by Jason Krump 10-31-2009 04:49 PM
Throughout his remarkable career, Walter Payton compiled statistics that provided evidence (if there needed to be any) of just how complete a football player he was: 16,726 rushing yards, 21,264 yards from scrimmage, 110 rushing touchdowns, 125 total touchdowns, and eight touchdown passes.
The touchdown passing statistic hasn’t garnered as much publicity as Payton’s rushing exploits, but it holds a special significance with me.
I was just 13 years old when I saw Payton and the Chicago Bears play the Seattle Seahawks at the now demolished Kingdome on Sept. 23, 1984.
And while the result wasn’t memorable for me or any other Bears fan in attendance (Seattle won 38-9), to this day, I cherish the memories of watching Payton play, and when he threw a touchdown pass to Matt Suhey in the first quarter.
I am reminded of that special day on the 10th anniversary of the death of this sports icon, and my sports hero.
I still remember that moment on November 1, 1999 when I first learned the news that Walter Payton died. I felt liked I was punched in the stomach, and that a part of my childhood had died.
It sounds selfish and callous to equate the death of a person to the loss of something intangible, such as my youth. Payton was a person like anyone else after all, with family and friends who mourned his passing.
Of course, I wasn’t the only one who lamented Payton’s death a decade ago and still grieves today. He was, and still is, a beloved figure whose play on the field and demeanor off captivated all those who followed him.
And for a kid growing up in Washington state, Payton was elevated to more than just a football player. He was something greater. A Superhero.
Payton was the athlete I couldn’t wait to watch on Sundays. My memories are abundant of him juking a defender with his leg kick, taking an unfortunate defensive back to the turf with his patented stiff arm, or, if all else failed, simply running over anyone who got in his way.
I realize I’m biased when I say this, but, in my opinion, Walter Payton was the greatest all-around player to ever play the game.
I also realize that whether Payton was the greatest to ever play can be debated, but I know one thing that cannot be: Athletes, whether they like it or not, are role models, and the notion they should not be viewed as such is ridiculous. It is a responsibility all athletes, regardless if they play at the professional, collegiate, or high school level, must embrace.
As I have grown older, my perspectives have changed. The romance of sports has sometimes given way to the reality of the business associated with it. This includes dealing with athletes, and the good and the bad that comes with it. I’ve also grown to appreciate who the real-life heroes are: doctors, teachers, policemen, and our military to name just a few.
But even today, I remain connected to the athletes that I’ve followed as a child. I imagine I am no different than any other adult who made a connection with an athlete growing up.
What boy or girl who has formed that bond to their favorite athlete wouldn’t elevate him or her to Superhero status? Payton reached that status for me and I have never wavered in my admiration for him. It is the same as when I was that 13-year old kid at the Kingdome on an early autumn day in 1984.
For that one magical day, I was in the same building as my sports hero and was able to watch him play in person.
I will always have those memories, and because of that, Payton will live forever, and so will my childhood.
Published 10-31-2009 © 2024 Access Athletes, LLC
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