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Lee Roy Selmon passed Sunday after suffering a stroke a couple of days ago. I remember him well as one of the toughest NFL players ever - only 56 years old - way too young to go.

6'3, 256, Defensive End, but you'd swear he was bigger than that, as powerful as he was.

Led Sooners to two National Championships in '74 and '75, winning Outland Trophy, Lombardi Award, and UPI Lineman of the Year in '75. Big Eight Athlete of the Year '76. 39th best college football player of all time per College Football News and S.I. NCAA Football All Century Team. An Academic All American, Scholar Athlete, and two time Consensus All American, inducted into the College Football HOF in 1988.

Played his entire 9 year NFL career for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a career cut a bit short in 1985 after a back injury after 118 starts, 78 1/2 sacks, 380 QB pressures, 28 1/2 forced fumbles, and 10 fumble recoveries. 1st overall Pick in '76 NFL Draft, and first ever draft pick of the expansion Bucs. And unlike most, he lived up to the hype, both on and off the field.

'79 NFL Defensive Lineman and Defensive Player of the Year

'82 Pro Bowl MVP

6 time First Team All NFC, 1 time Second Team All NFC

3 time First Team All Pro, 2 time Second Team All Pro

6 time Pro Bowl selection

Retired Number, 63, Tampa Bay Buccaneers,1986

Academic All America HOF '94

Voted to Pro Football Weekly's AllTime 3-4 Defensive Team

Voted one of the Top 100 NFL Players of All Time - NFL Films

Service to Mankind Award

Pro Football HOF '95 (only Buccaneer, 1st former Sooner)

First inductee, Tampa Bay Ring of Honor 2009

Oklahoma HOF

Post football - bank executive, prolific charitable benefactor, Assistant AD and AD at Univ. of South Florida, and proprietor of Lee Roy Selmon's Sports Restaurant in Tampa and six other locations.

Sorry for the NFL.com and Wiki abuse, but wanted to give him the props he deserves. He was truly one of the good guys, and one bad a.$ on the football field. In my eyes, his is the face I think of when I think Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I'll see if I can find a video or two. . .