HOUSTON -- I spent a couple of hours with Craig Sager the day before he underwent a rare third bone marrow transplant, and it was clear that he was spent.The process was tiring and my relentless questioning didnt help, though he and his family were gracious enough to share what they were going through at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in those still-hopeful days back in August. After Id listened to his transplantation physician, Dr. Muzaffar Qazilbash, explain that almost no one gets three stem cell transplants and as I was gathering my belongings to leave, I was summoned back to Sagers room.I slowly entered, unsure of why he asked me to come back when he obviously needed to rest. When I pulled back the curtain that separated his hospital bed from the door, I heard his booming voice.Pick up that ball and sign it for me! he bellowed.Nearby was a marker and a basketball covered in signatures of all shapes and sizes.You dont want me to sign this, I replied. Im not famous.He didnt miss a beat despite the toll the years of cancer treatments had taken on his body.Everyone who visits me is special. Sign the ball! he said.I scribbled my name and thanked him again for his time. I had never met Sager before that day, but I quickly realized why he was so beloved across the NBA and beyond -- and why the sadness ran so deep Thursday after he died at the age of 65 .I spent nearly two days with him as he shared an intimate look at his last-ditch bid for life. His son was the donor for the first two transplants; this time , it was someone anonymous.It was clear by looking at him that he was very ill, but if I were to close my eyes and listen to what he said and how he said it, I doubt I would have known he was sick. Anyone who knows him knows that hes a character (see: flamboyant wardrobe). What was surprising was that even when he was staring down his own death, he maintained his TV-perfect smile and positive attitude.The relationship Sager had with his wife, Stacy, was clearly extraordinary. He gazed at her with a look of pure love, adoration and esteem. Stacy, who had two young children with Sager, fought back tears when we spoke about his fight.I asked her if he was as upbeat privately as he had been with me and while roaming the sidelines reporting. And I asked her if ever talked about fearing death.We dont really have those deep, dark conversations, she said. We dont have any negative conversations. Everything is one day at a time and lets be grateful and blessed that we have this day and enjoy it. Who knows how many days anybody has? So we just take it one day at a time and be happy.During an interview the day before his transplant, the one that sadly couldnt save Sagers life, Charles Barkley sat and listened as we talked. Sir Charles was quiet as a mouse as Sager spoke of all the treatments hed gone through and how much the support of his NBA family had meant to him.As we spoke, I noticed a black-and-white photo of a child with some baseball players hanging on the stark hospital wall above Barkleys head. I motioned toward the picture and asked who was in it.Thats not a picture, thats actually Charles Barkley, Sager deadpanned, cracking up the room.After we composed ourselves, Sager described the picture, which was of him as an 11-year-old with Chicago Cubs great Ernie Banks and some of his teammates. Sager then explained that hed been a Cubs fan since that moment and bragged that he got to throw out the first pitch at one of their games earlier this year. A big deal for a native of Batavia, Illinois.The interview soon devolved into a conversation about how he bet on the Cubs to win it all every year and they never came through. When they captured their first World Series title since 1908 a couple of months ago, Sager was the first person I thought of, knowing what it meant to him.And when the Cubs posted a video of his day at Wrigley Field on their account Thursday, I knew that Sager was somewhere smiling to know that the world champions were now honoring him. KWaun Williams Super Bowl Jersey . -- Yogi Ferrell orchestrates pretty much everything in Indianas offence. Kyle Juszczyk Super Bowl Jersey . The Oilers come in having lost five in a row (0-4-1) and 16 of their last 20 games, dropping a 2-1 decision to the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday. https://www.49ersrookiestore.com/49ers-Terrell-Owens-Jersey/ . Scott won the Australian PGA last week in his first event in Australia since winning the U.S. Masters in April. American Matt Kuchar, ahead by two strokes with four to play and even with Scott with one to go, double-bogeyed the 18th after taking two shots to get out of a bunker. Joe Staley Super Bowl Jersey . That gave fans outside Joe Louis Arena another chance to ask for autographs from the 19-year-old whose stardom in the NHL has arrived earlier than most expected. Tarvarius Moore Super Bowl Jersey . The Cincinnati Reds remain perfect with their speedy rookie outfielder in the starting lineup.The Montreal Impact announced on Friday the signing of central defender Adrian Lopez Rodriguez, which will be made official upon reception of his international transfer certificate. As per Major League Soccer policy, details of the contract were not disclosed. Nicknamed "Piscu", Lopez Rodriguez, 26, was trained at Deportivo de La Coruma. He played his first two pro seasons with the Spanish clubs reserve team. From 2007 to 2010, he played 26 games in La Liga, Spains first division. He also made 10 appearances in the Copa del Rey and played in six games in the UEFA Cup. In December 2010, he joined Wigan Athletic of the English Premier League, playing 11 games in two seasons with the club. He also suited up for three League Cup games and five FA Cup matches, helping his team to its first ever FA title in 2012-2013.dddddddddddd "We are very excited to have acquired Adrian, who played in top leagues like England and Spain," said Impact sporting director Nick De Santis. "Lopez Rodriguez is at a very good age and is very motivated to join the club. He will be an important part of our defensive line now, but also for the future. We have a good group so it was not an easy decision to add players but the personalities of López and Bernardello give us that chance as they will both fit in well." The team still has 11 foreign players on its roster as Nelson Rivas has been placed on injured reserve. ' ' '