Let's Talk About Heros - - -

[BLACKJACK]

LETS TALK ABOUT HEROES

WE ALL KNOW “HEROS” – WE’VE HEARD ABOUT THEM – READ ABOUT THEM – THE LUCKIEST AMOUNG US KNEW THEM. (Hell, some of us have even been accused of being one).

I’D LIKE TO PAY MY PERSONAL TRIBUTE TO JUST ONE OF THEM TODAY.

YESTERDAY, IN AFGANISTAN, NEAR THE PAKISTANI BOARDER, A YOUNG MAN NAMED PAT TILLMAN GAVE UP HIS LIFE FOR HIS COUNTRY.

PAT WAS A MEMBER OF THE 75TH RANGER BATALLION. HE WAS TWENTY-SEVEN YEARS OLD AND HAPPILY MARRIED.

PAT TILLMAN PLAYED FOOTBALL AT ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY WHERE HE MAINTAINED A 3.8 GPA. (When I played football I couldn’t count to 3.8). AFTER GRADUATION HE PLAYED FOR THE ARIZONA CARDINALS.

PAT TURNED DOWN A CONTRACT OFFER FROM THE ST. LOUIS RAMS (a “Super Bowl” class team) FOR $5.2 MILLION. HE SAID HE WANTED TO STAY WITH THE CARDINALS (arguably a “lesser class” team). HE SAID IT WASN’T ABOUT MONEY – IT WAS ABOUT LOYALTY. THE CARDINALS HAD GIVEN HIM A CHANCE TO PLAY PRO FOOTBALL AND TO BE A STAR. HE WAS GOING TO STAY WITH THEM.

SOME OF YOU MAY NOT BE PRO FOOTBALL FANS - - I AM. (Hey – some guys are good enough to play at that level – the rest of us cheer like hell and drink beer). PAT TILLMAN WAS ONE OF THE TOUGHEST – HARDEST HITTING – SMARTEST – TEAM ORIENTED – AND SMALLEST SAFETYS IN THE NFL.

AFTER THE DISASTER OF 9-11-01 PAT WALKED AWAY FROM A THREE YEAR $3.6 MILLION CONTRACT WITH THE CARDINALS TO ENLIST IN THE ARMY WITH HIS BROTHER, KEVIN. HIS REASON: “I’VE HAD ALL THE GOOD BREAKS AND HAPPINESS THAT THERE IS. NOW, IT’S TIME TO GIVE BACK TO MY COUNTRY FOR ALL IT HAS GIVEN TO ME”.

HE COULD HAVE “DONE HIS TIME” AS A CELEBRITY IN SPECIAL SERVICES. NOPE - - JUST NOT HIS STYLE - - PAT WENT SPECIAL FORCES. PEOPLE WHO KNEW PAT – FAMILY AND FRIENDS – WERE NOT SURPRISED BY HIS ACTIONS. HE HAD ALWAYS HAD A DEEP SENSE OF LOYALTY AND COMMITMENT.

PAT – AFTER ENLISTING – REFUSED ANY “CREDIT” OR TO GIVE INTERVIEWS TO THE MEDIA. HE WAS A SOLDIER NOW.

HOW MANY OF US WOULD BE ABLE TO GIVE UP FAME, AN ILLUSTRIOUS CAREER, FRIENDS AND FAMILY NOT TO MENTION $3.6 MILLION TO GO OFF AND BECOME A “GRUNT” FOR $17,600.00 A YEAR.

SURE - - PAT TILLMAN IS NOT THE ONLY HERO IN THIS WAR. HE JUST HAPPENS TO BE ONE WHO GAVE UP A LITTLE MORE THAN MOST TO SERVE HIS COUNTRY.

I – LIKE THE REST OF YOU, I’M SURE – AM DAMNED PROUD OF PAT TILLMAN. HIS ATTITUDE AND SACRIFICE AND SENSE OF LOYALTY EXEMPLIFIES ALL THAT IS VERY BEST IN THE AMERICAN G.I.

MY THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS GO OUT TO PAT’S FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND TO THE FAMILIES AND FRIENDS OF ALL OF OUR HEROS.

YEAH – YOU’RE RIGHT – MY EYES ARE NOT PARTICULARLY DRY WHILE I’M WRITING THIS.

Y’ALL HAVE A REALY GREAT AND GRATEFUL DAY.

BLACKJACK – 21 –OUT.