For Immediate Release:
August 21, 2008

Statement from former Governor George Allen

Mount Vernon, Va. – Former Governor and U.S. Senator George Allen issued the following statement today, mourning the passing of Gene Upshaw.

“Gene Upshaw was a good friend, ally and supporter. As the magnificent leader of the NFL Players Association, Gene understood the importance of safeguarding football’s integrity and fair competition as well as ensuring fair compensation for the players. As a perennial all-pro offensive lineman, Gene enjoyed a Hall of Fame career with the Raiders.

“Moreover, I always admired Gene’s strong testimony before Congress advocating the need to fight steroid use in the NFL. He understood that this was necessary to protect the safety of the players, as well as the millions of kids who look up to them. Gene also knew it was important to protect the image of the NFL and to ensure that no player was getting an unfair advantage on the field of competition through the use of steroids.

“Gene was a smart, tough negotiator. His leadership is a model for all sports leagues and organizations. He will always be remembered for the key role he played in building the NFL to the heights it has reached for fans, players and ownership. A giant of a man has fallen and our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Terri, and their three sons, Eugene, Justin and Daniel.”

###

This entry was posted on Thursday, August 21st, 2008 at 2:41 pm and is filed under Statements, Sports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.