Just a brief departure from our usual topics to say goodbye to one of my heros – former Vice Presidential candidate Jack Kemp.
When I was growing up, two quarterbacks played a signifigant role in my life. One was Brian Sipe who led our Cleveland Browns Cardiac Kids of the late 80s to some fantastic finishes. He was a good looking guy who lived in San Diego during the off season.
I was mesmerized by him and eventually did move to San Diego after seeing far too many post-season interviews with Sipe in Febuary. He’d be suring and enjoying beautiful San Diego and here in Cleveland we’d be up to our eyeballs in snow and freezing temperatures. That’s when I determined to one-day move to San Diego. I did in 1990 and would eventually have the chance to work with professional athletes. I even had lunch with Brian. It was a dream come true for this Cleveland Browns fan.
The other quarterback who had a significant influence in my life was former Buffalo Bills QB Jack Kemp (pictured here as I remember him – during his hey day in the 80s/90s). By the time I was aware of him, Jack had already moved on to his second career as a US Congressman.
Jack was part and parcel of the Regan era. His raspy voice delivered conservative ideas that my ears embraced. He was a brilliant student in both the football and political arenas. I attended the GOP convention in San Diego the year he was on Bob Dole’s ticket as VP. Jack was our only reason for hope that year.
I had the opportunity to meet Jack once at an event in San Diego. I was a Young Republican then and hawking my own stash of ”Kemp for President” buttons I had bought months earlier. There were only 100 or so people at the event. My buttons sold out and Jack was flattered. He and I spoke for what seemed like quite a while. I was working for a prominent NFL player at that time so we had football, as well as politics, in common.
Just a year later Jack’s vote helped that player win the prestigious NFL “Man of the Year” Award. I received a handwritten note from him on his personalized notecard acknowledging my role in helping the player in his off-field charitable events and garner the award. That note is one of my prized possessions. That he would recongize someone “behind the scenes” like me? The gesture wowed me and said alot about Jack.
When I learned of his passing this weekend I remembered that raspy voice. The soaring rhetoic. The inspiration that fueled many in my generation to make a difference by embracing and espousing the conservative ideals of he and Regan. I know this – he certainly made a difference in this girl’s life.
Thank you Jack. You will be missed.
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