Greg Moore, Payne Stewart and Walter Payton were three different athletes from three different sports and eras.

All three passed away within the last month leaving an impact on the sports they played. Walter Payton, known as "Sweetness" during his playing career, died from bile duct cancer, discovered earlier this year while he was being treated for primary sclerosing cholangitis, a rare liver disorder.

He played 13 seasons with the Chicago Bears and will always be remembered as the NFL's all-time leading rusher who carried a mediocre team on his back for so many years.

Former Chicago Bears coach Mike Ditka, who's currently coaching the New Orleans Saints, coached Payton for six years and says Payton was the best player he'd ever seen and one of the best people he'd has ever known.

Former Detroit Lion Barry Sanders, who was just 1,458 yards shy of breaking Payton's mark for most career rushing yards had nothing but admiration for Payton.

Putting himself behind everyone else made Payton not only an icon for superstardom, but also a compassionate human being. It was a shame the public had to watch such a strong man deteriorate the way he did in his final days.

A plane crash is the reason the world of golf lost one of its most prominent and colourful figures in recent memory.

While Payne Stewart may have been a bit eccentric no one can argue with his success. Stewart won 11 PGA tournaments, three majors, including two US Open titles and the PGA Championship. He was also a member of this year's Ryder Cup champion US team.

However Stewart was more than just a golfer. He was a loving father, husband and friend who had an appreciation for life.

That seemed to be the general consensus from family, friends and colleagues leading up to and after his funeral.

Anyone who ever had any association with golf will never forget Stewart in his trademark knickers and cap celebrating after sinking a 15-foot putt on the 18th hole to win the this year's US Open. If every golfer in the world had half the imagination of Stewart golf would never be boring. Losing anyone, athlete or not is an experience no one ever wants to face, but the loss of Greg Moore has to hurt even more because Canadians lost a native son.

Moore was involved in a horrible car crash Oct. 31 after hitting a wall at 350 km/h during the Marlboro 500 in Fontana, California. He later died from massive head and internal injuries. Twenty-four-year-old Moore was being touted as 'the champion of many tomorrows" according to Roger Penske, owner of Team Penske. He dominated the Indy Lights circuit in 1995 with a record 10 wins before moving on to the Cart circuit where he went on to post five victories.

It's sad because he was more than a succesful athlete. He was also someone who never forgot where he came from.

Children who wanted an autograph from Moore never went home disappointed and that's something you don't see with a lot of athletes today.

It's a hard time to be a fan of professional sports lately. In the past month, we have lost three recognizable faces who weren't noticed for what they accomplished on their respective playing fields. It was nice how other people labelled them not only great athletes, but great sons, fathers or husbands.
IW