wpr
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12 years ago

Alex Karras was one of the NFL's most feared defensive tackles throughout the 1960s, a player who hounded quarterbacks and bulled past opposing linemen.

And yet, to many people he will always be the lovable dad from the 1980s sitcom ''Webster'' or the big cowboy who famously punched out a horse in ''Blazing Saddles.''

The rugged player, who anchored the Detroit Lions' defense and then made a successful transition to an acting career, with a stint along the way as a commentator on ''Monday Night Football,'' died Wednesday. He was 77.

Karras had recently suffered kidney failure and been diagnosed with dementia. The Lions also said he had suffered from heart disease and, for the last two years, stomach cancer. He died at home in Los Angeles surrounded by family members, said Craig Mitnick, Karras' attorney.

''Perhaps no player in Lions history attained as much success and notoriety for what he did after his playing days as did Alex,'' Lions president Tom Lewand said.

He was the heart of the Lions' famed ''Fearsome Foursome,'' terrorizing quarterbacks for years. The Lions handed the powerful 1962 Green Bay Packers their only defeat that season, a 26-14 upset on Thanksgiving during which they harassed quarterback Bart Starr constantly.

Packers guard Jerry Kramer wrote in his diary of the 1967 season about his trepidation over having to play Karras.

''I'm thinking about him every minute,'' Kramer wrote.



more 

He was almost before my time when he played in the NFL. There was no a lot of media coverage back then. But I knew he was a heck of a player.
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wpr
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12 years ago
After his 1 year suspension for gambling:   (#4 on the list.)

Upon returning to action in 1964, Karras once refused when an official asked him to call the pregame coin toss. "I'm sorry, sir," Karras replied. "I'm not permitted to gamble."


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zombieslayer
12 years ago
I remember him from Webster. Seemed pretty cool. Or at least, his character was.

Bummer. 😞
My man Donald Driver
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(thanks to Pack93z for the pic)
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Packerchick
12 years ago

I remember him from Webster. Seemed pretty cool. Or at least, his character was.

Bummer. :(

Originally Posted by: zombieslayer 




I knew him that way too, also from Blazing Saddles and Porkys.

"Mongo like candy" - Blazing Saddles

"This is a man's county. Get the ____ out" - Porkys
I am a woman and I love football.
wpr
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12 years ago

I knew him that way too, also from Blazing Saddles and Porkys.

"Mongo like candy" - Blazing Saddles

"This is a man's county. Get the ____ out" - Porkys

Originally Posted by: Packerchick 



never saw Porkys but Love him in Blazing Saddles.
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Pack93z
12 years ago
As noted.. this is what I remember him in film for.





I can't remember watching Webster.. not even once.
"The oranges are dry; the apples are mealy; and the papayas... I don't know what's going on with the papayas!"
Packerchick
12 years ago

never saw Porkys but Love him in Blazing Saddles.

Originally Posted by: wpr 



LOL especially the cowboys gas attack around the campfire

Thats how I remember Alex Karras too. He will be missed.
I am a woman and I love football.
wpr
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12 years ago



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Cheesey
12 years ago

LOL especially the cowboys gas attack around the campfire

Thats how I remember Alex Karras too. He will be missed.

Originally Posted by: Packerchick 



"Blazing saddles".
One of my all time favorite films! Probably the most "unpolitically correct" film of all time!
And if you have only seen it on TV, it probably seems stupid, as all of the racist and profanity is removed, thus taking away all it's deep rooted humor.
The camp fire scene STILL makes me laugh!
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yooperfan
12 years ago
I don't remember him as an actor but I will always remember him as one hell of a football player.
He was really hard on the Packers back in the day.
The Packers/Lions games were a real blood bath in those days.
Him and Hornung were both suspended for gambling at the same time.
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