Former KU and Chicago Bears great Gale Sayers is battling dementia

Kansas City Star ^ | MARCH 18, 2017 | Vahe Gregorian

[GreyFriar]

WAKARUSA, IND. More than 50 years after Gale Sayers, the “Kansas Comet,” inspired awe as a Jayhawk, he was honored in January in Topeka by the Native Sons and Daughters of Kansas as one of its Kansans of the Year.

At a table near the front, Sayers was seated next to his wife, Ardythe, as a mesmerizing KU-produced tribute played.

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But Ardie Sayers has come to believe its onset was years before that — possibly even as far back as when he returned to Kansas in a fund-raising capacity for a time in 2009.

While she considers Sayers, 73, physically healthy “as a horse” and notes he is working out with a trainer several days a week, she added, “That brain controls everything, doesn’t it?”

[Waryone]

"He and Barry sanders are the best running backs I ever watched."

I'd would have to be Jim Brown and Gale Sayers for me.

[Thumper1960]

May God ease the pains and trials of Gayle Sayres as he comes closer to his maker. A legendary player and man, soon to leave us yet remain among us. The tragedy of dementia.

[AnotherUnixGeek]

Sayers was before my time, but I remember reading his book when I was a kid. Best wishes to him in his fight with this disease. Aging is the real disease that must and will eventually be treated - until then, we're fighting the effects instead of the cause.

And best wishes to Dwight Clark, who gave 49ers fans one of the best memories of our lives as he soared into the darkening skies above the Candlestick mud to pull down Joe Montana's pass in the back of the endzone and sent the 49ers to their first Super Bowl. The beginning of some great years for 49ers fans.

[deweyfrank]

I thought Gale Sayers was the best I’ve ever seen. Sanders was good too. As were Brown, Campbell, and hate to say it, Simpson.

[Osage Orange]

Sayers, Sanders, Dickerson, Payton, Brown, Campbell, Smith, Faulk, Peterson, Jackson, Allen, Simpson, Dorsett, Jim Thorpe...( Who I'm related to...)

I never watched Jim Thorpe..but read about him...

I did watch all the others.....

[jttpwalsh]

“never allow his kids to play football”

My childhood playmate was All State, his Junior Year of H.S.
Was recruited by a number of big name Universities. Injured his knee first game, the next season, couldn’t even make a walk on spot at the local Community College, two years later.

We are in our 50’s now. I moved away decades ago, but they tell me his nickname is “Step and a half”.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Prayers for Mr. Sayers.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Thank you, now so do I. :-P

[phormer phrog phlyer]

I saw Earl Campbell when WVU played Texas last fall in Austin. He was siting in an SUV and then got out slowly and took slow purposeful steps. The beating he took over those years was there.

[Bratch]

I cried like a baby when “Brian’s Song” debuted.

And to this day, whenever it comes on, I still do.

That theme song...

[dfwgator]

I always said that “The Man Law” allows men to cry for two movies: Old Yeller and Brian’s Song.

[Dilbert San Diego]

Only 68 games in the NFL?? About the equivalent 5 full seasons, excluding injury time? They played a 14 game regular season schedule back then.

I didn’t realize his career was so short.

[dr_lew]

I always said that “The Man Law” allows men to cry for two movies: Old Yeller and Brian’s Song.

Don't forget HAL :-)

[MarkL]

This is really sad to hear. Mr. Sayers was NOT a "dumb jock." He became extremely successful in technology... I've done some business with his company over the years, never had a bad experience.

Mark

[MarkL]

I was about to post the exact same thing... That you don't lose your MMC (Male Membership Card) if you cry during Brian's Song or Ol Yeller!

Mark

[Bratch]

“Old Yeller” is a good analysis tool.

Any man that doesn’t cry at the end is probably a potential psychopath.

[karnage]

I think it was Kermit Alexander’s helmet that really took the toll on his knees. He came back from one brutal helmet-to-knee collision, but the second one (two years after the first) finished him. Today - with modern surgery techniques - it might have been a different story...