May 1, 2017

In Memory of Michael Thompson

This is probably one of the most difficult things I (Recon) have ever had to write concerning Noble, or actually in my professional career in the esports or business  space.

It’s with a heavy heart I regret to inform everyone that Michael Thompson, NobleTexas aka CoffeeRage passed away Friday night 4/28/2017 in Houston with his wife by his side.  This came very sudden and without any true warning.  He was not feeling well a week prior but powered through it.  On Weds, 4/26 we spoke as we did many times daily, and he said he still wasn’t feeling well and that his daughter was stung by a bee, and was dealing with that.  We didn’t talk for the rest of that day. We spoke again the afternoon of the next day and said he felt weird and that and had to got back to the ER as his infection flared back up and they might have to admit him.  That was the last time we spoke.  I received a text message from his phone from his Wife that his was admitted and wasn’t doing well and she would keep me updated, and then late Friday night she texted me again to tell me that he passed.  This was a complete shock for everyone and his wife and daughter are  grieving the best they can. If you would like to pass your condolences when arrangements are made then please contact myself at and I will connect you with the appropriate parties.

Recon’s personal experience with Mike:

Noble was founded in June of 2014, there was a handful of people that helped me start it.  As we grew we thinned the herd, and began to bring in “Quality” of “Quantity” in all aspects of the Org. This also included management.  While working on a separate project with my consulting firm at the time, I was introduced via email to Michael Thompson, but we never spoke.  At the tail end of that project not coming together me and Mike finally said, let’s jump on a call. That call lasted 3 ½ hours and at the end of it we literally said the same thing at the same time. “Why aren’t we working together?” and literally from that day we did. Almost 2 ½ years later there wasn’t a day that went by that me and Mike didn’t speak, multiple times, about multiple things.

Not only was Mike a part of Noble but I included him into my life as a friend and business partner, getting him involved with other projects I was working on as he is one of the smartest and moral people I have ever known. Mike would come up with solutions to problems that we hadn’t ever thought could be issues, was also looking out for the org, its players, community and most definitely me, even when I wasn’t looking out for myself. There was always this joke that Mike was more concerned with my money and emotions then I was, and they were all right. He was the voice of reason, a trusted confident, good friend and faithful brother.  He put his family first, was a great father and husband and kept a majority of that life separate from what we did as that was his time away from the madness of this crazy and sometimes stressful scene called “esports”.

Mike always found time to help people and share his knowledge, life experiences and kind heart when it came to just about anything, and touched many people in this space, not just with inside Noble but in business in general and beyond. Please celebrate his life and not his passing, as I know that’s something he would have wanted. For those who he spoke with on a personal level, find solace that he cared and everything he shared with you was from the heart and consider yourself lucky. Those who didn’t have a chance to speak with him, you missed an opportunity to speak with one of the smartest and most genuine people I ever had the privilege of calling a friend.