I seem to be writing a lot of tributes to the “old guys” these days.

Last November, it was the first newspaper publisher to ever hire me.

Earlier this month, it was my friend Frank Bush.

This week, it’s Dick Brockman, the 31-year publisher of The Platteville Journal. Who, as a good newspaperman would, died in time to get in this week’s newspaper. (Media types appreciate that kind of irony and black humor.)