Football Great Bubba Smith dies; former NFL lineman
 

Bubba Smith dies; former NFL lineman launched acting career

FYI
For those of you too young to remember his football career, he also played Officer Hightower in the Police Academy films.

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RIP Bubba:(

Awwwwwww :(

:( He died young. Rest in peace.

Wow, he WAS young. My husband swore he had to be at least in his early 70s.

Aside from his playing career and role in the Police Academy films, I'll always remember his beer commercials with Dick Butkus - classic.

Yes. :(

I also consider early 70s too young to die of "natural causes."

After a 9-year, NFL Hall-Of-Fame career, Smith's 66 year old body was hardly young. An NFL career, even a brief one, is often likened to a series of repeated and violent car crashes.

But dude was a heck of a player who dominated in a by-gone era.

Then he really didn't die of "natural causes."

His body was worn and torn and it eventually caught up with him. Rest in peace.

Sadly, you're probably right. :(

Those horrific NFL hits we all cheer on Sunday afternoons come at a terrible price, usually paid far away from the glare of the TV lights.

I am a fan of football (sidebar: College football and basketball are better than NFL and NBA) but was never a fan of how harsh it is on their bodies. It always sounded painful as a spectator. My college ex-boyfriend was a football player and always talked about how painful it is. The average player doesn't focus on both the short and longterm costs.

That's why they "gots to get paid."

I used to be a sportswriter and have seen pro athletes in the lockerroom, following practices and game day competition. Scrapes, gashes, concussions (realized and unrealized).

Like most, I think professional athletes are horribly overpaid relative to their "worth" in a greater societal context. But within the world of pro sports, pro footballers are horribly underpaid, relative to the problems many of them have later in life.

The recently agreed upon collective bargaining agreement just signed by the players union and the NFL supposedly has done more for retired players dealing with age/injuries resulting from their pro careers. That would be a good thing.

Farewell to a much loved Michigan State Spartan and participant in The Game of the Century. :(

RIP:(

RIP *condolences to his family and friends*