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NFL, MLS Looking For Ways
To Pay Homage To Hunt
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NFL Commissioner
ROGER GOODELL said that the league “plans to explore ways
to honor” Chiefs Owner
LAMAR HUNT, who died Wednesday night of complications
from prostate cancer, according to Randy Covitz of the K.C. STAR. The NFL will
have a moment of silence before all games this weekend, starting with last night’s
49ers-Seahawks game. Goodell: “It’s too quick to make any long-term plans, but
I am confident the membership will want to do something that is the proper recognition
for a man who has made so many contributions.” The Chiefs will wear Hunt’s initials
on their helmets over the season’s remaining games and “may add another tribute
to the uniforms next season” (
K.C. STAR, 12/15). Meanwhile, MLS and the
three teams owned by Hunt Sports Group “plan on honoring him” next season. Putting
Hunt’s initials “on team jerseys and tribute games were just two of the ideas
mentioned,” but all parties agreed that the Hunt family “would need to be consulted
before any action is taken” (
K.C. STAR, 12/15). A memorial service for
the general public will be held at 1:00pm CT on Saturday at Southern Methodist
Univ. Arrangements are being finalized for a follow-up memorial service in K.C.
In lieu of flowers, the family requested that donations be made to the following:
Dallas Museum of Art
1717 N. Harwood
Dallas, TX 75201
Heart of a Champion Foundation
P.O. Box 740126
Dallas, TX 75374-0126
REMEMBERING A PIONEER: In K.C., Adam Teicher notes TV camera crews “lurked
in seemingly every corner of the Truman Sports Complex” on Thursday as tributes
“poured in unsolicited to the Chiefs from former NFL commissioner
PAUL TAGLIABUE and officials of many NFL teams.” A few fans “wandered by the main entrance at
Arrowhead Stadium and left flowers as a remembrance.” With Chiefs Chair
CLARK
HUNT taking over the family’s sports interests, Chiefs President
CARL PETERSON said, “He certainly has made plans for a smooth transition, but there will be
nobody like Lamar Hunt. We plan to continue to make things the same here or better,
but we know he’s not going to be there any longer. He’s made a tremendous choice
in his son” (
K.C. STAR, 12/15).
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Clark Hunt Succeeding Father
As Leader Of Hunt Sports Group |
REFLECTIONS: A number of teams and entities released statements and provided
comments honoring Lamar Hunt. Here is a sampling. Steelers Chair
DAN ROONEY:
“Lamar Hunt brought a certain class to the whole business” (
PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE,
12/15). U.S. Soccer President
SUNIL GULATI: “There quite simply has
never been a more influential person in sports in the United States” (
MIAMI
HERALD, 12/15). Fox Sports President
ED GOREN: “Lamar Hunt was a gentleman,
a sportsman and a visionary”....Royals Owner
DAVID GLASS: “Lamar’s vision
and influence really created the regional landscape for great teams and great
fans”....NFL Cardinals President
BILL BIDWILL: “There is no way our sport
would enjoy the success and popularity it does today without the leadership of
Lamar Hunt”....Buccaneers Exec VP
JOEL GLAZER: “His contribution to professional
football and other sports has left an indelible mark; his passing creates a void
difficult to replace”....Eagles Owner
JEFFREY LURIE: “His contribution
to the success of the NFL and sports has been extraordinary. What I will always
cherish about Lamar was his decency, humility and his intelligent soft spoken
manner”....Chargers President
DEAN SPANOS said his team exists “in large
part, due to the courage and vision” of Hunt (
THE DAILY).
MEDIA REMEMBERS HUNT: National and local media members continue to memorialize
Hunt. In Minneapolis, Sid Hartman writes Hunt “was a driving force in helping
small-market teams exist through revenue sharing. He will be missed because owners
of the ... big-market teams don’t want to share money” (
STAR TRIBUNE, 12/15).
In Atlanta, Furman Bisher: “If there had been no Lamar Hunt, there would have
been no [AFL]; if there had been no [AFL], there would be no [NFL] as we know
it today; and if there had been no AFL and NFL, there would have been no Super
Bowl,” a term coined by Hunt (
ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 12/15). In DC, Mark
Maske notes the waning number of “old guard” owners and writes, “The NFL is losing
its titans, one by one” (
WASHINGTON POST, 12/15). In K.C., Jason Whitlock:
“I just hope players around the league recognize the debt owed to Hunt. He opened
doors. He was a pioneer. He facilitated black progress. It’s no surprise that
Herm Edwards is the head coach [of the Chiefs]” (
K.C. STAR, 12/15). In
Dallas, Rick Gosselin: “Hunt truly was color blind in his bid to build a championship
football team” (
DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 12/15).
