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Well, ya'll might have missed it considering everything else going on today, but we lost another great today.
Johnny Unitas, possibly the greatest quarterback to ever play, died this morning of a heart attack. He was 69.
He was the first to 40,000 passing yards, in an age when passing was difficult at best with the rules at the time. He also holds the record of 47 consecutive games with a touchdown pass, something that nobody's even come close to.
The Law
1989 F-250 HD 4x4
460, C6, BW 13-56
Almost Stock
From: Where they take the census by counting the appliances on the front porch and multiplying by five
Johnny U.
Johnny U. will be missed. I miss all players that loved the game and played it as such.
Not the "I'm not signing 'till I get that 100 million bonus, tennis shoe endorsement, I just can't make it on 42 million a year, pay me no matter how bad I play" crybabies.
Okay, I'll not be the one to turn this into a rant.
You're right Law. He was a great one. I'm sorry to say that his career was ending as my life was beginning, so I've only seen him play in films. But I know his accomplishments. BTW, I think I overheard the TV say that at one time he played for 6 dollars a game? Is that right?
My condolences to his family and friends. We'll miss you Johnny.
I think you're right about him playing for a handful of dollars at times.
Like you (except even younger) I never saw him play; he retired 9 years before I was born; but I've seen him in film, and he was definitely on a level with few peers.
It is indeed a nice reminder of how things once were, when someone would say, "you mean you'll pay me 10 dollars to play a game I'd probably play for free?"
The Law
1989 F-250 HD 4x4
460, C6, BW 13-56
Almost Stock
Even worse...here in California .... Johnny didn't even get air time! The loss of one of our greatest football legends & no one here cared....that's SAD!
Been a football junkie since Ara Parsegian coached Notre Dame.
I grew up watching qb's like Unitas and Starr and runners like Brown and Sayers. The game has changed over the years, but legends like those will never die. Yes, Johnny U. did indeed play for $6 per game; even more, he play played scrub league and sandlot for free before trying out for the Steelers. Although SuperBowl III made the league what it is today; it sure hurt to watch him fail to bring the Colts back that day. Thanks for the memories Johnny U.
Johnny Unitas was my boyhood hero. To this day number 19 is my favorite number and the Colts are still my favorite team. What a shock to here that he had passed. I looked up to him as being an example of a good and decent man. Rest in peace John- I'll never forget you.
One of the greatest, I read a book in junior high a lot of years ago in which Johnny U had a chapter, it was called "quitters never win and winners never quit." I have never forgot that quote. Johnny U played in the amateur leagues and almost didn't go pro. I watched a show awhile back about one of today's greats and how he bagged groceries and played in amateur leagues waiting for the big time, almost giving it up himself. The parallels were so close I immediately thought back to that book. This other quarterback is Curt Warner of the Rams, and he too is a class act. It's nice to see that some people remember their roots and are truly pros. Johnny U will be missed, even by some of us in Cal who watch motorsports and sit glued to Monday night football. We all don't surf.