Gene Upshaw Dies at 63

[R8RMR]

Just read this but haven't seen it on any of the networks yet.  Very sad, if true!

The longtime NFL Players Association executive director and Hall of Fame player had been fighting pancreatic cancer.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
 
By Jim Riggio Clear Channel Online

Hall of Fame football player and longtime NFL Players Association executive director Gene Upshaw has died, sources have told Clear Channel.

The former offensive lineman had been fighting pancreatic cancer.

He was 63.

Upshaw played with the Oakland and Los Angeles Raiders from 1967 until 1981. He was a seven-time Pro Bowl selection and an 11-time All-Pro.

He also played on two Super Bowl-winning sides.

He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987.

Upshaw is survived by his wife, Terri, and sons, Justin, Daniel and Eugene Jr.


http://www.910knew.com/script2/print.php?page=/cc-common/news/sections/sportsarticle.html&article_id=4127682&feed_id=104670

[Aeyjay]

I don't think that's on the level.

[R8RMR]

I've had a quick look at some other Raider sites and it is all over them. They are quoting reports on radio over there. Even Wikipedia has it in his profile.

[Aeyjay]

Only found this and it quotes the article you had.

KFYR 550 AM - The Voice Of The Northern Plains              

and the very helpfull deadoralive.com says he is alive?

Gene Upshaw

Anyway sad news as he was a Raider great and though he had some contraversy as head of the NFLPA deserves everyones respect. Best wishes and condelances to his family.

[R8RMR]

RIP Gene!

With the amount of activity on Raider sites I have to assume that it is true. But because of the time difference, none of the major media sources have picked up the story. We will probably have to wait for a couple of hours for the east coast to wake up before it becomes headline news over there.

[Aeyjay]

UPSHAW’S DEATH CONFIRMED
Posted by Mike Florio on August 21, 2008, 9:03 a.m.
After several hours of uncertainty and confusion regarding the condition of Hall of Famer Gene Upshaw, it has been confirmed by NFL.com that Upshaw has died of pancreatic cancer.

He turned 63 just last Friday.

It’s still unknown whether he had been fighting the disease for an extended period, or whether he was diagnosed recently.  (Not long ago, I heard of an otherwise healthy man who died only six days after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.)

Regardless of whether Upshaw knew about his condition for days, weeks, or months, his passing creates an immediate power vacuum at the NFL Players Association.  With the regular season only two weeks away, a conference call of the players will need to be arranged as soon as possible, and an interim Executive Director will need to be appointed.

Possibilities include NFLPA General Counsel Richard Berthelsen, and NFLPA outside counsel Jeffrey Kessler.  Another possibility (albeit, in our view, remote) would be agent Tom Condon, who represented Upshaw and previously served as NFLPA President.

Looking ahead, it’s very possible that a permanent replacement won’t be named before the next annual meeting in March 2009.  And this likely means that NFL teams should finalize plans for the “last capped year” under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, which will begin in late February or early March of 2009.

In 2006, a new CBA was negotiated on the eve of the “last capped year,” since the cap rules and restrictions were forcing teams to realize that the “last capped year” was going to be nearly as much of a headache as an uncapped year.  So if the league ends up entering the “last capped year,” the chances of having an uncapped year in 2010 possibly would increase.

[R8RMR]

It appears that they have woken up over there and I have seen several other similar articles. It is unfortunate that they are focussing on the void left in the NFLPA hierarchy rather than his family.

[Aeyjay]

Well this was the reason I was so sceptical at first because Upshaw was holding onto the position strongly and was against grooming his replacement, now would this havehappenned if he was terminally ill , as it turns out this has been a very sudden onset of his condition with no warning signs which explains the situation.

Again best wishes to his family.