his country and what he believed in. There had been many sacrifices done by men and women in our arm forces. Still, the story of Pat Tillman is quite unique. One probably has to go back to WWII to find someone semi-famous who gave up so much to serve his country in time of needs.
It would be much better if he would come back home triumphly. However, real life is often crude and hard for people who did the brave things. I hope his brother will now come home to console his family.
Mr. Pat Tillman would forever be remember as a true hero. I only wish that it came about with a Hollywood ending. ;-(
p.s. I hope this won't degenerate into another political thread.
I salute the guy too. But let's not go nuts over it. His choices were good ones. He did a good thing.
To see a person like Tillman pass up fame and fortune to follow his heart. He was a rare individual, so vastly different than 99.9% of todays ego centric athletes. It was kind of refreshing to hear his story and it's just a shame how it ended. The Maurice Clarette's of the world could learn a lot from a guy like Tillman.
It will be a shame to watch people make a mockery out this event with the TV Movie, book deal, cable TV special, action figures, lunch boxes, etc. that are sure to follow by all those looking to cash in.
-- Modified on 4/23/2004 3:00:00 PM
In World War II and the Korean War, many athletes and some stars interrupted their careers to serve in the military. The first who come to my mind are Ted Williams and Jimmy Stewart. They served under fire, risked their lives, and gave up the best years of their careers for their country, for the world.
How things have changed today. Earlier this month, I griped to my brother that none of these millionaire athletes had volunteered for the military after 9/11 (I didn't mention stars), and they are the most able bodies we have. He told me he knew of one, from the Arizona Cardinals.
So close this was on the heels of my even knowing about him. How this news saddened me going to work this morning. I didn't even know the man's name till today. He would have been the only professional athlete whose autograph I wanted. The universe chills me when the only hero of his caste is so unrewarded, so unjustly killed, and afterward, the survivors must live in a poorer world.
It's too late and meaningless to say it, but goodbye, Mr. Tillman.
Alas his wife, his family, his parents who have lost him. Alas ourselves. ;-(
/Zin
-- Modified on 4/24/2004 5:32:20 AM
Respect to Mr. Tillman. As for the ratf*ck who is sending our children, siblings and friends to die in Iraq when we should be concentrating on Afghanistan, nothing but contempt. And with that, I will take myself off to the Politics board.
And I knew that if I were the one who said it, it would not have gotten posted.
Pat Tillman, RIP! Our nation, neigh, our entire world, cannot afford to squander the rare men of your caliber.
Pat Tillman made his own determination and mission after 9/11.
so no need to politicize this one guys....shame on you two fellows.
I will say only that if it was not for the Pat Tillman's of the US...We may have become a colony of Hitler's third Reich.
God bless America for Pat Tillman and all the other heroes who
gave their lives to our great country.
Cheers to them all!
I agree, he did choose his own path, and is unambiguously to be commended and thanked for his service, and mourned for his passing. However, it IS true that our Commander in Chief has largely misdirected the mission away from Afghanistan and Al Qaida, toward Iraq and Saddam. And it is quite possible that Tillman himself might not have been killed this week in Afghanistan had we not neglected that specific mission for the past 15 months. And there is NO DOUBT that the 700+ Brave Americans whose lives have been squandered so far in Iraq would have been more useful to our nation had they either remained alive, or at least given their lives in pursuit of a genuine enemy of this nation, rather than a small-time dictator who's tyranny was directed at his own people.
I have a much more modest story, but along the same lines as Tillman's: my father turned down a college baseball scholarship in order to join the Air Force as a pilot. He loved baseball, but loved flying as well and wanted to serve his country.
He was killed in Vietnam. 
God bless them all!
Regards,
VR
"Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?"
And I said, "Here am I. Send me!"
Isaiah 6:8
RLTW
Wonderful tribute to someone that I admired for his decision, even though I'm not enough of a football fan to have heard of him before he made it. I knew of his story, but hadn't heard much about him since (by his choice); I was moved to tears when I heard of his death.
In a profession rife with pretensions, he was the least pretentious person that I ever heard of.
Perhaps Patton said it best: "It is wrong and immoral to mourn the dead. Rather, we should thank God that such men lived."