. I would not be who I am today, with all the amazing friends and experiences, without it all starting with you, Joe. Thinking of Laura, Scott, Carol, and Joe... Mary Prassa Thanks to all my pals for the family embrace all
these years. You are all still in my heart and my smile thinking about y'all is
large. Joey was one fun, passionate, friend for life kind of dude. Knowing he is
not among us makes me feel sad and at the same time makes each one of you more
important to me and hopefully to each other. This unique bond we share and honor
in life will never go away. Thanks brothers! Joey. RIP and best to our other
amigos you are now sipping cold ones with. My condolences to the Windy family for all of your loss. Joey was an amazing receiver of passes and goals. I only saw a little sliver of the magic. My thoughts are with you...have a heiny for me...for Dean and Joey. Irwin I hope you're at peace Joe. Despite ups and downs, you'll always hold a place in my heart. Joe, Carol, Laura & Scotty, my warmest thoughts are with you. Sheryl Hirschbein I loved you before I realized it was possible. Your friendship meant much. When I was asked to keep am eye on you, it helped me realize what your parents thought of me and you. We will never forget. You are alive in my heart and head. Carey Goldenberg I remember playing Windy City Ultimate team, alot!!! they always pounced our KC teams... Joey was always the force behind Chicago Frisbee over the years!!!!! Then one year while playing w/ the Tuna's for St. Louis I got too play on the same team with Joe !!! one I'll never forget.. He was one tough dude on the field. Such a nice guy Off the field. Miss you friend. Patrick Ahern RIP pal. My head and heart will keep the memories of our battles together in
younger years. RIP Joe Giampino. you're the first person I remember laying out for a
disc. we'll miss you. Rest in Peace, Joey. Your star was so brilliant in our time together, when you then told me more than once you were going to live NOW, because you had no idea what the future would bring. I will remember the star light. Rest in Peace. Paul Berg I'm at a loss for what to say. I was fortunate
to be around for some of Joey's greatest moments on the ultimate field...every
moment Joe was on the ultimate field was a great moment, a thing of beauty. He
painted his masterpieces there. It was a privilege to see him take place. When I opened the email, the news made me cry. Even though we’d seen each other only a few times in the last twenty some years, there was always a connection when we met, one established first on the field and then off. Joey was a gifted talent on the field and a special person off the field. Joey could catch anything I could throw, and that puts him in a class by himself. I will always be able to picture him flying through the air. John Connelly I think he was the greatest defender to ever play the game. He will always be remembered. Marty Wollner Joe was an awesome friend and he had a gifted talent
for making everyone feel special. He was always smiling. I played poker
with Joe on many occasions and he will always be remembered in all our
hearts as the one who announced a raise followed by a “PLEASE” some
loved it some hated it but suffice to say we love it now and we will
miss it. I will miss him dearly. shocking
indeed
I played against Joey from 1981-85 as
part of the HorrorZontals. To get to nationals we had to go through
Joey and the Windy crew or through the Tunas. Never happened. Third
in the region at best. But each year we tried as hard as we could
and "enjoyed" lessons in the type of physical ultimate I now am told
is no longer acceptable. And Joey was the biggest and the baddest of
them all. I think Brad Westmoreland from our team drew him every
game. Our beast against The Beast. David Christy Hey All, Nice to read your words though I would rather see your faces and give you a hug. "Born ready" was what Joey always said. And he was. The garbage that boy could catch defies description, you literally had to see it to believe it. I remember trying to talk him out of diving on the tennis court so he could save his body for the frisbee field, at least it was grass. He didn't seem to notice that much difference. What a joy it was to watch him play. He would bounce into view, stride up and down saying hey to everyone, pull out the hacky sack, constant motion. It is hard for me to imagine him still. I haven't seen him for way too long and am sorry to have missed the chance to tell him how much I loved him. I know he would be glad, however, for me to use this opportunity to say it to all of you. I miss each of you and love you guys. Those were great times and all the water under the bridge can't change what a blast it was to play, eat, drink, travel, win, mill, and generally hang with you. Thank you. He was an extraordinary person and it was a privilege to have played with him. If you convene in Chicago to remember him, please count me in. Edith Thurber I think it was the spring of ’84 when I meet Joey at N.I.U. after I ran an ad asking ‘anyone interested in Ultimate can meet us at this certain park at a certain time’. Joey came out to join our swillie 4 on 4 game. I over- threw him and just as I was yelling “sorry’’ he made a chest high launch literally flying some 15 feet across the end zone for a goal. I stood there in awe. He came back to my apartment for beers. I asked him if he was the best player on his team. He thought about it for a minute and humbly said “No”. He offered to take us to some tournament. We never went. It wasn’t until years later that I realized what a selfless offer it was. A player of his stature taking a bunch of new-bees to a tournament! None of us had cleats or even knew people played this game wearing them – motivated only by his love for playing and teaching the game. The last time I saw Joey was at one of the ‘Tune-up’ tournaments when John Conway, recently learning Joey could play the keyboard, put together a band. John invited me to play bass and sent me the set list. All covers, not my forte. With our schedules there was no time for a proper rehearsal. Needless to say I was a bit nervous before the show. As soon as Joey hit the first cords I could feel his power and confidence. All I had to do was go along for the ride. Half way through the first song there was no doubt that he was the best musician on the stage that evening. My best wishes to his friends and family, John Santoro
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