Gene Upshaw, NFL Hall of Famer, is dead at 63.

[madinmaryland]

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/nflinsider/2008/08/upshaw_dead_at_63.html?hpid=topnews

Gene Upshaw, the Hall of Fame player who was the longtime executive director of the NFL Players Association, has died.

He was 63.

Upshaw had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, according to several reports.

An NFL Players Association official confirmed Upshaw's death.

The union posted a written statement on its website that said: "We are deeply saddened and shocked by the sudden and unexpected death of our leader, Gene Upshaw. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his wife, Terri, and their three sons--Eugene, Justin and Daniel. Gene learned he was sick just this past Sunday and he died with his family at his side. We ask that the media respect our need to begin the process of dealing with this unexpected tragedy and to begin the grieving process."

Upshaw had served as executive director of the players' union since 1983. He led the players through a strike in 1987 and antitrust litigation against the league before presiding over a lengthy labor peace that helped cement the NFL as the most popular and prosperous professional sports league in the country.

..snip

[Blue_Tires]

1. wow....

i wonder how that dispute with the former players will play out now

[NJmaverick]

2. This is sad, the man died too young

good vibes go out to him and his family. You know I fear for the future of the league. The leagure prospered under his leadership. He had the power to keep the irrational players and their excessive demands in check and showed he could work with the owners. As a result the league and the players prospered. Can you think of another occupation that has seen the salary increases that football players have seen? Yet there were still many players that criticized him for being too cozy with management. Because of this, I fear his replacement will not be able to so no, to the excessive demands. I fear that the player/owner partnership will be replaced by an animosity. The fighting will hurt the players, the league and the fans. RIP Gene, you will be badly missed.

[CreekDog]

3. they said he was diagnosed last Sunday!

awful.