The RIP Sporting Heroes Thread

[Happy As Larry]

Terry Venables, former England, Spurs and Barcelona manager, dies aged 80

The former England, Barcelona and Tottenham manager Terry Venables has died at the age of 80. Venables, who had a distinguished career as a player that brought two international caps, was in charge of England when they reached the semi-finals of Euro 96.

“We are totally devastated by the loss of a wonderful husband and father who passed away peacefully yesterday after a long illness,” read a statement from Venables’ family. “We would ask that privacy be given at this incredibly sad time to allow us to mourn the loss of this lovely man who we were so lucky to have had in our lives.”

Venables, known as El Tel after a spell at Barcelona during which he won La Liga and reached the European Cup final, had a successful, colourful and sometimes controversial career. Although he played more than 500 league games for Chelsea, Tottenham, Queens Park Rangers and Crystal Palace from 1960-1974, he is best known for his exploits as a manager.

“Devastated to hear that Terry Venables has died. The best, most innovative coach that I had the privilege and pleasure of playing for,” wrote Gary Lineker on X, formerly Twitter. “He was much more, though, than just a great manager, he was vibrant, he was charming, he was witty, he was a friend. He’ll be hugely missed. Sending love and condolences to Yvette and the family. RIP Terry.”

The England manager Gareth Southgate lauded Venables as a “brilliant man who made people feel special”. Southgate famously missed the crucial penalty in the semi-final shoot-out against Germany as Venables’ side came up just short in Euro 96 on home soil.

“Any player will have great affinity with the manager that gave them their opportunity, but it was quickly evident playing for Terry Venables that he was an outstanding coach and manager,” he said in a statement. “Tactically excellent, he had a wonderful manner, capable of handling everyone from the youngest player to the biggest star. “He was open-minded, forward-thinking, enjoyed life to the full and created a brilliant environment with England that allowed his players to flourish and have one of the most memorable tournaments in England history.”

The Dagenham-born midfielder was given the chance by Malcolm Allison to coach at Palace after retiring as a player because of arthritis, and after succeeding Allison as manager in 1976 he created a young side referred to as the “Team of the Eighties”.
Having won promotion from the third tier to the top flight he achieved 13th place, which was then the club’s highest finish in 1979-80, before departing early the following season for second-tier QPR with Palace bottom.

His achievements at QPR, where he won the Second Division, reached an 1982 FA Cup final and finished fifth in the top flight, earned his move to Barcelona in 1984. Defeat by Steaua Bucharest in the 1986 European Cup final in a shootout was followed by his first season at the club without a trophy but after his dismissal in September 1987, he did not have to wait long before Tottenham hired him.

A Spurs side including Lineker, whom he had first signed for Barcelona, and Paul Gascoigne won him the 1991 FA Cup, but weeks later he moved into a chief executive role under the new owner, Alan Sugar, after his own failed attempt to buy the club.
Venables’ time at Spurs ended in 1993 amid a court battle and soured relationship with Sugar and allegations of misdealings connected with his businesses, which he disputed, were raised that year.

In January 1994 Venables took the England job. He had announced months before Euro 96 that he would step down after the tournament because of upcoming court cases which he felt could interfere with England’s efforts to qualify for the 1998 World Cup – and he came agonisingly close to a perfect send-off. England lost their semi-final to Germany on penalties at Wembley, but had produced one of the team’s most memorable performances of the modern era in beating the Netherlands 4-1 in the group stage.

Venables went on to become director of football then chairman at Portsmouth and had a period as Australia’s manager before he returned to the dugout in England with Crystal Palace, Middlesbrough (working alongside Bryan Robson) and Leeds, where he was sacked in 2003. An unsuccessful time as assistant to Steve McClaren with England proved his final coaching position.

Venables had come through the ranks at Chelsea and won the League Cup there before moving to Tottenham, where he was part of the team that secured the 1967 FA Cup. His two England caps came in 1964.

Terry Venables, former England, Spurs and Barcelona manager, dies aged 80 | Terry Venables | The Guardian

[david44]

Farewell "el tel" a fine player saw with tambling and greavsie many moon ago beyond the dog track at the bridge

later a fine manager and a very popular character the katie23 of men in shorts

[Backspin]

Gil de Ferran, Indy 500 winner and Brazilian icon, dies at 56 | AP News

Gil de Ferran, the 2003 Indianapolis 500 winner and holder of the closed-course land speed record, died Friday while racing with his son at The Concourse Club in Florida, multiple former colleagues confirmed to The Associated Press. He was 56.

Fellow Brazilian driver Tony Kanaan said de Ferran was with his son, Luke, at the private course in Opa-Locka, Florida, when he pulled over and said he wasn’t feeling well. Kanaan said de Ferran apparently suffered a heart attack and could not be revived.

This is how a race car is supposed to sound

[hallelujah]

Der Kaiser. 78.

https://twitter.com/iMiaSanMia/statu...94118069891462

[harrybarracuda]

In the same week as Zagallo too.

[Happy As Larry]

JPR Williams: Wales and British and Irish Lions legend dies aged 74
Wales and British and Irish Lions rugby legend JPR Williams has died at the age of 74.

The former London Welsh, Bridgend and Barbarians full-back was synonymous with Wales and the Lions' glories of the 1970s.
Williams captained Wales and Bridgend, winning 55 caps for his country.
During historic triumphant Lions tours to New Zealand in 1971 and 1974 in South Africa, Williams accumulated eight Test caps.

A statement from the Williams family said: "JPR died peacefully today at the University Hospital of Wales surrounded by his loving wife and four children, after a short illness, bravely battling bacterial meningitis.
"The family request privacy at this difficult time."

Williams won three Five Nations Grand Slams - in 1971, 1976, and 1978. He stepped away from international rugby in 1981, but continued to play rugby on occasion before finally retiring in 2003.
Williams' death was announced by Bridgend Ravens - formerly known as Bridgend - on social media.
"Bridgend Ravens are devastated to announce the passing of JPR Williams," they said.
"One of Bridgend's most decorated-players and an icon of world rugby, JPR served the club most recently as club president. Our thoughts are with JPR's family and friends at this sad time."

Former Wales captain Jonathan Davies described Williams as an "absolute legend".
"Not many people can go by their initials and he was known as JPR," he told BBC 5 Live Sport.
"I remember watching him growing up. He was an absolute rock in defence with the tackles he made.
"If you wanted anybody behind you at full-back, I could not think of anybody better.

"When he was with the 1974 Lions in South Africa, when the fights broke out, he kept running in from full-back to punch the forwards. He was perhaps the most competitive bloke I have ever come across.
"He was ferociously competitive. It is very sad, he was just a great rugby player and an incredible character.

"Whenever you mention who were the greatest full-backs in any era, you hear about the greats like Serge Blanco and Christian Cullen, JPR is always in the mix."
The British and Irish Lions called Williams "one of the greatest ever" players to wear their shirt and "a man who inspired so many"

Williams was involved in what is considered by many to be rugby's greatest ever try, which was scored by Sir Gareth Edwards for the Barbarians against New Zealand in Cardiff in 1973.
The Barbarians called Williams "one of rugby's greats" and said he "would always have a special place in the hearts and history of our club".

London Welsh, where Williams played for eight years, said his death was a "huge loss to all who knew and loved him".
World Rugby, the sport's governing body, called Williams "one of the greatest players the game After retiring from rugby, Williams focused on his career as an orthopaedic surgeon.

Former Wales and Lions centre Jamie Roberts, who also completed a medical degree, said Williams was an icon for Wales, the Lions and the Barbarians, adding he was "and inspiration and role model for the rugby-medical fraternity".
'The man who feared nothing'

New Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) president Terry Cobner played with Williams in the 1976 and 1978 Grand Slam campaigns, as well as the 1977 Triple Crown season.
"The world of rugby has lost one of its greatest players of all time, a man who revolutionised full-back play," said Cobner.

"He was the defensive rock in every team in which he played, the counter-attacking inspiration and the man who feared nothing and never saw a lost cause. We all thought he was 'Mr Indestructible'.
"Although he played during the amateur era, he was thoroughly professional in his sporting outlook and always drove standards in training and on the field. With JPR in your side, there was always a chance of winning anything.
"Welsh rugby will remember him as one of our greatest players of all time - those 55 caps, three Grand Slams and six Triple Crowns prove that.

"He also played in all eight Tests in New Zealand and South Africa on arguably the two greatest tours undertaken by the Lions, in 1971 and 1974.
"It was his drop goal from near half-way that enabled the 1971 Lions to draw the fourth Test and win the series 2-1 against the mighty All Blacks - the only series victory by the Lions on New Zealand soil.
"A star in the making from his early school days at Bridgend Grammar, then at Millfield, he went on to thrill crowds at both London Welsh and Bridgend on the club scene. He was 'box office' wherever he went.

"This is a terrible loss for our game, but obviously an even worse loss for his wife Scilla and their children. The thoughts of the whole Welsh rugby family are with them at this difficult time."
has ever seen".

JPR Williams: Wales and British and Irish Lions legend dies aged 74 - BBC Sport

[prawnograph]

Followed World Superbikes more through the 90s, always considered Gobert an utter ahole on the track, 'aggressive riding style' his preference seemed to be leaving other riders on the tarmac, rate him as a cnut of a rider; just my opinion, maybe he was on drugs at the time

Former MotoGP Aussie prodigy Anthony Gobert dies at 48 after sad battle with addiction
17 January 2024

Australian former MotoGP prodigy Anthony Gobert has died after a battle with addiction. The 48-year-old passed away on Wednesday after a short stay in palliative care.

The man affectionately known as “The Go Show” competed between 1994 and 2006, including Grand Prix seasons in 1997, 1999 and 2006, and seven seasons of Superbike World Championships, where he rode alongside fellow Aussies Mick Doohan and Casey Stoner.

Suzanne [mother] confirmed five days ago that her son had been admitted to a Gold Coast hospital, where he was receiving end-of-life care.

At just 19, Gobert became the youngest ever SWC race winner when he won the final leg of the 1994 season at Phillip Island in Victoria. Gobert had a chequered past with drug and alcohol abuse, which cost him his ride with the Suzuki factory 500cc Grand Prix team in 1997, having failed a drug test.

His life spiralled further into the grips of addiction in 2004 when his then girlfriend Suni Dixon died. Gobert admitted he had a heroin addiction in 2006 while standing trial for driving with an expired license. Two years later, he was convicted and put behind bars for robbing a 70-year-old pensioner and a 31-year-old woman.


Anthony Gobert circa 2001, when he was on Yamaha’s AMA team.

Gobert claimed eight victories and 16 podiums from 57 WorldSBK starts between 1994–2000, as well as making 500GP appearances for Lucky Strike Suzuki, Team Muzzy, and running at the front of AMA Superbike standings (including 11 Superbike race wins). His final Australian Superbike campaign would be in 2007

[Happy As Larry]

South Africa and Gloucestershire cricket legend Mike Procter dies aged 77

Former South Africa all-rounder Mike Procter, the first man to coach his country after their post-apartheid return to international cricket, has died at the age of 77.

Procter was considered one of the most able players of his generation – a powerful hitter, fierce bowler and latterly a wily spinner – but was restricted to just seven Test appearances due to South Africa’s political isolation.

Instead he had the chance to showcase his abilities in English county cricket, where his exploits for Gloucestershire led to the club being affectionately nicknamed ‘Proctershire’ in his honour. He went on to play 482 matches for the club, scoring more than 20,000 runs and taking more than 1,000 wickets while winning the Gillette Cup and the Benson and Hedges Cup. The Gloucestershire flag at the Seat Unique Stadium has been lowered to half mast as a mark of respect and will remain that way until the start of the 2024 season.

A statement from the county read: “Gloucestershire Cricket is devastated to learn of the passing of former player and club legend Mike Procter. Widely regarded as one of the greatest to ever play cricket for Gloucestershire, Procter tragically died on Saturday 17 February in hospital in his hometown of Durban, South Africa.”

His former team-mate David Graveney added a personal tribute. “Mike was a fantastic player and quite rightly regarded as one of the best all-rounders that has ever represented Gloucestershire,” he said.
“He was just one of the best players I ever played with. The phrase ‘Proctershire’ was very apt for Mike. He put in the biggest performances in the biggest games. The really good players perform on the biggest stage and that is what Mike did.”
When the Proteas were welcomed back into the international sporting arena he was appointed as the team’s head coach, guiding them through the earliest stages of their reintroduction and reaching the semi-finals of the 1992 World Cup.

He later became chairman of selectors and an International Cricket Council match referee and forfeited the Oval Test between England and Pakistan in 2006 when the away side refused to return after the tea break having been penalised for ball-tampering by the umpires.

[Happy As Larry]

Lefty Driesell, coach who put Maryland on college basketball's map, dies at 92

COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Lefty Driesell, the Hall of Fame coach whose folksy drawl belied a fiery on-court demeanor that put Maryland on the college basketball map and enabled him to rebuild several struggling programs, died Saturday. He was 92.
Driesell died at his home in Virginia Beach, Virginia, his family said.
Maryland planned to honor Driesell with a moment of silence before its game against No. 14 Illinois later Saturday. The university said the team would wear throwback uniforms from the 1970s previously worn on Jan. 21, when the Terrapins honored Driesell with an "Ode to Lefty."

Driesell finished with 786 victories over parts of five decades and was the first coach to win more than 100 games at four NCAA Division I schools. He started at Davidson in 1960 before bringing Maryland into national prominence from 1969-86, a stay that ended with the cocaine-induced death of All-American Len Bias.

Driesell then won five regular-season conference titles over nine seasons at James Madison and finished with a successful run at Georgia State from 1997 to 2003.
"His contributions to the game go way beyond wins and losses, and he won a lot," former Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said after Driesell finally made the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2018. "It's an honor he's deserved for a long time."
Driesell launched the college basketball tradition known as Midnight Madness on Oct. 15, 1971. At three minutes after midnight on the first day of practice as sanctioned by the NCAA, Driesell had his players take a mandatory mile run on the track inside the Maryland football stadium.

The lighting was provided by the headlights of a few cars parked at one end of the stadium. The motivation came from Driesell's prodding and the estimated 800 students who gathered to watch the unpublicized event
"I've done a lot of crazy things to get attention, but that wasn't one of them," Driesell said years later. "I was just trying to get an early jump on practice. I had no idea what it was going to lead to."

Driesell also helped knock down racial barriers in the college game. He made George Raveling the first Black coach in the Atlantic Coast Conference by hiring him as an assistant in 1969. Driesell's effort to recruit Charlie Scott to play at Davidson helped make the future NBA star become the first African American scholarship athlete to attend North Carolina.

Scott initially committed to Davidson before choosing UNC but acknowledged that Driesell paved the way.
"I think if there had never been a Lefty Driesell, there would never have been a Charlie Scott attending North Carolina," said Scott, who joined the Hall of Fame in 2018 with Driesell. "My commitment to go to Davidson really opened up all the other schools in the recruiting process."

Race played no factor in Driesell's effort to recruit the best players.
"He did so many great things in marketing the game and opened up so many doors for many African Americans players and coaches like myself," said Len Elmore, who played for Driesell at Maryland from 1971-74. "Lefty was a trailblazer and an innovator."

Walking onto the court at Maryland to the tune of "Hail to the Chief," Driesell would thrust both arms in the air — two fingers extended on each hand with the V for victory sign — amid a standing ovation. On the sideline, he would often stomp his foot to show his displeasure with a call, and if things got really intense he would peel off his sports jacket, toss it to the floor and trample it.

Yet, Driesell rarely raised his voice off the court and had a knack for charming the parents of potential recruits with an assuring, homespun style that smacked of his Southern roots.
"He had a big personality, was an excellent recruiter and he helped put Maryland basketball on the map," said Brad Davis, a guard at Maryland from 1974-77 before heading to the NBA.

Driesell was inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame in 2007, but his entry into the Naismith shrine proved more elusive. He was a finalist four times before receiving the necessary 75% vote three months after his 86th birthday. The long snub, many speculated, came because Driesell was forced to resign at Maryland in 1986 after Bias overdosed on cocaine in a campus dorm after being drafted by the Boston Celtics.

Maryland had to pay Driesell for the rest of his 10-year contract because it could find no wrongdoing on his part. But his departure meant Driesell never got to fulfill the declaration he made upon taking over in College Park — he would make Maryland the "UCLA of the East."

Under Driesell, the Terrapins didn't enjoy the success John Wooden had at UCLA. Maryland failed to reach the Final Four during his 17-year stay, but the Terps won or shared five ACC regular-season titles and captured the league tournament in 1984 — on Driesell's fifth trip to the final.

Looking back on his "UCLA of the East" boast, Driesell quipped: "I was kind of drunk or something when I said it. But we were pretty good and we wound up pretty good. We had a lot of great players."

Before Driesell arrived at Maryland, the team was an ACC doormat and had trouble drawing fans to old Cole Field House. After going 13-13 in Driesell's first season, the Terps announced their resurgence on Jan. 9, 1971, with a 31-30 overtime upset of No. 2 South Carolina at home. There was no shot clock then, so Driesell ordered his players to slow the game to a crawl against a team that had defeated Maryland 96-70 just three weeks earlier.

One of Driesell's best teams never made it to the postseason. In the 1974 ACC championship game, the fourth-ranked Terrapins lost in overtime to No. 1 North Carolina State 103-100 during a time when only the conference champion advanced to the NCAA Tournament.
A week later, a Maryland team featuring future NBA starters Tom McMillen, John Lucas and Elmore turned down a bid to the NIT, which it had won two years earlier. N.C. State went on to win the 1974 NCAA title, ending UCLA's seven-year streak as national champions.
"Lefty's team that year," Krzyzewski said, "was probably as good as 20 national champions."

Born on Christmas Day in 1931, Charles Grice Driesell grew up in Norfolk, Virginia. He was a star basketball player for Granby High in Norfolk before attending Duke.
After working at the Ford Motor Co., Driesell took a job as a junior varsity football and basketball coach at Granby in 1954 after convincing his wife, Joyce, that he could withstand the pay cut by also selling encyclopedias. He eventually was promoted to head coach of the varsity team before moving to Newport News High, where he won 57 straight games.

In 1960, he took a job at Davidson, which was coming off an 11th consecutive losing season. He went 9-14 in his debut, one of only two times over an entire season in which he would finish with a losing record as a college coach.
Driesell won three Southern Conference tournaments and five regular-season championships at Davidson over nine years and went 176-65 before being hired at Maryland. He won 348 games with the Terrapins, a long-lasting school record that was finally broken in 2006 by Gary Williams.

Williams won the NCAA title in 2002. When he got home, a note from Driesell was waiting for him. It read: "Gary, YOU have made Maryland the UCLA of the East. Congratulations."
After leaving Maryland, Driesell was hired in 1988 by James Madison, a small Virginia school that finished 10-18 in 1987. He went 16-14 in his first year, 20-11 in his second season and led the Dukes to four straight NIT appearances before going to the NCAA Tournament in 1994.

Driesell compiled a 159-111 record at James Madison and enjoyed continued success at Georgia State. The Panthers were 29-5 in 2000-01 and upset Wisconsin in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. Two years later, he retired in the early stages of his 41st season with a career record of 786-394. At the time, he ranked fourth in NCAA Division I wins, behind only Dean Smith, Adolph Rupp and Bob Knight.

Finally, at age 71, the man affectionately known by many as the Ol' Left-hander had enough.
"I'm just tired and I've got this bad cold and I'm just going to retire," Driesell said. "I'm looking forward to not having a job. I can get up when I want to and do what I want to."

Driesell is survived by four children. While at Duke, Driesell eloped with Joyce and got married in December 1952. She died in 2021.
The couple's only son, Chuck, played for the Terrapins under his father from 1981-85 and became an assistant to his father at James Madison. He was hired as the coach at The Citadel in 2010 and was fired after five losing seasons.

While helping his father at James Madison, Chuck Driesell learned the rigors of coaching.
"Dad gave me a lot of responsibility, and we worked hard," he said. "As a son and as a player, I'm not sure I understood how hard he worked. I figured it out pretty quickly."

[harrybarracuda]

Track and field legend Henry Rono dies at 72




Henry Rono of Kenya, who set four world records in 81 days in 1978, died in a Nairobi hospital on February 15, according to The Nation. He had turned 72 just three days earlier.


Running Legend Henry Rono Dies at 72

[harrybarracuda]

Andres Brehme, German World Cup Winner, 63

Germany World Cup winner Andreas Brehme dies aged 62

[harrybarracuda]

Stan Bowles. One of football's great characters.

RIP

Doesn't need a write up really, just this:



Stan Bowles, QPR legend and former England international, dies at 75 | Football | The Guardian

[helge]

Ulrik died, 77 years old

[cyrille]

^^Remember him playing at The Hawthorns and it was ‘Where’s your wife gone Stanley Bowles’ all game.

RIP Stanley Bowles.

[harrybarracuda]

^^Remember him playing at The Hawthorns and it was ‘Where’s your wife gone Stanley Bowles’ all game.

RIP Stanley Bowles.

I didn't realise he threw away the chance of a European Cup medal because of a tiff with Clough.

[harrybarracuda]

Larry Lloyd, legendary Forest defender, 75.

Larry Lloyd, former Nottingham Forest and Liverpool defender, dies aged 75 | Nottingham Forest | The Guardian

[Happy As Larry]

DerekUnderwood, England’s greatest spin bowler, dies aged 78




DerekUnderwood, the most prolific spin bowler in England’s Test history,has died at the age of 78.
Underwood,affectionately known as “Deadly”, claimed 297 scalps in 86 Testappearances with his brisk left-arm spin, as well as another 32 inODIs.




Knownas a master of damp, uncovered pitches, the Kent stalwart firstplayed for his country as a 21-year-old in 1966 and made his finalappearance in 1982. His record tally would have been even higher hadit not been for his decision to play in Kerry Packer’s WorldSeries Cricket andthe first rebel tour of South Africa, but he still sits 42 wicketsahead of his nearest rival among spinners, Graeme Swann.

Ina statement paying homage to Underwood’s achievements, England andWales Cricket Board chair Richard Thompson said: “It is always asad day when a great of the English game passes away. Derek Underwoodwill be remembered as one of the finest spin bowlers this country hasever produced and his remarkable record is testament to his enduringskill.

“Tothis day, there will still be the odd mention of Derek Underwood whenconditions, especially in club cricket, become damp and perhapssuited to some accurate and pacey spin, and there’s no greaterlegacy than remaining part of the game long after you’ve finishedplaying. Our thoughts are with Derek’s friends and family, everyoneat Kent CCC, and everyone who knew and loved him.”

Aone-club man, Underwood played over 900 times for Kent across threedecades and claimed a staggering 2,523 wickets along the way.

“TheKent Cricket family is in mourning following the passing of one ofits greatest ever players,” said chair Simon Phillip. Derek was anoutstanding contributor to both Kent and England, winning trophiesfor club and country and etching his name in the history booksforevermore.

“WatchingDerek weave his unique magic on a wet wicket was a privilege for allwho were able to witness it. His induction into the ICC Hall of Fameshows the esteem in which he was held in world cricket.
“Anadvocate for growing our game worldwide whilst protecting our sport’srich heritage, Derek also made substantial contributions off thefield as well as on it, and he will be sorely missed by everyone atKent Cricket.”

Derek Underwood, England’s greatest spin bowler, dies aged 78 | Cricket | The Guardian

[cyrille]

I grew up watching 'deadly' on the television.

For some reason test matches at 'The Oval' stick in the mind, from when I was about nine years old.

Derek's action never changed discenibly, at least to me. He became a part of the

summer for me after that resounding retention of The Ashes in... 1977 was it?

RIP Deadly.