Pat Tillman

Yesterday I saw something on the news about how injured soldiers serving in Iraq have to give back their bonus they received because they no longer can serve. That point really doesn't have much to do with football until instantly I thought of Pat Tillman.

For those of you who forgot or don't know who Pat Tillman is, he passed up a 3.6 million dollar contract with the Arizona Cardinals to join the Rangers and go fight in Iraq after the 9/11 attacks happened. When I first saw the show on TV about how they were taking away the money that the soldiers received I understood why. But as I thought more about it, I thought man that is ridiculous. They are serving our country, they protect our freedom, and they keep us safe and just because they got hurt doesn't mean that the United States can take back their bonus. Basically what that is telling the men and women who have been blessed with talent is that forget protecting the United States because they will take back the money they promise to give you anyway. I mean really, Pat Tillman could have stayed at home, made all the money in the world, and lived peacefully for the rest of his life but instead he chose to go to Iraq to protect women and children in the United States. I realize this doesn't necessarily go with football, but the whole Pat Tillman story connects it.

Then the thought that ran through my head is all of these players that have the 10 million dollar deals still bitch and moan about how they do not get enough money, or how they are going broke, and all this other stuff. I mean really, how can you go broke living the good life being idolized by everyone making millions. It just pissed me off because all of our men and women fighting making next to nothing, and all they have to do is strap up in some pads and go play for an hour. To be honest, I forgot the whole Pat Tillman story until I heard how the government is taking away those bonuses. The government needs to give those bonuses not only because they said they would, but because every time a soldier steps on Iraq soil, they can be killed. My ups to Pat Tillman and everything he taught the selfish football players. He didn't necessarily teach them by talking, but through his own actions.