1. 06-30-13 07:13 AM #1
    Mr KLC
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    30 Years Ago An NFL Player Showed True Sacrifice

    Posted by Mike Florio on June 29, 2013, 8:36 AM EDT

    It’s been a bad week for the NFL, which possibly is experiencing its first serial killer. But as we continue to process the notion that Aaron Hernandez may have ended three lives, let’s remember a man who gave his, in an effort to save three lives.

    Thirty years ago today, Chiefs running back Joe Delaney noticed that a trio of young boys had waded into a man-made water hole. It contained an unknown deep end, and they quickly were in trouble.

    As Frank Deford, then of Sports Illustrated, later explained it, “There were all sorts of people around, but only Joe dashed to the pond. There was a little boy there. ‘Can you swim?’ he asked Joe.

    “‘I can’t swim good,’ Joe said, ‘but I’ve got to save those kids. If I don’t come up, get somebody.’ And he rushed into the water.”

    Delaney saved one of the boys. Two drowned. So did Delaney.

    Joe Delaney, who had played only two NFL seasons, was 24. He left behind a wife and three young girls.

    As a rookie in 1981, Delaney rushed for 1,121 yards. But he willingly sacrificed a bright future to help save three young strangers.

    Today, Delaney’s tragic yet inspiring story deserves to be remembered. Tomorrow and beyond, it should never be forgotten.

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  2. 06-30-13 07:29 AM #2
    BennyBigNuts
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mr KLC View Post
    Posted by Mike Florio on June 29, 2013, 8:36 AM EDT

    It’s been a bad week for the NFL, which possibly is experiencing its first serial killer. But as we continue to process the notion that Aaron Hernandez may have ended three lives, let’s remember a man who gave his, in an effort to save three lives.

    Thirty years ago today, Chiefs running back Joe Delaney noticed that a trio of young boys had waded into a man-made water hole. It contained an unknown deep end, and they quickly were in trouble.

    As Frank Deford, then of Sports Illustrated, later explained it, “There were all sorts of people around, but only Joe dashed to the pond. There was a little boy there. ‘Can you swim?’ he asked Joe.

    “‘I can’t swim good,’ Joe said, ‘but I’ve got to save those kids. If I don’t come up, get somebody.’ And he rushed into the water.”

    Delaney saved one of the boys. Two drowned. So did Delaney.

    Joe Delaney, who had played only two NFL seasons, was 24. He left behind a wife and three young girls.

    As a rookie in 1981, Delaney rushed for 1,121 yards. But he willingly sacrificed a bright future to help save three young strangers.

    Today, Delaney’s tragic yet inspiring story deserves to be remembered. Tomorrow and beyond, it should never be forgotten.


    Good post. Never even heard of this guy. Kinda sad being such an avid football fan that I never once saw this story.
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  3. 06-30-13 07:43 AM #3
    Sportsbetting123
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    Great post. Most of us probably never heard of it because only murderers and people who break the law make the news.
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  4. 06-30-13 07:55 AM #4
    str
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    I remember this story .

    Guy was a true hero in my book.

    He gave his life to help preserve the lives of children.
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  5. 06-30-13 08:54 AM #5
    Deuce
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    First I've heard of this. Good fella.
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  6. 06-30-13 08:58 AM #6
    InTheDrink
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    knew it was about delaney before i opened it

    guye had won rookie of the year the year before
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  7. 06-30-13 09:32 AM #7
    tto827
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    Can't believe I had never heard that story before
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  8. 06-30-13 09:39 AM #8
    Sledge187
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    Wow, sad story but very inspiring.
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  9. 06-30-13 10:57 AM #9
    Chi_archie
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    Great story! Thanks for sharing. This wasn't the same delaney that was a long jumper is it?
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  10. 06-30-13 12:16 PM #10
    bobby heenan
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    i think one of the saddest parts about this story is the man was 5-10 and the where he drowned was 6 feet deep.....its so crazy...i grew up in a beach community and spent most of my summers at the beach everyday.....its a crazy concept to me that there are people out there who dont know how to swim
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  11. 06-30-13 12:25 PM #11
    ThaTopMoron
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    Quote Originally Posted by bobby heenan View Post
    i think one of the saddest parts about this story is the man was 5-10 and the where he drowned was 6 feet deep.....its so crazy...i grew up in a beach community and spent most of my summers at the beach everyday.....its a crazy concept to me that there are people out there who dont know how to swim
    unreal
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  12. 06-30-13 12:30 PM #12
    Ghenghis Kahn
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    so the lesson of the story...

    if you don't know how to swim, don't go in the water trying to save people.

    especially if you have a wife and kids of your own.

    do you think his wife and kids think he's a hero?

    he probably made his own kids lives real hard...
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  13. 06-30-13 02:53 PM #13
    Otters27
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    Why the f didn't someone who could swim go in there. Geez got to be more to that story
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  14. 06-30-13 03:01 PM #14
    Ghenghis Kahn
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    maybe i'm a cynic but this story pissed me off and felt really bad for his family...

    http://gawker.com/hero-who-became-pa...-pay-513150037

    oh and just 3 days ago...

    http://www.wsbtv.com/news/news/local...ses-awa/nYXrX/
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  15. 06-30-13 10:46 PM #15
    fitguy67
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    great links GK...what a fuktup world we live in
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  16. 07-01-13 12:47 AM #16
    bobby heenan
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    Quote Originally Posted by ThaTopMoron View Post
    unreal
    its weird....as a lifelong pats fan....we lost a kid years ago...marquise hill...from lsu....who drowned in a lake...now i realize some lakes in some parts of the country are real and different....but as a kid who grew up on the atlantic ocean....i realize not everyone grows up like us....but i find it amazing that pro athletes from different parts of the country have no concept of how to swim....it seems like such a natural thing to me......i know its just a different upbringing but it still it still seems like just a simple thing to me
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  17. 07-01-13 01:14 AM #17
    ACoochy
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    Swimming never was a brother's thing...

    Good guy made the ultimate sacrifice so that a kid could have a future.

    Can only be envious
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  18. 07-01-13 01:34 AM #18
    Giogeorge
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    Black people should learn how to swim
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  19. 07-01-13 01:49 AM #19
    ROYAJA8
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    Dam what a true hero he was. Sucks that people were there but Didn't care to help save another human being. They should have been arrested or given a beatdown for that.
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  20. 07-01-13 01:55 AM #20
    thechaoz
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    Seriously like kick your legs and arms and you don't drown....so strange to me
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  21. 07-01-13 05:05 AM #21
    Ghenghis Kahn
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    Quote Originally Posted by fitguy67 View Post
    great links GK...what a fuktup world we live in
    yeah the fukked up thing is his son probably saw the whole thing.

    now his son will be traumatized for the rest of his life while the girl he tried to save probably won't even remember what happened in a year or two...
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