What Kellen Winslow II SHOULD have said about Pat Tillman

San Francisco Examiner ^ | April 26, 2004 | Bob Frantz

[L.N. Smithee]

Greatest story never told

Winslow Jr. should have apologized to Tillman at draft.

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Bob Frantz
Special To The Examiner
Published on Monday, April 26, 2004

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WHAT WE SHOULD have seen on Saturday:

Kellen Winslow Jr. knew what he had to do.

After holding up the honorary No. 1 jersey of the Cleveland Browns while posing with NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue, Winslow took an extraordinary step. When the flash bulbs had stopped popping, Winslow leaned in and whispered into the commissioner's ear. He wanted just a moment at the microphone, to address the assembled crowd at Madison Square Garden and the millions of fans around the nation.

Looking jittery for the first time in his life, Winslow stepped to the podium and spoke:

"I'd like to thank the Browns for selecting me today. It truly is the greatest day of my life," he announced.

"Like every other athlete in this building, I've always known that I'd have to sacrifice a lot to get where I am today. To reach this moment, I knew I'd have to give everything I had. And until yesterday, I thought I had."

The throng at MSG grew silent as Winslow spoke.

"But yesterday, we were all taught what the meaning of sacrifice really is. Yesterday, we were reminded that the games we play don't really amount to much, and that there really are more important things going on in our lives."

As Winslow continued, Tagliabue discreetly ordered the Detroit Lions' draft clock stopped. For the next several moments, the wheeling and dealing was halted, the war room phones went silent, and the NFL nation stared intently at the stoic young man at the podium.

"On the greatest day of my football career," Winslow continued, "I cannot stop thinking about the worst day of my career.

"Last November, my Miami Hurricanes were beaten by Tennessee. I was upset. And I said some things that I've never really understood until yesterday. People always compare football to war, and that day, I believed I knew what war was."

A single tear emerged from the corner of Winslow's eye, desperately hanging on and refusing to cascade down the tight end's burning right cheek.

"I screamed and I called myself a soldier," he stammered. "And I said I wanted to kill my opponents because they wanted to kill me. I said I was at war."

Another extended pause.

The tear struggled to maintain its grip.

"Well yesterday I finally realized what a soldier was. And I finally understood what killing really means. Now I know what war really is. And today, as I stare up at that No. 40 Cardinals jersey, my only wish is that I could have known Pat Tillman. I wish I knew the man who actually understood the meaning of the word 'sacrifice'. Someone who was actually willing to give it his all. Someone who knew what was worth fighting for, and who had the courage to actually fight for it."

The tear gave way, picking up momentum and leading several others on its descent to the podium below.

"Today I apologize to Pat Tillman. And to every soldier who is risking his life for me. And to every family that has to live with the sacrifice made by their loved ones.

"Today, we will all celebrate the great achievements of our careers, but we'll also finally have some perspective, and some understanding of how lucky we are to be playing games instead of fighting in real wars. God bless you, Pat Tillman, and thank you for the lesson you've taught us."

In the standing ovation that followed, no one noticed a visibly moved Eli Manning slipping through the crowds and embracing Winslow as he left the stage. And the crowd once again fell silent as Manning approached the podium.

"I, too, want to apologize. To everyone. Pat Tillman gave up a multimillion-dollar career to die for our country, and I've been up here acting like a spoiled brat, upset about which team was going to be paying me tens of millions of dollars for the rest of my life. I'm sorry, San Diego. And I'm sorry for not understanding how good I have it. I'm sorry, Pat."

Sports personality Bob Frantz is a regular contributor to The Examiner.

[WinOne4TheGipper]

Will people please leave Eli Manning alone? I'm sick of it. He looked into San Diego. He asked league sources. He decided he didn't want to spend 10 years on a team that wasn't motivated to win, being crushed by a 250 pound line backer on every play. You wouldn't either.

[Moby Grape]

The writter is offering his point of view of how Tillman had class and the other two do not (in his view).

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

For those of us who don't give a wet slap about the draft and didn't see a second of it...what DID Kellen Winslow Jr. say? Anything of note?

[threat matrix]

Great column..

[Jimmy Valentine's brother]

Fourtunately you are wrong.
There will always be young men like Pat Tillman around when America needs them.

[L.N. Smithee]

Ok. So as someone who did not see what he actually said, what did he say on Saturday?

He whined about the Washington Redskins picking someone over him. The Cleveland Browns, who had the next pick, selected him. He said the Skins "lied to his face" about wanting to choose him and that they would "...get theirs. It's coming."

[nuffsenuff]

Thanks.

That kid has a serious problem. I mean he's talented and all, but he's in for a rude awakening. I hope that his knee isn't too messed up when a lineman rolls up on it. 'Cause you know it's in the cards...

[LibWhacker]

Not if DU scum are allowed to continue shirking their duty.

[cold_dead_fingers]

----Exactly. Tillman refused to give interviews about serving in the Army, and it's slightly ironic that everyone is now going around talking about all kinds of public tributes to the guy, when the evidence seems to show that public adulation is the last thing Tillman would want.

IMO, that's the true mark of a hero.----

Which is what makes everyone want to display their respect to him all the more. Simeon Rice is an idiot.

[ApesForEvolution]

No way. Not with that un-biased edumacation system down there in Columbia, MO....

[onedoug]

I beg your pardon then. I'm moving too fast through too much, not paying close enough attention.

Thank you.

[MEG33]

Would it bother you if I get weepy eyed whenever one of our fighters is killed? I know they volunteered,but I am grateful for their service and mindful it is my country they fight for.

They were choosing to watch my back and I am humbled to be served by such warriors as these.

[dfwgator]

Even more telling about Tillman's character was that he turned down an offer from the Rams, who were Super Bowl contenders to stay with the Arizona Cardinals for less money. And let's face it, out of the 32 teams, the last team most players would want to play for is the Cardinals, where they are lucky to get 30,000 a game. He felt loyalty to the Cardinals because they were the ones who took a chance on him out of college.

[NittanyLion]

Would it bother you if I get weepy eyed whenever one of our fighters is killed? I know they volunteered,but I am grateful for their service and mindful it is my country they fight for.

Not at all. But would it be meaningful for Winslow to insert himself publicly into the Tillman story, or rather would it be self-serving? Tillman himself didn't want to draw attention to the story.

[KJacob]

"I don't know why he doesn't just say them himself, rather than chastising two other people for not speaking his thoughts for him."

So true. I get so tired of "journalists" who insist on telling the world what others should have done.

[RonF]

The problem with the draft is that you end up with a lot of unmotivated people in the military. With an all-volunteer army, you're dealing with a lot of people who not only don't want to be there (similar to draftees in our other wars), but also actively oppose the aims of the military (unlike, say, WWII draftees, but similar to Vietnam-era draftees). Which causes problems that affect military readiness. There's a reason why the military embraced the all-volunteer concept.

[L.N. Smithee]

Will people please leave Eli Manning alone? I'm sick of it. He looked into San Diego. He asked league sources. He decided he didn't want to spend 10 years on a team that wasn't motivated to win, being crushed by a 250 pound line backer on every play. You wouldn't either.

I don't have as much a problem with Manning as I do Winslow, but if he didn't want to spend "10 years" with the Chargers, let him sign a one or two year contract, and see if they can't shore up the O-line. Oh, and one more thing: No one wants to be crushed by a 250 lb. -- unless they are being paid more in one season then their father earned for several. Like Super Chicken said to his hapless sidekick Fred, "You knew the job was dangerous when you took it."

I don't think it is fair to suggest that the Chargers are the equivalent of the Archie-era Saints. The Chargers have been up and down over the years, but they have several Hall of Famers (Alworth, Fouts, Winslow Sr., someday Seau), AFC championship game losses, and one Super Bowl appearance to their credit. Those N.O. teams were bottom-feeders year after year, and never experienced a lick of glory until their TWENTIETH season, finishing above .500 for the first time and nearly winning the NFC West. Can Archie blame all that on everyone but him? Get real.

[dead]

No problem at all. I do the same thing continuously. 8-)

[Redbob]

"Would it bother you if I get weepy eyed whenever one of our fighters is killed?"

Only if you conveniently go all misty-eyed on national television.
What you do in your own home is between you, God, and Kleenex.

[WinOne4TheGipper]

The Chargers have not been to the playoffs for ten long years, even in the age of parity. They have not made an effort to improve and what's worse is that it's turning into a black hole for quarterbacks. If you had thirty- two options as an employer, would you even consider this one? And also, you must remember that none of the Mannings complained when Peyton was selected by the horrible Colts. Look where they are now. Unfortunately, that will happen with the Giants (Cowboys fan speaking).