On Thursday night the football world lost a legendary quarterback as former Alabama and Raiders great Ken Stabler died at the age of 69 from colon cancer.
When his family publically acknowledged Stabler's passing, they did with a Facebook post that contained a fairly innocuous but incredible detail. "The Snake" went out like a champ, listening to his favorite tunes.
"He passed peacefully surrounded by the people he loved most, including his three daughters and longtime partner, as some of his favorite songs played in the background," the family in their statement. "Such as Lynyrd Skynyrd's 'Sweet Home Alabama' and Van Morrison's 'Leaves Falling Down.'"
Is there a better artist than Van Morrison to accompany a peaceful slip into the afterlife? There can't be. And "When the Leaves Come Falling Down" is a pretty perfect choice too (I'd probably have my family pop on A Night in San Francisco and let it ride).
But the Skynyrd choice? Absolutely perfect Stabler. Dude was a legend at Alabama before he even made it to the NFL. Born in Foley, Alabama, Stabler won a national title with the Crimson Tide, completed a perfect regular season and put his stamp on a three-year career with the infamous "Run in the Mud" to topple Auburn 7-3 in the Iron Bowl.
There's a reason current 'Bama AD Bill Battle said "few [players] — if any — connected with our fans in the way that Kenny did."
He lived a very Southern life even when he headed out west to play for the Raiders too. Look at this Sports Illustrated gallery of Stabler. Shootin' pool, riding speed boats, hanging out being bearded and awesome.
John Madden called him the "perfect Raider," which essentially meant he knew how to win and he did things his way. Stabler kept it up all the way down the home stretch too.
