ALL LOBBY TEAM: Legendary USA Today media writer, Rudy Martzke and the “Mouse,” stopped by CBS Sports to visit his favorite Network.

Rudy Martzke….ONE OF A KIND. We all have our stories. He was a relentless reporter. A beat reporter who connected direct and deeply knew his beat. His hundreds of spiral notebooks contain the history of sports television and off-the-record quotes would tell the untold story.

Very sad about the passing of the great Rudy Martzke. A friend, great sense of humor, bulldog reporter, fellow Badger (and a huge fan), sports media industry legend. Helped many a PR person (definitely me) and others across the industry with their careers…hurt a few, too.

RIP to Rudy Martzke, one of the founding fathers of the sports media beat. Rudy, who was always fun to be around, passed away at 82. Comment below from one of ESPN's original and longest tenured public relations officials

When you saw this byline in USA TODAY Sports, you knew it would be a must-read. Never had the chance to work w/ Rudy Martzke but met him after I joined ESPN. A legendary figure and a good man. Very sad to hear of his passing today.

Sad news. Rudy Martzke, who spent many years covering sports media for USA Today has died at the age of 82. barrettmedia.com/2024/11/22/lon…

It is impossible to explain how influential & how much of a must-read Rudy Martzke was in the pre-Internet days. Not a stretch to say an entire generation of fans are smarter viewers & more informed about broadcasts b/c of Rudy's USA Today columns. RIP to a true one of one.

Longtime sports media reporter Rudy Martzke, who in his 23-year tenure arguably created the sports media "beat," has died: sportsmediawatch.com/2024/11/rudy-m…

Rudy Martzke and his USA TODAY sports media column were a force of nature. 🌟 As a pioneer in sports media, his words shaped the industry—impacting everyone from the producers of live sports to the fans who tuned in. 🎥📺 I was just 19 or 20 years old when I crossed paths with

Sad about Rudy Martzke. Back in the day, Rudy cleverly stick-handled himself into ultimate arbiter of good sports TV. We had fair amount of good natured battles but you always wanted to end up at Rudy’s table in Runyon’s with lots of drinks, laughs & “Sizzlers”. RIP pal.

Dick Vitale USA TODAY Sports Rudy was the NBA Buffalo Braves PR man back in the 1970’s. Also was Van Miller’s color man on Braves radio in 192-73 and 73-74.

Sports media pays tribute to pioneering columnist Rudy Martzke, dead at 82 ; Matt does a nice job here of adding perspective to those that weren’t around when Rudy created a new Sports BEAT!✍️📑 awfulannouncing.com/newspapers/rud…

I remember watching games in college and someone would yell out “dreaded glitch” whenever there were technical difficulties, in honor of Rudy Martzke’s weekly dreaded glitch award in USA Today. Had to be the most read sports media columnist in history. RIP.

Rudy Martzke, longtime USA Today sports media columnist, dead at 82 trib.al/B9LmTQX

Rudy Martzke rose to fame covering sports television and media before it was its own industry. Nobody covered sports entertainment the way Rudy Martzke did when he started his column at USA TODAY. Few have even decades later. 🔗 bit.ly/4i51Ax0

Talked to this man a lot back in the day ... he was a legend. Rudy Martzke was a pioneer in covering sports tv and media and forever changed the way the sports business would be analyzed and covered. He was a bonafide trailblazer. Condolences to Rudy's family and friends.

Truth. Beano Cook saved ‘em all, too. The opinions he cared about the most were those of the three Ms - his mom, Martzke & Mushnick. #RIP Rudy Martzke 🙏 😇 🗞️

true, Madkour: Everyone cared what Rudy Martzke wrote sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2024/… via @sbj

They did indeed. My boss at CBS told me that she not only wanted items in Rudy's column, they had to "lead" items. Madkour: Everyone cared what Rudy Martzke wrote sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2024/… via @sbj