riverboat ron

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‘Riverboat’ Ron Rivera has a great nickname, but he’s not the gambler you think

New Washington Redskins coach Ron Rivera has embraced the “Riverboat Ron” nickname he earned for his aggressive fourth-down decision-making with the Carolina Panthers, though he prefers to be known more as a calculated risk-taker than a gambler. “Analytical Ron” just doesn’t have the same ring to it.

Early in his coaching career, Rivera was quite the opposite, and it led to calls for his job. In Week 2 of the 2013 season, Rivera’s third year at the helm of the Panthers, Carolina led Buffalo 20-17 with less than two minutes remaining. Facing fourth and one from the Buffalo 21-yard line, Rivera opted to kick a field goal to take a six-point lead. The decision was hardly surprising; since 2011, only one other NFL coach had gone for it fewer times on fourth down than Rivera. The Bills drove 65 yards for the game-winning touchdown in the final seconds, dropping Carolina to 0-2.

After the loss, the Charlotte Observer ran an online poll asking whether then-owner Jerry Richardson should fire Rivera immediately. Eighty-three percent of the respondents said yes.

Redskins to introduce Ron Rivera as head coach

Rivera’s transformation began the following week against the Giants. In the first quarter, on fourth and one from the New York 2-yard line, the Panthers went for it. Fullback Mike Tolbert scored a touchdown en route to a 38-0 Carolina win. Three weeks later, the Panthers converted a pair of fourth downs on an early touchdown drive in a 35-10 win at Minnesota.

ESPN’s David Newton, who helped coin the “Riverboat Ron” nickname after the win over the Vikings, asked Rivera a couple of days later whether, in hindsight, he would have gone for it on fourth down against Buffalo in Week 2.

“Which is the right call?” Rivera said with a smile . “The right call turns out to be one that you win with. If you win, it’s a great call.”

Good luck with that. pic.twitter.com/XUgR7Jdj8b — Josh (@GoldAndOrSmith) December 1, 2013

The Panthers won 11 of their last 12 games and converted 10 of their 13 fourth-down opportunities to close the season, resulting in an NFC South title.

“I needed to realize that playing conservative, playing close to the vest, playing by the book — sometimes you’ve just got to throw all that away,” Rivera told the Observer in 2014 .

But is Rivera truly a gambler on the gridiron? Not exactly.

The Panthers went for it on fourth down 123 times from 2011 to 2019, giving them just the 25th-most attempts in that span. The Redskins, by comparison, went for it 140 times in that same span. The average NFL team made nearly 137 fourth-down attempts.

The Panthers, though, were a winning team under Rivera, and so we can also look solely at fourth-down decisions in the first three quarters when the score was within eight points — eliminating obvious catch-up situations. In those situations, the Panthers went for it on fourth down 36 times from 2011 to 2019. Nine teams went for it more often in similar situations.

Brewer: Ron Rivera is traditional, hard-nosed and just what the Redskins need

Carolina was, however, one of the most successful teams when it gambled, converting 78 percent of its score-neutral fourth-down opportunities. Only the Kansas City Chiefs had more success moving the chains during that nine-year window, converting 81 percent of their score-neutral fourth-down chances. Like Rivera said, “If you win, it’s a great call.”

In fact, since that 2013 campaign, Rivera has gone for it on fourth down in score-neutral situations only 23 times, a below-average rate for the years 2014 to 2019 and just a few tries fewer than his new team attempted. (The Redskins went for it 20 times in those situations; the Ravens led the NFL with 53 score-neutral fourth-down attempts).

If you make one more adjustment and isolate only those score-neutral situations in which Rivera found himself in his own territory — true riverboat territory — he went for it on fourth down only four times in nine seasons. (The Ravens led the NFL with 11 attempts in those situations, and the Cowboys were next with 10.)

It was a similar story in the playoffs: Rivera went for it only seven times in seven postseason games, and just two of those were in the first three quarters with the score within eight points. None of them were with the Panthers bogged down in their own territory. Playoff teams as a whole went for it 206 times on fourth down (all situations) over 176 playoff games from 2011 to 2018, which averages to just over one attempt per game, slightly more often than Rivera.

But the nickname persisted, and Rivera occasionally did enough to justify it. In November, for example, Rivera’s Panthers had two fourth-down conversions in a 30-20 win over the Titans, including one on fourth and four from their own 36-yard line.

“I just felt we needed a little momentum,” Rivera told reporters of his decision to go for it in a situation when most NFL coaches would punt. “Sure, we had a 10-point lead, but they’d just gone down and scored on us, and that was disappointing to me. But I just felt, sometimes you just can’t measure those things with numbers. There’s a feel in the game, and it’s just one of those things I felt we had to do something.”

Read more on the Redskins :

Jack Del Rio to become Redskins defensive coordinator, will switch to a 4-3 scheme

Ron Rivera agrees to become Redskins’ next coach, begins building staff

After a decade of change everywhere but the top, Redskins finally move on from Bruce Allen

From ‘winning off the field’ to ‘damn good’ culture: Bruce Allen’s Redskins tenure in quotes

Svrluga: With Bruce Allen gone, Daniel Snyder has no more excuses

The evolution of ‘Riverboat Ron’ Rivera:…

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The evolution of ‘Riverboat Ron’ Rivera: Friends say it wasn’t always that way

The change three years ago surprised family and friends on the Monterey Peninsula where Rivera grew up. They recall a man with a strong military upbringing who didn’t take unnecessary risks on the field.

“‘Riverboat Ron?’ I just don’t see that,” said Dave Miller, one of Rivera’s coaches at Seaside High in the 1970s. “He’s old school. It’s so rare to see him get upset.”

It seemed playing it safe would spell Rivera’s doom in 2013 after consecutive losing years in Carolina. The unemployment line was beckoning in the season’s third week after the Panthers (0-2) kicked a field goal on a fourth-and-one play that allowed the Buffalo Bills to rally for a last-second victory.

“I was thinking conservatively and I’ll never do that again,” Rivera later told brother Steven Rivera. “I go by instinct now.”

The bleak outcome of the Bills’ game still was on Rivera’s mind two nights later when commuting home from the team facility. He was so consumed with the defeat that Rivera drove through a red light and narrowly avoided getting sideswiped.

A new side of Rivera’s coaching personality appeared in the Panthers’ game that weekend against the New York Giants.

In the first quarter of a scoreless tie, Carolina went for it on fourth down from the Giants’ 2-yard line. The Panthers scored en route to a 38-0 victory.

Rivera’s team gambled 11 more times on fourth-down plays after that. Carolina converted eight times as Rivera ended the season as Associated Press’ coach of the year. His go-for-it style earned the Riverboat nickname that Rivera initially protested. But now he’s game with a Twitter handle of @RiverboatRonHC.

The Seaside Spartans of the 1970s graced their linebacker/quarterback with other nicknames: “Double R” for his initials or “Rolls Royce.”

Why the car reference?

“Because he was so good and we were like Toyota Corollas,” high school teammate Pat Price said.

Contact Elliott Almond at 408-920-5865. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/elliottalmond .

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“Riverboat Ron” is Sailing Towards the Waterfall

On January 1, 2020, Ron Rivera was hired as the head coach of the then Washington Football Team, now the Washington Commanders . Nicknamed Riverboat Ron for his aggressive and bold coaching decisions, it seemed as though a new era of football was just over the horizon for Washington. Rivera inherited a team that went just 3-13 the prior season and was a complete mess from top to bottom. The Jay Gruden era in Washington went down in flames, and Rivera had the job of building Washington back up from the ashes.

There was plenty of reason to be excited for the “Rivera era.” After all, Rivera had a 76-63 record in Carolina, where the Panthers made the playoffs four times in a five-year span, including three straight NFC South crowns. Washington was a team in desperate need of a cultural revival, and Ron Rivera presented the ability to build from the ground up and start again from scratch.

Fans were desperate for something positive to latch onto after almost a half-decade of pure disappointment.

In the years prior to Rivera’s hiring, Washington fans had watched the rise of Kirk Cousins, giving them a playoff birth in 2015, the first since Robert Griffin III’s career was ruined by his knee injuries. Fans watched as Cousins then walked away in free agency a few seasons later. When Cousins’ replacement, Alex Smith went down with a gruesome leg injury that almost ended his life, Washington started six different quarterbacks over the course of a mere two seasons. Fans watched as Jay Gruden started 0-5 in 2019 and was then fired after the abysmal start, and after two measly playoff births since 2008, fans were desperate for something good to watch.

Enter Ron Rivera. Washington also fired longtime GM Bruce Allen, a move that many fans felt was long overdo. The team changed its name, leaving the Washington Redskins behind and instead deciding to start a new era of Washington football with a brand new name. It couldn’t really get much worse for Washington, and fans were thankful that a fresh start had finally happened. A new coach, and new GM, and a new name was exactly what this franchised needed to get back on track.

Rivera’s first season in Washington did nothing but add more hype and excitement for the future.

In 2020, Riverboat Ron lead the Washington Football Team to a 7-9 record, a definite improvement from 3-13, and while it was still a losing season, fans were happy to see improvement. However, the real reason that the 2020 season was such a point of excitement was that since the NFC East was so bad that year, the Football Team somehow managed to win the division with a losing record, becoming only the third team in the 16-game era to make the playoffs with more losses than wins. There was plenty of reason to be excited for the future in Washington.

There were many, many small but wonderful victories for Washington over the course of the 2020 season.

For starters, Washington had the 4 th best team defense, according to Pro Football Reference. The defense singlehandedly kept them in games, not allowing a single team to score more than 20 points after week 11. The Football Team started 2-7 but won five of their last seven games. Washington fans know just how many bright spots there truly were that season. They destroyed the Cowboys 41-16 on Thanksgiving in Dallas, a fantastic win and truly a great feeling to humiliate their arch-rivals. In week 14, a few weeks later, they handed the Steelers their first loss of the season, stunning Pittsburgh 23-17 and starting the downfall of the Steelers that season. Despite losing by a combined 64 points in the first five losses of the season, the Football Team rallied down the stretch and gave fans something to cheer for.

The list of positives don’t end there, however. In a season full of COVID-19 and empty stadiums, Washington was still able to rise above the  difficulties that the pandemic presented and give football-desperate fans something good to watch. Let’s not forget also that Ron Rivera overcame cancer as well. Washington was able to persevere through its head coach battling with cancer, a global pandemic and empty stadiums, and name-change controversy, all to make the playoffs despite a losing record. Washington lost to the eventual Super Bowl champs in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the wild card round, but that really didn’t matter. What mattered is that there was hope, and Washington fans were excited to see how Rivera and Washington would build off of this first, successful season.

But this is where things start to come off the rails.

Going into the 2021 season, the Football Team made a plethora of moves to try to improve the team. Alex Smith won Comeback Player of the year in 2020 and deservingly so, and retired shortly after the season ended. Washington had released Dwayne Haskins after it was abundantly clear that Haskins was a bust . Washington needed a quarterback, and while it liked Taylor Heinicke after a solid performance against the Bucs in the wildcard round of the playoffs, they viewed him as a good backup. As a result, Washington turned to QB Ryan Fitzpatrick.

Coming off an overall successful stint with the Miami Dolphins, Ryan Fitzpatrick seemed to be a great answer for Washington. A gunslinger quarterback that would give Washington the big play potential it needed after Washington ranked as the 30 th total offense in 2020 according to StatMuse . They also signed WR Curtis Samuel from the Carolina Panthers, WR DeAndre Carter from the Chicago Bears, and WR Adam Humphries from the Tennessee Titans, giving Washington some much-needed receiving help. Along with the additions of rookie LB Jamin Davis and the highest paid free agent acquisition of the offseason for Washington in CB William Jackson, Washington looked ready to take that next step forward.

But it never happened.

In the very first game of the 2021 season, Ryan Fitzpatrick suffered a hip injury that ended up being his career-ending injury. I wrote about the struggles of the 2021 team here , but long story short the defense, and pretty much everything else for that matter, left so much to be desired. Washington’s 2021 defense was horrible, ranking 29 th in the league against the pass, 25 th in the league in scoring defense, and 32 nd in the league in third down conversion percentage, allowing opponents to convert 111 third downs.

The defense was bad, really bad. The offense jumped up from 30 th to 21 st in the league, but it was not good enough to win games on its own. The defense deserves a chunk of the blame for Washington’s recent failure, but Ron Rivera has had his own long list of reasons to blame for Washington’s failures.

Let’s go over some of Rivera’s miscues

First off, Rivera’s decision-making has been extremely poor. River was called Riverboat Ron for his aggressive decisions such as going for it on 4th and short, however the decisions that Riverboat Ron made proved to be just downright stupid. Bad two point conversion decisions , poor game management and so many more issues have plagued this team. Rivera’s decision to stick with OC Scott Turner and DC Jack Del Rio have proved to be ill-advised decisions. Specifically, the decision of sticking with Del Rio after the defense was atrocious last year and off to a horrible start this year has not been the best, at leas that is the way it looks so far.

The decision to draft Jamin Davis instead of Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah looks bad. The decisions to constantly sign former Carolina Panthers rather than going out and getting a veteran player to fill a whole looks bad. The decision to keep Del Rio after last season looks bad. And finally, the bad decisions in the actual football games themselves is the cherry on top.

In summary, bad coaching decisions, mediocre draft decisions, and subpar free-agency decisions have all contributed to Rivera’s falling out with the fans.

Rivera is 15-21 so far in Washington, and fans are at their breaking point. Washington is only 1-2 so far this season, but some fans have already given up on Riverboat Ron. Riverboat Ron is sailing towards the waterfall, and if Washington can not turn it around soon, we’ll be looking at a brand new head coach for the Washington Commanders in 2023.

This article first appeared on Gridiron Heroics and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads:

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Ron rivera discusses what goes into the risky decisions that make him known as 'riverboat ron'.

On today's Pardon My Take... RON RIVERA! Grit Week 2021 continues as the Head Coach of the Washington Football Team joined Mr. Cat and Mr. Commenter live from WFT Camp in Ashburn, Virginia to discuss what Coach Rivera has learned from guys like Mike Ditka and John Madden, why he took out the ping pong table at the team facility, the elite defense the squad has this year, and much more. 

If you are a football fan, you know that Coach Rivera goes by the nickname, "Riverboat Ron." So, how does Coach Rivera decide whether or not he is going to make a risky decision for his football team? He broke that down with Big Cat and PFT on today's show:

Mr. Cat: My question was going to be, "What's your biggest regret in your career and why is it when you tried to be 'Analytical Ron,'" the worst nickname ever, when you have the best nickname ever in Riverboat Ron? Because you do remember that, you tried to get everyone to call you that, and that was terrible. I think I had a tweet, I looked back, and it was like, "Ron Rivera is trying to give himself the worst nickname of all-time, "Analytical Ron." Riverboat Ron is incredible. I want to play for Riverboat Ron.

Ron Rivera: Yeah, it does roll off your tongue, and God bless her, my wife, she went ahead and she copy wrote that whole thing. We got a logo for it, it's over on that Club Car, we put the logo on it, you see it right there?

Mr. Cat: "Riverboat Ron." So, do you say to yourself every now and then, like, alright, it's a situation late in the fourth, you could go for it, you could punt, you could play it the safe way, and you're like, "Hey, you're Riverboat Ron. Let's do this."

Ron Rivera: I don't put it that way. I do think about it at some of the strangest moments. And it's funny because one of the checklist things I go through is, "When would I do that?" I have this little checklist that myself and my Chief of Staff that we review. And as I go through it, one of the questions is, "Am I going for it on 4th down? Where are we going for it? Are we going for two?" So, it's thought out before we get into it.  But to go back to your question, because I had a good answer, I can't remember what the question was...

Mr. Cat: The "Analytical Ron," why did you do that? That was a big misstep.

Ron Rivera: No, really what it was all about was, you know, becoming Riverboat Ron. And as you said, the biggest regret I have is not necessarily that, but the biggest regret I have is initially when I put my first coaching staff together as a head coach, I did not have a guy that had any head coaching experience on my staff. OK, and so, I really didn't have anybody to fall back on. And I would feel odd every now and then, like when I did talk to Coach Reid or I did talk to Coach Turner, you know, I was getting in their way.

Ron Rivera: And I didn't quite have that understanding or somebody to lean back on as a sounding board. So, going to see Coach Madden really kind of opened my eyes, "Hey, that's what you really need. You need a mentor. You need somebody that has been through it," which led me to, I have a bunch of sayings, this is one of my favorite settings: Don't draw me a map unless you've been there. Now, all of a sudden, I've got people that have been there telling me, "Hey, do this, think about this." That's why listening and talking to different people, like a John Madden, like a Jerry West, like a Jimmy Johnson, I mean, those things, that carries weight, because these men have done it. These men have experienced this.

Ron Rivera: And so, when you get to that position and you're looking at having to make decisions, you know, I don't want people to necessarily think that I'm just throwing it to the wind. I have truly thought these things out. I mean, Riverboat Ron gambling on a play has been thought about before the game. You know, we do this every Friday: myself and we have an analytics guy that sits down with me and a couple of coaches, and we go through situations that happened the week before to other teams. Fourth down situations, punt or go for it, field goal or go for it, two point conversion here, and we talk about those things, and we discuss it. So, you know, I just didn't want people thinking I'm just that guy that's rolling the dice every time I get up there and I got to make a decision. I mean, these things are definitely planned out, thought out. And we do see the analytic numbers as well, everybody has them. And those are just tools to help you make your decision, as far as I'm concerned.

As football fans, we almost always want our teams to roll the dice and go for it. But having the power to make that decision obviously comes with a lot of responsibility. You've got to like your chances with a man like Riverboat Ron Rivera on the sidelines. Pure GRIT.

‘He was the face of Charlotte’: Ron and Stephanie Rivera are still beloved in their Carolina community

Ron Rivera and his wife were cleaning out their house. A tremendous amount of Panthers memorabilia — clothing, bar stools and a random assortment of other things — filled the home.

It was December 2019, the holiday season, days after Rivera had been fired as the head coach of the Carolina Panthers. As they assessed the inventory, Stephanie Rivera pondered how to use their misfortune to help one of their favorite charities, the Humane Society of Charlotte.

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That’s when a creative fundraising idea crossed her mind: Let’s have a giant yard sale.

Stephanie had been collecting jerseys from players who were retiring, such as All-Pro linebacker Luke Kuechly, and she and her husband kept uncovering items — in the basement, in the office, in storage and elsewhere.

“We had people lined up around the block to come in,” said Donna Stucker, vice president of philanthropy for the Humane Society of Charlotte. “And of course, Ron was there signing autographs for like five hours. We raised over $40,000 from that. And it was just a way for them to kind of clean out their closet, but then also put it to good use. Everything was always for Stephanie, ‘How can we benefit somebody else? How can we help?'”

When Rivera was fired near the end of his ninth season after a loss to Washington , he had gone 76-63-1, the best record of any coach in Panthers history. He made four playoff appearances in five seasons. No other NFC South coach had won three consecutive division titles, and in 2015, Carolina went 15-1 and reached Super Bowl 50. That’s when Rivera earned his second Coach of the Year award in three seasons.

Rivera, now the coach of the Washington Football Team, will make his first trip back to Bank of America Stadium as an opponent when his team faces the Panthers on Sunday. His performance is only part of the reason why he and his family are so fondly remembered in Charlotte.

The day after Rivera was fired, he returned for a news conference and gave an emotional farewell to the organization, the people he worked with and the community.

The Riveras didn’t just leave a mark on Charlotte. The city and its people left an imprint on them, too. The Riveras built friendships with their neighbors after their house caught on fire in January 2015. They worked with the Ronald McDonald House and walked in the PurpleStride 5K to raise money for research on pancreatic cancer after the death of Rivera’s brother Mickey in 2015. They held fundraisers for the USO and the Second Harvest Food Bank, among other charities.

“I just kind of feel that you should always give back to the community that you’re in and not just always take,” Rivera said. “That was kind of the feeling we have with the community. … The community involvement that we had that was a big deal for us. It’s kind of a neat thing because you really get to see another side of the city.

“And that’s really the thing that I really appreciate is just, you know, how good a city it is. The people in the city were terrific, so it was really a neat thing for us.”

So it was fitting that the Riveras’ last act in Charlotte would be charitable. Stucker and Shelly Moore, the CEO of the Humane Society of Charlotte, were on board with the yard sale. It was set for Feb. 15, 2020.

It would be the Riveras’ true sendoff from Charlotte and their opportunity to say goodbye. They would be doing something they loved.

“He is such a special man,” Moore said. “He is one of the kindest people that I’ve ever been around.”

Surprise delivery

Chris Parker was surprised to see the manager of Ilios Noche, a Greek restaurant in Charlotte, standing at her door. She was even more surprised to see him with a gift basket in hand.

It was from the Rivera family, and it was an apology for what was about to transpire.

A few days earlier, on Jan. 5, 2015, at around 3:30 a.m., a fire started at the Riveras’ house. Fifty-five firefighters responded to put out the fire, which caused approximately $500,000 worth of damage. The fire department discovered a missing base plate and a hairline fracture in the master bedroom fireplace during its investigation.

Two days earlier, Rivera earned his first playoff victory as the Panthers’ coach, a 27-16 win over the Cardinals in the NFC wild-card round. Anticipating a long-term reconstruction and renovation of the house, the Riveras wanted to acknowledge that the process may adversely impact their neighbors.

“They had it delivered to all of the neighbors for our inconvenience,” said Parker, a neighbor of the Riveras for five years. “The fact they even thought in that perspective showed what kind of giving people they are.”

“And by the way,” said her husband, John Parker, “it wasn’t an inconvenience. For six months of the year, we just heard the trucks backing up and going forward. But it was a wonderful gesture because I think the note said something like, ‘We know you have a lot of inconvenience. Thank you for putting up with it,’ or something like that.”

The night of the fire, John Stephens got up to watch TV and noticed everything outside was red. The fire trucks didn’t turn on their sirens, so Stephens initially didn’t know there was an issue.

When he stepped outside to see why the fire trucks were lining his street, he saw the Rivera family standing outside its house. Stephens asked Rivera what was happening and saw the smoke rising from the home.

Instead of having them stand outside in the cold, Stephens invited the Riveras — Ron, Stephanie, Ron’s two brothers and their wives — to join him at his house so he and his wife, Jennie, could make them coffee. Before the Riveras went home, Stephens asked the police to clear out the reporters and TV trucks.

At around 9 a.m., Jennie Stephens said, the Riveras went to McDonald’s and returned with breakfast as a thank you for hosting them.

“When our house burned down, the outpouring of support we got from the community, it was tremendous,” Rivera said. “When I got sick last year (with squamous cell carcinoma), the messages, notes and the things we got from the people of Charlotte, or I should say, the Panthers family, was terrific. … And we’ll be forever grateful for that.”

Thx 4 the great send off! My neighbors are great example of #PantherNation @CoachRiv2 @Panthers #SB50 #KeepPounding pic.twitter.com/gTtHymiuIi — Ron Rivera (@RiverboatRonHC) January 31, 2016

A year later, when Carolina went on its Super Bowl run, neighbors went to the Riveras’ house and put blue, black and white balloons on the door. And, before Rivera left for Super Bowl 50, 150 neighbors gathered to send him off.

Among them were the children who always requested an autograph, the neighbors who received several bottles of wine after the house fire and several others who had interacted with the Riveras when they were walking their dogs.

“They’re just community-oriented people,” Jennie Stephens said. “They just fit in. I’m sure they’ve fit in in D.C., too. … They were really friendly people.”

Said John Stephens: “I said, ‘Well, we’re really gonna miss you. And (Stephanie) said, ‘You just don’t know how much I’m gonna miss Charlotte.’ They just loved everybody.”

‘The mayor of the Cowfish’

Mona Johnson-Gibson, the executive director of the Ronald McDonald House of Charlotte, told Jennifer Brantley she needed to know the Riveras. The Cowfish Sushi Burger Bar was catering an event the Riveras were attending, and Brantley, the restaurant’s director of people and public relations, was given an introduction.

Almost immediately, Rivera picked up on Brantley’s Chicago accent. The two discussed the Bears and how she was a fan of the team. She gave the Riveras her business card and they agreed to stay in touch. The next time Brantley saw Rivera, he had a surprise for her.

“He actually gave me one of his cards from when he played for the Bears, and he signed it,” Brantley said. “That was one of the first things he did.”

The next thing he did was become a staple at the restaurant. It doesn’t take reservations, so when Rivera waited for a seat, he’d speak with other patrons, pose for photos with the staff or write about how much he enjoyed his experience on social media so he could expand the restaurant’s visibility.

Whenever master sushi chef Rafali Alumir knew the Riveras were on their way, he’d create a surprise spread for them. Rivera asked the restaurant to offer one of his favorite rolls, the gobble gobble-ooshi, a Thanksgiving-themed roll with roast turkey that had only been served in November, year-round because he loved it so much.

(Courtesy of Poprock Photography)

Given how much Rivera loved the restaurant, Brantley approached him with an idea: Why don’t we make you your own sushi roll?

“‘You’re like the mayor of the Cowfish,’ ’cause everyone knew that he ate with us,” she said. “He’s just that guy. He never expected a table. We don’t take reservations. He would just slide in. He was very much himself. He was kind of under the radar, very friendly.”

That is how the Riverboat Ron roll, which is still one of the most popular items on the menu, came to be. The roll is made with crispy soft-shell crab and cucumber and topped with avocado, eel sauce, spicy mayo and sesame seeds. For every roll sold, $2 went to the Humane Society.

“He is definitely the face of the community,” Brantley said. “I don’t know how else to describe him. … He’s that guy. He was the face of Charlotte. I don’t know how else to explain it. And everyone that talked to him was like, ‘He’s so down to earth.’ He took care of his and the charities that he really cared about.”

Planting the seed for the next generation

Moore and Stucker were at a networking event at the Ronald McDonald House when they introduced themselves to Stephanie Rivera. She was glad they approached her because the Riveras were interested in working with the local Humane Society.

“She said that she and Ron had three passions, and it was animal welfare, veterans — so the USO — and children, which is why the Ronald McDonald House was the agency that they had selected,” Stucker said. “So we were really excited at the potential of working with them.”

Stephanie wanted to involve the team in fundraising campaigns, and one of the first was the production of a calendar featuring Panthers players and animals that were available for adoption.

“She was fearless with trying to just set everything up and get the players involved,” Stucker said.

The calendars were sold at the Humane Society, in the Panthers’ team store and online. Stephanie bought many copies and found people in the community who could sell them. They later collaborated on a cookbook, and their final project was another calendar featuring the Panthers’ new owner, David Tepper.

Moore and Stucker said the Riveras helped raise between $100,000 and $150,000 for the Humane Society, but they also contributed in little ways. When Stephanie flew, for example, she’d collect blankets from the first-class seats and donate them for the animals.

(Alex Cason Photography for the Humane Society of Charlotte)

“Probably the biggest impact for us was the awareness that they helped generate for our cause, and being there,” Stucker said. “They were always available to just do whatever we needed for them. … We honored Stephanie at an event and Ron came, and doing signings at our shelter and letting us have access to the stadium, and so it was a very symbiotic relationship where nothing was really off-limits for them.

“I’m going to say Stephanie was the creative mind that drove it, but Ron was always so generous with his time. He would come and do our events and just sit there for hours and sign autographs. … He loves his animals. It wasn’t like Stephanie was dragging him along. He willingly gave his time to just be there. He knew that that created excitement and awareness. That was just incredibly valuable. You can’t put a price tag on that.”

One of the most touching moments for Moore was the day the shelter received a donation from Washington Football Team owner Dan Snyder.

“It showed how much our organization meant to them,” she said. “This was after they went to Washington. Dan Snyder actually made a donation to our capital campaign because of how much Ron loved this organization.”

“I’m like, ‘What? OK, this is amazing!’ But yeah, who does that?” Stucker said. “They just knew how important his community work was to him that they wanted to support him even on his transition, you know? And it was — that was just the coolest.”

The Riveras, Stucker said, left the Charlotte area better than they found it, and their impact is still felt in the community. For instance, the relationship the Riveras built between the Panthers and the Humane Society continues, and it all started with an introduction Stephanie made between the organization and Tepper’s wife, Nicole.

“We are receiving gifts from them, and I’m able to email Nicole and ask her for some help with certain things,” Stucker said. “And she responds and they support us. I think we would never have that opportunity if it wasn’t for Stephanie. Stephanie brought her to the shelter, wanted to give her a tour, wanted her to see what was so meaningful to her and Ron and to share that. It’s almost like she planted the seed for the next generation that was coming behind her.”

(Top photo of Ron and Stephanie Rivera: Rhiannon Mack / Reflections by Rhiannon for the Humane Society of Charlotte)

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Why is Ron Rivera called Riverboat Ron? Explaining the origin of Commanders coach’s nickname

After spending more than 25 years on an NFL sideline, Ron Rivera has made a name for himself in the coaching ranks. Over the course of his 13 years as a head coach, Rivera’s earned a nickname for himself, too.

Rivera, a two-time AP NFL Coach of the Year who recently surpassed the 100-win plateau, has become a household name in coaching thanks to his time as the lead man in Carolina and Washington. As evidenced by his resume, Rivera has done his fair share of winning during his career, but the manner in which he’s done his winning is what became the stuff of legends.

Since the 2013 NFL season, Rivera has been known as “Riverboat Ron,” a nickname that he once decried before eventually embracing it. The nickname and the philosophy that inspired it have turned around seasons, resulted in hilarious memes and very well may have saved RIvera’s coaching career.

The Sporting News looks back at the origins of Rivera’s “Riverboat Ron” nickname. 

Why is Ron Rivera called Riverboat Ron?

Rivera’s nickname is related to riverboat gambling. The gambles, or risks, Rivera has taken in fourth-down situations as a head coach are similar to that of a gambler, earning him the moniker of “Riverboat Ron.”

The nickname is situational as it is almost exclusively employed when Rivera has his team go for it on fourth down or take another calculated in-game risk. It can also work against his favor when he elects not to take a risk, like Washington’s decision to opt for overtime and not go for a two-point conversion to defeat defending NFC champion Philadelphia in Week 4 of the 2023 season.

MORE:  Ron Rivera explains why Commanders played for OT in loss vs. Eagles

How Ron Rivera got his Riverboat Ron nickname

Rivera earned the nickname during his third season as head coach of the Panthers. The nickname itself actually stems from the way Rivera responded to something he didn’t do.

After two losing seasons, Rivera was on the hot seat early in the 2013 campaign. In the second game of the season, one sequence seemingly changed everything about Rivera’s approach.

The Panthers, who had already lost their season opener, had the ball and a 20-17 lead over the Bills late in the fourth quarter of Week 2. As Carolina faced a fourth-and-1 from Buffalo’s 21-yard line, Rivera elected to play it safe by kicking a field goal to give his team a 23-17 lead with 1:38 remaining. The Bills responded with an 80-yard drive, scoring the game-winning touchdown with two seconds remaining to knock Carolina to 0-2 on the season.

Playing conservatively led to the loss and an epiphany in traffic let Rivera know that something had to change.

Fast forward to Week 6, when the Panthers visited the Vikings. Carolina was 1-3 and Rivera’s seat was hotter than it had ever been. In the first quarter, Rivera’s team went for — and converted — two fourth downs on its first scoring drive of the game. Carolina would earn a 35-10 win over Minnesota.

And thus, “Riverboat Ron” was born.

Rivera was reluctant to accept the nickname at first but as the risks continued to pay off and the wins continued to stack, he warmed up to the moniker, which took a life of its own when Rivera was hilariously photoshopped  as a riverboat gambler.

Carolina’s Week 6 win over Minnesota was the first of eight consecutive wins in a season where the team finished 12-4 and earned its first NFC South championship in five years. The team finished the season going 10 of 13 on fourth downs, including a near-perfect 8 of 9 mark on fourth-and-1.

Ten years later, it’s clear that the nickname has stuck.

Ron Rivera’s fourth down success

Since taking over as Washington’s head coach in 2020, Rivera has had his team go for it on fourth down a total of 80 times (through Week 5 of the 2023 season.) In the time span, Washington has converted on 42 fourth downs, a 52.5 percent rate.

This season , the Commanders are 3 of 4 (75.0 percent) on fourth down.

Ron Rivera’s other nicknames

Long before he was known as “Riverboat Ron,” Rivera was affectionately referred to as “Chico” while playing with the Bears.

As the story goes, Rivera, a serviceable linebacker, earned the nickname from defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan, who likened Rivera to actor Freddie Prinze’s character in “Chico and the Man.”

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Ronald Eugene Rivera  ( Riverboat Ron or Chico )

Position : LLB

6-3 ,  239lb  (190cm, 108kg)

Born: January 7 , 1962 in Fort Ord,  CA

Weighted Career AV (100-95-...) : 33 (3415th overall since 1960)

High School : Seaside ( CA )

Draft : Chicago Bears in the 2nd round (44th overall) of the 1984 NFL Draft .

As Coach : 19 Yrs ( Full Record )

As Exec : 1 Yr ( Full Record )

Twitter: @RiverboatRonHC

• 1x SB Champ
• 2x AP Coach/Year
• 2005 PFWA Asst. Coach/Year
• 2x PFWA Coach/Year
• 2x SN Coach/Year

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How old is Ron Rivera?

Ron Rivera is 62 years old.

When was Ron Rivera born?

Ron Rivera was born on January 7, 1962.

Where was Ron Rivera born?

Ron Rivera was born in Fort Ord, CA.

How tall is Ron Rivera?

Ron Rivera is 6-3 (190 cm) tall.

How much did Ron Rivera weigh when playing?

Ron Rivera weighed 239 lbs (108 kg) when playing.

Is Ron Rivera in the Hall of Fame?

Ron Rivera has not been elected into the Hall of Fame.

How many games did Ron Rivera play?

Ron Rivera played 137 games over his career.

How many interception return yards did Ron Rivera have?

Ron Rivera had 37 interception return yards over his career.

How many Super Bowls has Ron Rivera won?

Ron Rivera has won 1 Super Bowl.

When did Ron Rivera retire?

Ron Rivera last played in 1992.

What is Ron Rivera's Twitter account?

Ron Rivera is on Twitter at RiverboatRonHC .

What are Ron Rivera's nicknames?

Riverboat Ron, Chico are nicknames for Ron Rivera.

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Carolina Panthers coach Ron Rivera earns…

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Temperatures expected to drop after a scorching saturday in the bay area, carolina panthers coach ron rivera earns ‘riverboat ron’ nickname.

The 1-3 Panthers were looking at a dismal season when Rivera took his gamble. In an October game against the Minnesota Vikings, twice on the same drive Rivera had the Panthers go for it on fourth-and-1 rather than kick a field goal.

Both plays succeeded — the second was a touchdown — leading to a 35-10 victory that helped turn their season around. The Panthers have won 11 of their past 12 games, and Sunday they host the 49ers in an NFC divisional game. A win, and Carolina will be a step closer to the second Super Bowl in the franchise’s 19-year history. The Panthers lost the Super Bowl to New England in the 2003 season.

As it turns out, the roots of Rivera’s gambling ways sprouted in Berkeley.

Rivera was at Cal in 1983, playing for coach Joe Kapp. The Bears had just kicked a field goal against Texas A&M in the final minute to break a 17-17 tie, but Kapp took the points off the board when the Aggies were penalized. On the next play, Cal fumbled the ball away inside the 5.

One play later, Rivera, then an All-America linebacker, tackled a Texas A&M runner in the end zone for a safety, and Cal won 19-17.

“Ron Rivera saved the day,” Kapp told this newspaper this week. “A coach’s goal is to prepare a player to succeed, and he’s really succeeded.”

Rivera, who played at Seaside High before coming to Cal, credits Kapp for much of his success. During a Wednesday conference call, Rivera said, “Joe Kapp has always been a huge influence in my life.”

“Ron was quiet,” Kapp said, “but his personality was always that of a leader. No one thought Carolina would do that much this year, but he’s got them right there.”

The Panthers are a young team, and Rivera, who interviewed nine times for NFL head-coaching jobs before landing in Carolina in 2011, has always been one to show the kids how it’s done.

Bill Cooper, who coached linebackers at Cal under Kapp, said he didn’t know Rivera would end up coaching. But Cooper did know that Rivera would work well with the younger set, no matter what he did.

“I know he had a real affinity for kids,” Cooper said. “I know because I saw how good he was baby-sitting my son. Kevin grew up idolizing everything Ron Rivera did, on the field and off. Ron was always fully aware of the whole team concept and how he was a part of it. I think he’s taken that into his role as the head coach.”

Another Rivera strength is his ability to separate what he can control from what he can’t.

A few hours after the Panthers fell to 0-2 on Sept. 15 with a one-point loss to the Buffalo Bills, the Charlotte Observer newspaper ran a poll asking fans if team owner Jerry Richardson should fire Rivera. At that point, the Panthers were 13-21 in Rivera’s two-plus seasons.

Eighty percent of the readers answering the poll supported getting rid of the former Cal star.

A month later, Riverboat Ron was born during that thrashing of the Vikings.

“We are doing the things we need to do to play winning football,” Rivera said. “We’ve been very consistent and relatively disciplined. We’ve had four fourth-quarter winning drives. That’s something we haven’t done in the past.”

They’re doing it now, getting their direction from Riverboat Ron, who’s become quite the gambler.

Follow John Hickey on Twitter at twitter.com/JHickey3 .

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Ronald R. Botelho

August 4, 1950 - June 19, 2024 (73 years old)

Swansea , Massachusetts

Funeral arrangement under the care of Auclair Funeral Home & Cremation Service

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Ronald R. Botelho Obituary

We bid farewell to Ronald R. Botelho of Swansea, Massachusetts, born in Fall River, Massachusetts, whose journey of life gracefully concluded on June 19, 2024 at the age of 73. Ronald touched countless lives with warmth and kindness, leaving behind cherished memories that will forever echo in hearts. Leave a sympathy message to the family on the memorial page of Ronald R. Botelho to pay them a last tribute.

He was predeceased by : his parents, Arthur Botelho and Pauline Botelho (Dupre); his brother Arthur Botelho; and his parents-in-law, George and Jane Martin (Pizio).

He is survived by : his wife Linda Botelho (Martin); his siblings, Carol Mohan, Dennis Botelho, Margaret Lambert, Deb Jarusiewicz and Robert Botelho; his niece Stacy Hoag; and his nephew Jamie Hoag (Eric Shapin). He is also survived by several other nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be held on Tuesday, June 25th 2024 from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM at the Auclair Funeral Home (690 S Main St, Fall River, MA 02721).

In lieu of flowers , please consider making a donation to the Michael J. Fox Foundation ( https://www.michaeljfox.org ).

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Man dies in fishing tragedy on Taunton River

FALL RIVER, MASS. (WHDH) - Fall River police are investigating a fishing tragedy on the Taunton River.

Authorities said Ronald Botelho, 73, of Swansea, fell out of his boat Wednesday morning when it began sinking. He was pulled from the water and brought to a local hospital, but did not survive.

The victim’s brother was also thrown into the river, but got out safely.

Police believe the boat’s propeller got caught in a rope, causing the vessel to take on water.

(Copyright (c) 2024 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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Ronald Botelho identified as man who drowned on fishing trip with brother in Fall River

• Updated: Jun. 20, 2024, 11:27 a.m. |
• Published: Jun. 20, 2024, 11:26 a.m.
• Charlie McKenna | [email protected]

Officials on Thursday identified a man who drowned while fishing with his brother on the Taunton River Wednesday morning as Ronald Botelho, 73, of Swansea.

Botelho and his brother were fishing on a section of the river in Fall River early Wednesday morning when their propeller got caught in a rope.

As they attempted to free the boat, it began taking on water, eventually throwing both men in the river, Fall River police told MassLive.

• Read more : Swansea man dies in Taunton River fishing accident early Wednesday morning

Fall River police learned of two men in the water around 6:40 a.m. Wednesday.

Botelho’s brother was able to grab onto a flotation device but Botelho couldn’t stay afloat, police said.

First responders were able to pull Botelho from the water and brought him to Saint Anne’s Hospital in Fall River, where he died of his injuries.

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Century-old Little Compton home on 4 acres of meadowland fetches $2.25M: Weekly home sales

This week's top-selling property is a Queen Cape on four acres of Little Compton meadowland that sold for $2,250,000. 

Tucked beyond old stone walls, the 2,955-square-foot single-family home at 509 W. Main Road features 5 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, and a large combination dining/living room with a fieldstone fireplace. 

Built in 1921, the house also boasts a distant water view.

It was last sold for $2,000,000 in October 2023. 

Here are all of the residential property transfers recorded in Greater Fall River this week according to The Warren Group:

3 Morton Avenue, for $785,000, from Dylcam Development LLC to Rebecca Chhim.

30 Prospect Street, for $980,000, from Stephen S. Fitzroy to Sean J. Connor.

449 Reed Road, for $150,000, from Mary Robinson to Kevin J. Ponte.

4 Serenity Lane, for $810,000, from Ronald Oliveira to Randi Amaral.

Taylor Street, for $124,000, from Leger Rt to Achushnet Riv Reserve Inc.

386 2nd Street, for $737,500, from Mario Vieira to Joseph A. Ponte.

515 Birch Street, for $765,000, from Dina Dasilva to Guerda Pierre.

147 Borden Street, for $612,500, from Wp Enterprise Rt to Borden Plaza LLC.

County Street, for $55,000, from John J. Sparks to Grizotte Capital LLC.

County Street, for $300,000, from O Gil Inc to J & M Dev Group Corp.

270 Courtney Street, for $185,000, from Ais Re Development Corp to Exodus Rt.

96 Danforth Street, for $600,000, from Pedro Cunha to Ashikur Rahman.

750 Davol Street #320, for $312,500, from Donald W. Heimbuch to Richard J. Dupuis.

360 Detroit Street, for $290,000, from Maria Raposo to Helen M. Barbosa.

181 Foster Street, for $534,000, from Dalura Rt to Melanie Caron.

Griffin Street, for $145,000, from Quintal Investments LLC to Victor M. Sousa.

194 Hamlet Street, for $407,000, from Arthur Cruz to Hanna M. Fawzy.

88 Howe Street, for $385,000, from Harney Christopher J Est to Valdinei Cechinel.

82 Jencks Street, for $324,000, from Nancy Senra to Jonathan M. Carvalho.

309 Lawton Street, for $407,500, from Frank C. Viera to Christopher Pontbriand.

3216 N Main Street, for $256,200, from Mary G. Fontes to Federal Natl Mtg Assn.

5455 N Main Street #10D, for $220,000, from Joseph A. Rezendes to David Gosselin.

1084 Pine Street #5, for $340,000, from Fernanda Carvalho to Leang Lee.

1616 Pleasant Street, for $290,000, from Dela Pleasant Realty LLC to Oliveira Investment Inc.

176 Snell Street, for $615,000, from John Abad to Dieugrand Manigat.

165 Sprague Street, for $432,450, from Ria M. Cabral to Marco A. Ramirez.

9 Flagg Swamp Road, for $450,000, from Steven W. Briggs to 925 Nt.

Little Compton

509 W Main Road, for $2,250,000, from Elizabeth P. Millikin to Deborah Wiley.

New Bedford

2082 Acushnet Avenue, for $700,000, from Achushnet Ave Rt to South Coast Investor LLC.

203 Belleville Avenue, for $630,000, from Salome O. Lopez to Rozangela E. Cabral.

288 Bonney Street, for $300,000, from Mario J. Alexandre to Norman Shurtleff.

288 Bonney Street, for $360,000, from Norman Shutleff to Oliveira Investment Inc.

159-161 Central Avenue, for $625,000, from Hurley Homes LLC to James Yoyo.

415 Chancery Street, for $820,000, from Karen E. Almeida to Norman Shurtleff.

518 Coggeshall Street, for $620,000, from Derek J. Reis to Brandi Brillant.

1163 Cove Road, for $600,000, from Mario P. Grota to Galvan Properties LLC.

1167 Cove Road, for $600,000, from Mario P. Grota to Galvan Properties LLC.

83-85 Emma Street, for $540,000, from Margaret Ryan to Olivia Alves.

80 Foxborough Street, for $450,000, from William R. Sousa to Ormia N. Williams.

365 Frieda Street, for $475,000, from Cathy A. Dasilva to James A. Rapoza.

6 Hassey Street, for $8,000,000, from Rcp Realty LLC to North Harborside LLC.

Kempton Street, for $215,000, from Cathy S. Abdur-Rahman to 262 Bedford LLC.

570 Maxfield Street, for $380,000, from Francisco Garcia to Adedayo Pelote.

255 N Front Street, for $585,000, from Aamr Rt to Ariel Ortiz.

236 North Street, for $350,000, from Amy R. Berry to Brandi M. Gomes.

11 Potter Street, for $385,000, from Yasmin Torres-Valenzuela to Wanderson F. Ferreira.

738 Rockdale Avenue, for $640,000, from Orlando Colon to Paulo Marques.

24 Rodney French Boulevard, for $350,000, from Michael L. Amaral to Americi Maio.

1169 Sawyer Street, for $414,000, from Grace D Smith RET to Lucas Dearujo.

1 Stapleton Street, for $725,000, from Mjc Holdings LLC to One Stapleton LLC.

61 Washington Street, for $565,000, from Jorge & Madrid Hm Improve to Eunice R. Martins.

133 Deer Street, for $449,900, from Anita E. Boulanger to Nikkiya Rue.

48 Johnson Street, for $470,000, from Todd W. Cerruti to Eric Hyde.

57 Oneil Road, for $795,000, from Victor A. Dasilva to James K. Shumate.

540 Old Warren Road, for $660,000, from Dream Homes LLC to Fatih Kokdere.

214 Pearse Road, for $499,900, from Martineau Mary A Est to Rachel M. Auclair.

11 Winslow Way, for $130,000, from Douglas A. Koenig to Douglas A. Koenig.

831 Crandall Road, for $690,000, from Joshua W. Stone to Henry R. Flores.

197 Hayden Avenue, for $574,000, from Roland J. Hansen to Messias Pedro.

26 Kenyon Road, for $457,000, from Lsf9 Master Part T to Katie Doonan.

115 Leeshore Lane #115, for $1,700,000, from Manger R Yelle Ft to Rita Lau-Kee.

58 Leonard Drive, for $550,000, from Marlene L. Robinson to Edmond Tessier.

4201 Main Road, for $555,000, from Joyce M. Andrews to Charles H. Patterson.

684 Main Road, for $343,000, from Nicholas A. Gaspar to Jeremy Dennis.

33 Yardarm Drive #33, for $1,350,000, from Thomas J. Sgagliardich to Charles Mitchell.

Route 195, for $35,000, from Warreb Messier 2023 RET to Michele Rego.

Washington Street, for $35,000, from Warreb Messier 2023 RET to Michele Rego.

20 Windsor Drive #20, for $166,400, from Teed Kathleen A Est to Mir M. Hashemian.

Copyrighted material previously published in Banker & Tradesman/The Commercial Record, a weekly trade newspaper. It is reprinted with permission from the publisher, The Warren Group. For a searchable database of real estate transactions and property information, visit www.thewarrengroup.com.

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All I-81 north lanes closed in Botetourt County from multi-vehicle crash, according to VDOT

Martinsville man faces several charges after three people shot in pittsylvania county, entertainment, elliott gould, justin trudeau, helen mirren and more mourn donald sutherland.

Associated Press

Famous fans, colleagues and family pay tribute to actor Donald Sutherland , the star of “M.A.S.H.” “Klute” and “The Hunger Games” who died Thursday at age 88.

“Donald was a giant, not only physically but as a talent. He was also enormously kind and generous. ... It’s never easy losing the caliber of a human being and actor like Donald Sutherland, but this one really profoundly hurts because Donald was like my brother, and a big part of my own career.” — Sutherland's “M.A.S.H.” co-star Elliott Gould, in a statement to The Associated Press.

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“I was blessed to direct him in #Backdraft. One of the most intelligent, interesting & engrossing film actors of all time. Incredible range, creative courage & dedication to serving the story & the audience with supreme excellence.” — Ron Howard , on X.

“With a heavy heart, I tell you that my father, Donald Sutherland, has passed away. I personally think one of the most important actors in the history of film. Never daunted by a role, good, bad or ugly. He loved what he did and did what he loved, and one can never ask for more than that. A life well lived.” — Actor and Sutherland’s son, Kiefer Sutherland , on X.

“Donald Sutherland was one of the smartest actors I ever worked with. He had a wonderful enquiring brain, and a great knowledge on a wide variety of subjects. He combined this great intelligence with a deep sensitivity, and with a seriousness about his profession as an actor. This all made him into the legend of film that he became.” — Actor Helen Mirren, who co-starred with Sutherland in 2017's “The Leisure Seekers,” in a statement.

“We’ve lost one of the greats. Donald Sutherland brought a level of brilliance to his craft few could match. A remarkable, legendary actor — and a great Canadian.” — Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau , on X.

“Donald was a brilliant actor and a complex man who shared quite a few adventures with me, such as the FTA Show, an anti-Vietnam war tour that performed for 60,000 active duty soldiers, sailors, and marines in Hawaii, Okinawa, the Philippines, and Japan in 1971. I am heartbroken.” — Jane Fonda, who was Sutherland's co-star in the 1971 film “Klute,” shared on Instagram .

“No words. He was too important.” — Former New York Times film critic Janet Maslin , on X.

“He starred in two of my very favourite and most influential films — ‘Don’t Look Now’ and the 1978 ‘Invasion Of The Bodysnatchers’. But that is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of his legendary filmography. He was a funny, laconic, but also intense and dramatic presence in so many memorable movies.” — Director Edgar Wright , on Instagram.

“It was my honor to work with him many years ago, and I will never forget his charisma and ability. If you want a master class in acting, watch him in 'Ordinary People.'” — Actor Rob Lowe , who appeared with Sutherland in the 2004 miniseries “Salem's Lot,” via X.

“aww man. farewell, Donald Sutherland.” — Actor Elijah Wood on X.

“We lost a legend, a journeyman actor that created unique and believable characters every time he stepped in front of the camera.” — Jon Cassar , who directed both Donald and Kiefer Sutherland in 2015's “Forsaken,” via X.

Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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Authorities identify man who drowned in Taunton River as 73-year-old

Authorities have released the name of the man who drowned while fishing with his brother in the Taunton River on Wednesday.

Ronald Botelho, 73, of Swansea, died in the accident, officials said.

At approximately 6:40 a.m., police in Fall River received a report of two men in distress on the Taunton River, and the harbormaster’s assistant responded to the scene, along with police, firefighters, EMS units, and the Massachusetts Environmental Police, according to the Fall River Police Department.

The two brothers were fishing when their “propeller got caught in a rope,” police said.

“While attempting to free the propeller, the vessel began taking on water,” police said. “At some point, both men ended up in the water. One of the men was able to take hold of a flotation device, while the other was unable to stay afloat.”

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Botelho was taken to Saint Anne’s Hospital, where he died, police said.

Emily Sweeney can be reached at [email protected] . Follow her @emilysweeney and on Instagram @emilysweeney22 .