Breaking: Collins’ Father Passes Away

[wizard 87]

Willie James Collins Sr., the father of Packers safety Nick Collins, passed away on May 16 after a long battle with cancer.

It was the serious family issue Collins was referring to in comments he made to the Journal Sentinel on May 10.

Collins spent much of the 2007 season worried about this father's health and often flew back and forth to Florida to be with him. Mr. Collins' cancer was thought to be in remission last year.

The former Dixie County (Cross City) High School and Bethune-Cookman College quarterback was buried on Saturday after a celebration of Mr. Collins' life in the high school gymnasium.

Here is a portion of the obituary published in the Gainesville (Fla.) Sun:

COLLINS, WILLIE JAMES SR.

"GRAMP"

Age 56, of Cross City, Florida, a former Quarterback of Dixie County High School and Bethune-Cookman College, a former Policeman of the Cross City Police Dept and Dixie County Sheriff's Department, a former Employee of the Cross City Correctional Institution and the Dept of Agriculture, a former Coach of Pop Warner Football and the Dixie County Little League Baseball, Member of Miracle Deliverance Center Church where he served faithfully until his health began to fail, etc. died Saturday, May 16, 2009 in Cross City at the residence of his Sister, Heddie Johnson.

Bottom line he was telling the truth and not holding out. My thoughts and prayers are with Nick as I have been through this same thing.

 

[PackersRS]

I'll be the douchbag here: I didn't know about his father's illness, but I said all along, when a lot of people were coming down on him, saying he was double-faced, that it was all a strategy: He's a man of his word. He hasn't done anything to prove otherwise. And he was saying it was NOT about the contract, but about a personal matter.

His agent, as I said before, was doing what all agents do. TAKING CARE OF THEMSELVES. If Collings gets a bonus, so does the agent. And what's worse: Like Bedard said, he should have shown more tact.

In the end the blame kind of is on Collins, for having such a patetic, unprofessional agent. And on all packer fans that thought Nick Collins was a selfcentered *********. Poor man, having to deal with his father's condition and with the disaprooval of fans, when he needed support...

But unlike it appears, I'm not happy posting this. Nobody is a winner here. A good professional and a great man lost his father. My condolences...

 

[danielchile]

And he was still able to be at the tailgate tour and run against a kid at one high school. Impressive. Rest In Peace, Mr. Willie James Collins Sr. Your son is a great player and an even greater man.

 

[robdog]

Dam this sucks... My prayers go out to you Nick!