Posted on 04/24/2004 11:37:41 AM PDT by Licensed-To-Carry
We already have learned not to refer to what's going in the New England Patriots' "war room" today or to think about the Eagles and Terrell Owens coming to Dallas to resume the Cowboys-Eagles "wars."
As we watch hours of NFL draft coverage Saturday, there is another word to be avoided. These are fine athletes being selected for the pros. These are not "heroes."
Pat Tillman was a hero. Pat Tillman may have been the last American sports hero for the sacrifice he made, for the choice he made that resulted in his death Thursday in Afghanistan.
Yes, the NFL is a magnificent and powerful league, and it is this country's passion. But there are wars being fought by real people, real Americans in Afghanistan and Iraq, and we cannot afford to lose sight of that for a moment.
Can you name another of the 825 Americans who have sacrificed their lives in Afghanistan and Iraq? Shamefully, I cannot. A war that I believe to be just has not lately consumed as much of my time as, say, the Stanley Cup playoffs.
That's the way most of us are with sports. It is a useful distraction from real-life troubles, both the personal ones and the more serious events played out on the world stage.
Tillman, who spent four seasons with the Arizona Cardinals, never played in a Super Bowl. He chose something much greater.
Tillman turned his back on the "Show-me-the-money" world of pro sports. He showed us the valor.
A solid pro safety, Tillman rejected a $9 million offer sheet from the St. Louis Rams, turned down the $3.6 million extension the Cardinals had offered and instead enlisted in the armed services. His desire was to join the elite Army Rangers. He made the cut there, just as he had with Arizona after coming out of Arizona State as a seventh-round pick.
He turned down millions for $18,000 a year and the opportunity to put his life on the line. He steadfastly avoided interviews on the subject. In a world where we are defined by the publicity stunts we stage, by the outrageous statements we make to call attention to ourselves, Tillman stood apart.
Imagine the courage it took to make that decision when you're in your 20s and NFL riches are there for the taking. Imagine the character of a man who makes that decision shortly after his honeymoon.
Tillman, it is said, was moved to make his choice by the events of Sept. 11, 2001.
He and his brother Kevin, who is in the same platoon, won the Arthur Ashe Courage award at last year's ESPYs. He was not there to accept. When he met with Arizona teammates last fall before a game with Seattle near where he was stationed, he went out a back door to avoid contact with the media.
We see athletes do that all the time to hide their failings. It is rare that we see someone do it to avoid being recognized for making a personal sacrifice most of us would never even consider.
Tillman went to Iraq before he took a second tour of duty in Afghanistan.
In praising Tillman's character, it must be said that there are thousands of other men and women volunteering to do the same. We don't know their names, we don't know if they ever played sports, but chances are most of them had professional dreams, too.
Dreams they sacrificed in order to benefit us and others. Sacrifices they made that we can never repay.
It shouldn't take the death of a former professional athlete to drive home that point, but if it did, so be it.
The NFL should do something in Tillman's honor. Retiring No. 40 jerseys in every stadium is one possible tribute.
More important is the tribute the rest of us pledge to make to the rest of the troops. Whether it's a conflict you believe is proper or not doesn't matter. What happened in Afghanistan at the very least should remind us that there are thousands of families in this country and others waking up every day, praying they will not get the phone call Tillman's young wife received Friday.
The mothers and fathers and siblings of those true heroes are the people we should begin to spend a few more minutes thinking about and thanking.
Without a doubt, that's the legacy Pat Tillman always wanted.
It's too bad so many people have to "imagine" this.
BTW, my husband went to a reception for a colleague. The man has been appointed to a judgeship, and told my husband proudly that he was going to be a strong, activist judge!
Thank goodness, the judgeship is in......Ghana! LOL!
Husband got a kick out of telling me that one^:))
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