Add loss of Corey Smith to list of Lions' tragedies
by Brian VanOchten | The Grand Rapids Press
Sunday March 08, 2009, 12:30 AM
All families squabble.
It's a part of life, simple as that, but families pull together in the toughest of times, under the harshest of circumstances, facing tragedies like the heartbreaking loss of former Detroit Lions defensive end Corey Smith and a pair of his fishing buddies off the Gulf Coast of Florida last weekend.
The support is unconditional.
In the past week, I've been reminded through endless Internet searches while reading blog posts, chat boards and numerous reports about the celebration of Smith's life that no one rallies around their favorite NFL team quite like the people who consider themselves part of the Lions family.
The resentment of 0-16 faded.
The hurtful comments stopped.
The sniping from the media about questionable front-office leadership and the signing of middling free agents, which I'd been trumpeting, came to a respectful halt once reports of Smith's disappearance broke.
It reminded us that life is so fragile.
It also stirred up a chilling reminder of the heartbreaking tragedies that have plagued the Lions franchise for almost four decades.
You remember Chuck Hughes?
He suffered a fatal heart attack on the field on Oct. 24, 1971, during the final minutes of a matchup against the Chicago Bears at Tiger Stadium. He'd run a pass route but wasn't part of the play -- an incompletion intended for Hall of Fame tight end Charlie Sanders. He pitched forward despite there being no contact on the play.
The game finished in near silence.
The Lions, who retired No. 85 in Hughes' honor, have presented an annual award in his name to the most improved player on their roster since 1997. Hughes is the only player in NFL history to die on the field in a game.
You remember Mike Utley?
The starting right guard for the Lions was paralyzed in a Nov. 17, 1991, game against the Los Angeles Rams. He suffered a severe spinal injury, but became a source of great inspiration after flashing the "thumbs up" signal to his teammates upon being strapped to a stretcher and removed from the field.
His gesture helped inspire the Lions to win their next seven games and reach the NFC championship contest. The team presents the Mike Utley Spirit Award in his honor.
You remember Eric Andolsek?
The 1991 NFC title game turned out to be his last.
In the offseason, Andolsek, the team's starting left guard, was working in the yard of his Thibodaux, La., home on June 23, 1992, when he was struck and killed by a semi-trailer truck ran off the highway. He was 25.
Two days later, Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jerome Brown was died in a car accident. Two years later, linebacker Toby Caston, a teammate of Andolsek's both in Detroit and at Louisiana State, died in a car accident.
You remember Reggie Brown?
He was the 17th overall pick, a promising linebacker from Texas A&M, who suffered a spinal cord contusion while assisting on a tackle in a matchup against the New York Jets on Dec. 21, 1997, in the regular-season finale.
He nearly died on the field.
Brown lay motionless on the turf for 17 minutes. He lost consciousness briefly. CPR saved his life. He had emergency surgery after being transported to the hospital, which likely spared him from spending the rest of his life in a wheelchair.
And the tragedies weren't limited to players.
You remember Don McCafferty?
He replaced Don Shula as coach of the Baltimore Colts when Shula left to lead the Miami Dolphins in 1970. He led the Colts to Super Bowl V in Miami, where they prevailed in a mistake-filled game to defeat the Dallas Cowboys, 16-13.
Two years later, the Lions hired him.
McCafferty, who'd gone 6-7-1 in his first season, suffered a fatal heart attack on July 28, 1974, while cutting the grass at his West Bloomfield home.
He died just prior to the beginning of training camp.
I got respectful e-mails reminding me of all of these men.
It took a terrible event like losing Smith to snap all of us out of bickering about the fate of a franchise that hasn't had much to celebrate on the field in a long time.
So, for a change, let's celebrate life.
Isn't football just a game? Is it really that important?
If nothing else, we should honor the memories of Hughes, McCafferty, Andolsek, Caston and Smith, and keep Utley and Brown in our thoughts and prayers.
E-mail Brian VanOchten: bvanocthen@grpress.com