Gene Upshaw died

[tennOsfan]

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/F/FBN_OBIT_UPSHAW?SITE=TNKIN&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer on Sunday and died days later. Wow.

[BaltimoreTerp]

Only Sunday? Wow. Other places seemed to suggest that he's been keeping it private for a while, though that may just be because the details are still coming out.

Still though, sad day. He's been the director of the NFLPA for my entire lifetime. Literally: June of '83.

There's been a lot of in-fighting going on over the past year between him and the association about him staying in his position and whether or not he's too close to the NFL leadership, but I guarantee no one says a bad word about him today.

Farewell.

[Boy Howdy]

He will be missed.

The first NFL game I ever attended was a doozy - the Christmas Eve, double-overtime Colts-Raiders playoff classic at Memorial Stadium in 1977. Enjoyed seeing it again on ESPN Classic 30 years later when I was home for the holidays last winter.

I always liked Upshaw because his brother Willie was a pretty good all-around first baseman for the Blue Jays in the early '80's. (Willie might still be the Giants hitting coach).

Just a few months ago I found one of those oversized Sportscaster cards of Upshaw and mailed it to him at his office. Got it back signed a week or two later, and in light of this news, I'm especially glad that I did.

R.I.P.

[Objectivity]

Only Sunday? Wow. Other places seemed to suggest that he's been keeping it private for a while, though that may just be because the details are still coming out.


Apparently he had symptoms for awhile but never went to a doctor. He dropped out of a golf tournament complaining of back pain, etc.

I don't understand people who have signs of illness but don't go to a doctor. His diagnosis would have been bleak anyway, but at least he would have known and his family could have had time to accept it and say their goodbyes.