On TV, NFL players seem superhuman, with the ability to do (or, in the case of Terrell Owens, say) anything. But in real life they are but men. Big, strong men, but men nonetheless. A sobering reminder occurred this weekend when two NFL players, Marquis Cooper, a Raiders linebacker, and Corey Smith, a free-agent defensive end, were reported lost at sea after they and two others failed to return from a fishing trip.

The Coast Guard launched a search of a 750-square-mile stretch of the Atlantic Ocean and has, so far, come up empty. High winds and rough waters have complicated the effort. Here's hoping the players and their friends are found.

UPDATE: Former University of South Florida football player Nick Schuyler has been found alive and clinging to the overturned boat. The search continues for the three remaining men.