True hero athlete. Day's theme: Challenge yourself [Pat Tillman]

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | May 3 2004 | Gwen Knapp

[threat matrix]

I believe Pat's brother in law was spilling a wee bit of the first pint in the news photo.

[Robert Drobot]

Correction noted. I took lead from a TV news clip. Should have known they'd get it wrong somehow.

[PackerBoy]

I thought Tillman was recently married ... to a woman.

Are homosexuals still marrying heterosexual persons of the opposite sex as a cover? I would think this very uncool, if not cruel, if true.

For that reason I doubt Tillman was gay. He seemed completely selfless, not selfish.

[alisasny]

It was not his funeral. His funeral was a private family affair with NO media.

[The G Man]

Ah, you know what I mean.

[protest1]

I think you got that right!

You are on TV at your brothers funeral so what do you do?
A drunken, blasphemous, cussing, rambling rant.
What a way to dishonour your brothers memory.

[Agnes Heep]

What the Chronicle is trying to say (and is dedicated to saying) is that there is nothing in life sweeter or more proper than anal sex.

[Robert Drobot]

The good news is Pat Tillman will be eulogized in the future as a man of extraordinary character. His brother's words - forgotten.

[tortoise]

History has proven that there are no atheists on the field of battle.

That's a lovely saying, but I know it isn't true. I know a number of guys who were atheists when the volunteered, atheists under fire, atheists when they went back home, and are still atheists today. Just because folks didn't profess it to you in the military doesn't mean they aren't there -- there isn't much to say about the non-belief in something.

And as a matter of practical statistics, a very significant percentage of the population in Tillman's age range does not have any particular belief in the existence of God and it does not factor into their life at all -- they are non-religious. Therefore, it is easily probable that Tillman was in fact an atheist of some sort. Or at least, I don't find it remarkable.

[Khurkris]

I never cease to be amazed at the cretins who would post comments about homosexuality and anal sex on a thread such as this.

[bc2]

There are obviously a lot of people here who aren't Irish nor have they ever been to an Irish wake.

There is a lot of drinking. Sometimes there is crying. Other times there is laughing. Sometimes you sing or tell a joke. I've been to many funerals and have seen many people make fools of themselves. It kind of goes with the territory. If you've ever seen a guy who you thought was the biggest hard ass in the world break down bawling into a glass of Jameson, you know what I mean.

Being Irish and Welsh, I'd be pissed if I died and my friends and family didn't send me off properly.

Get a grip folks. The real tragedy is that this was televised. 18-20 year old Irish kids are allowed to get drunk and curse at their brother's funeral. As I said the real tragedy is that it was televised.

[GeorgiaMike]

Definining Pat Tillman by his political beliefs seems superficial to me. The point is, he won't get to vote this November. He gave his life so that you and I would have that opportunity. That's why I honor his memory, and the memory of many brave men and women who died before him. I couldn't do what they did - I don't have the guts. I thank God that there are people like Tillman who feel differently.

My fellow conservatives and the liberals out there would be wise not to make Tillman over in their image.

[rbmillerjr]

When it comes to Pat Tillman all I know is that he made a sacrifice that even the most ardent Patriot would have a hard time making.

I admit I am not the man that Pat Tilman was. I would still be playing football.

He is a true Patriot in the sense that our founding Patrots were.

PS: Some of the stuff in that commentary is contrived I believe.

[F.J. Mitchell]

For such folks sake, we can only hope they are right and believers are wrong. An immortal soul is an awful thing to waste.

[Darlin']

"Tillman wasn't an icon anymore. He was a man you wanted to know, to spend time with, to lift a Guinness alongside. But that had become impossible, the price of war, because his brother was right. Pat is dead. He's f -- ing dead. "

There ya go.... thats the point of this whole story, its anti-war. From an entire memorial service Ms Knapp selected a few quotes, out of context, in an attempt to dull Tillman's "Hero" patina. She dismisses his patriotism and courage as just another example of Tillman pushing the envelope. Perhaps she is auditioning for a job with Jennings and Koppel at ABC.

BTW, his younger brother Rich did not say Pat was an athetist, he simply said he wasn't religious. Big difference. Also, the brother who enlisted with Pat is named Kevin.

[BibChr]

I guess I hope better of Tillman than you see to be willing to do. I suppose you might be right, he could be even worse and less caring than the man of whom Jesus spoke.

I just assumed better of him that you may be ready to do.

Dan

[familyofman]

"I just assumed better of him that you may be ready to do."

I don't assume anything about him & have no intention of trying to speak for him. I didn't know him and would have no real basis for understanding what he would think.

Paul

[Maximilian]

For that reason I doubt Tillman was gay.

But that was still the point of the article, whether he was gay or not in reality.

[BibChr]

OK, well... now we know more about you, then.

So, back to Tillman and his brother (the subject of the thread), if his brother was right about him, and if Pat was at least as decent as the damned fellow in Jesus' story, Luke 16 tells us the sort of thing he might say about him today.

Maybe about you, too?

Dan

[Maximilian]

He was married

I wasn't saying he was gay. Just that the point of the article was to make him seem like an atheist homosexual. Notice that she mentions several gay indicators but doesn't mention his wife.