By Paul Beston
Published December 4, 2003
Watching football on Thanksgiving weekend reminded me of younger days when the NFL was a passion of mine. In recent years it has become more of a diversionary interest, and I no longer know who is who, or which teams are the ones to beat. While the league is still blessed with some admirable players, the ones I tend to remember now, unfortunately, are those who behave notoriously off the field or insufferably on it. But sitting among family on the holiday, I happily remembered Pat Tillman, the best story the NFL has had in many years.
Pat Tillman was the starting strong safety for the Arizona Cardinals when the 9/11 attacks occurred. He played out the 2001 season and then with his brother Kevin, a former minor league baseball player, enlisted in the Army Rangers. In doing so, Tillman walked away from a three-year, $3.6 million dollar contract with the Cardinals for an $18,000 salary and plentiful opportunities to get his head shot off. That hasn't happened yet, and God willing it won't. But the pay cut kicked in right away.
Some Internet surfing revealed that the Tillman brothers are currently deployed somewhere in the Middle East with the elite 75th Ranger Regiment. On the weekend before Thanksgiving, the brothers spoke briefly with their parents, who do not know where they are or what mission they are pursuing. They do know that their sons were in Iraq in the spring during the height of the fighting, and that this summer they were briefly stateside at Fort Lewis in Tacoma, Washington.
Outside of an ESPY award earlier this year and the occasional column, Tillman's story has gotten little press, but it's not all the media's fault. For one thing, as Tillman's parents well know, there is precious little information. For another, the Tillmans have not granted a single interview since their enlistment. Apparently determined that their endeavor not be construed as self-aggrandizing or insincere, they have simply done what they said they would do -- leave behind the fantasy world of sports to serve their country.
It would be a remarkable story in any time, but in a more cynical age it is nothing short of breathtaking. Imagine a 26-year old American male, talented enough to play in the National Football League and earn millions of dollars, leaving because he felt he had more important things to do. What could be more important than riches and fame? Why sacrifice when our culture so often portrays sacrifice as the preserve of misfits and losers? For many observers, Tillman's decision had to have an explanation more rational, and less abstract, than mere nobility.
Certainly that was the attitude of Tillman's former teammate Simeon Rice, who now plays with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Rice suggested that Tillman might be joining the army because he wasn't a very good football player anyway. While Tillman was not an All-Pro, he did set a Cardinals team record with 224 tackles in 2000. Even if Rice's charge were true, it takes an especially small person to voice such a thought publicly. But then the NFL happens to be densely populated with such men, including Rice's Tampa Bay teammate, the repulsive Warren Sapp.
In his inability to understand Tillman's patriotism, Rice no doubt spoke for many of his NFL colleagues. His incomprehension was further in evidence when, prompted by an interviewer, he acknowledged that his former teammate's decision was "admirable." Did Rice belatedly realize that it was patriotism -- one of the oldest virtues -- that had motivated Tillman? Of course not:
"Maybe it was the Rambo movies?" he asked. "Maybe it's Sylvester Stallone and Rocky?"
Right. If it isn't pure self-interest, then it must be unadulterated fantasy. Such is the mentality of a good portion of professional athletes today, particularly in the NFL, a once-proud league now overrun by exhibitionists whose constant preening is often difficult to distinguish from professional wrestling.
While media coverage of the Tillman story has been very positive, a subtle "wait and see" attitude prevails in some of the pieces that have been written, as if some revelation about a big-bucks contract, or perhaps a movie deal, will surface sooner or later to compromise his decision. The "mystery" some commentators see in Tillman's actions is almost certainly the result of his refusal to grant interviews; if he would only sit for a weepy tell-all, all of their doubts could be put to rest.
For most normal people, though, the story is pretty simple -- somewhere in the Middle East, Pat Tillman is serving the United States because he believes it is his duty. Meanwhile, back in the NFL, a contingent of helmeted narcissists -- Rice, Sapp, Jeremy Shockey, take your pick -- grow rich. The closest any of them will come to war is in the numbing military metaphors that have long been part of the repertoire of NFL players, coaches and broadcasters.
Pat Tillman knows where the real war is, which is why he left the fake one behind. If he decides to return to football when his three-year tour of duty is up, he would have the impact of a human disinfectant on the NFL. And his fellow players would owe him their gratitude -- even Simeon Rice, assuming he can reach that high.
*****
WASHINGTON - Pat Tillman, who walked away from his professional football career to join the Army Rangers, was killed in Afghanistan (news - web sites), U.S. officials said Friday.
The officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said a formal announcement was expected later in the day. Spokesmen at the Pentagon (news - web sites) and U.S. Army declined comment.
There were no immediate details how Tillman died. He was 27.
A military official, also speaking on the condition of anonymity, said that a soldier had been killed in action in Afghanistan Thursday, but could not confirm that the soldier was Tillman.
Some members of the Army's elite Ranger units were taking part in the hunt for al-Qaida and Taliban fighters in southeastern Afghanistan, the military official said.
Tillman played four seasons with the National Football League's Arizona Cardinals (news) before enlisting in the Army in May 2002. The safety turned down a three-year, $3.6 million deal from Arizona.
He made the decision after returning from his honeymoon with his wife, Marie.
Tillman's brother, Kevin, a former minor league baseball prospect in the Cleveland Indians (news)' organization, also joined the Rangers and served in the Middle East. They committed to three-year stints in the Army.
Tillman's agent, Frank Bauer, has called him a deep and clear thinker who has never valued material things.
In 2001, Tillman turned down a $9 million, five-year offer sheet from the Super Bowl champion St. Louis Rams (news) out of loyalty to the Cardinals, and by joining the Army, he passed on millions more from the team.
Tillman turned aside interview requests after joining the Army. In December, during a trip home, he made a surprise visit to his Cardinal teammates.
"For all the respect and love that all of us have for Pat Tillman and his brother and Marie, for what they did and the sacrifices they made ... believe me, if you have a chance to sit down and talk with them, that respect and that love and admiration increase tenfold," Coach Dave McGinnis said at the time. "It was a really, really enriching evening."
It was not immediately clear when he went to Afghanistan.
The 5-foot-11, 200-pound Tillman was distinguished by his intelligence and appetite for rugged play. As an undersized linebacker at Arizona State, he was the Pac-10's defensive player of the year in 1997.
He set a franchise record with 224 tackles in 2000 and warmed up for last year's training camp by competing in a 70.2-mile triathlon in June.
Tillman carried a 3.84 grade point average through college and graduated with high honors in 3 1/2 academic years with a degree in marketing.
"You don't find guys that have that combination of being as bright and as tough as him," Phil Snow, who coached Tillman as Arizona State's defensive coordinator, said in 2002. "This guy could go live in a foxhole for a year by himself with no food."
Tillman and his brother Kevin last year won the Arthur Ashe Courage award at the 11th annual ESPY Awards.
This guy sounds almost like a mormon following through with his two year mission.
I guess I find it very odd and intriguing (both this football player and mormons in general) to do such things. Does anyone have any comments? Known any mormons that did a two year mission for the lord?
no mormons... but i do know an army ranger... [img]redface.gif[/img]
i remember a few years back when i called him up
and we met again for the very first time after
many years.
he looked so different and yet, strangely the
same. he was a 'badass' now... not that he always
wasn't. he studied judo and won many trophies
for it. i was rather shocked that he joined the
rangers... but due to the distance in time
between us, felt that i no longer had any influence
in his life.
we drank beer on the sidewalk and talked about
old times... building pyramids out of the
containers.... and yet it seemed like it was
the first and last time i ever knew him.
i haven't seen him since.... but i remember the
night like it was yesterday.
just before he left that evening, he gave me
one of those 'official' army rangers coins...
you know those gay non-monetary symbols of
valour and stupidity.....
and i told myself that i would never ever let
it leave my sight.
and the encounter was so bittersweet.... i can't
explain in plain english how badly i miss(ed)
him. i still do... now that i am suddenly
brought to remember him after all this time..
situations in my life started the gorge that
now remains between he and i.... last i knew
he lived in seattle and may have taken a wife.
i wonder now where he is and what he is doing...
and its hard on me because i know that for the
rest of my life, i will never see him again.
even if i could.... i wouldn't.
..... i hate that i lost his coin so many years ago.....
oh... i'm sorry... what were you talking about??
have i heard of him before?
TG..i bet your as green as this page.. [img]graemlins/devil.gif[/img]
to be honest, i dunno if you have heard of him.
i don't mention him much... as you can tell i
didn't remember him until just now. and to be
honest, i feel bad about forgetting him.
but oh well....
anyways... i prolly have mentioned him before.
but it woulda been rare.
<font size="4" face="Tempus Sans ITC, Tahoma">BAH!Originally posted by Blazey:
TG..i bet your as green as this page.. [img]graemlins/devil.gif[/img]
*lies*
No rinky dink Army Ranger can compare with the one and only TG.
i assume you've been following my mirror advice, eh?
*looks in mirror*
...I am a good person. People like me. I am fun, sma.....
Maybe I skimmed a little too much in reading the articles above...I dont see where you make the connection between Mormon missions and serving in the military.Maybe you could explain what you meant TG.I do have strong views and some insight into mormons if you have some specific questions(no,Im not one!).
As for Pat Tillman,it sounds like he was a very grounded, patriotic guy.The article mentioned that he didn't have much need for material things.The fact that niether he nor his family gave interviews about his or his brothers service so as not to draw attention to themselves is noble.
It really does fly against everything the culture in pro sports has gone to.I cant stand to watch a lot of pro sports because of all the trash talking and endzone dancing.I distinctly remember growing up and being taught to respect your opponent and to play hard.I wasnt taught to denegrate my opponent and make excuses after a loss.
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