Seems like a stretch to include this guy on the list, but I'd rather not step on your heartfelt review Git.

Its taken me a year to write this, largely because its taken a year for the emotion to die down

Ackles may not be a household name, and football front office people are seldom celebrities, but Ackles was something kind of special. He was hired as a waterboy as a teenager by the expansion BC Lions of the Canadian football league in 1954, and steadily worked his way up in the organization, eventually becoming general manager.

He moved to the Dallas Cowboys and was part of building the great teams of the 90's, becoming one of the more respected men in his profession. So much respected that even an ill-advised stint in the XFL didn't damage him.

He was lured out of retirement to return to the BC Lions by a new owner, and within a year took a franchise on the verge of bankruptcy and dissolution to success, both on the field and financiallly.

Ackles was a short, extraordinarily honest and charming man, who had the knack of treating everyone with dignity and respect, even when he was angry with them. A diligent, intelligent and hardworking man who never forgot his roots, and never forgot how important people were.

I had the privilege of doing some consulting work with him, and I have seldom felt that kind of respect and affection for a client. Its a year today that he died of heart attack going to get a coffee and an newspaper, and I miss him.