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Gene Upshaw, RIP

By Big Tent Democrat, Section Off Topic
Posted on Thu Aug 21, 2008 at 04:03:23 PM EST
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The great Gene Upshaw, a great football player and leader of the NFL Players Association, has passed away:

Gene Upshaw, the Hall of Fame guard who during a quarter century as union head helped get NFL players free agency and the riches that came with it, has died. He was 63. Upshaw died Wednesday night at his home near California’s Lake Tahoe, of pancreatic cancer, which was diagnosed only last Sunday, the NFL Players Association said Thursday. His wife Terri and sons Eugene Jr., Justin and Daniel were by his side.

“Few people in the history of the National Football League have played the game as well as Gene and then had another career in football with so much positive impact on the structure and competitiveness of the entire league as Gene,” former NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue said.

RIP, Gene Upshaw.

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    Gene Upshaw, RIP | 14 comments (14 topical)

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    Diagnosed last Sunday? (5.00 / 0) (#1)
    by MKS on Thu Aug 21, 2008 at 04:06:34 PM EST
    Terrible.....Upshaw really helped the players and owners get the NFL through the dangerous whirlpool of free agency.....

    After the age of 50 (none / 0) (#6)
    by samtaylor2 on Thu Aug 21, 2008 at 04:46:45 PM EST
    Every man should be tested every year.  (it might be 55). The cancer grows very slowly (generally).  If you are very old, then they don't worry about the cancer because you generally will pass on from something else.  If you are young, and have it, it should be treated.

    Parent
    Sam, I think you may be thinking of (5.00 / 2) (#7)
    by Anne on Thu Aug 21, 2008 at 05:15:06 PM EST
    prostate cancer, not pancreatic.  There is no test for pancreatic cancer and it can strike both men and women - anyone with a pancreas.

    It usually starts without symptoms, such that by the time symptoms do appear, the cancer has often progressed to a point where it is very difficult to treat.

    When my dad's pancreatic cancer was diagnosed, his doctors thought he probably had 6 months; when, 3 months after his diagnosis, he had a massive coronary that took him in seconds, we were actually grateful that he was spared a slow and painful death.

    It's been almost 20 years, but I miss him still.

    Parent

    I obviouslly did not use my (5.00 / 1) (#10)
    by samtaylor2 on Thu Aug 21, 2008 at 07:44:42 PM EST
    Super power of reading.  Thank you.  I sometimes keep it hidden and forget to take it when need be.

    Studying for Step I test has made me SO absent minded.  

    Parent

    Sorry about your loss (5.00 / 1) (#11)
    by samtaylor2 on Thu Aug 21, 2008 at 07:46:13 PM EST
    Pancreatic cancer is aweful.  And succesful surgery is almost non existant.  

    Parent
    Happens to me all the time, sam - (none / 0) (#12)
    by Anne on Thu Aug 21, 2008 at 08:20:40 PM EST
    so no worries.  :-)

    And thank you for your kind thoughts below.

    Parent

    or above...never know (none / 0) (#13)
    by Anne on Thu Aug 21, 2008 at 08:21:27 PM EST
    sometimes where these comments are going to land!

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    He was one Great Raider. (5.00 / 0) (#2)
    by nycstray on Thu Aug 21, 2008 at 04:08:35 PM EST
    Grew up watching him. The old Silver and Black Attack. They really knew how to get down and dirty.

    Very sad.

    He was a great player (none / 0) (#9)
    by myiq2xu on Thu Aug 21, 2008 at 05:45:01 PM EST
    The Raiders were fortunate to have him.

    I've been a Raider fan since the 60's

    RIP Gene

    Parent

    My friend's dad died from pancreatic cancer (5.00 / 0) (#3)
    by Teresa on Thu Aug 21, 2008 at 04:09:00 PM EST
    after a very very short time. That's scary.

    One of the best.... (none / 0) (#4)
    by desertswine on Thu Aug 21, 2008 at 04:31:25 PM EST
    During his first 14 seasons the Raiders won an incredible 75 percent of their games, with a 148-47-7 regular-season record.

    Shell and Upshaw (none / 0) (#5)
    by JThomas on Thu Aug 21, 2008 at 04:41:52 PM EST
    two of the alltime greats on one line. Stabler had all day to throw.
    Those were the Raiidderrrrssss!

    Sad news about Upshaw.

    It is truly sad that he passed, and so young (none / 0) (#8)
    by scribe on Thu Aug 21, 2008 at 05:15:41 PM EST
    too.  He was a great player.

    I am among the many, though, who opine that while his stewardship of the NFLPA kept the peace, it did so at a horrible cost.  The Players' Association is, in many circles, disrespected because it (is perceived to have) sold out the players - particularly the older players, who have little to show for their careers but wrecked knees and shattered health - and wasn't as effective in pushing ownership for better health and disability benefits as it could have been.  One need only look to the case of Steeler Hall of Fame Center Mike Webster, whose brain was effectively turned to oatmeal through many years of play, and whose estate had to litigate against not only the NFL, but also Upshaw's NFLPA (both the league and the players' association controlled the health/disability plan), to get compensation for his disability.  

    I say this not to derogate Upshaw, but to note that he could have, and should have, done a lot more heading the NFLPA.  The game is immensely profitable to ownership - they need to share the wealth with the players who make it happen.

    Yep... (none / 0) (#14)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Thu Aug 21, 2008 at 08:22:42 PM EST
    ...the NFLPA could have done a much better--and compassionate--job of taking care of the old timers.  

    They were the ones that build the league into a thriving mega-business that supports the outlandish salaries of today's players and the franchises skyrocketing value and profit.  Both owner and player share the responsibility of taking care of the older players, IMO.

    That said RIP, Gene.  

    Parent

    Gene Upshaw, RIP | 14 comments (14 topical)

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