Friday, December 19, 2008

R.I.P.

It's been a busy few days in that department; not for me, but for some of our better known members of society.

First, Slingin' Sammy Baugh died on Wednesday. He pretty much revolutionized football with how he used the forward pass. One of the more amusing stories is this:

Dropping back into the end zone, Baugh threw to an open receiver, but the ball hit the goal post (which at the time were on the goal line instead of at the back of the end zone) and bounced back to the ground in the end zone. Under the rules at the time, this was ruled as a safety and thus gave the Rams a 2–0 lead. It was that safety that proved to be the margin of victory. Owner Marshall was so mad at the outcome that he became a major force in passing the following major rule change after the season: A forward pass that strikes the goal posts is automatically ruled incomplete.

One wonders why it took the NFL until 1974 to move the goal posts to the end line.

Second, Majel Barret Roddenberry died yesterday. Beginning with playing Number One in the original Star Trek pilot, she was the only actor to have a role in all Star Trek incarnations to date. I guess it's time for a new computer.

Finally, Deep Throat also died Thursday. Traitor or hero? I tend to think the latter and view his role in Watergate as reminding us all that nobody is above the law, not even the President of the United States -- maybe most especially the President. Otherwise we just might get eight years of . . . oh, wait, been there, done that.

May they all rest in peace.

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