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View Full Version : Gene Upshaw, President of NFLPA, Dead at 63



TheSportsGuru
08-21-2008, 07:56 AM
A sad day for all fans of the NFL...

http://www.milehighreport.com/2008/8/21/598168/gene-upshaw-president-of-t

claymore
08-21-2008, 07:59 AM
A sad day for all fans of the NFL...

http://www.milehighreport.com/2008/8/21/598168/gene-upshaw-president-of-t

Holy Crap,,,,,,, to friggin young.

Italianmobstr7
08-21-2008, 08:42 AM
R.I.P. Gene Upshaw

Devilspawn
08-21-2008, 08:45 AM
Damn. One of the best we Raiders fans ever had. R.I.P.

PatricktheDookie
08-21-2008, 08:57 AM
I won't shed a tear.

Tebow4Ever
08-21-2008, 08:59 AM
Wow, Thats a bummer. RIP Mr. Upshaw. Same age as my father..WAY too young.

drewloc
08-21-2008, 09:03 AM
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3545830

Here is the link to the story on espn.com as well.

LRtagger
08-21-2008, 10:22 AM
Rip

BroncoJoe
08-21-2008, 10:23 AM
What a shock. RIP.

D1g1tal j1m
08-21-2008, 10:40 AM
RIP

Now the question is: How is this going to affect the future relationship between the owners and players' union? Many believe that Gene was in the pockets of the commissioners' office and bended more than he should have (which I don't believe was the case). It will be interesting to see who becomes the leader in the players' union and how that affects a possible strike when the current deal ends.

BeefStew25
08-21-2008, 10:44 AM
RIP

Now the question is: How is this going to affect the future relationship between the owners and players' union? Many believe that Gene was in the pockets of the commissioners' office and bended more than he should have (which I don't believe was the case). It will be interesting to see who becomes the leader in the players' union and how that affects a possible strike when the current deal ends.

That last deal the union got was great for them. So much that Tags is now looked at as an idiot by many owners.

Gene did his job, just like any other union head. Kill the sheep, don't fleece it.

Devilspawn
08-21-2008, 10:52 AM
Died at 63, the jersey number he wore.

The soap opera with the union could probably be solved with one swift stroke or become chaos. I don't think there will be an inbetween.

Superchop 7
08-21-2008, 12:32 PM
My heartfelt condolences to his friends and family.

LordTrychon
08-21-2008, 12:41 PM
This is a shocker. :eek:

Rest in Peace, Mr. Upshaw.

MOtorboat
08-22-2008, 12:01 AM
From Bill Williamson's blog on ESPN
http://myespn.go.com/blogs/nflnation

Former Denver linebacker Tom Jackson: "It's a sad day for the NFL. Gene and John Hannah where the greatest guards I've ever faced. A lot of older players say they wish they would have played now because of the money difference. But I am honored to have played against a player like Gene Upshaw. The game was more pure then and Gene was a part of that. Gene played at 260 pounds but he was big for those days. He was big. Very rarely are the emotional leaders of a team the offensive linemen. But Gene was the emotional leader of those great Raiders' teams. He was a respected guy."

Former Denver linebacker Randy Gradishar: "Playing against Gene was always a difficult challenge. I took great pride in playing against the Raiders and I took great pride in playing against Gene Upshaw. Playing against Gene was a mind game. He could overpower you but he was very intelligent so he could outsmart opponents as well."