Football legend George Blanda dead at 83

[The Grasshopper]

http://www.cnn.com/2010/SPORT/09/27/obit.blanda/?hpt=T2

Pro football Hall of Famer George Blanda, who racked up more than 2,000 points in a record 26-year career, has died at age 83, the Oakland Raiders announced Monday.

A quarterback who doubled as a placekicker, Blanda retired in 1975 at age 48. During stints with the Raiders, the Chicago Bears, Baltimore Colts and the Houston Oilers, he scored a then-record 2,002 points, including 236 touchdown passes.

Blanda died after a brief illness, the Pro Football Hall of Fame announced.

Blanda was the NFL Player of the Year in 1970, the season that a string of last-minute touchdown passes or field goals led to a string of Raiders wins and one tie in five straight games. Raiders owner Al Davis, a personal friend, once called him "the greatest clutch player the game of pro football has ever known."

"Our heart goes out to his wife Betty and the Blanda family, and we grieve with them for our great friend," the team said

Sleep well... :bowdown:

 

[Hot Mega]

:bowdown::bowdown::bowdown: Is right!

Amazing athlete!! This man played pro ball for 26 years!!!! The great thing is he still lived over 30 years after.

R.I.P. GB:hatsoff::hatsoff:

 

[pornobsession]

That was when the Raiders personified greatness, it's a shame to see them fade away at the hands of Al Davis.

 

[Jagger69]

Talk about a throwback. This guy was still kicking field goals for the Oakland Raiders into his late 40s....and he was a straight-on kicker (one of the last). I'm old enough to remember seeing him fill in at QB for Daryle Lamonica for an incredible stretch of last-minute heroics back in 1970 when he was 43 years old. He also led the Houston Oilers to the first two AFL titles back in 1961 and 1962. A true figure of legendary football feats, there has never been anyone like George Blanda in the history of the sport. RIP George....you'll be missed.

 

[biomech]

What a loss. RIP George.

 

[dbradford8589]

I hate the Raiders but this is a big loss for football. He was definitely on the list of greatest players.

 

[assholebythedoor]

one of the all time greats

 

[Vlad The Impaler]

R. I. P. Mr. Blanda.:hatsoff:

 

[feller469]

RIP George

 

[Bearded_Menace]

Football loses yet another from the great generation of football players.

 

[ThatRedWing]

George Blanda was not a QB. George Blanda was not a kicker. George Blanda was a football player. May you rest in peace, sir.:bowdown::angels:

 

[maildude]

Still remember watching him play...
http://sports.yahoo.com/video/player/nfl/22140748;_ylt=AvuJwCjx1RVdj2nt7_2k.YJDubYF