RIP FRANCO HARRIS...

It is with great sadness that I learned that Franco Harris passed away at 72...

Being a long time Steeler fan when I was Younger... I still think he made the most incredible play... catch/run... in NFL's history...

Who will ever forget the IMMACULATE RECEPTION !!!

Raiders fans and players, especially Jack Tatum, still dream about it...

NFL will commemorate the IMMACULATE PLAY'S 50 year anniversary Saturday December 24 in the game Steelers-Raiders !

RIP FRANCO...

We will never forget...

Rest in peace, Franco. He was so important on so many fronts, and a reminder that every day is precious. Grew up a Steelers fan in Pittsburgh and he was a cultural and sports icon at all levels in the community. Several years ago I was at the La Guardia Airport in NYC, and I look around, and there was Franco, humble and great and kind. Long live Franco's Italian Army! He also starred as a RB at my alma mater, Penn State. A deep loss throughout our Pennsylvania football fandom and beyond.

I remember watching that game live on TV while home for Christmas break my senior year of college. As it occurred I thought what the heck just happened? I don't think they had any elaborate play review as now, but was it not analyzed for what were the receiving rules back then - that two offensive players could not have touched the ball consecutively - that sticks in my head for some reason - that they did review or the officials all gathered to discuss who touched the ball last before being deflected to Harris?

Another non football memory of Harris was one of Bob Costas' s greatest baseball games programs where a lot of the old players from the 1960 Pirates - Yankees World Series were gathered to discuss the Series and in particular Game 7, which was a classic topped off by Mazeroski's walk off home run in the bottom of the 9th. But in the crowd was Franco Harris who got a big hand from the most likely Pittsburgh partisan crowd. I remember thinking that was pretty cool - that he attended a baseball event for the Pittsburgh baseball team and crowd.