RIP George Blanda

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

 

Damn. For some reason, I thought he died years ago.

RIP.

 

Shit. I wonder if the Bears will do a tribute on the fly tonight. Jersey patch or something.

 

When I was growing up, maybe it only seemed like I could turn on the TV any Sunday in the fall at 6 o'clock and, like clockwork, Blanda was about to do something heroic once again.

RIP.

 

George Blanda was the man. RIP.

 

Al Davis outlives him!

 

Exactly - George Blanda bringing the Raiders back against The Chiefs with Charlie Jones as the announcer. Year was 1970 - 5 weeks in a row he lead The Raiders on comebacks. The AFL at that time was a much better watch than the staid NFL.

NYT had a great interview with Blanda back in January. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/24/sports/football/24blanda.html

 

Blanda was the biggest sports star in the country during that stretch. I think he made the cover of Time. I wonder if whatever business is on the site of old Jeppesen Stadium in Houston will lower its flag to half-staff to honor the greatest original Oiler of them all.
AFL heroes dying. I'm feeling my age. RIP, George, a man who LOOKED like a football hero by God.

 

I had to talk to him for a story I was working on and I called a longtime NFL writer who I knew would have his number. He told me, "I'll give you the number, but he's a bit of a recluse and is a miserable old fuck."

I called him and he was every bit as advertised, but I got the quote I needed, even if it was as he was yelling at me. His quote made my story and I'll always be grateful for that.

RIP. Go Raiders.

 

This is remarkable:

One reason Blanda said he appreciated Favre so much is that he could have played in any era. When Blanda made his debut with the Chicago Bears in 1949, he backed up the future Hall of Famers Sid Luckman and Bobby Layne, and a former Heisman Trophy winner, Johnny Lujack. So, he played linebacker and kicked.

I remember Blanda from my "Football Players Do The Most Amazing Things!" book. As an 8-year-old he seemed larger than life.

 

From GoogleNews - Blanda still fooling them.

George Blanda »

FOXSports.c...
Hall of Fame Raiders legend George Blanda dies at 83
USA Today - ?1 hour ago?
George Blanda, whose 26-year career set the standard for longevity in the NFL, died on Monday at age 83. A member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Blanda played 26 seasons and an NFL record 340 games as a quarterback and kicker for the Chicago Bears, ...
George Blanda, NFL great, dead at 81 Los Angeles Times
Football legend George Blanda dead at 83 CNN

 

The Old Man didn't like him, and was glad to be rid of him.

Made the gulf between Luckman and McMahon decades wider.