NFL72 Update

The 1972 Miami News special football pullout section comes out Sunday, Aug. 29, and I’m so excited.

I love Bob Griese. In Al Levine’s Miami News coverage Aug. 21, 1972, of the preseason win over Cincinnati, Griese is quoted, apparently after being asked about the rookie defensive back, Bernard Jackson, whom the Bengals are converting from college running back: "Nobody should be ashamed of getting beat by Warfield."

Levine had another story, on Don Shula’s dilemma at running back, where Mercury Morris is playing so well from behind Larry Csonka and Jim Kiick on the depth chart. Morris is quoted as saying something about his willingness to play any role in the effort "to correct the mistake that we made last January" in losing the Super Bowl. "Mistake" is a shot across someone's bow.

A rookie Raider running back broke his neck while tackling a Ram punt returner in an exhibition game in Los Angeles. He never played football again. The Chicago Tribune reported in 1990 that Ray Jamieson was one of eight former NFL players "receiving full total and permanent disability benefits of $4,000 a month from the NFL. To qualify, the condition must be a direct result of a football injury, and the player must be disabled to the extent he cannot work in any other occupation." In addition to Jamieson, Melissa Isaacson’s list in the Tribune included Otis Armstrong, Edward Thomas, Charley Warner, Darryl Stingley, Buddy Dial, Steve Little and William Wayne Frazier.

"Thirty-nine players are receiving non-football benefits of $750 minimum per month for conditions including degenerative injuries and psychiatric problems. These players include Jim Otto, who played center for Oakland durin 1960-74 and now is disabled by a severe degenerative arthritis in both knees; E.J. Holub, a center and linebacker for Dallas in 1961-62 and Kansas City in 1963-70 also with debilitating arthritis; and Sherrill Hendrick, a linebacker for Kansas City during 1960-67, who had a degenerative back condition."

Memphis State hails Jamieson as  "one of the toughest players in Tiger football history" and celebrates his contributions as a senior in his team's Pasadena Bowl victory, the team's first bowl bid in 15 seasons. After his preseason injury in 1972, Jamieson moved back to Memphis for rehab, and he ended up completing in 1975. He ended up living in a Memphis suburb: Germantown, Tennessee.

In August 2013, Raymond Dean Jamieson, a native of Providence, Rhode Island, was vacationing with his family in the Ozark Mountains, where he liked to golf and fish near Mountain Home, Arkansas, when he died at age 66.

Per an obituary published in Memphis’s Commercial Appeal, "his will, competitive nature and never give up attitude, allowed him to walk again and have a family that loved him. He is survived by his wife Diane, two sons Chris and Jeff, their wives Jaime and Konnie, and a sister Mildred and her husband Carl. His greatest joy came from his four grandchildren Bryce, Lauren, Chase and Andrew. He was a loving husband, father, grandfather, brother and loyal friend to many. Ray was generous, fun loving and will be missed by all. If there is a lesson to take from Ray's life it is to never give up no matter what life throws at you and always keep your head up. As Ray would say in his native New England accent 'I'm outta here!’."

They had a memorial service for Jamieson on a Sunday afternoon back at the Germantown Country Club. "All friends are welcome. In lieu of flowers, please make all donations to St Jude Children's Hospital or to the NFL's Youth Football Heads Up Football Program," his obituary read.