The fallen soldier of fortune

ESPN.COM ^ | 22 APRIL 2005 | Adrian Wojnarowski

[MikefromOhio]

All those people, all over the country, searched for someone to send an offering to so it would reach the eyes of an American hero's family. They would do Google searches and see the same name pop up again and again, the one quoted in the stories on Pat Tillman: Doug Tammaro.

Inside his office at Arizona State University's sports information department, the boxes of envelopes and cards stacked higher and higher, arriving in the hours and days and months after Tillman's death. There were letters and poems and sheets of music. There were copies of the Sports Illustrated cover shot as an Arizona Cardinal, the senders figuring that the family in San Jose, Calif., would want an extra copy or two around the house.

Someone turned the cover of a pizza box into a papier-mâché memorial for the old ASU Sun Devil No. 42.

One kid wrote: "You said you didn't want to be a hero. Too bad. You're mine."

They were the simplest, strangest and most wonderful tributes. With nowhere else to turn, it would be the college publicity man, Tammaro, turning into something of a traffic cop on the life and legacy of his close pal. Before the Pat Tillman Foundation was set up, so much would travel across Tammaro's desk, a work space framed by an immense action photo of Tillman on the football field that hung on his wall long before it became so fashionable.

--snip--

He {Tammaro} remembered the end of that last night together, remembered Tillman's telling him to say hello to everyone back at ASU, remembered hugging him good-bye. The last thing Tammaro remembers is Tillman walking away, up a hill, looking like the most invincible ass-kicking machine in Uncle Sam's Army.

[Cacique]

BTT

[skeeter]

But a reminder that America still creates brave men such as these.

Its a reminder that, in spite of everything else wrong with it, San Jose California still produces brave men like Tillman.

[MoJo2001]

Pat Tillman Ping!!
Thank you for the ping MikeinIraq.

If you didn't know already, our buddy Mike was over in Iraq doing his part to defend this country.
God Bless You, Mike!
*HUGS*

[ariamne]

Thanks for the ping. We need more men like Pat Tillman and Mike, and less Michael Moores, Ted Ralls and Ward Churchills. In fact, the latter three aren't worthy of licking your bootheels, MikeinIraq. Bless you and thank you.

[MoJo2001]

AMEN!!!

[E.G.C.]

BTTT!!!!!!

[El Gran Salseron]

"(AND you forgot to name some other Rangers, like I asked)"

I have a much better idea!

Why don't YOU give to US a list of millionaires who walked away from the millions to serve in Afghanistan?

Oh, can't do it, huh?

Thought so!

[beachn4fun]

Great point. Seems strange that our media and our public find stories by Mikey Moore much more interesting than stories of the bravery and courage and sacrifices of our military, our allies, and their families.

I got a "look" into the workings of a liberal mind during a trip this past week. Indulge me while I tell a little of it:

I was a little upset about a USToday article about this journalist (woman) who got killed while doing a story in Iraq. Her sole purpose for going over there was to "try to find out how many civilians had been killed by the US Military." I was pissed! No journalist biased there!

This person I was working with said, "What's wrong with that?" "We need to know."

I told her that if the reporter wanted to report the facts, she should have been reminding people how many civilians had been killed by Saddam, by the homicide bombers, and terrorist. But no, she was only interested in the US Military. Before she died, the reporter could never confirm whether the 20-some civilians had been killed by the US Military or insurgents/terrorist.

But, this person I was working with saw no problem with a reporter having a bias in her reporting. Nor did they seem to have a problem that there was no mention of how many of our guys/gals have been killed by terrorist. That made me mad too! < /rant off >

[ScreamingFist]

Soldier of Fortune = mercenary, like the employees of Blackwater.

Pat Tilman = American Patriot.

[Vn_survivor_67-68]

" I have a much better idea! "

No you don't........but your comment afterward clarifies my point exactly.

"....millionaires who walked away from the millions to serve in Afghanistan?"

[ariamne]

I know how you feel--just lurked over at DU about the video of the terrorists killing a crew member of the shot down helicopter in cold blood. I didn't expect to find sympathy and none was there to be found..in fact, the left seemed happy they were killed and theDUmmies refused to call the murdered people civilians; they dehumanized them by calling them "mercs". This is the liberal mindset.

[ScreamingFist]

I didn't expect to find sympathy and none was there to be found..in fact, the left seemed happy they were killed and theDUmmies refused to call the murdered people civilians.

The DU's live in their ivory walls and don't understand that the terrorists will happily behead them as "infidels" regardless of their political leanings.

[BobS]

"Just this week, there were those Tempe, Ariz., fourth graders who had come to "Pat's Run," the charity road race that Tammaro helped organize. Fifty-four hundred entered, raising $100,000 for the Tillman foundation and inspiring a field of runners as diverse as the man they were running to honor. And those fourth graders? Four years ago, they were kindergartners whom Tillman would visit every week to read stories in class. Tillman told no one, never had his agent invite television cameras to publicize it.

"There were the three soldiers running the race wearing boots, 40-pound military packs and carrying eight-pound simulated weapons. "There were just so many people, from so many walks of life who felt like they had to honor him," Tammaro said."

A good man doesn't brag. He just follows his heart and does what is needed and goes on to the next thing no matter what. There are a lot of guys like Tillman around. Forget the many and be close to a few and be happy.

This is why Clinton will be forgotten very quickly. ~Celebrity without a purpose or reason to be one.

[BykrBayb]

Soldier of fortune? Oh yeah, he really made his fortune as a soldier. /sarcasm

Pat Tillman was (and still is) the epitome of American manhood. Most of us hope to raise our sons to be like him, and hope our daughters marry men like him. Because we're Americans, some of our hopes are realized.

[Blowtorch]

The ONLY thing that distinguishes him from the others is the NFL.

You do not do yourself or anyone else any service by your comments, which in the context of this thread are most definitely denigrating to Pat Tillman. Playing down Pat Tillman doesn't bring up others who also have sacrificed for the country. It's just bad form.

[BobS]

"...the left seemed happy they were killed..."

I suggest you stop hanging around at DU unless you are really bored and need shooting practice. Those schizoid wackos don't deserve your presence or pings. A bunch of feral cats and 'rats of the same size on various mental drugs.

[Vn_survivor_67-68]

Have another look at post# 5....and then #35.

I'm not down on Tillman even one little bit. In fact, I'm certain he himself would say 'knock it off', for the very reasons stated in #5.

"...in the context of this thread..."

fair enough.....on that basis I'll stand corrected.

[beachn4fun]

You're brave! I can't go to places like that...........turns my stomach!

[MikefromOhio]

Fine then. I have no clue.....I can handle that.

[MikefromOhio]

You have to remember this came from ESPN. I think the writer was attempting to make an obscure and unneeded reference to the fact that Tillman left behind Million$ to be in the Army.