TRIBUTE TO JUNIOR SEAU, FIVE YEARS AFTER HIS PASSING, 1969-2012

May 2nd, 2017 is the five year anniversary of the passing of one of the greatest football players and greatest linebackers ever, and a proud son of San Diego...I wrote this small tribute to Junior two years ago today, but #55 will never be forgotten. This tribute is for all you Trojan and Charger fans and especially all his friends and team mates that knew him best. 

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                 A true San Diego Football Legend and person who was loved by former players, friends and fans, sadly passed on May 2nd, 2012.  God bless all of you who knew him well during this difficult time.
               As a fan, I got to see #55 first hand long before he was a Charger, when he was an outstanding player for Oceanside High School. Both Junior and my brother Tommy played on the same San Diego All-Star High School Football team (Junior was defensive captain and Tommy was offensive captain)  against Los Angeles's All-Star high school team. Junior played linebacker, quarterback, and receiver, and literally was a man among boys. I remember my dad and I were watching him wreak havoc on the field, and  during the game, he said to me "that kid could be starting at any division one college in the nation." Not surprisingly, after the game when our family went down on the field to see Tommy and met Junior for the first time, he was literally surrounded by USC scouts and recruiters getting their pictures taken with him. The rest, as they say, is history.
                  Junior was the most intense, talented football player I have ever seen to this day....His stellar career at USC and in the NFL was legendary and speaks for itself. It was so much fun to watch Junior all throughout his awesome career and trademark "Bolt" dance after a sack. It was also such a treat to watch Junior and Tommy play against each other in the Pac-10 and  in the NFL. 
                   I only knew Junior and his family through the peripheral of Tommy's and Junior's high school, college and pro football careers but I was very saddened to hear this news. His parents were always so very nice and Junior was always approachable and friendly with that trademark Polynesian smile of his. God Bless all of his family and close friends during this difficult day.