football

24Aug

By Web TeamNo Comments

Profiles, Sad But True, United States

John Peacock, Football Coach

Western Carolina University offensive line coach John Peacock died last Wednesday at the age of 32, the school announced on Twitter. In a Facebook post his fiancée Erika Alexander said that he died from COVID-19 complications just four days after he was diagnosed. On the school’s athletics website, Peacock’s bio said the two were planning to wed in February 2022. According to a statement issued by the school, Peacock began working at Western Carolina this past spring and was known by his colleagues and student-athletes as a “selfless, hard worker who was always upbeat and constantly humming or singing.” The school will host a moment of silence in his honor during the first football game of the season at E.J. Whitmire Stadium on September 4, reads the statement.

30Apr

By Web TeamNo Comments

Noteworthy, Profiles, United States

Dick Lucas, American football player

Dick Lucas a professional American football player who played tight end for five seasons for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles died on April 29, 2020, due to complications of COVID-19 Lucas was a native of Boston and played in college at Boston College. He was selected in the 10th round of the 1956 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears but joined the Marines before opting for professional football. He played four games for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1958. Between 1960 and 1963 Lucas played for the Eagles, playing in 38 games and catching 34 passes for 384 yards and six touchdowns. He was a member of the 1960 team that defeated the Green Bay Packers in the NFL Championship Game. In 1961, Lucas had eight catches for five touchdowns, the most touchdowns in NFL history by...

30Apr

By Web TeamNo Comments

Ireland, Noteworthy, Profiles

Noel Walsh, football manager

Noel Walsh an Irish Gaelic footballer, administrator, selector, manager and member of the Defence Forces died at the age of 84 on April 29, 2020 after suffering from Covid-19. As a selector and manager, he worked with the Clare county team. As a provincial administrator he was pivotal in establishing an open draw in the Munster Senior Football Championship. As a national administrator he was pivotal in the overturning of the Gaelic Athletic Association's Rule 42, the introduction of the All-Ireland Qualifiers and the spread of floodlights to club and county grounds. At his death he was remembered locally and nationally as one of the sport's most progressive administrators. He was often referred to as "Mr Clare Football". A native of Miltown Malbay in West Clare, Walsh serve...

19Apr

By Web TeamNo Comments

Italy, Noteworthy, Profiles

Urano Navarrini, football player

Urano Navarrini an Italian professional football player and manager died in Milan on 18 April 2020, aged 74, from coronavirus. Born in Verona, Navarrini was the illegitimate son of Nuto Navarrini, and was known as Urano Benigni until recognised by his father in 1972. Navarrini played as a winger for Grunland Milanese Libertas, AC Milan, Pistoiese, Savona, Taranto, Verbania, Novara and Pro Patria. After retiring he managed a number of Italian clubs, including Pro Patria, Aosta, and Vigevano.

8Apr

By Web TeamNo Comments

Ireland, Noteworthy, Profiles

Tom Scully, football manager

Thomas Scully –a Gaelic football manager, priest and schoolteacher – died on 7 April 2020 due to Covid-19. He managed the Offaly county team, where he was pivotal in establishing them as a rising side in the sport. Scully was a native of Aharney in Tullamore. He had two brothers and six sisters: Ned, Michael, Nance (Hanlon), Mary (Garry), Rose (Cleary), Margaret (Henry), Lily (MacDonald) and Emily (Hanlon). All bar Emily predeceased him. During the 1960s, Scully trained the Belcamp College boarding school team in Dublin to three Leinster Schools' Football Championships. He led Offaly to the final of the 1968–69 National Football League (their first), the Leinster Senior Football Championship title (their third) and then to ...

2Apr

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Noteworthy, United States

Wallace Roney, jazz trumpeter

Wallace Roney ‑ an American jazz (hard bop and post-bop) trumpeter – died on March 31, 2020 from Covid-19. Roney took lessons from Clark Terry and Dizzy Gillespie and studied with Miles Davis from 1985 until the latter's death in 1991. Wallace credited Davis as having helped to challenge and shape his creative approach to life as well as being his music instructor, mentor, and friend; he was the only trumpet player Davis personally mentored. Roney was born in Philadelphia. He attended Howard University and Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, after graduating from the Duke Ellington School of the Arts of the D. C. Public Schools, where he studied trumpet with Langston Fitzgerald of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Found to have perfe...

2Apr

By Web TeamNo Comments

Noteworthy, Senegal

Pape Diouf, journalist & football agent

Mababa "Pape" Diouf ‑ a Senegalese journalist and football agent, who was the president of French football club Olympique de Marseille between 2005 and 2009 – died of Covid-19 on 31 March 2020. He was the first Black President of a top flight football club in any of Europe's top six leagues Diouf was born in Abéché, Chad, to Senegalese parents. The family returned to their native country shortly after Diouf's birth. Diouf had Chadian, French and Senegalese citizenships. Diouf moved to Marseille at the age of eighteen. He later studied at Sciences Po. Diouf started out as a journalist, working for La Marseillaise newspaper. Diouf centred his work around sport, and particularly the local football club, Olympique de Marseille. Eventually he turned his hand to be...

Benito Joanet, football player and manager

24Mar

By Web TeamNo Comments

Noteworthy, Profiles, Spain

Benito Joanet, football player and manager

Benito Joanet Giménez ‑ a Spanish football player and manager ‑ died in Alicante on 22 March 2020 from COVID-19. Born in Esplugues de Llobregat, Joanet played as a goalkeeper for Espanyol, Real Zaragoza, Terrassa, Europa and Deportivo de La Coruña. After retiring he became a football manager, taking charge of Hércules, Castellón, Antequerano, Cádiz, Mallorca, Tenerife, Espanyol, Salamanca and Las Palmas.