Pat Tillman was a first team all-academic american, and second team all-athletic american, an undersized college standout in football at the University of Arizona State. When told freshman year of college by the head football coach that he was going to be "red-shirted", he replied, "Do whatever you have to do, just know that I'm going to be outta here in 4 years." Turns out he was wrong, he graduated in three and a half.
He was taken in the 7th round of the 1999 NFL draft by the Arizona Cardinals where he went on to play for 4 years as an all-pro strong safety. Tillman walked away from a 3.6 million dollar/3 year contract with the Arizona Cardinals to join the army with his younger brother following the 9/11 attacks on New York City. After only 4 years in the NFL, Tillman left to pursue what he considered "a more important goal".
Furthermore, upon enlisting into the army, Tillman not only rejected the offer of being given officer status as a result of having a college diploma, which in turn pays over $20.000 more than a ranger, and has no where never the dangers, but volunteered to be the "flag bearer". When asked why, he stated for two reasons, "For one, so I can fight next to my brother; and secondly I'm no better than any of these other soldiers out here day in and day out.
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How many people have you known to go off and join the military, and why? Most join for the education they offer, free tuiton, travel, nothing better to do with thier lives because they flunked out of high school and have since accumulated thousands of dollars of debt; only to sign their lives over because the military bargains to foot the "bill" that these underachievers have so irresponsibly gathered.
Pat Tillman was a great man, a true hero. A man not motivated by money, fame, or power. A man that was looking to make a difference any way he could without drawing attention to himself. A man that had his priorities straight in his opinion for the "greater good". He turned down numerous interviews offered to him after quitting the NFL, and joining the army. Tillman's wife, Marie, said that he didn't want to do them because he never felt as though he was anymore important than any single one of the soldiers over seas already, and none of them did interviews upon departing. Truly a humble man.
How many do you know that would walk away from 3.6 million dollars to fight for what you believe in? To give up the comfort of the United States and all we possess here; only to be shipped out to the desert on the front lines, and risk all you have be given? I know of one and his name was Pat Tillman. You were a true hero, and for that I would like to personally say, "Thank You".
