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4:02 PM Tue, Nov 27, 2007 | Permalink
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February 2008
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Before the Cowboys-Redskins game nine days ago, Roy Williams went looking for Sean Taylor, who he'd met at the Pro Bowl in February. Williams didn't know Taylor was hurt, and wouldn't play in the game. So the Cowboys safety went about his business, thinking he'd see him the next time the teams play, in December. "I just wish I could’ve said something to him," Williams said, clearly shaken up today after hearing about Taylor's passing in South Florida. Williams is thinking about wearing Taylor's No. 21 on the back of his helmet for the rest of the year, something the league probably won't allow. The sentiment was just one sign of how these players view the tragedy -- one of their own is now gone. Before practice yesterday, all the defensive players had a moment of silence for Taylor in their meeting room. There's not one player in that unit, or any unit on the team, that has been a teammate of Taylor's before, either at Miami or in Washington, with the exception of those Cowboys who joined him at the 2007 Pro Bowl. "Once you're part of the NFL you're part of a family with everybody," QB Tony Romo said. "He's just a guy that obviously was a great talent on the field. I know from what people have said and people he was close to, they just loved the guy. I think he's obviously going to be missed tremendously in Washington and my prayers and thoughts go out to his family and the people that love him." Is there a lesson here? One might be to be careful with whom you associate. But here's the scary thing, which Williams was quick to bring up: Where should you feel safer than your house? That's where Taylor was, and that -- more than anything else -- is a reminder to all these guys the kind of targets they are. "You gotta be smart and put yourself in good situations," tight end Jason Witten, another one of Taylor's Pro Bowl teammates. "You are a target, it’s definitely there a professional athlete. You gotta watch out, and be careful. And in saying that I don’t know that he was doing anything wrong. You’re just saddened by what happened and that someone would lose his life over something like that." |
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Comments
Posted by Dave in Dubai @ 5:18 PM Tue, Nov 27, 2007
Terrible news. Terrible.
Maybe, just maybe, this will serve to teach guys that it's not worth risking the charmed NFL life in order to get mixed up in the kind of riff-raff that proved to be Taylor's undoing.
For just this weekend, I'll root for the 'Skins.
Posted by TSmith @ 5:36 PM Tue, Nov 27, 2007
What a shame. I hope that all the facts are made known as to who and why someone would do this. I pray for his child,family and friends.
Posted by Don @ 6:01 PM Tue, Nov 27, 2007
This is a sad day indeed. When I received a message saying he was shot, I thought he would survive, then when I was in the car this morning I heard he passed away. It is a shame how these kids are being taken away so young. You forget that he was a famous football star, and focus on the fact that he was a 24 year old person, that will not be able to live a full life. I really hope the NFL allows Roy and whoever else that wants to do it, to put Taylor's 21 on their helmets.
Posted by William @ 6:11 PM Tue, Nov 27, 2007
I've got a few points I'd like to make. The first are the heaveyweight, spin doctoring media types who question Sean Taylor's protection of his property and family. Please be advised this is considered normal behavior at least in the south. The second point involves the question of conspiracy that Sean Taylor's death was a contract hit. Well, he got shot in the leg. Normally when someone hits someone they plug them a number of times either in the heart or in the head. So this looks like a crime. Anyway, hats off to this brave young fellow trying to protect his family.
Posted by dbk @ 7:35 PM Tue, Nov 27, 2007
Like many have said when I heard he had been shot in the leg my initial thoughts were "sad he got shot...he should be okay." Last night I was glad to hear that he was responsive. However this morning when I learned that he had died I was deeply saddened and voiced a prayer for his girlfriend and family. I do hope they catch who did this and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law. May God comfort Sean Taylor's family, friends, and team mates.
Posted by neil @ 8:39 PM Tue, Nov 27, 2007
21 is available he should wear it
Posted by christopher nicholson @ 9:09 PM Tue, Nov 27, 2007
I am a cowboy fan.I am also a fan of the U.Sean Taylor was my favorite player in miami.God bless his family and friends
Posted by Michael @ 9:43 PM Tue, Nov 27, 2007
I am a football fan. I'm an even bigger fan of kids having a mother and father while growing up...and a fan of a father and mother having their son in their lives as they age...and a fan people treating others with respect. Yes, a football player was killed, but a man was taken from his family and friends...needlessly, selfishly, and hatefully.
Posted by BigTexKahuna @ 9:57 PM Tue, Nov 27, 2007
When I first heard, "...shot in the leg...", I, too, thought, "Oh, the leg? He will probably be okay. Hmmmmm..." But once I heard there was tremendous blood loss, I immediately wondered, "Femoral artery???" That's when I began thinking doom and gloom for the guy.
I believe this awful tragedy is a retaliation/revenge thing from the 2005 incident Mr. Taylor was involved in down there in Miami. He really pissed some people off, and they were hell-bent on getting some payback... Damn shame for everyone involved.
Posted by William @ 11:23 PM Tue, Nov 27, 2007
If it were a retaliation/revenge thing, BigTexKahuna, he wouldn't have been shot in the leg. One doesn't try to kill someone by shooting them in the femoral artery.
Does anyone know why he didn't have a gun?
Posted by BigTexKahuna @ 12:06 AM Wed, Nov 28, 2007
William...
Agreed that neither one of us was there, and my statement is nothing but speculation. But I have to ask you to reconsider your comment. Is it not possible that this intruder might have misfired his weapon, or just missed? Some accounts have suggested that the intruder "kicked the bedroom door..." open, and the way I read it is the intruder was met with Mr. Taylor standing right there with a machete in his hands. I think it's quite possible that the gun fired unexpectedly...
...but then again, we don't know.
Posted by paulyboo @ 7:47 AM Wed, Nov 28, 2007
easy guys.
Just say nice things, say a prayer and move on.
We cannot try to recreate it and coulda, shoulda, woulda. Or try to say the guy was a model citizen (who is these days, including all of us at all times) or a heathen.
At the end of the day, someone broke into his house, kicked open his door and shot him in the leg.
It's just as likely the thief wanted him to open a safe or hand over his jewelry and shot him in the leg to let him know he meant business as anything else. we simply don't know.
All we know is a young man and father is dead, and sadly, many more folks in the U.S. not as famous have been killed from that time to the time you read this.
Some people in this world apparently just don't know how to handle this thing we call living life without bringing tremendous pain and suffering to others.
that's the tragedy.