Footballjoe Posted September 27, 2010 Share Posted September 27, 2010 (KFFL) Former NFL QB George Blanda has passed away at the age of 83, reports Sean Leahy, of USAToday.com. KFFL sends its condolences to his family and friends. I remember him as a kid. QB and Kicker. (09-27) 12:08 PDT -- Former Raider quarterback George Blanda, whose passing and kicking exploits during a 26-year NFL career led him to a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, has died. He was 83. Blanda was known as the Ageless Wonder because he didn't retire until he was just short of his 49th birthday. And some of his best work came in his last decade in the NFL, with Oakland. After playing college ball for Bear Bryant at the University of Kentucky, the Pennsylvania-born Blanda spent 10 seasons with George Halas and the Chicago Bears, helping lead them to the NFL title game in 1956. When he left the Bears, in 1959, after a squabble over money and playing time, he retired for the first time and sat out a season. The next season, Blanda was coaxed into joining the Houston Oilers of the American Football League. "I signed with Houston because I knew Bud Adams (the team owner) had a lot of money," Blanda said. As a quarterback and placekicker, he paced the Oilers to the first two AFL titles in 1960 and 1961. "I will always think of myself as an AFL player," he once said. Raiders owner Al Davis acquired the 39-year-old Blanda in 1967, after Blanda had put in 17 years of pro ball, for just a waiver price of $100, and Blanda played nine seasons in the Bay Area, often spectacularly, as a kicker and backup quarterback to Daryle Lamonica. Blanda's most memorable season in Oakland was 1970, when in a five-game stretch, he won four games and tied another with his arm and/or foot, a feat that led to him being named AFC Player of the Year. "Al Davis always liked my attitude, and my time with the Raiders was special, because it looked like my career was over" the always-blunt Blanda said. "Instead, I played another nine years, which by itself was more than twice the average playing career." When he retired after the 1975 season, he had scored 2,002 points, a record that stood until kicker Gary Anderson broke it in the 2000 season. He also set marks for most career field-goal attempts (637), and most PATs made and attempted (943 of 959). His 340-game career was the longest in league history, and his 26 years of service were five seasons longer than any other player. With Davis as his presenter, Blanda was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1981. "Two renegades, me and Al Davis," Blanda said. "It was great." Among other things that day, Davis said, "George Blanda inspired a whole nation in 1970. I really believe he is the greatest clutch player in the history of this game." Blanda was voted into the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame in 1989. After retirement, Blanda gave motivational speeches to corporate groups, played in 25 or more celebrity golf events around the country (he was a 7-handicapper) and followed another favorite sport, horse racing. He and his wife, Betty, split time between Chicago and LaQuinta, near Palm Springs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pope Flick Posted September 27, 2010 Share Posted September 27, 2010 Damn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Holy Roller Posted September 27, 2010 Share Posted September 27, 2010 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikesVikes Posted September 27, 2010 Share Posted September 27, 2010 (edited) I see that 1966 was the last year that he started a few games at QB. He started one game in '68 though. His first year in the league was 1949 and his last was 1975. That won't happen ever again. I never watched him play QB but I remember him as a kicker. RIP George. Edited September 27, 2010 by MikesVikes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikesVikes Posted September 27, 2010 Share Posted September 27, 2010 Remarkable Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rovers Posted September 27, 2010 Share Posted September 27, 2010 I think it was 1971... Blanda came in late at QB and led the Raiders to a win over the Jets. Even though that Raider team was an arch enemy, I still liked a lot of guys on those teams... Freddie B, Otto, Blanda, Casper... there are more... hey it was a long freakin time ago... LOL. Blanda was a legend while he was still playing. He looked his age, which really made him stand out too. Here is this old guy in pads... one of the last true "throw back" NFL players. RIP George. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
51Butkus Posted September 27, 2010 Share Posted September 27, 2010 Blanda's Last pass is complete. : An All Time Great. He'll be missed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loaf Posted September 27, 2010 Share Posted September 27, 2010 RIP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikesVikes Posted September 27, 2010 Share Posted September 27, 2010 (edited) I think it was 1971... Blanda came in late at QB and led the Raiders to a win over the Jets. Even though that Raider team was an arch enemy, I still liked a lot of guys on those teams... Freddie B, Otto, Blanda, Casper... there are more... hey it was a long freakin time ago... LOL. Blanda was a legend while he was still playing. He looked his age, which really made him stand out too. Here is this old guy in pads... one of the last true "throw back" NFL players. RIP George. Thanks. Three years after the Heidi Bowl. November 17, 1968 Edited September 27, 2010 by MikesVikes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seahawks21 Posted September 27, 2010 Share Posted September 27, 2010 A true giant, will be remembered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonorator Posted September 27, 2010 Share Posted September 27, 2010 love this guy. was almost a mythical figure for me as a kid ... RIP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buddahj Posted September 27, 2010 Share Posted September 27, 2010 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seahawks21 Posted September 27, 2010 Share Posted September 27, 2010 Never saw him play, but I remember a football trivia book I had as a kid, and seemingly every other answer was George Blanda. The guy just did so much stuff that will never be done again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh B Tool Posted September 27, 2010 Share Posted September 27, 2010 RIP One of the true RAIDAAS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
No Quarter Posted September 27, 2010 Share Posted September 27, 2010 I remember him filling in for QB more than you guys are giving him credit for though I can't quote years and games. ( And he got it done!) I had a George Blanda Poster in my room when I was 12. I remember the magical season where the Raiders just had to stay close until the last couple minutes and then he would kick the game winning field goal. If Fantasy Football had been around then, he would have been the exception to the rule about taking a kicker last. He had to be one of the top kickers in the league and would get the odd touchdown pass when he was filling in for Lamonica or Snake. It truly saddens me to read he is gone. One of the great Raider warriors of a time long gone. You young guys will just have to trust me on this or find some of the old game film. R.I.P George. You were one of my first Football Heros. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skippy Posted September 27, 2010 Share Posted September 27, 2010 Pretty well said there No Quarter. I remember him filling in at QB as well but when I was a true NFL fan he was a kicker that would just fill in at QB. I knew all about him though and had he not played for the evil Raiders, I would have been a hugh fan. RIP George Blanda! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursa Majoris Posted September 27, 2010 Share Posted September 27, 2010 None of this soccer style kicking for George, either. Straight toe-ender for him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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