RIP Jim Otto

Otto was featured in a 1985 HBO special about the costs of football, the same one that displayed Marv Marinovich's full-blown insanity in how he was raising a then-teenaged Todd. To show how the teenaged mind works, I was just appalled by the shape Otto was in - they showed him barely able to get out of bed in the morning - but it certainly didn't stop me from playing football that fall in my senior year of high school.

From what I remember, both in that HBO special and long after Otto always said he didn't regret playing and would do it all again.

 

Are we sure they're much better today?

 

The Players Association is stronger and players make enough where they can use their own doctors.

 

Agree on the latter. Ehhhhh on the former. They're all a bunch of well-paid Dr. Nicks. Get those guys back on the field at any cost.

 

I want to say there are at least a few instances where a QB was concussed and went back in a few minutes later.

 

There are. Things are better, but not as good as they should be.

 

Of course, that statement is coming from a brain that suffered over 20 concussions. He admitted to some level of brain damage, though he didn't use that term.

I remember seeing that special in 1985. His ability to move and function would have only gotten worse. Imagine living like that for over 40 years.

 

I was thinking that too. Lived a good two-thirds of his life in agonizing pain. That's a damn near superhuman level of toughness.

 

Good story from 16 years ago.

Otto paid big price for football glory

He had only two children --- one of whom died at 39 of cardiac arrest after a blood clot during a hysterectomy --- and yet had 14(!) grandchildren.

 

It's also a tragedy.

 

HanSenSE already mentioned the Burger King in Auburn, a must-stop any time we went up through Truckee to ski.

It's said offensive linemen are only noticed when they are penalized. But that wasn't the case with Jim Otto.

I don't know whether it was loving the AFL more than the NFL, the odd number he wore -- or just being so close to Oakland and Miami growing up -- but Otto, Gene Upshaw and Art Shell were beloved by Raiders fans, sharing the spotlight as much as Ken Stabler, Cliff Branch, Marv Hubbard or Fred Biletnikoff.

The same could almost be said for Langer, Little, Kuechenberg and Evans for the Dolphins. Those were the guys in the trenches for Miami fans, making lanes for the likes of Csonka, Kiick and Morris, protecting Griese and Morrall.

I don't follow the NFL nearly well enough now to know which centers will eventually earn a place in Canton, but dang, I can not only remember their names from 50 years ago but imagine them digging their cleats into the turf at the Coliseum (or that crappy Astroturf in the Orange Bowl), waiting for 00 to snap the ball.

RIP, Jim. You gave your all for the Excellence that Al Davis prized.

 

I remember seeing Dan Dierdorf coming onto the field to be honored and being aghast at how he looked. He was using two crutches/canes and looked like he could barely walk.