NFL News - Pat Tillman Loses His Life

For Love Of Country,
Pat Tillman Remembered

By: Keith Dobkowski, NFL News Writer

As we learned late last week, Pat Tillman, of NFL fame, died an
Army Ranger during a battle in Afghanistan. Tillman became the
first known face of the thousand who have died since combat
began in both Afghanistan and Iraq.

Tillman is not the first athlete to place country before athletics. In
fact, many have. Ted Williams fought in two wars and Willie Mays
fought in one. David Robinson spent two years in the Navy
before playing for the Spurs.

And Bill Bradley, a Hall of Fame Basketball Player, who served his
country for years as a United States Senator, went directly from
college to Oxford to become a Rhodes scholar before entering the
NBA.

However, for today’s athlete it is a shock to hear Tillman’s story.
An All-pro football player and a millionaire who put his life and limb
at risk for Tillman believed it was the right thing to do after
September 11.

We have grown accustomed to our athletes debating such worthy
topics as the importance of practice – Allen Iverson. We don’t
flinch when athletes fight for our constitutional rights to leave
college early – Maurice Clarett. And when an athlete is involved in
the unlawful death of another human, we sit back and await the
not guilty verdict – O.J. Simpson, Ray Lewis and as of last night,
Jayson Williams.

Tillman is our reminder that life is bigger than sports. He, in life
and now death, has just become this generations and this war’s
symbol of sacrifice. It is obvious that Tillman understood that a
man is not measured by his accomplishments on the field, but is
measured by the way his lives his life.

Not since Vietnam has an athlete sacrificed so much for personal
belief. Muhammad Ali, Olympic Champion, World Champion, and
possibly the greatest fighter of all time, sacrificed boxing, refused
the draft and went to prison to uphold his beliefs. Ali became an
antiwar catalyst for a generation of Americans who shouted “no”
to their government’s war.

While Tillman and Ali fought from opposite ends of the spectrum,
pacifism and combat, both fought for the most valued possession
American’s have, freedom. Ali’s actions made our constitution
stronger. Freedom of Speech and Freedom of Religion are our
most cherished values and they are defended every time they are
used. And Tillman sacrificed his career and life to defend that very
freedom.

For those of us not on the battle lines, war is a series of images,
of single moments that appear to last an eternity and of language
that grips a nation. Those moments and pictures live forever in
memory as we recall the wars that shaped our lives.

My grandparents had World War II and my parents are still
affected by Vietnam. My generation’s war is the War on Terror.
Starting with September 11th nearly three years ago and the
battles that continue halfway around the world now, tens of
thousands have lost their lives and the end is nowhere in site.

Not knowing where we are headed, when the war will end, it is
hard to guess what lasting effect Tillman’s life will have on us and
the war. Will Tillman’s life serve as a catalyst, a death that led to
peace? Or will the war end like Vietnam, 12 years of battles, tens
of the thousands of lives lost and no explanation as to why?

Regardless of political stance on whether the War is just, America
lost one of its greatest citizens. In a time when athletes are so
self-serving, his choices are refreshing; and thus, all the more
devastating to have lost Pat Tillman.