Chiefs' Owner Lamar Hunt Loses Battle to Cancer

There are times when our blog takes twists and turns, that float from light-hearted banter to serious football conversations. Today, our blog takes a more somber turn and a turn I wish we didn't have to take. Chiefs' owner Lamar Hunt has recently lost his hard-fought battle with prostate cancer. He passed away on Wednesday, December 13th at the age of 74.

Those schooled in the life of Lamar Hunt know that the NFL not only lost a terrific owner and a man who brought the Chiefs and Arrowhead Stadium into Kansas City; they also lost one of the league's most influential innovators. Hunt was a key player in negotiating the NFL's merger with the AFL--one of the most poignant tactical moves in NFL history. Hunt also served as a driving force behind the NFL's current playoff structure and is largely believed to have accidentally coined the term "Super Bowl." Most NFL fans recognize him by the award that bears his name: the AFC Championship game's "Lamar Hunt Trophy." I could probably blog about his ultra-long resume for days; however, I believe that many websites accomplish this way better than I ever could. While a website cannot possibly do justice to Hunt's long list of accomplishments, this memorial posted by kcchiefs.com does a pretty good job. I strongly encourage everyone to read it.

The NFL not only lost an influential man; they also lost a very good man. Those who have had the good fortune of meeting the man know that he was one of the kindest, most humble characters you could ever meet. Today, the NFL, the Chiefs, and the world lost one of their greatest men: a savvy businessman, a community leader, and an incredibly well-respected man in every environment he stepped into.

As a sports blog, we have the unusual opportunity to allow readers to share their respect in an open forum. Let me be the first on this blog to wish the Hunt family well and to comment that we are all in absolute, complete, and utter awe of how much one man, the great Lamar Hunt, has contributed to the world in one singular lifetime.

The world will miss you, Lamar Hunt. Goodbye and thank you!