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Franco Harris has died

Wish this weekend could have been a celebration instead of a memorial for Franco. Every single time I fly into Pittsburgh I am greeted by #32 and the Immaculate Reception. Only fitting that the one time I met him I was leaving Heinz Field and right next to the catch plaque, and here comes Franco walking through the street. I grabbed him and asked for a picture. He told me no and that he had to go. I asked again saying I was from Commiefornia and would probably never see him in person again. He obliged and there I was taking a picture with Franco Harris right in front of the Immaculate Reception plaque outside what used to be Three Rivers Stadium. RIP to an absolute legend.
 
When I was about 7 years old (2nd grade I believe) our class took a field trip to Pittsburgh. This would have been about 1983. We went into the city, rode the Incline and did a few other things around the city. As we were walking down the street who should come out of a store right in front of us but Franco. A few of us recognized him immediately. We swarmed him....a group of twenty 2nd graders ran to him, jumping up and down all excited and shouting his name. He could not have been more, gracious, kind or patient. He got a huge smile, gave out many high 5's and talked to us briefly before going on his way. He sent a bunch of little kids back to the bus in joy that day.

You were the best Franco.
 
Guy I grew up with posted on FB that when he was 12 him and another kid won a contest of some sort and got to spend the night at Franco's house. Of course he said Franco was great.
Can you see that happening now? "Mr. Burgundy, your 12 year old son won a night in AB's house."
 
Well, on the 50th Anniversary of the Immaculate reception, it is colder then ever. And Franco passed just before his big celebration with Pittsburgh.

At least we know where Tatum ended up and who is running hell, because it is about freezing over.
 
Confluence said:
Well, on the 50th Anniversary of the Immaculate reception, it is colder then ever. And Franco passed just before his big celebration with Pittsburgh.

At least we know where Tatum ended up and who is running hell, because it is about freezing over.
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#illuminati
 
Do not forget A Football Life: Franco Harris this evening at 9pm followed by A Football Life: The Immaculate Reception. ...damn thing has a life of its own.


NFL Network
 
Been trying to write the words that come to mind about Franco’s passing. I grew up in Pittsburgh I left when I was 21 never to live there again. I visited and what not but with my with mother having passed my last tie to the city is gone… except for the Steelers. Me, like most who have left, the Steeler keep us tied to city. I have to take a break from the Steelers now and again because of the strong emotional ties LoL. Coach is right about what the expectations are. To us, with a connection to the past, Franco was more than just a sports hero just as the Steelers are more than just a football team and though I can’t find the find the words, I can’t help but feel lucky to have been a Steeler fan and to have grown up in Pittsburgh when I did. Though the city of my youth is all but gone, the Steelers remain the same: the greatest franchise, in the greatest city, of any sport on earth! Great teams are built on the blood, sweat, and tears of its coaches and players. Their actions carve their names into the granite that is the history of the sport. Franco and the “Steel Curtain“ wrote their names with lightning!! and They will never be forgotten!! GoSteelers!!
 
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Steelr4evr said:
Do not forget A Football Life: Franco Harris this evening at 9pm followed by A Football Life: The Immaculate Reception. ...damn thing has a life of its own.


NFL Network
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Watched it. Great stuff. Those years will never be bested.
 
Steelr4evr said:
Do not forget A Football Life: Franco Harris this evening at 9pm followed by A Football Life: The Immaculate Reception. ...damn thing has a life of its own.


NFL Network
Click to expand...

Been over for an hour and I still have lump in my throat. Can’t believe how much the last few days have hit me. Like someone else said, a part of childhood has passed on. The show tonight was well done and did him right. The fact that even the bitter Raiders are paying respects says a lot. Highly recommend any Steelers fan watch it.
 
Michael Irvin said Franco came home and told his wife he was exhausted and sat down. She went and got a shower and when she was done, he had passed.

Wow! Like most, I am still in shock. I hope I can find a way to watch tonight's game and hopefully record it as I don't get the NFL Network. RIP Franco!
 
TDX27 said:
Michael Irvin said Franco came home and told his wife he was exhausted and sat down. She went and got a shower and when she was done, he had passed.

Wow! Like most, I am still in shock. I hope I can find a way to watch tonight's game and hopefully record it as I don't get the NFL Network. RIP Franco!
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I personally think it's ****** for them to only have it on NFL Network.
 
stuntmanmike said:
Been trying to write the words that come to mind about Franco’s passing. I grew up in Pittsburgh I left when I was 21 never to live there again. I visited and what not but with my with mother having passed my last tie to the city is gone… except for the Steelers. Me, like most who have left, the Steeler keep us tied to city. I have to take a break from the Steelers now and again because of the strong emotional ties LoL. Coach is right about what the expectations are. To us, with a connection to the past, Franco was more than just a sports hero just as the Steelers are more than just a football team and though I can’t find the find the words, I can’t help but feel lucky to have been a Steeler fan and to have grown up in Pittsburgh when I did. Though the city of my youth is all but gone, the Steelers remain the same: the greatest franchise, in the greatest city, of any sport on earth! Great teams are built on the blood, sweat, and tears of its coaches and players. Their actions carve their names into the granite that is the history of the sport. Franco and the “Steel Curtain“ wrote their names with lightning!! and They will never be forgotten!! GoSteelers!!
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Great post, thank you. I left SW PA in '83, and with my parents long gone and only one sister left in the South hills, I don't get back nearly as much.
My extended family is spread across the entire country, so when announcers say Steeler fans travel well, it's more accurate to say that we're already there.

Franco, in spirit, was there last night, and it only seems fitting that they pulled the game out in the closing seconds. Go Steelers indeed.
 
ZonaBurgh said:
Great post, thank you. I left SW PA in '83, and with my parents long gone and only one sister left in the South hills, I don't get back nearly as much.
My extended family is spread across the entire country, so when announcers say Steeler fans travel well, it's more accurate to say that we're already there.

Franco, in spirit, was there last night, and it only seems fitting that they pulled the game out in the closing seconds. Go Steelers indeed.
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I say the same thing to folks. I have relatives in 4 corners of the country who left western PA. It's not traveling. We live here.
 
ZonaBurgh said:
Great post, thank you. I left SW PA in '83, and with my parents long gone and only one sister left in the South hills, I don't get back nearly as much.
My extended family is spread across the entire country, so when announcers say Steeler fans travel well, it's more accurate to say that we're already there.

Franco, in spirit, was there last night, and it only seems fitting that they pulled the game out in the closing seconds. Go Steelers indeed.
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Steelr4evr said:
I say the same thing to folks. I have relatives in 4 corners of the country who left western PA. It's not traveling. We live here.
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Sorry I couldn't find the whole video. This is where Scott Paulsen famously said, "The media says that Steeler fans travel well, but that's not the case at all. We're already there."

 
Ron Burgundy said:
Sorry I couldn't find the whole video. This is where Scott Paulsen famously said, "The media says that Steeler fans travel well, but that's not the case at all. We're already there."

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Thank you!!! Don’t remember seeing that one. Loved it!!!! A truly, truly unique area and people. My wife and I just love to visit. Cab driver once told us it was “the biggest little city in the world”. Boy did he hit the nail on the head on that one.
 
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Ron Burgundy said:
Sorry I couldn't find the whole video. This is where Scott Paulsen famously said, "The media says that Steeler fans travel well, but that's not the case at all. We're already there."

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Yeah I saw that video some years back. It's spot on.
 
bkwheat28 said:
Thank you!!! Don’t remember seeing that one. Loved it!!!! A truly, truly unique area and people. My wife and I just love to visit. Cab driver once told us it was “the biggest little city in the world”. Boy did he hit the nail on the head on that one.
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Steelr4evr said:
Yeah I saw that video some years back. It's spot on.
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That's only about half of it, the whole thing is about a half hour. NFL Films caught wind of the essay by then-WDVE DJ Scott Paulsen, who appears in the video, and made an episode about it.

Paulsen's original essay can be found here: https://stonesoupmusings.blogspot.com/2006/01/steeler-nation.html
 
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