Thank You, Pat Tillman
Patrick Daly
Monday April 26, 2004
I`m reminded of a Latin phrase -- dulce et decorum est pro patria mori -- that translates literally to "it is sweet and honorable to die for your country," and serves as the closing line of a Wilfred Owen poem that depicts the horrors of war. It was specifically based on the conditions endured by soldiers during World War I, and in that poem it is called "that old lie," but I think it has a deeper meaning than the triteness of its context in the poem.
I believe that phrase is more than just a combination of words or a slogan. I also believe that it`s meaning is different for each of us. For Tillman, it meant standing up for what he believed in, a trait that has been talked about time and time again by friends and teammates.
For those of us who follow the football landscape here in Arizona, we`re well aware of the story of Pat Tillman, as well as that of his brother Kevin. The brothers each left the world of sports in order to make a more direct contribution to our nation by serving in the Armed Forces. Each fulfilled the goal of together becoming part of the Army Airborne Rangers, a group that is generally found in the middle of the action.
That he achieved his goal of becoming a Ranger should be no surprise. His dedication and determination, both on and off the field, have been proven many times over. As a player at Arizona State University, he wasn’t expected to be a big part of the team, but he left as the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year. As a late pick in the NFL draft by the Arizona Cardinals, he wasn’t expected to make the team, but he opened the season as a starting safety.
I suppose it shouldn`t have taken his death to realize the ongoing sacrifices being made on our behalf every day, but it serves as a solemn reminder that our world is not a peaceful one. Even with the seemingly infinite news sources that provide up to the second stories about life and death in Afghanistan and Iraq, it`s easy to forget that many thousands of young men and women put their lives on the line every day in support of defending our ideals and way of life.
According to most published stories, Tillman was exceedingly reluctant to speak directly to the media about his decision to enlist for fear that it would shift too much attention to him, where he didn’t believe it belonged. It’s only through friends that we learned of Tillman`s decision to enlist and the role the well-known events of 9/11 played in that decision, a decision that many of us would likely have trouble making.
I believe that rather than mourn his passing, he would rather us focus on the many others that have given their own lives and continue to support those that still stand on the front line. Celebrate his life no more or less than any other.
I had the good fortune to have met him once while he was still a member of the Cardinals. At the appearance at a local Safeway, located only a short distance from the campus where many of us first saw him play, his demeanor was unassuming and he willingly autographed a helmet, along with the items those before and after me brought with them. Many of you have your own stories, and will remember him in your own way.
I don’t believe it’s really possible for most of us to understand the decision to give up a multi-million dollar football contract to earn roughly $15,000 a year in life-threatening conditions, but that `sacrifice` pales in comparison to the real sacrifices: that of leaving behind family and friends and a new wife to journey halfway around the planet to fight on behalf of all of us. Many of us thought forward to the time when he would return and perhaps pick up the game where he left off. Unfortunately, his time was cut short at the tender age of 27.
In the end, Tillman made the ultimate sacrifice, giving his own life so that we, and the generations that follow, could continue to enjoy our own. For that, I say thank you.
Patrick Daly has been an Arena Football League enthusiast since he first stumbled across the late-night ESPN broadcasts and has followed the Arizona Rattlers since their inaugural season in 1992. He graduated from Arizona State University with an engineering degree and is currently a member of a web development team for Direct Alliance in Tempe. Patrick currently resides in the Phoenix suburb of Chandler, Arizona with his beautiful wife, son and a very large football helmet collection.
