April 18 , 2006
SPORTSTillman’s legacy serves as reminder of sacrifice for those who give sacrifice
It will soon be two years since the death of Pat Tillman.
It is something that I thought would never happen in the first place, but is now something that makes my stomach turn every time it is discussed.
And it’s not only because he was killed by friendly fire, but because of the lies and cover-ups.
The Army tried to protect their image and the image of their “Captain America,” who in fact, never wanted to be a hero in the first place, but instead a regular soldier fighting for the freedoms of America that he was grateful for.
And if the Army had any clue as to who Pat Tillman was, they would realize that everything they are doing after his death is exactly what he stood against.
Tillman was different. He was different from not only you and I, but from his fellow athletes.
He didn’t rush out to buy the first high-end vehicle he saw after he was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the 1998 NFL Draft. Instead, Tillman biked from his place in Tempe to his first practices as a professional athlete.
He read the texts of the three major religions and discussed homosexuality with his coach at ASU, something unheard of with most athletes.
He turned down a $9 million contract from the-then Super Bowl champions, the St. Louis Rams, in 2000 out of loyalty to a losing team that was loyal to him.
Now, it would help end this ongoing tragedy if the Army could show the same loyalty to Tillman and tell the truth of what really happened that night in the Afghan desert.
Volume 43, Issue 13. Today is
illustration by Lu Easton