RIP #40

I was at work on the morning of September 11, 2001 getting ready for another normal Tuesday morning, when my boss called and said I needed to come to the conference room. When I got there, I could not believe the images unfolding in front of me on the t.v. I was transfixed by what I saw. I felt shock, anger, horror, fear, disbelief and numbness all at the same time. As the days passed I, like a lot of others, thought, "What can I do to help?". I'm ashamed to admit that I never did anything to make a difference and, eventually, everything went back to normal.

Also watching those tragic events was a young man named Pat. Like many other men and women, Pat felt compelled to do something to make a difference. And, unlike me, he did something about it. When his contract was up with his employer, Pat enlisted in the Army. What makes Pat's story different than 1000's of others who enlisted after 9/11? It's that Pat Tillman was a rising star in the National Football League. When his contract with the Arizona Cardinals was up, Pat turned down a contract that would have paid him $3.6 million a year to play football. But Pat wanted to be a soldier. It could have been a public relations dream come true for the Army, but Pat didn't want to be a recruiting poster or PR man, Pat want to be a real soldier and went on to become a Ranger, the Army's most elite fighting unit.

Five years ago today Pat Tillman gave his life for his country. Our Country. It of course came out later that Pat was a victim of so-called "friendly fire", but Pat's legacy should not or cannot be tainted. So, as you make your way through your daily routine, take a moment and think of the sacrifice made not only by Pat Tillman, but by all of the servicemen and women who make sacrifices defending our freedoms on a daily basis.

Rest in Peace #40, a true American Hero.

Our National Pastime Mourns

Yesterday baseball lost one of its iconic figures, and voices, with the passing of legendary announcer Harry Kalas. I grew up on the West Coast, so I didn't have the privilege of listening to Harry each night as so many have. I do remember listening to Vin Scully and Dick Enberg as a child and being able to visualize Davy Lopes stealing a base in Chavez Ravine or Joe Rudi hitting one out of The Big "A". Along with Harry Carey, Mel Allen, Red Barber, Jack Buck and so many others, these men didn't just announce a game, they were artists painting a picture in our minds. Even when calling a game on TV, they understood the art of subtlety. I actually remember a NFL game on NBC that they experimented without even having announcers, now it seems that the announcers are actually bigger than the game. How else do you explain 3 person booths with multiple sideline (or dugout) reporters? If it is the game that is important then why did I have to suffer through Dennis Miller. If I want to hear Dennis Miller, I will watch him on HBO.

This is the generation of sensory overload, with too many announcers, too many graphics, too many virtual billboards and too many promos for Malcolm in the Middle. I am not naive, I realize that everything is driven by money and things are not likely to change. However in my mind I can still hear the echoes of that simpler time, "Oh My!" "Holy Cow" "I Don't Believe What I Just Saw"!