I just wanted to take a minute to tribute Derrick Thomas, who died yesterday at age 33 due to a blood clot.He ranked 9th among the NFLs all time leading sackers with 126.5 and the NFL single game recordholder with 7. He was voted the NFL's Man of the year in 1993 and was All-Pro in his first nine seasons. He was real man off the field too. He founded the Third and Long foundation that promotes reading among young people. Fans were at Arrowhead donating money in his honor for the children. According to the Chiefs owner Carl Petersen, Thomas on Monday wanted him to thank the Chief fans for their for "their prayers, letters of concern and thoughts." I believe Petersen was correct when he said "A light has gone out."


CHIEFS HEAD COACH GUNTHER CUNNINGHAM:
"I never looked at Derrick Thomas the football player. I looked at Derrick Thomas as one of the finer people I’ve ever been around and a friend the thing I’ll always remember about Derrick is his smile. I just looked at the picture on the press release over here and that’s one thing I’ll never get out of my mind. I just know this. Derrick will hang over this stadium forever. "


FORMER CHIEFS HEAD COACH MARTY SCHOTTENHEIMER
He was confident in his abilities and envied no one. He had pride in his achievements. As a friend he was always thoughtful, sensitive and interested - but never intrusive. He lived life to the fullest. Yet those of us who were close to him and experienced his smile and laughter knew him to be a truly happy man - even after this devastating injury laid him low. Through his good humor and attitude, Derrick brightened our days and affected us all more than we knew and only now that he is gone will we begin to realize the importance of his impact on our lives."


PITTSBURGH STEELERS HEAD COACH BILL COWHER:
I just talked to him last Friday and I said what have you done now and I am going to come down to see you and told him I loved him. It is hard. You know of all the players that I have been fortunate to be around, he is probably the one guy I have gotten closest to. My wife and I have said that he is probably the son we never had. He is a guy who has lived his life with a passion in everything he did. And I really think that with the all things that are taking place today and all the publicity, the arrests and everything else this was a good person and like I said he lived his life with a passion. But he didn't have a bad bone in his body-he really didn't. He never hurt anybody so maybe in a way again in a form you are the greatest one of them all who can make a mistake and the good Lord works in mysterious ways. You know you lose (agent) Robert (Fraley), a guy you are close to in October, and now Derrick. Someone asked me today what have you learned from that and to me the thing that you learn is that you tell people that mean a lot to you tell them you love them each day."


RAMS HEAD COACH MIKE MARTZ:
"It's just a great tragedy. When you think of the Chiefs, you think of Derrick. He's one of the first guys that you think of. He was a great player and a great human being. We're all going to miss him."

MINNESOTA VIKINGS HEAD COACH DENNIS GREEN: "Derrick epitomizes the youthful enthusiasm that we admire so much. He has always stood as a shining example to our young people to be committed and love whatever it is you do. My heart goes out to his family because this young man was loved and respected by all who came in contact with him."

[ Note:Coaches quotes were taken from the Kansas City Chiefs web sitehttp://www.kcchiefs.com] One story in this tragedy that reminded me that good people do positively effect others is the one reported in
Shawnee,Kansas. Jeyn Miller took her daughter Stephanie to school and they both decorated the car with Chiefs stuff for the trip. As they were departing , "Mom, you decorated the car for Derrick," 6 year old Stephanie said. "Now put your seat belt on for him." ``This is so sad, it's hard to talk about,'' said Robin Henson of Kansas City, Kan. ""I'm a school bus driver, and those kids this morning were just devastated. They all felt like they knew him."(*By DOUG TUCKER -AP Sports Writer)
Our hearts go out to his family and especially his 8 year old son Derrick Jr. God bless you all!