He joined the army after 9/11. He was the first professional football player to die in war since Bob Kalsu in Vietname in 1970. He died in Afghanistan and turned down millions of dollars from the NFL . A true American hero.
Whenever I think of this guy i'm always just blown away by the incredible patriotism and fighting spirit he showed. The guy was a solid football player yet he threw that all way in order to serve his country. The sacrifice and selflessness he showed should be remembered forever as it is truly exceptional and something that should never be forgotten. RIP.
Yes with all the negativity around the NFL with the Ray Rice incident and now with Adrian Peterson we have to remember that there are also good guys in the sport. Many people are condemning the sport of football itself and that irritates me. How players conduct themselves off the field has nothing to do with the game itself.
Yes, i think the media has gone too far in their demonization of pro athletes, and NFL players in particular. From personal experience I know that there are many upstanding individuals of good character who make positive contributions to their community and society in general. As with any group there are indeed bad apples, but we have to be careful not to stereotype people or make everyone in the group out to be bad people. Because that is clearly not the case in the NFL. While Pat Tillman's sacrifice is truly remarkable, there are many other guys who do good things in the NFL, while not quite on Tillman's level of sacrifice. It's important to remember them and point out their contributions. Not just the negative aspects of what some employees of football teams do.
I agree. But unfortunately it is human nature to stereotype and classify people into groups often times. I read about numerous NBA and NFL players running charities and giving back. And correct while Tillman went above and beyond, these other players should also be heralded for their benevolent efforts. The media just gets one negative incident and shadows the league in clouds for months at a time. Often times with speculation and rumor.
