Is Kenny Stabler Dead or Isn't He, For Christ Sake

Driving home from HELL, listening to sports talk radio rag on David Ortiz for not wanting to play much at first base even though the resulting line-up changes would be and have been beneficial to The Sox when................they took a break, came back with headlines and announced (confirmed) that Kenny  "The Snake" Stabler had died.

Got home, enjoyed a brief cocktail hour and then came up here to the land of the written word to read about Stabler's passing.

The first Google truth I stumbled upon was "Report of Raiders legend Ken Stabler's death retracted."

I sighed and thought, yeah, baby - "The Snake" is still around and simultaneously wondered what the hell was going on.

The Tuscaloosa News reported that Stabler had died at the age of 69, and then quickly released a statement that while investigating unconfirmed rumors of Stabler's passing it "inadvertently and briefly published an incomplete story that we were preparing in the event that the story was confirmed."

I scrolled down to the next two Google truths which read "Legendary Alabama quarterback Ken Stabler passes away" and "Ken Stabler, star Raiders quarterback in the 70's, has died."

He is indeed dead.

What an emotional roller coaster. For me.

I liked the guy. He was insane. I have read many anecdotes about his on the field and off the field craziness. He led the 1977 psychopath Oakland Raiders to a Super Bowl championship.

This was one sick and twisted team, supported by criminally insane fans.

How could you not love that?

I had to wonder - has somebody somewhere prepared my obituary?

I am not a celebrity; in fact I have accomplished nothing of note. Still, there has to be somebody somewhere who cares about me. And in today's world, a pre-prepared obituary seems coldly efficient and absolutely necessary.

Anyway.....................I am too tired and it is too late to get in to Stabler details. I haven't even eaten supper, for Christ sake.

Suffice it to say that Stabler was a link to a free spirited time in the NFL when players partied all week and played on Sunday with hangovers.

A time when characters were allowed to flourish and were not handcuffed by the likes of Roger Goodell and his corporate henchmen.

So I guess Kenny Stabler is dead.

Another blow for individuality.