When news reached me last week that my friend Matt Blair had passed away, it set off a ripple effect of emotions-some good, some not so good. Matt played all 12 of his NFL seasons with the Vikings, racking up 1,452 tackles and from 1977 to 1982, Matt made it to six consecutive Pro Bowls with a 1980 All-Pro selection.  In Blair's 12-season tenure with the Vikings, they went to the postseason seven times and played in two Super Bowls. But, Matt Blair was so much more than a football player. His passing from CTE related dementia had me thinking about my own time wearing a helmet, and the "disposable heroes" like Matt, that offer up their long-term health for the short-term entertainment of fans and talk radio.