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Former Card, Pat Tillman dies in Afghanistan (1 Viewer)

Way to go matrix. :thumbdown: CNN is saying Afghanistan. Either way he's a hero in my opinion.

 
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That is horrific.In an era when the terms "patriot" and "hero" are grossly overused, Tillman was a guy who personified those ideals.RLTW!

 
I don't usually post in condolence threads, but this is sad. Tillman was my steady at the DB position for like 2 years. Lord knows as bad as the Cards were, he got a lot of tackles. It's very sad to hear that it ended this way, but I can't help but think that he atleast knew the potential when he signed up, and perhaps cherished the thought of dying for his country.

 
Way to go matrix. :thumbdown: CNN is saying Afghanistan. Either way he's a hero in my opinion.
He was a Ranger right? Seems more likely it would be Afghanistan... although I'm sure the Rangers are involved in Iraq as well.
 
Yet another reason for us to get the hell out of there!RIP Pat.Prayers for your family & friends and a sincere heartfelt thank you for your service to our country. :(

 
Very sad to hear, I wonder how Simeon Rice fels now after ripping him a few years agoprayers and thoughts with his family

 
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RIP,It is sad anytime this happens to anybody. Really kind of shakes me up with Tillman. I got to see him on campus and talked to him for a bit at Bank One Ballpark over a hot dog. GB our troops and my prayers are with the Tillman family.

 
He was a Ranger right? Seems more likely it would be Afghanistan... although I'm sure the Rangers are involved in Iraq as well.
Yep...Rangers kick some serious ### too. http://www.thedesertsun.com/news/stories/s...022292013.shtml

Athlete trades NFL glamour for Army

There are times we do not need a scoreboard to know who the champion is. Nor a television highlight to find the hero.

At such a moment, someone stands tall, too gallant to miss.

Here is one of them. His name is Pat Tillman.

Until this week, he was a pro football player. One facemask among the hundreds. A safety for the Arizona Cardinals, with a new contract waiting on the table that would pay him millions.

Now he is unique. A professional athlete standing alone. He will not take the contract. He will not play. He will pass on the fame, the fortune, the charter jets, the Sunday roars. The comfortable and lavish and glaring life.

He’s joining the Army

He wants to serve his country. He wants to be a Ranger. He is 25 years old, so it is now or never.

Some will look at this in wonder. Some will look and wonder about his sanity. But whatever the special force within that calls Pat Tillman, the NFL took second place.

I am trying to think of another case in recent years to match this. A young, established professional athlete, with much of his career ahead, walking away from it all to put his life on the line.

I can think of none.

But to study Tillman’s past is to sense someone extraordinary.

He is only 5-11.

But he was determined enough to be a linebacker for a Rose Bowl team at Arizona State, accomplished enough to be drafted by Arizona.

He was offered a $9 million, multiyear contract last year by St. Louis.

But he turned it down for less money because he thought he owed his loyalty to the Cardinals.

Driven by duty

Now he has other plans. Whether it was Sept. 11 or something more, Tillman is driven by a sense of duty.

The last months of terror and warnings have been stark reminders of how deadly a world is out there.

Someone has to protect us.

Someone may have to save us.

Pat Tillman, who just came home from his honeymoon, wants to help do it.

I will think of Tillman the next time an athlete or owner oozes greed. The next time they want more and more still, wishing to be treated as if they are bastions of the republic.

They are not. Men and women like Pat Tillman are.

The nominations for man of the year in the sports world are now closed. We have a winner, even if it is not yet June.

He is not going to training camp. He is going to boot camp. And after that, well ... God be with him.
I hope he went down proper....screaming in a barrage of muzzle flashes taking a half dozen of those mother####ers with him. :cX:
 
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From the guys up north...Best wishes to the Tillman family in their time of need. Tillman was a stand up guy in my eyes and always well be. Gave up one American Dream to take advantage of another, serving his country.

 
My heart just sunk into the pit of my stomach. This just made a bad day even worse.Prayers to the Tillman family.

 
If there's any jersey that I'd like to buy, it would be a Tillman jersey. I hope the NFL still makes them.
I agree. My heart goes out to his family and all of the others defending our country.The Rams open up against Arizona in St. Louis. I hope that there is some sort of tribute.
 
I'm not one to value one soldier's life over another, but Tillman turned down a 3.2 million dollar contract to sign-up for a three year stint at $18,000 a year to help the country. I heard his brother who was a minor league prospect also did the same.

 
Wonder what the NFL does tomorrow to honor his memory. They gotta do something better than just a moment of silence.

 
Yet another reason for us to get the hell out of there!
get out of Afghanistan? :wall:BTW: Pat Tillman was a MAN. A man's man. Someone to be admired .... this role model will be missed, as there are too few of them (in the national spotlight) to go around.
 
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To ALL of the men and women whoe server our great country and willingly give there ultimate sacrifice, as a former service person I salute you and pray for your safe return..... Pat is in a better place I pray for his wife and family....

 
From the Dec. 22 edition of the Arizona Republic:As a U.S. Army Ranger, Pat Tillman probably is accustomed to stealth missions.He made another one this weekend, visiting his old team, the Cardinals, on their trip to Seattle. Tillman, a former Cardinals safety, is stationed at Ft. Lewis, about a 50-minute drive south of Seattle. So he, along with wife Marie, his brother Kevin, and a couple of friends visited the Cardinals on Saturday and Sunday. Kevin is also a Ranger.They stayed at the team hotel, watched the game from owner Bill Bidwill's suite and met with players Sunday morning and after the game.Tillman left the locker room through a side door before reporters were admitted. He has declined all interviews since joining the Army in the summer of 2002."The first thing he wanted to talk about was, 'Coach, how about this, how about that. I've been following you,' " coach Dave McGinnis said. "I even asked him if he could play a little 'H' linebacker for me. He said he brought his playbook, but he didn't think his hamstrings would hold up."Tillman met with McGinnis and other Cardinals coaches Saturday night and had breakfast with Bidwill.McGinnis called the conversation "mesmerizing."The Tillman brothers have served in the Middle East in Operation Iraqi Freedom and recently completed advanced Ranger training in Georgia. They could return to the Middle East soon.It was the first time some of Tillman's former teammates had seen him since he joined, because Tillman enlisted in the off-season."He did a great thing for our country," safety Adrian Wilson said. "I was real surprised to see him. I didn't know he was back (in the United States) until I saw him (Sunday) morning. It was nice talking to him."

 
:no: That's a sad end to a great life :no:I hope his family can look back at his decision and realize it was driven by a sense of Patriotism that a lot of us sadly couldn't begin to understand.
 
I just hope every single player in the NFL and every other sport for that matter, think about Pat Tillman the next time they bicker over a 100,000 difference over a three year deal.... or the next time they complain to management about not getting the ball enough... or complain to friends because they are not getting their highlights shown on Sportscenter....Pat Tillman is now a HUGE part of the reason these athletes are allowed to live the lavish lifestyle they live and under the protection of the stars and stripes. I truly hope this puts things into perspective for some of the athletes that take living here and playing here for granted. I know it does for me.

 
It is still amazing today with so many people who are quick to look down on people who join the armed forces as "uneducated or poor folk" (yes, we've actually had that argument on these boards) that he turned down MILLIONS of dollars to go do what he thought was right. That is true character.

 
This is a very sad day. GB the Tillman family and GB all the other families of our service people that have lost loved ones or had to endure the hardships of having people they care about being so far away.Anyone who makes the choice to serve their country and put themselves at risk for the good of our nation deserves the highest recognition and gratitude from all Americans, regardless of political beliefs. Tillman made the ultimate sacrifice for our country doing something very few people have the courage to do. For that I thank him, and all others before and after him, I thank from the bottom of my heart, too.

 
He is a role model and it is sad society looses someone like him and we are left with your average, "bling-bling," I wanna get paid, prima donna athletes that care only of themselves, while having no idea of what principles; morals and intelligent self sacrifice stand for or mean. What is even worse is some of the nonsense being written in the Free For All boards. I refuse to post the link(s) and, if you are curious, check it out for yourself. I am all about exercising your First Amendment rights but, at least, use a little discretion and common sense. Yes, there are plenty of other American casualties. Each loss is equally tragic. However, how many other people in this current age would have WILLINGLY walked away from a multi-million dollar job to defend their country? I am going to go ahead and say that Pat Tillman was the ONLY person willing to do so, as everyone had the same opportunity to enlist that he had. However, everyone else respetfully declined. Therefore, THAT is why he has garnered so much media attention and, opinion, it is totally justified. When you compare his actions to that of his peers, he clearly stands out as an exceptional human being, which is the reason he has gotten so much attention. If you are going to debate a topic, make sure you know the facts and understand the context of what is being presented. This is the least that you could do out of respect to ALL people who have died protecting and defending your right to speak. This is a sad day. My best wishes to the Tillman family.

 
I'm speechless.Those who think they know the meaning of the word sacrifice never met Pat Tillman.His family will be in our prayers.

 
Yet another reason for us to get the hell out of there!
Yet another reason to stay and finish the job.Pat Tillman gave up millions to fight, and die, for what he believed in. I don't think he would have liked the idea of pulling out because he was killed, kind of seems contrary to everything he stood for.Can't give enough credit to him and the rest of our armed services personnel for the sacrifices they make to protect our freedoms, and the freedom of others.RIP
 
Even the best weapon is an unhappy tool,hateful to living things.So the follower of the WayStays away from it.Weapons are unhappy tools,not chosen by thoughtful people,to be used only when there is no choice, and with a calm, still mind,without enjoyment.To enjoy using weapons is to enjoy killing people, and to enjoy killing people,is to lose your share in the common good.It is right that the murder of many peoplebe mourned and lamented.It is right that a victor in warbe received with funeral ceremonies. -- Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching
RIP Pat Tillman -- Al Qaeda gave the U.S. no choice, and I sincerely appreciate your willingness to sacrifice yourself for all of us. I and my family mourn your loss.
 
Very saddened to hear this, my condolences to the Tillman family... a person such as Tillman truly shows you what life is all about, this story makes me more pissed at the Eli Mannings' of the world who just don't seem to get it. Be thankfull for what you have and to those willing to defned your country so you can live your life the way you wish.

 

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