Posted on 03/10/2006 2:53:24 PM PST by Kaslin
A former college teammate of Pat Tillman – the NFL player who left football to join the Army and was killed in Afghanistan – has followed in his footsteps and joined the Marines.
Jeremy Staat, who also played professional football, left the game at age 29 to endure the rigors of boot camp and life in the military.
Staat was an offensive lineman at Arizona State University while Tillman played there, and the two were roommates.
After college, Staat moved on to the National Football League, playing with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Oakland Raiders, Seattle Seahawks and St. Louis Rams, plus one year of arena football with the Los Angeles Avengers.
He had early thoughts of leaving football for military service, but Tillman urged Staat to stay in the league until he could get a retirement plan, the Marine Corps News reports.
Following the terrorist attacks of 9/11, Tillman decided to leave the NFL to serve in the U.S. Army. He was killed in action in 2004, a reported "friendly fire" death that is now being probed by the Pentagon.
"That was the turning point for Jeremy,” said Janet Goodheart, Staat’s mother. "After Pat was killed, he began to dwell on things. He visited me at home and we had a real serious talk. He told me he was through with football.”
Staat had reasons for joining that went beyond Tillman’s death, he said.
"The big reason was because I was really disgusted with the amount of money entertainers get and what they pay troops overseas,” he told the News.
"It didn’t seem right that we pay all those entertainers millions to catch a football and we pay our Marines pennies to a dollar to catch a bullet.
"I wanted to be a part of something that is going to live forever instead of getting trophies. What are trophies good for – collecting dust?”
But the combat utility uniforms took some getting used to, according Staat.
"I looked at them as a new uniform. Instead of having a football helmet, I had a Kevlar. Instead of wearing shoulder pads, I wore a flak jacket.”
Tillman’s old buddy said he plans on leaving a lasting impression in the Marine Corps – and maybe watching a few football games on his days off.
LMAO you nailed it!!!
Got it, thanks!
No, thank YOU.
No matter what a person's ideas before Marine bootcamp, they will have a rude awakening the moment they sign on the dotted line.
He won't leave an impression on the Marines. They will leave an impression on him.
I think it's spelled "Uh?" or maybe "OOh?"
LOL
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