RIP George Blanda

[hardcorecubfan]

George Blanda of the Bears and Oakland Raiders died today.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/09/27/SPSE1FKCKA.DTL

 

Former Raider quarterback George Blanda, whose passing and kicking exploits during a 26-year NFL career led him to a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, has died. He was 83.

 

Blanda was known as the Ageless Wonder because he didn't retire until he was just short of his 49th birthday.

 

And some of his best work came in his last decade in the NFL, with Oakland.

 

After playing college ball for Bear Bryant at the University of Kentucky, the Pennsylvania-born Blanda spent 10 seasons with George Halas and the Chicago Bears, helping lead them to the NFL title game in 1956.

 

When he left the Bears, in 1959, after a squabble over money and playing time, he retired for the first time and sat out a season.

 

 

He was one of my all time favorite players. RIP

[jersey cubs fan]

He was still alive?

[UMFan83]

This is like Bo dying on the eve of the biggest UM-OSU games in the rivalry.

 

OK maybe not.

[NCCubFan]

He played for both the Bear (Bryant, when he was at Kentucky) and the Bears. I think he was probably best known for leading the Raiders to comeback victories a few times as a backup quarterback in the early 70s when his primary duties by that time were as a kicker. He was a great QB earlier in his career before football gained the widespread following it has now, so I don't think he's as well known for that.

[SpongeWorthy]

I think he was more known for being the NFL's all time leading scorer for a really long time.

[hardcorecubfan]

He played for both the Bear (Bryant, when he was at Kentucky) and the Bears. I think he was probably best known for leading the Raiders to comeback victories a few times as a backup quarterback in the early 70s when his primary duties by that time were as a kicker. He was a great QB earlier in his career before football gained the widespread following it has now, so I don't think he's as well known for that.

 

As a kicker it was entertaining to watch him because if there was any miss-snap and he got the ball in his hands you never new what he was going to do with is

[Tracer Bullet]

This is like Bo dying on the eve of the biggest UM-OSU games in the rivalry.

 

OK maybe not.

 

Bo Jackson died?

[Coach C]

This is like Bo dying on the eve of the biggest UM-OSU games in the rivalry.

 

OK maybe not.

 

Bo Jackson died?

 

No, I think he meant Bo Schembechler.

[Derwood]

RIP Beau Ryan

[DivineBovine]

Really? He did? I've been watching espn all night and haven't heard a word about it.

 

OK that's not nice. May he RIP.

[NCCubFan]

This is like Bo dying on the eve of the biggest UM-OSU games in the rivalry.

 

OK maybe not.

 

Bo Jackson died?

I can just imagine the headline when that does happen: "Bo Knows Death."

[SouthSideRyan]

That seems insensitive.