Orlando Thomas Passes on..ALS

Pack93z
Select Member Topic Starter

15 years ago

I remember hearing he was diagnoised with the disease, but then he kind of faded away into the background.

Class act from what I remember, I do remember an interview in which he used that "Everyday is a holiday"...

RIP.

Orlando Thomas loses battle with ALS
Posted by Mike Florio on October 28, 2009 6:40 PM ET
Former Minnesota Vikings safety Orlando Thomas, who in the mid-1990s was regarded as one of the best young safeties in the NFL, died Wednesday from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, more commonly known as Lou Gehrig's Disease.

He was 37.

Thomas began exhibiting symptoms in 2004, and his condition was revealed publicly in 2007.

Thomas, a second-round pick in 1995, spent seven seasons with the Vikings. He was a member of the 1998 team that went 15-1 and lost in overtime of the NFC Championship.

"He was always the guy joking around in the locker room, he had a big laugh," said tight end Jim Kleinsasser, the only current member of the team who played with Thomas. "There wasn't a guy on the team that didn't love him and there wasn't a guy on the team that he didn't love. O.T. had a big heart and he was a great character to have on the team. . . .

"Every day is a holiday," Kleinsasser said. "Orlando always used to say that. It was his way of saying how blessed we were to do what we were doing. He felt like it was a true honor to play for the Vikings and be a member of the NFL."

In seven seasons, Thomas started 87 regular-season games and four playoff games.

"PFtalk" wrote:

Added subtitle to reflect latest information. -- NSD

"The oranges are dry; the apples are mealy; and the papayas... I don't know what's going on with the papayas!"

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gbguy20
Veteran Member

15 years ago

wow i never heard about this...rip

BAD EMAIL because the address couldn ot be found, or is unable to receive mail.

Formo
Veteran Member

15 years ago

I knew he had ALS, and then he fell completely off my radar. Until I saw that Jake Reed still visited and held a strong relationship with him in an interview Reed did.

This is very sad, as he was my favorite Viking DB. He had the heart and the integrity of a real champion, and I can only pray that the current members of the Vikings view playing for the Vikings the same way OT did.

RIP OT.. My prayers go to your family.

Thanks to TheViking88 for the sig!!

longtimefan
Registered

15 years ago

Jake Reed is disputing this on his twitter

Formo
Veteran Member

15 years ago

Jake Reed is disputing this on his twitter

"longtimefan" wrote:

I've noticed this as well. Wonder what the deal is.

Thanks to TheViking88 for the sig!!

porky88
Veteran Member

15 years ago

I never knew he was battling this. RIP. He was a great player, he and Robert Griffen formed a nice duo.

http://www.row12.com/

Formo
Veteran Member

15 years ago

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4603562

Everything in my post still stands, though.

Thanks to TheViking88 for the sig!!

Nonstopdrivel
Preferred Member

15 years ago

It would really be nice if reporters confirmed stories before jumping on a scoop these days.

porky88
Veteran Member

15 years ago

^ No doubt

Glad to see he's still fighting and hopefully he's winning.

http://www.row12.com/

Formo
Veteran Member

15 years ago

#10

^ No doubt

Glad to see he's still fighting and hopefully he's winning.

"porky88" wrote:

Unfortunately, it doesn't sound like he's doing much winning. Apparently he can no longer talk.

Still a huge Viking fan, though!

Thanks to TheViking88 for the sig!!

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packerfanoutwest (24-Dec) : both games Watson missed, Packers won

Martha Careful (24-Dec) : I hope all of you have a Merry Christmas!

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buckeyepackfan (24-Dec) : Jacobs was just sat down, Watson re-injured that knee that kept him out 1 game earlier

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packerfanoutwest (24-Dec) : Inactives tonight for the Pack: Alexander- knee Bullard - ankle Williams - quad Walker -ankle Monk Heath

packerfanoutwest (24-Dec) : No Jaire, but hopefully the front 7 destroys the line of scrimmage & forces Rattler into a few passes to McKinney.

packerfanoutwest (24-Dec) : minny could be #1 seed and the Lions #5 seed

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Zero2Cool (23-Dec) : I just checked. What tie breaker?

bboystyle (23-Dec) : yes its possible but unlikely. If we do get the 5th, we face the NFCS winner

Zero2Cool (23-Dec) : Ahh, ok.

bboystyle (23-Dec) : yes due to tie breaker

Zero2Cool (23-Dec) : I mean, unlikely, yes, but mathematically, 5th is possible by what I'm reading.

Zero2Cool (23-Dec) : If Vikings lose out, Packers win out, Packers get 5th, right?

bboystyle (23-Dec) : Minny isnt going to lose out so 5th seed is out of the equation. We are playing for the 6th or 7th seed which makes no difference

Mucky Tundra (23-Dec) : beast, the ad revenue goes to the broadcast company but they gotta pay to air the game on their channel/network

beast (23-Dec) : If we win tonight the game is still relative in terms of 5th, 6th or 7th seed... win and it's 5th or 6th, lose and it's 6th or 7th

beast (23-Dec) : Mucky, I thought the ad revenue went to the broadcasting companies or the NFL, at least not directly

Zero2Cool (23-Dec) : I think the revenue share is moot, isn't it? That's the CBA an Salary Cap handling that.

bboystyle (23-Dec) : i mean game becomes irrelevant if we win tonight. Just a game where we are trying to play spoilers to Vikings chance at the #1 seed

Mucky Tundra (23-Dec) : beast, I would guess ad revenue from more eyes watching tv

Zero2Cool (23-Dec) : I would think it would hurt the home team because people would have to cancel last minute maybe? i dunno

beast (23-Dec) : I agree that it's BS for fans planning on going to the game. But how does it bring in more money? I'm guessing indirectly?

packerfanoutwest (23-Dec) : bs on flexing the game....they do it for the $$league$$, not the hometown fans

Zero2Cool (23-Dec) : I see what you did there Mucky

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Mucky Tundra (23-Dec) : Upon receiving the news about Luke Musgrave, I immediately fell to the ground

Mucky Tundra (23-Dec) : Yeah baby!

Zero2Cool (23-Dec) : LUKE MUSGRAVE PLAYING TONIGHT~!~~~~WOWHOAAOHAOAA yah

Zero2Cool (23-Dec) : I wanna kill new QB's ... blitz the crap out of them.

beast (23-Dec) : Barry seemed to get too conservative against new QBs, Hafley doesn't have that issue

Zero2Cool (23-Dec) : However, we seem to struggle vs new QB's

Zero2Cool (23-Dec) : Should be moot point, cuz Packers should win tonight.

packerfanoutwest (23-Dec) : ok I stand corrected

Zero2Cool (23-Dec) : Ok, yes, you are right. I see that now how they get 7th

Zero2Cool (23-Dec) : 5th - Packers win out, Vikings lose out. Maybe?

beast (23-Dec) : Saying no to the 6th lock.

beast (23-Dec) : No, with the Commanders beating the Eagles, Packers could have a good chance of 6th or 7th unless the win out

Zero2Cool (23-Dec) : I think if Packers win, they are locked 6th with chance for 5th.

beast (23-Dec) : But it doesn't matter, as the Packers win surely win one of their remaining games

beast (23-Dec) : This is not complex, just someone doesn't want to believe reality

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