http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/sports/5138717.htm?1c Rice has bizarre view of sacrifice; former Cardinal's comments on Tillman disturbing BY SLIM SMITH East Valley Tribune (Mesa, Ariz.) MESA, Ariz. - (KRT) - You don't have to be Dr. Doolittle to hear a jackass talk. All you had to do Friday was turn on the radio. Former Arizona Cardinal and newly crowned Super Bowl champ Simeon Rice used Friday's edition of the Jim Rome radio show - that great bastion of intellectual discourse - to share his bizarre views on former teammate Pat Tillman, who gave up his NFL career to become a Ranger in the U.S. Army 10 months ago. Tillman, now stationed at Fort Lewis, Wash., could be among troops deployed as the U.S. moves ever closer to war with Iraq. So when Rome asked Rice for his take on Tillman, it seemed like an innocent enough question. After all, Tillman's decision to sacrifice the pampered lifestyle of a pro athlete to take up arms in defense of his country had drawn universal praise from fans and non-fans alike. Rice's reaction? So what. "He really wasn't that good, not really," Rice told Rome. "Money is not everything. He really wasn't good enough to start in the NFL. Hell no. He was good enough to play in Arizona, (but) that's just like the XFL." If we can step into the frightening void that is Simeon Rice's mind, we can deduce the following, based on Rice's comments: Only the best NFL players are worthy of praise, capable of meaningful sacrifice, deserving of praise. And since Pat Tillman was not among the NFL's elite players, really, how big a deal is it? Rome, no doubt stunned by Rice's odd views, gave Rice repeated chances to let the magnitude of Tillman's decision sink in. Finally, Rice seemed to get it. Sort of. "I think it's very admirable, actually," Rice said. "In all seriousness, I think it's admirable. Everybody can't think on that level. He's definitely on a whole other level. You've gotta give kudos to a guy like that because he did it for his own reasons. Maybe it's the Rambo movies, maybe it's Sylvester Stallone, Rocky, whatever compels him. Maybe it's the 9-11 tragedy. Kudos to him. I hope he does well." You can put aside Rice's pathological need to take shots at the Cardinals, even though things have worked out quite well for Rice with Tampa Bay. You can dismiss Rice's dim view of Tillman's talents as a player. But what should not be ignored is Rice's pathetic need to categorize Tillman's decision as the effects of watching too many action-hero movies. Perhaps the self-absorbed Rice cannot fathom the concepts of patriotism or selflessness. Naturally, Rice's comments created a firestorm of angry calls to XTRA (910 AM), the Valley radio station that carries the Rome show. One of those calls came from former Cardinals linebacker Zack Walz, Tillman's closest friend on the team. Walz, who played for the Cardinals from 1998-2001, has no doubts about what motivates Tillman. He saw how deeply affected Tillman was in the hours after 9-11. In fact, Walz was the first person Tillman told of his decision outside his immediate family. To have Tillman's motives questioned by Rice was almost more than Walz could take. "I have heard him say some pretty absurd things, but this was definitely the worst," Walz said during his call to XTRA. "For him to say something like that just goes to show the disconnect he has from our society today. Not only is he oblivious to the moral character of Pat Tillman, he has no concept of what it takes to be an American. He is completely out of touch with today's climate and our nation's ideals." When word of Rice's outburst reached the Cardinals complex, one team official put it succinctly: "Who would you rather have in your foxhole: Pat Tillman or Simeon Rice?" --- © 2003, East Valley Tribune (Mesa, Arizona)
i dont have any trouble with what rice said. if anything think that article is taking cheap shots at rice. of course tillman is a hero and is to be respected, but before he died, i figure its ok to make fun of him and the cardinals little.
my point is, before tillman got killed, it was alot easier to make fun of him as fellow nfl player. i think often it easy to take things out of context. especially given that when pressed, rice said: "In all seriousness, I think it's admirable. Everybody can't think on that level. He's definitely on a whole other level. You've gotta give kudos to a guy like that because he did it for his own reasons." its hard to disagree with that. when you say "in all seriousness" it implies that you werent totally being serious before. i think its a cheap shot to call out rice for things he said a while back. but writers have to write about something. i think it is a cheap shot to hold what rice said against him, just like the extraordinarily moronic and cheap shot lobbed at me in the previous post.
Sadly, many Americans feel the same way as Rice. I don't mean to refer to anybody on these boards at all, No Sir. However, let me be perfectly clear: There are many Americans who have the same naive and ignorant view as Rice.
if in fact we know that rice was serious and not just poking fun at tillman, which we don't. when you call the cardinals the equivalent of an xfl team, it seems to me like you are just joking around. i make fun of people i know, even though other things about them are dead serious and worthy of incredible amounts of respect. but lynch him if you must. "He's definitely on a whole other level. " - simeon rice, on pat tillman.
They ain't jokin The Americans I'm talking about are not joking. Anyway, these folks are not the kind of people that we are. They look down on us and think that we are dumb rubes.
even though when he quit making fun of him he said: "I think it's very admirable, actually in all seriousness, I think it's admirable." you still think he deserves a punch in the mouth?
