Ex-Football Star Killed in Afghanistan

[SniperX13]

"WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Former U.S. professional football star Pat Tillman (news), who gave up a $3.6 million sports contract to join the military's elite special forces, has been killed in a firefight in Afghanistan (news - web sites), U.S. officials said on Friday.


The officials, who asked not to be identified, said Tillman was killed on Thursday in an intense firefight in southeastern Afghanistan as his Army Ranger unit hunted for al Qaeda and Taliban guerrillas.


The 27-year-old soldier, who quit his National Football League career to fanfare in May of 2002, eight months after the Sept. 11 attacks on America, was the most prominent American public figure killed in fighting in Iraq (news - web sites) and Afghanistan.


The Pentagon (news - web sites) and the U.S. Army, in keeping with a law passed by Congress that forbids the military from identifying military casualties until 24 hours after their deaths, refused comment on the report.


Enlisting with his brother, Kevin, in the wake of the 2001 attacks on the Pentagon and World Trade Center, Tillman turned down a $3.6 million contract from the Arizona Cardinals to become an Army Ranger for an annual salary of $18,000.


The 5-foot-11, 200-pound Tillman played for four seasons with the Cardinals, from 1998 to 2001.


The U.S. military in the Afghan capital, Kabul, said on Friday that a soldier was killed and two wounded in a firefight near the village of Sperah southwest of Khost on Thursday after a patrol was ambushed. But it did not identify the dead soldier.


REMOTE SOUTHEASTERN AFGHANISTAN


Paktia province, where the ambush took place, is one of several remote southeastern Afghan provinces at the heart of an insurgency led by remnants of the hard-line Islamic Taliban, which U.S.-led forces drove from power in late 2001.


Tillman was selected by Arizona with the 226th pick of the 1998 football draft -- the league only selects 241 players -- but the Arizona State University star emerged from training camp as the Cardinals' starting strong safety on defense.


During his military training period after leaving the Cardinals, Tillman declined interviews with reporters and refused to take the spotlight.


"I am heartbroken today by the news of Pat Tillman's death," said U.S. Sen. John McCain (news, bio, voting record) of Arizona, himself a combat veteran who spent years in a prison camp in Vietnam.


He noted that other American families have suffered the same terrible sacrifice in combat.


"But there is in Pat Tillman's example - in his unexpected choice of duty to his country over the riches and other comforts of celebrity, and in his humility - such an inspiration to all of us to reclaim the essential public-spiritedness of Americans that many of us, in low moments, had worried was no longer our common distinguishing trait," McCain said.


Former Arizona Cardinals head football coach Dave McGinnis, a close friend of Tillman, said the former star had always shunned the limelight, "but his life deserves to be celebrated and his story to be told."


"Pat knew his purpose in life. He proudly walked away from a career in football to a greater calling, which was to protect and defend our country," said McGinnis. "


man, this was a true hero....

[Chavez408]

damn that sucks! and I also thinking to join the army ones im out of high school. Poor guy

[eversio11]

ESPN is constantly running a program dedicated to this great man.

[zebrathree]

RIP Ranger Tillman.

[TheNotoriousMogg]

He was a real american. That man turned down a 3.6 million dollar contract to serve his country and some people cry and whine about it everyday. This is a great guy right here!

Rest in piece, brother may god be with you and your family.

[Jimster]

Such a waste of talented life.




That's what Vietnam: The Second Intallmen.........Iraq invasion is doing, wasting lives that could be put to much better use.

[YogsVR4]

Lets avoid turning this into another bitter Iraq discussion...


Servicemen and women deserve all the respect they get.

Rest in peace.













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[TheNotoriousMogg]

Originally Posted by YogsVR4

Lets avoid turning this into another bitter Iraq discussion...

Thank you

[D[X]P]

Constantly hearing this on every single news. Ok he was brave and did he right thing. But why focus all this attention at him?? thousands of other brave young men died and they arent all over the news

[crapmaster4000]

This guy is different than alot of people. He gave up all the money of teh NFL to go fight for his country. That is a brave and honorable thing to do and I dont know too many people that would do that. Thats the whole reason he is getting attention.

[jcz1987]

It sucks that we lost a proffesional athlete like that. He also lived in San Jose for most of his life.

[carrrnuttt]

Us here in Arizona were very proud of him when he did what he did a couple of years ago.

I don't think calling somebody a "footbal hero" will ever sound the same again.

I just hope they somehow name either Sun Devil's Stadium, or the new Cardinal's Stadium after him somehow.

[CZ-R]

Originally Posted by YogsVR4

Servicemen and women deserve all the respect they get.

Thanks!

[damir831]

Originally Posted by crapmaster4000

This guy is different than alot of people. He gave up all the money of teh NFL to go fight for his country

That's not right. His life isn't worth more than any other person's. There's people out there who have no reason to fight for this country and they do. There's people out there who's brothers and sisters live in some of the worst neighborhoods in the U.S. trying to feed their children on minimum wage and they've also DIED for this country. Why don't they get all the respect? Why don't we see THEM on the 10 o'clock news coverage. They didn't have to fight for a country that treated and still treats people they love like shit. Why don't we see them on the news? I say RIP, but he shouldn't get more attention than everyone else who's died. There's people who barely turned 18 and are fighting for a country where their parents didn't get a chance to make enough money to provide them with a college tution.

[Chavez408]

that was deep damir, and its sort of true, but either way R.I.P who lifes that have been lost in the war.