I had planned to be back with a round up of what’s been going on since we took our little “Holiday Break”, but…

Like many of you, I was watching the Buffalo/Cincinnati Playoff game last night when Buffalo Safety Back Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field after tackling Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins about halfway through the first quarter. Medics perfomed CPR for an astounding 9 minutes on the field as players from both teams knelt in a tight circle around Hamlin, joined in Prayer, as doctors worked and an ambulance was backed onto the field to transport him to the hospital as players, coaches, fans and broadcasters struggled for what to do… and say.

The game, obviously, was delayed… and eventually - rightly - postponed to an as yet undetermined date. At the time, Cincinnati was leading the Bills 7 -3.

As of this morning, Doctors say Damar had a Cardiac Arrest on the field… but is now sedated and is in critical condition at the University of Cincinnati Medical Centerl. 24 years old. A heart attack. Unbelievable.

Needless to say, our thoughts are Prayers are with Damar, his Family & the Bills.

I have to tell you… When Hamlin when down last night, I was immediately taken back to a Lions game my wife Gail and I went to back on Sunday, October 24 1971. The Lions were playing the Bears at Tiger Stadium.

Another young player… 28 year old Wide Receiver Chuck Hughes started to make his way back to the Lions huddle after a pass by QB Greg Landry intended for Receiver Charlie Sanders went Incomplete. I watched as Hughes who was walking back from the End Zone… arms at his sides… collapsed face first onto the grass - straight down from where we were sitting. The Bears Dick Butkus, who was nearby, went over to Hughes - clearly sensing something was very wrong - and began frantically waving at the Lions bench for help. Team doctors and medical personnel ran over to where Hughes was laying facedown on the field motionless, his arms at his sides. And through the Zoom on my binoculars - I could actually see his face turn bluish gray.

He was taken to the hospital… and the game continued. It wasn’t until later that we found out that Chuck Hughes was officially pronounced dead at Henry Ford Hospital.

But I think most of us in the stands that day… at least in my section… sensed that he was gone in that moment.. The first and only time an NFL player has died on the Field.

Prayers that it stays that way.

*****

The End of 2022 and the Beginning of 2023 have already brought major loses…

RIP… Pope Benedict XVI who died at 95.

RIP… Barbara Walters who died at 93.

RIP… Anita Pointer of the Pointer Sisters who has died at 74.

Have a good day… and we’ll be back tomorrow… hopefully with some better news!!!

-Dick