[Goranhammer]

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u ... white_dc_4

White, a defensive lineman who retired in 2000 after 15 years in the NFL, suffered a massive heart attack at his North Carolina home, said a report on the Web site of the Philadelphia Eagles, one of his former teams.

At the time of his retirement White held the record for career sacks of 198. His total has since been passed by Bruce Smith.

"Reggie White was a gentle warrior who will be remembered as one of the greatest defensive players in NFL history," NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue said in a statement on NFL.com.

"Equally as impressive as his achievements on the field was the positive impact he made off the field and the way he served as a positive influence on so many young people.

"We are deeply saddened by his loss and extend our deepest sympathy to Reggie's wife Sara and his entire family."

White, who was also an ordained minister, played for the Philadelphia Eagles, Green Bay Packers, where he played on a Super Bowl winner in 1997, and finally with the Carolina Panthers.

White was elected to the Pro Bowl a record 13 straight times from 1986-98. He was the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year in 1987 and 1998.

He retired three times, once before the 1998 season began where he changed his mind after just one day, and again at the end of that season.

He returned for a final season with Carolina in 2000 before retiring for good.

A great player, a greater human being. The NFL, its fans and personnel, are humbled at his loss.

[Nicky Scarfo]

A great player, and probably a decent guy, but he held some pretty ignorant and bigoted beliefs. Some of the comments he made about Jews bordered on anti-Semitism. I don't think he hated Jews or anything, just that he wasn't too bright and had some misconceptions and stereotypes.

But I'm not trying to trash the guy. He may have held some beliefs I find offensive, but that doesn't make him a bad guy. Just wanted to point out the guy had some pretty serious flaws the article doesn't mention.

Thought it was worth mentioning since the article skips over it, but it was the center of some very public controversy a few years back.

[Boondock Saint]

Well when someone dies the only appropriate thing to do is white wash any negative things he has ever said or done.

I will always remember him as a great and imposing player ...

[uglygoat]

was he hooked up with the nation of islam? iirc he was...

so young to die of a heart attack though...

must remember to get cholesterol checked etc before i'm thirty....

[Sans Salvador]

He was a christian minister, so I doubt he would be with the Nation of Islam.

[Boondock Saint]

t what the hell are you going on about?

Nation of Islam? He was a Christian fundie!

[uglygoat]

people read my posts....



now i'll have to start looking things up before i post....

[Demosthenes]

He died because of a lung disorder that attacked various cells in his body, as well as chronic sleap apnea which in turn led to cardiac arrest.

I liked him when he played for Philly, hated him for leaving, thought his comments awhile back were a little off the wall, though I think well intentioned, and have been generally apathetic since. He was one of the few from the vaunted early 90s Eagels defense that didn''t retire as an Eagle.

But that's just sour grapes, and meaningless when discussing his death.

Sorry to see ya go big guy. Hope your family copes well. Sudden, unexpected death is always the hardest to deal with.

[briansmith]

I should point out that Andrea Kremer of ESPN said that, towards the end of his life, Reggie White questioned Christianity and had begun to learn Hebrew. He said that he was trying to discover what he really believed in and perfect his religion, really. Very interesting,

He also said that his comments about Jews, homosexuals, etc. before the Wisconsin state legislature was the biggest mistake he ever made.

[SpiderMonkey]

No idea who this guy was until he died. Then I read some of the shit he was saying.

While dying young is tragic I suppose, the human race just got a tad smarter.