Re: Sean Taylor Shot at Home
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RIP
its sad how little wrong a black man has to do to be considered some sort of thug/gangster, etc. dude was from a middle class family and his dad is a police chief. he had one run in with someone who he thought had stolen his property and so many people are quick to think he must have brought it upon himself when he's gunned down in his own house
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so friggin true. The ESPN column about Taylor "turning his life around" is a complete joke/insult.
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Theres a lot of factors as to why he was viewed this way. First off, obviously he made some mistakes when he was younger. I think its tough to critisize someone who is young and has a ton of money and fame though. We all make mistakes when we're young.
Secondly, I'm sure race was/is an issue.
Third, the fact that he never talked to the media and was generall quiet off the field isn't going to help.
Fourth, the image of Miami football program("thug U") I'm sure didn't help.
Fifth, although unfair, people will see his on field destruction and huge hits and assume things solely based upon that despite how stupid that may be.
In the end, I'm sure he was far from perfect. But I can't get over how unfair it is for someone to not get a chance to "become an adult" and grow and learn from their mistakes. I'm reminded of someone like Steve Smith of the Panthers who had a similar reputation coming into the league and has really turned into a fine role model. And as I said earlier, its really unfair for us to judge his past as we have no clue how we'd react if we were suddenly young, rich, and famous with seemingly the world at our feet.
Reading the quotes from many of his teamates and friends is very saddening....
Pete Kendall
"The thing that stood out to me about Sean was after our first game here, the home opener against the Dolphins, we were in the player's parking lot afterwards and I have three young kids and my two boys are big football fans and they were really struck and impressed with Sean Taylor and to actually meet him. Sean actually spent some time [with them]. He didn't just sign a book and send them on their way, but talked to them. As a father that stood out to me. That made probably the biggest impact on me. "
Jason Campbell
"If you just look at him from the way that he's changed in the last year, it's just been outstanding to have the opportunity to spend time with him because he's just a special person.
Jeremy Shockey
"He was kind of a wild child, like myself, but life changed for Sean after he had his baby girl. Fatherhood really changed him. He grew up and matured. That baby (daughter Jackie) had transformed his life. Working out with him during the offseason, I witnessed a change. You could see it like night and day. I feel so bad for the family."
Sinorice Moss
"It's a tough time for me right now. Sean was really like a brother to me. We were classmates and teammates and UM and he was a guy that just loved football and loved being around his friends. I feel for his family. I know his dad real well, and I feel for his baby girl. He was so proud of his little girls, and it's just so sad that he's no longer here and won't be able to see her grow up. The whole UM family is hurting right now."
Joel Rodriguez
'It's strange,'' said Joel Rodriguez, who played with Taylor at UM for three seasons and last saw Taylor in February before the Pro Bowl. ``For being as visible and flamboyant a player as he is on the field, he is very reserved and soft-spoken off it. It's not what you'd expect from a guy with that type of talent and mean streak.
``He is very, very quiet and very much one of the guys who blended into the framework of the team. He never tried to dominate the locker room. He was friendly, a good teammate. He never missed practice, showed up on time, went to class.''
Buck Ortega
''I don't have a clue what happened,'' said Ortega, who packed his bags to go to New Orleans and hurried from his home in Delray Beach to stop at Jackson Memorial before he left. ``He was a great roommate and a great friend. He was respectful, no problems at all. We used to fish together, play video games, ride around and go out to eat. He's a quiet kid, never went around bragging.''
Richard Sharpstein
''My two daughters were cheerleaders there,'' Sharpstein said. ``Sean was a mild-mannered, soft-spoken, polite, pleasant, wonderful kid. When parents were around and we'd be raising money through bake sales or whatever, Sean was always helpful. He was not what you'd think of as some egocentric athlete. I've represented some athletes with big heads. They think the world owes them everything. This is not Sean.''
Clinton Portis
"It's hard to expect a man to grow up overnight," said Redskins teammate and close friend Clinton Portis, who also played with Taylor at the University of Miami. "But ever since he had his child, it was like a new Sean, and everybody around here knew it. He was always smiling, always happy, always talking about his child."
James Thrash
"From the first day I met him, from then to now, it's just like night and day," Redskins receiver James Thrash said. "He's really got his head on his shoulders and has been doing really well as far as just being a man. It's been awesome to see that growth."."
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