Rickey Dixon Fighting ALS

[HoosierCat]

Lance passes along some sad news:

http://www.700wlw.com/onair/lance-mcalister-7818/bengals-remember-rickey-dixon-13949956/

Thanks to listener Clayton for pointing out the tweet below from former Oklahoma coach Barry Switzer. Former Bengal Rickey Dixon is suffering from ALS.

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As a Cincy-born kid, I got away to OU for college. I didn't know squat about Sooner tradition or former players, except this guy. He was the Bengals' First Round pick that year and the reason that I bought myself a #29 Oklahoma jersey within a few days of my arrival. If anything, it gave me a reason to be proud of my hometown team & adopt a new one in the process.
As we all know, ALS is a horrible disease. It's victims aren't always the diagnosed; families & loved ones watch helplessly as their friends, sisters, brothers, fathers & mothers struggle.
He & his family are in my thoughts and prayers. I humbly ask the same of you and your listeners.
Thank you, Boomer Sooner & Who Dey!!
Clayton

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The 48-year old Dixon was the 5th pick overall in the 1988 NFL draft by the Bengals.
The Oklahoma defensive back played for the Bengals from 1988-92. He spent the 1993 season with Los Angeles Raiders following a trade from Cincinnati.

Dixon was an All-American in 1987 and was the first Sooner to win the Jim Thorpe Award as the top defensive back in the country. He recorded 17 interceptions in his college career. He's a member of the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame.

Dixon started just 32 games in five seasons with Cincinnati. As a rookie, he played in Super Bowl XXIII vs San Francisco, registering a tackle. He started all 16 games for the Bengals in 1989, recording three interceptions and finishing second on the team tackles with 104. Dixon totaled six interceptions in five seasons with the Bengals

[BengalszoneBilly]

Wow. Sad to hear.

[princeton]

I'm a cancer researcher. A scientist in LA asked me for a custom reagent last week and was a bit sketchy about why he needed it. Usually I blow off such requests -- this stuff is hard to make-- but he mentioned that he was an ALS researcher so I'm sending him more than I can spare. it's a crap disease, and certainly deserves any help I can provide. Rickey Dixon, I'll write #29 on the tube

ALS took my father-in-law, plus a family friend, both of whom were ex-military. a lot of ALS cases go through the VA, though it's not really clear why military service links to ALS. But the Feds pay out to spouses of vets that die of ALS, and the last time I saw my FIL happy was the day that he found out that his ALS was going to help take care of his wife after he died.

[HoosierCat]

I've been fortunate never to run into ALS, but cancer took my mother several years ago and more recently two excellent neighbors, one of whom was only a couple years older than me. You're doing good work, princeton, keep it up!

[ArmyBengal]

I've read plenty about how ALS is at least twice as likely in military members than in the rest of the population, but there is no known reason for this occurrence.

I have no idea about it myself and have seen none of the research. Maybe the assload of vaccines given to military members.

Getting stuck for odd things such as Typhoid, the Plague, Yellow Fever, Anthrax, and a multitude of other simple diseases all together is tough.

We see plenty of ALS patients here and the disease is recognized as a service connected disability, which is where I come in.

My team assists in the completion of compensation and pension examinations. ALS sucks big fat monkey balls.

#29 on the tube ?? Nice !!!