jtk4 Posted April 23 Report Share Posted April 23 This guy gave left 3.7 mill on the table to enlist in the special forces after 9-11. He was killed in afghanistan. Link is on espn. Shit like this just sucks. I do not know if i would be able to leave that money to fight for my country, i suck . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lolahotass Posted April 23 Report Share Posted April 23 Updated: 12:08 p.m. ET April 23, 2004WASHINGTON - Pat Tillman, who gave up a lucrative NFL contract with the Arizona Cardinals to join the Army Rangers, was killed in action in Afghanistan, military officials said Friday.In the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, Tillman decided to turn down a three-year, $3.6 million contract with the Cardinals to enlist in the Army.Tillman, who went through Special Forces training to become a Ranger, was first deployed to Iraq in March 2003 with the 75th Regiment Ranger Battalion.In Afghanistan, Tillman's battalion was involved in "Operation Mountain Storm," part of the U.S. campaign against Taliban and al-Qaida groups along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, military officials told NBC.He was killed during action in the past 24 hours, they said.Separately, officials who spoke with The Associated Press said a formal announcement was expected later in the day. Spokesmen at the Pentagon and U.S. Army declined comment.Tillman joined the Army with his younger brother Kevin in May 2002, but Pat Tillman denied requests for media coverage of his enlistment, basic training and ultimate deployments. Kevin was a former minor league baseball prospect in the Cleveland Indians organization.According to Army officials at the time, Pat Tillman wanted no special treatment, wanted no special attention, but wanted to be considered just one of the soldiers doing his duty for his country.Tillman played four seasons with the National Football Leagues Arizona Cardinals before enlisting in the Army in May 2002.He made the decision after returning from his honeymoon with his wife, Marie.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 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.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.NBC's Jim Miklaszewski contributed to this report. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lolahotass Posted April 23 Report Share Posted April 23 OMG this is terrible:( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nycchic24 Posted April 23 Report Share Posted April 23 after reading the posts on eSpn's sports nation.. it just chokes me up even more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrismakk69 Posted April 23 Report Share Posted April 23 Yeah, that is a really sad story. I got choked up reading it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adrenalineam Posted April 24 Report Share Posted April 24 Yeah, he passes on $9 million to make $18k to defend the country.I love the comments that "The Freak" made about him when he left the NFL, too. Prick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonStephen Posted April 24 Report Share Posted April 24 RIPa true hero to me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djprotege Posted April 24 Report Share Posted April 24 because he played in the NFL his death is more of a tragedy than the hundreds and hundreds who die by the months over there? gimmie a break, i find how this one guy gets so much press over any other guy is sickeninghe's a hero because he left money to fight for the country...what about the people leaving their familys, children, and so on? sorry, not tryin to make this a politcal issueyeah its a moving story, but so is everyone else who is over there and dying over there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonStephen Posted April 24 Report Share Posted April 24 Originally posted by djprotege because he played in the NFL his death is more of a tragedy than the hundreds and hundreds who die by the months over there? gimmie a break, i find how this one guy gets so much press over any other guy is sickeninghe's a hero because he left money to fight for the country...what about the people leaving their familys, children, and so on? sorry, not tryin to make this a politcal issueyeah its a moving story, but so is everyone else who is over there and dying over there everyone who is over there, deceased or alive, is a hero to meease off Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghhhhhost Posted April 24 Report Share Posted April 24 Originally posted by djprotege because he played in the NFL his death is more of a tragedy than the hundreds and hundreds who die by the months over there? gimmie a break, i find how this one guy gets so much press over any other guy is sickeninghe's a hero because he left money to fight for the country...what about the people leaving their familys, children, and so on? sorry, not tryin to make this a politcal issueyeah its a moving story, but so is everyone else who is over there and dying over there exactly!.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Codica3 Posted April 24 Report Share Posted April 24 R.I.P. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adrenalineam Posted April 24 Report Share Posted April 24 Originally posted by djprotege he's a hero because he left money to fight for the country...what about the people leaving their familys, children, and so on? He did the same thing, as did his brother (a player in the Cleveland Indians farm system).Why he gets press: he was a minor celebrity. He puts a face on the soldiers dying over a fake war, like Eric Wright and Earvin Johnson put a face on people dying of AIDS. The other 700 soldiers would get more press, but the White House won't allow pictures of their caskets returning home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lolahotass Posted April 25 Report Share Posted April 25 This wasn't meant to cause a political uproar in the Sports Forum... It was a sports related story, therefore it's allowed.All men and women fighting anywhere on this planet for my freedom in the USA get my UPMOST respect for laying there lives down for me..............Tillman is no exception. My prayers go out for his family as well as all the soldiers overseas that are not only fighting, but dying for my freedom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nycchic24 Posted April 29 Report Share Posted April 29 http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=1792200&partnersite=espnthis story makes me so mad.. this kid is such a douchebag (note: umass student writes editorial stating that Tillman 'got what he deserved" and compared him to Rambo... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtk4 Posted April 29 Author Report Share Posted April 29 "because he played in the NFL his death is more of a tragedy than the hundreds and hundreds who die by the months over there? gimmie a break, i find how this one guy gets so much press over any other guy is sickeninghe's a hero because he left money to fight for the country...what about the people leaving their familys, children, and so on? sorry, not tryin to make this a politcal issueyeah its a moving story, but so is everyone else who is over there and dying over there "I understand your point, but correct me if I am wrong. Every single soldier that has died in Iraq from the boston area has gotton a write up in the paper. Because at the very least one person in everytown in america knew who Tillman was his death was going to be a national story. Now people give up their families to go fight, as did tillman (he was just married) but i can bet that if you asked all of the soldiers in Iraq and offered them 3.7 mill and being a NFL football player or joining the army 99% would take the NFL. That is what made him special. I could be wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bxbomb Posted April 29 Report Share Posted April 29 Originally posted by adrenalineam Why he gets press: he was a minor celebrity. He puts a face on the soldiers dying over a fake war, like Eric Wright and Earvin Johnson put a face on people dying of AIDS. The other 700 soldiers would get more press, but the White House won't allow pictures of their caskets returning home. EXACTLY ThE REASON bush doesnt want caskets shown , cuz thae anti war sentiment will grow that much faster.So lot of people can identify with a guy that was in the NFL and its more of a story Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.