R.I.P. Kirby Puckett

Kirby Puckett to me always symbolized what was right with sports. He played with such joy, and conducted himself with such class. The turn that the past five years of his life took was so tragic. The allegations against him, and an incredibly unflattering story in Sports Illustrated seemingly took the joy out of him. He lost some of his vision. He gained way too much weight. And then he died way too young. The death is actually less tragic than some of the other circumstances in my mind, because death comes for us all. I just wish he could have lived the last years of his life in happiness, rather than in a sad unraveling. Luckily, I think he'll be remembered with fondness, not sadness. That's certainly true for me.