The View From Wisconsin

San Francisco 49ers lineman Thomas Herrion collapsed in the locker room after the team's exhibition game in Denver. Herrion was on the field for the last drive of the game, where the Niners scored a touchdown.

According to the AP report, "Players had finished listening to coach Mike Nolan address them in a postgame meeting when Herrion collapsed. Medics administered CPR on him and took him to an ambulance that rushed him to a nearby hospital.

"About three hours later, 49ers spokesman Aaron Salkin confirmed that Herrion had been pronounced dead. The cause of death was not immediately known."

This is incredibly sad, for any sports fan. The Niners have had the "year from hell" in 2005, with the issues regarding their PR director and other various malestroms of controversy surrounding the team. To have this happen, in a pre-season game, is just devastating.

My heart goes out to the Niners organization and its players and coaches.