This Is Just A Football Game

25 years ago today, December 08 1980, on Monday Night Football, Howard Cosell stunned North America with the news that John Lennon had been shot and killed. Cosell did so against the wishes of his producers, who did not want him to interrupt the action between the Miami Dolphins and New England Patriots. Thankfully, if sorrowfully, Cosell ignored his producer. It is one of the saddest moments in the history of sports, and reminds us all that, as Cosell so eloquently stated, some things are bigger than any game. The audio is here. The last three words, "dead on arrival", bring chills to the body and tears to the eyes.

Yes, we have to say, remember this is just a football game, no matter who wins or loses. An unspeakable tragedy, confirmed to us by ABC News in New York City, John Lennon, outside of his apartment building on the West Side of New York City, the most famous, perhaps, of all of the Beatles, shot twice in the back, rushed to Roosevelt Hospital, dead on arrival.