Johnny Unitas,R.I.P.

pathogan · 09-11-2002, 06:10 PM

Just heard this...Johnny U.,man he was like Mickey mantle or the pope when i was a kid...heart attack

Craig S. · 09-11-2002, 06:22 PM

A great player, and a guy who loved the game. He knew how good he was, but you wouldn't hear him bragging about it.

SmedIndy · 09-11-2002, 06:51 PM

Wow! It was a shock....

pwdennis · 09-11-2002, 07:31 PM

A piece of my childhood died today when I heard of Unita's passing. I lived in Severna Park, MD from mid 1961 until late 1965 at a time when the Baltimore area had two heros, both cut from the same mold. One hero,Brooks Robinson, the greatest fielding 3B ever, played the game with a quiet dignity yet with incomparable grace and style.

The other hero, John Unitas, was a quiet warrier (outside the huddle) with nerves of steel and incredible imagination. Playing under rules far less favorable to the passing game, Unitas threw the ball fearlessly, often to spots rather than to receivers, while hanging in there until the last possible moment. Playing today, Unitas would be a combination of Dan Marino and Brett Favre, except Favre isn't as tough as Unitas was.

Had Shula stuck Unitas in Super Bowl III earlier (Unitas had been injured much of the year) the Jet's might not have won. To a man, the Jet defense was very apprehensive about facing Unitas.

I guess it will be a long time before he is really dead as there are many like myself who when they hear the word "quarterback" will always visualize Johnny U

RIP

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I have added this quote from Baltimore Mayor O'Malley, taken from the on-line version of the Baltimore Sun:

"It's hard to believe our hearts could be any heavier than they are today," Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley said. "But now Johnny Unitas is gone. This is a particularly painful day for Baltimore, because Johnny Unitas was Baltimore -- guts and grit. Nobody thought he could be a professional football player much less the best quarterback who ever played the game. He believed that he and every member of his team were the best and they went out on the field again and again and proved it. I know I speak for the city of Baltimore, and all those who call themselves Colts fans, when I say our prayers are with the Unitas family tonight."

JamesI · 09-11-2002, 11:50 PM

When did this happen?

moose · 09-12-2002, 12:10 AM

very sad. one of the true greats.

spitball · 09-12-2002, 03:24 AM

Unitas was a part of my childhood as well. When we lived In District Heights(P.G.county) I was a Redskins fan. Still am. The Skins at that time were mediocre at best.
It would be Jurgenson vs. Unitas and Johnny U. always came out on top......Hated him. But he was a tough s.o.b. and even as young as I was I totally respected him.
Rest in Peace Johnny U.

Max Power · 09-12-2002, 07:57 AM

He seemed to be a "man's man" from what I recall. Shame, we need more people like that these days...........

rcartman28 · 09-12-2002, 08:46 AM

Really sad to hear about this. Obviously one of the greatest in history.

KCBOOMER · 09-12-2002, 10:03 AM

To those of us who saw him he was the best there ever was.

pathogan · 09-12-2002, 11:25 AM

here are some nice thoughts from todays Baltimore Sun
http://www.sunspot.net/sports/footba...%2Dheadlin es

09-11-2002, 06:10 PM	#1
pathogan william Blake's Innkeeper Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Brooklyn Posts: 2,828	Johnny Unitas,R.I.P. Just heard this...Johnny U.,man he was like Mickey mantle or the pope when i was a kid...heart attack Last edited by pathogan : 09-11-2002 at 06:55 PM.

09-11-2002, 07:31 PM	#4
pwdennis NetShrine All-Century Team Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Winter Springs, FL Posts: 2,503	A piece of my childhood died today when I heard of Unita's passing. I lived in Severna Park, MD from mid 1961 until late 1965 at a time when the Baltimore area had two heros, both cut from the same mold. One hero,Brooks Robinson, the greatest fielding 3B ever, played the game with a quiet dignity yet with incomparable grace and style. The other hero, John Unitas, was a quiet warrier (outside the huddle) with nerves of steel and incredible imagination. Playing under rules far less favorable to the passing game, Unitas threw the ball fearlessly, often to spots rather than to receivers, while hanging in there until the last possible moment. Playing today, Unitas would be a combination of Dan Marino and Brett Favre, except Favre isn't as tough as Unitas was. Had Shula stuck Unitas in Super Bowl III earlier (Unitas had been injured much of the year) the Jet's might not have won. To a man, the Jet defense was very apprehensive about facing Unitas. I guess it will be a long time before he is really dead as there are many like myself who when they hear the word "quarterback" will always visualize Johnny U RIP xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx I have added this quote from Baltimore Mayor O'Malley, taken from the on-line version of the Baltimore Sun: "It's hard to believe our hearts could be any heavier than they are today," Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley said. "But now Johnny Unitas is gone. This is a particularly painful day for Baltimore, because Johnny Unitas was Baltimore -- guts and grit. Nobody thought he could be a professional football player much less the best quarterback who ever played the game. He believed that he and every member of his team were the best and they went out on the field again and again and proved it. I know I speak for the city of Baltimore, and all those who call themselves Colts fans, when I say our prayers are with the Unitas family tonight." __________________ "I would submit that if the world survives for a million years, perhaps its finest hour may be that in the last half of the 20th century, when the power to blow up the world rested in the hands of a few men in two very unsophisticated and suspicious countries, we didn't do it, and one American, Richard Nixon, moved the cold war away from permanent confrontation toward victory. How could any wrong that he did compare with that?" - John Sears Last edited by pwdennis : 09-11-2002 at 08:21 PM.

09-12-2002, 07:57 AM	#8
Max Power NetShrine Creator & Curator Join Date: May 2002 Location: NetShrine WHQ Posts: 5,548	He seemed to be a "man's man" from what I recall. Shame, we need more people like that these days........... __________________ Steve, Forum Administrator "They come and they go, Hobbs. They come and they go." That's why there's NetShrine.com

09-12-2002, 08:46 AM	#9
rcartman28 NetShrine All-Century Team Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Hudson, WI Posts: 1,408	Really sad to hear about this. Obviously one of the greatest in history. __________________ I would have looked out for the water main. But that's just me..... Brett Favre

09-12-2002, 10:03 AM	#10
KCBOOMER NetShrine All-Century Team Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Home of the T-Bones Posts: 11,116	To those of us who saw him he was the best there ever was. __________________ KCBOOMER *Buck O'Neil: The Monarch of Baseball*

09-11-2002, 06:22 PM	#2
Craig S. Guest Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Ohio Posts: 6,330	A great player, and a guy who loved the game. He knew how good he was, but you wouldn't hear him bragging about it.

09-11-2002, 06:51 PM	#3
SmedIndy NetShrine's Historian Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Zionsville, IN Posts: 10,569	Wow! It was a shock....

09-11-2002, 11:50 PM	#5
JamesI Netshrine Vacuum Cleaner Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Potsdam, N.Y. Posts: 3,723	When did this happen?

09-12-2002, 12:10 AM	#6
moose Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Socs Posts: 3,400	very sad. one of the true greats.

09-12-2002, 03:24 AM	#7
spitball Guest Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Studio City, Ca. Posts: 1,751	Unitas was a part of my childhood as well. When we lived In District Heights(P.G.county) I was a Redskins fan. Still am. The Skins at that time were mediocre at best. It would be Jurgenson vs. Unitas and Johnny U. always came out on top......Hated him. But he was a tough s.o.b. and even as young as I was I totally respected him. Rest in Peace Johnny U.

09-12-2002, 11:25 AM	#11
pathogan william Blake's Innkeeper Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Brooklyn Posts: 2,828	nice thoughts here are some nice thoughts from todays Baltimore Sun http://www.sunspot.net/sports/footba...%2Dheadlin es

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