Fifty-Five

“He played the game the way it was meant to be played.” – John Elway via Twitter

I would be remiss as a native San Diegan, football enthusiast and long time San Diego Chargers fan if I didn’t mention the tragic loss yesterday of one of our local icons: Junior Seau.  That’s my jersey pictured above, and it was the first football jersey I ever purchased.  I’ve watched him play live and I’ve even had the pleasure of meeting him at his restaurant here called Seau’s.  He was as vibrant in person as he was on the football field.  I personally think that Junior and the defense he led back in 1994 was what carried that Chargers team to the Super Bowl that year.  He did as much for our community as he did for football and it is sad and devastating the way his life ended.  My condolences, thoughts and prayers go out to the Seau family.  Rest in peace #55.

(Edited to add- Of all the articles I’ve read, this is the best by far.  If you want to get to know who he was and how he affected everyone around him, this is the article to read: Junior Seau was gregarious, ebullient, hilarious and immensely popular by Michael Silver.)