Once I returned, as you are hearing first on KHOU.COM, I got word my former teammate Dante Pastorini was in the hospital with basically the same condition, a fluttering heart beat. He started having an uncomfortable feeling also on Friday and went to a local Houston hospital to get checked out. I thought, is this a dream? Dante was one of the most gifted athletes I'd had ever seen, big and strong with so much talent. When I first came to Houston as a member of the Oilers, I couldn't believe what I saw. This guy had an arm as impressive as Nolan's but throwing a different ball. He could fling a football like no one I had ever seen. Those of you who have been around awhile remember how far he would put it up for #00 Kenny Burrough to go get. What a gift! Nothing like this could ever happen to him I thought.
Both of them are out of the hospital as I write this and both are under control. They have to take medicine to help their heart issues but it is just a strong reminder to me that even though you might seem to be invincible, and I don't put myself in that category, life can throw you a curve ball or maybe an interception every now and then and you better be prepared to handle it. I don't know exactly how to do that other than get regular check-ups and have your life in order but when ticker starts ticking unnaturally especially in those you think are above that sort of thing... it's makes you slow down and ponder.