A Sad Day

Early this morning Washington Redskins Definsive Back Sean Taylor died from a shooting on Sunday Night. I heard about the shooting yesterday and saw he was in a coma. He was clearly listed in critical condition, and certainly a coma is pretty darned serious. Yet when I heard the news this morning that he had died, I was shocked.

He was 24 years old and unbelievable talent. He was also "troubled" to be diplomatic. Which is to say he'd been in trouble with the law and had been of questionable character. That means people called him a thug. Myself included. When he was drafted by the Redskins I did something that I hate. I turned a blind eye to what I thought about him in exchange for his incredible skills on my team. The truth is, the NFL is a second-rate league to me and I wouldn't have done that if he was a Gamecock or a Dodgers. That doesn't make it any better that I did that.

A DUI and Felony Armed Assault Charges were part of his resume. I and everyone I know thought he was a thug.

Friends say that recently he had really turned his life around following the birth of his daughter. But most of us didn't know or care to find out. Easier to just say "Nice pick, Thug."

And now he is dead. Shot by an intruder in his home with his girlfriend and their daughter in the house. And I hope that I am not the only one who will turn away from calling him a low-life. Maybe its random, maybe its something from his past life that came back to haunt him. I don't know. He was just barely a man. He was incredibly gifted. Just like that...gone. As are many years to come of football excellence. Years spent with his daughter and family. Years to become as good a man as he could.

I don't usually get too involved with these sorts of newsworthy tragedies, but this is painful and sad.

Good Luck and Godspeed Sean.
...Hurricanes!

-Tom