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So soon after Ronald Reagan, we learn that a legendary football coach, an exemplary human being - Eddie Robinson, the 85-year-old Grambling giant - is deep into the ghastly grip of Alzheimer's.
"Eddie gets a little worse every day," Doris Robinson, his wife of 63 years, told the Associated Press. "He eats breakfast then wants to go right back to bed."
In the voice of Coach Rob's lifetime love, you hear so much of Nancy Reagan. "If I would let myself, I would cry," Doris said. "I don't have time for that. I never thought I would be the strong one, but now I must."
Their modest home of half a century is hardly a ballfield away from Grambling State's campus in northern Louisiana. Eddie Jr. lives nearby. Robinson, in a way, had 2,000 sons, all his football kids from 57 seasons beginning in 1941.
First to vault to the NFL from Eddie's threadbare shop was fullback Tank Younger with the Rams in 1949, to be astonishingly followed by more than 200 more pros, including three Hall of Famers, Willie Davis (Packers), Buck Buchanan (Chiefs) and Willie Brown (Raiders).
"When you list history's great coaches," said Doug Williams, a heroic 1974-77 Grambling quarterback who became MVP of Super Bowl XXII, "considering where Coach Rob came from, with meager resources at a little black school, I'm not sure if any from among Bear Bryant , Joe Paterno and Bobby Bowden could've matched what he achieved."
Williams succeeded Robinson as Grambling coach in 1997. Eddie won 408 games and nine national black championships, but fortunes cooled in the '90s with consecutive 3-8 records.
Doug restored Grambling stature with a 52-18 record and three national championships before the Bucs' touchdown bomber from 1978-82 returned to the franchise recently as a personnel specialist.
"Coach Rob endured so much, but you never heard him talk of being treated badly or about slavery, segregation or civil rights," Williams said. "He preached education, loving America and going to church. Nobody waved the American flag quite like Eddie Robinson."
Williams was the first black quarterback drafted No. 1 by an NFL team. Tampa Bay coach John McKay saw talent that was a bit raw, somewhat erratic, but rich in long-ball dynamics.
Doug led Tampa Bay to a startling 1979 season, an 11-7 record that lifted the heretofore laughable Bucs to an NFC Championship Game. They made the playoffs in 1981 and 1982 before Williams became disgusted over owner Hugh Culverhouse's contract offers and jumped to the USFL.
"Coach Rob and I did have differences along the way," Doug said. "Like when I was a redshirt freshman at Grambling and, I thought, clearly should be our starting QB. He made me third string.
"Coach Eddie called me in and said, "I know you can play, but we've got a senior.' That made me madder. But, lo and behold, that senior got hurt. Then the backup didn't move the offense. So I got my chance, and the rest is history."
Eight years later, Robinson would pound Williams with opinions amid the scuffles with Culverhouse.
"Eddie absolutely thought I should stay," Doug said. "He didn't care about any contract stuff, but he knew Coach McKay and the Bucs took a gamble on me ... and that I should stay with them no matter what."
After three USFL seasons, a familiar voice called out to Doug in 1986. It was Joe Gibbs, 1978 Bucs quarterbacks coach who had won a Super Bowl in Washington. He wanted to arm the Redskins with Williams.
Less than two years later, Doug had the greatest 15 minutes in Super Bowl history, passing for touchdowns covering 80, 27, 50 and 8 yards. After trailing Denver 10-0, the 'Skins had a 35-0 eruption in the second quarter.
Now, after 22 seasons, Williams is a Buccaneer again. And, following 12 years of football retirement and new exuberance as a NASCAR owner, Gibbs now returns as Redskins coach.
"I was shocked the need became so big for Joe to come back to Washington," Doug said. "I've always been a Steve Spurrier fan and was convinced his college success at Florida would continue as Redskins coach.
"I still thought it was going to work. But things got to dire straits and (team owner) Dan Snyder did something really smart, bringing Joe back.
"Gibbs will win again. I'm sold on that. My life has been boosted by some exceptional coaches. Gibbs, McKay ... but nobody quite like Eddie Robinson. I called Doris to see how he's doing. It's not good. Seeing what happened to President Reagan, I'm hoping and praying Alzheimer's isn't so cruel to Coach Rob."
Hubert Mizell can be contacted at mmizell02@ earthlink.net.