It has been awhile since my last post, but you know I do not care about preseason. It is hard to write about players who will be looking for work come September. But, I cannot go without writing, today. I would no longer be able to carry the name "Raider-Man" if I did not express myself on this day.
This is the day of what most will call "bad news". The passing of NFL Players Association President, Gene Upshaw. Because of that this post will be a long one.
If you listened to the radio (ESPN) or watched TV (ESPN) they continue to talk about his work in the player's union along with his Hall of Fame career as a player. I will take a different road in my discussion of him.
My first meeting of Gene Upshaw came when I was a 10 year old boy in the city of Oakland, CA. I was a member of the East Bay YMCA and I was name Boy-of-the-Month. One of my rewards was to meet the Raiders. I meet rookie guard Gene Upshaw and others. He was a big guy to me at the time, but events like that drew me closer to the Raiders and explains why I am such a big fan. I am only going to dwell on Gene Upshaw the player, not the union president.
Gene Upshaw is one who embodied the term "Football Player". He played at a time when man beat each other down on the field and went to dinner together afterwards. Nobody complained about "he hit me after I throw the ball" or "He tried to block me in the knees". If the players of today had half the heart and desire Gene Upshaw had, as a player, the NFL would be even bigger than it already is.
I have long missed the player of that era. They will never come back. Gene Upshaw will truly be missed.
Now, on to my own tribute. The photos you see are via www.NFL.com. The opening words are from the NFL HOF website. I hope they do not get angry with me, but they are far better than anything I could have put together on short notice. I do give credit to those involved. Please, scroll thru these magnifcient photos.
Peace out!
Eugene Thurman Upshaw, Jr...First who played guard exclusively to enter Hall...No. 1 draft pick, 1967...Won regular left guard job as rookie...Played in 307 games altogether...Possessed size, speed, intelligence, intensity, exceptional leadership ability...Extremely effective leading sweeps...Played in 10 AFL/NFL title games, three Super Bowls, seven Pro Bowls...All-league seven years, second-team All-NFL four other times...Born August 15, 1945, in Robstown, Texas...Died August 20, 2008, at age of 63.
Gene Upshaw - Rookie head-shot 1967.
Oakland Raiders guard Gene Upshaw (63) pulls to block during a 24-12 victory over the San Diego Chargers on October 26, 1969, at San Diego Stadium in San Diego, California. (Photo by Charles Aqua Viva/NFL)
Cleveland Browns defensive back Oliver Davis (21) finds himself face to face with Oakland Raiders Hall of Fame guard Gene Upshaw (63) during a 26-10 Raiders victory on October 9, 1977, at Cleveland Municipal Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Tony Tomsic/NFL)
Hall of Fame defensive end Jack Youngblood (85) of the Los Angeles Rams and Raiders Hall of Fame guard Gene Upshaw (63) wear the stains of turf they battled over during the Rams 20-14 victory over the Oakland Raiders on December 4, 1977 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by NFL)
Hall of Fame guard Gene Upshaw of the Oakland Raiders prepares to block Baltimore defensive tackle Joe Ehrmann during the Raiders 37-31 overtime victory over the Colts in the 1977 AFC Divisional Playoff Game on December 24, 1977 at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Tony Tomsic/NFL)
Oakland Raiders Hall of Fame guard Gene Upshaw (63) during Super Bowl XV, a 27-10 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles on January 25, 1981, at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Al Messerschmidt/NFL)
The Oakland Raiders offensive line--Henry Lawrence (70), Mickey Marvin (65), Dave Dalby (50), and Hall-of-Famers Gene Upshaw (63) and Art Shell (78)--before Super Bowl XV, a 27-10 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles on January 25, 1981, at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Ross Lewis/NFL)
Oakland Raiders guard Gene Upshaw in 1981. (Photo by Al Messerschmidt/NFL)
HERE, HERE!!!!!!!!
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