R-I-P, Franco

I hate to say this, but another really sad story to hit on this morning, as former Pittsburgh Steeler great and hall of famer, Franco Harris, has died at the age of 72. 

And if that weren’t sad enough, his death comes just two days before the 50th anniversary of the immaculate reception, and just three days before the Steelers were scheduled to retire his no. 32 jersey during a ceremony at halftime of its game against the Raiders.

Not only did he make was it arguably the most famous play in the league history, he went on to help lead the Steelers to four Super Bowl wins, and of course, was a hall of famer. 

So we’re not just talking about a dude, who was in the right place at the right time, who made some crazy fluky play and that’s what he’s known for. He was arguably the heart and soul of those teams and that dynasty. As great as those teams were, and they were some of the best ever, they don’t win those four rings without Harris. There’s no Steeler dynasty without Franco Harris, who played some of his best ball when it mattered most... In the postseason. So seeing him pass is really sad, and see it happen right before the 50th anniversary of the immaculate reception and three days before the Steelers retired his number makes is pretty heartbreaking.

Speaking of the immaculate reception. I’ve always said, growing up in Los Angeles, my three sports heroes were Dodgers third baseman Ron Cey, Lakers guard Gail Goodrich and Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw. I know. One of these is not like the others.  But, I was obsessed with sports when I was a kid and obsessed with all three of these guys. They were my heroes; my idols. And the reason a kid from L.A. loved the Steelers is not because L.A. didn’t have a team it did then, but one of my earliest recollections of a sports and something that really resonated with me as a kid, was the immaculate reception. I was 8 at the time. And like most of the nation, I was absolutely mesmerized by the actual play and the moment. And right then and there, the Steelers became my favorite football team. So growing up in L.A., I was always all about the Dodgers, the Lakers, and strangely the Pittsburgh Steelers. And then ultimately Bradshaw became my dude. Bradshaw was my idol, but the Steelers were always my team football team growing up and that was because of Franco Harris and the immaculate reception. I was just saying the other day I don’t want to bite the hand that feeds, but I stopped wearing other people’s jerseys right around the time I turned 12.  But now that I think about it, that’s not actually true. I’ve always prided myself on not being a fan boy or homer while hosting this show. But I was exactly that growing up. In fact, I can remember many a Friday, in high school nerding out, and wearing my Steeler jersey to school before the Steelers played that weekend, as some sort of super fan kook. Just as I can remember dreading Mondays after the lost for all the crap I knew I was going. To catch.  Just as I can remember as a kid, being ecstatic when they won, and literally depressed if the Steelers lost. I’ve long side said, if your mood or state of mind or even quality of your life is based on how your team does, that’s a pretty lame way to go through life because you have absolutely no control or say in any of that. But that’s how it was for me as kid, and I’m sure that’s how it is for many of you to a certain extent still, because that’s what sports is: an escape. A form of entertainment. And too many an obsession.

And this is why I’m sitting in this chair right now and why I’ve done this for more than three decades. Because like a lot of you, I grew up, obsessed with sports, obsessed with the NFL, major league baseball, the NBA, NHL, boxing, everything. And when I realized that I didn’t quite how the skills to be a pro athlete, I was determined to figure out a way to get into the business of sports some other way. Because there was nothing I loved more than sports. And much of that and really much of my career goes back to that one single moment: one of the single greatest moments in the history of sports. The immaculate reception: a description that I’ve long felt was almost as awesome as the play itself. Made by a great player and a class act.  R-I-P, Franco. If any of you Steeler fans want to share your thoughts or memories, I’m here for it. And the rest of you ghouls can save it. Because if his passing weren’t sad enough, it’s even sadder that it happened right before he was going to once again be recognized for being the icon and all-time great that he was.