R.I.P. Junior Seau, a Good Man and Great Football Player

Before there were Arizona Cardinals in my life, there were San Diego Chargers.  Having no NFL in Arizona, I grew up a Chargers fan.  Now, I became a Cards fan the day they moved here in 1988, but still rooted for the Bolts.  In 1990, a man by the name of Junior Seau come onto the scene, a linebacker from the University of Southern California.  He made an immediate impact not only to the game but to the community of San Diego as well.  Today, it all came crashing down as Seau apparently took his own life by shooting himself in the chest.  Seau was 43, only two years removed from the NFL.  May he rest in peace.

The man was a beast for both the Chargers and the New England Patriots.  It was his sense of family and community though that endeared himself to fans.  He remained a big part of San Diego, even after retirement.  He still owns restaurants in San Diego.  It was a joy to watch him play on the field as much as it was to see what he did for people off it.

Now, we say goodbye to a man who at 43, left us way too early.  That was the same age my dad died at, ironically in 1990, Seau’s first year.  It is way too early for a human to go in life.  Questions will abound about concussions and depression.  We will examine that at a later time.  Today, we honor the memory of Seau and give our thoughts and prayers to his family, friends, and fans.  It is a sad day.