Posts Tagged ‘RIP’

Remembering Sean

On Nov. 27th it will be 3 years since Sean Taylor’s passing. It’s still hard to imagine that he’s gone. This is a re-post of a blog that I wrote on the 1 year anniversary of his death and an Animoto that I made as a tribute. The 2nd YouTube is the Redskin’s official tribute.

I was watching a Skin’s game a couple of weeks ago and I was wearing my Sean Taylor 75th Anniversary Jersey (happens to be my favorite out of my collection). I was enjoying all the stress and excitement of the game when my 4 year old son asked me a question.

“Daddy, who’s jersey is this?”

“This is Sean Taylor’s jersey,” I replied.

My son then walked up to the TV and stood in front of it, his nose only inches from the screen. He stared intently at the TV for a few seconds as I asked him as politely as I can (while watching a Skin’s game) to please move out of the way.

“But Daddy, which one of those guys is Sean Taylor?”

After stumbling around for a couple seconds I came up with,
“Sean’s not playing today.”

Wow, how could I answer that? It’s a life and death question that he is not ready for, and quite frankly…maybe I’m not either. But that simple answer is not enough.

I remember so many things about Sean. I remember how excited I was that they picked him over Kellen Winslow. Excited, because I felt Taylor was a once in every ten years type of difference maker. An added bonus to this scenario brought my favorite player (Chris Cooley) to the Redskins in the 3rd round.

I remember how he intercepted a pass and returned it for a TD in his very first pre-season game. It was the Hall of Fame game against the Broncos, and Joe Gibbs‘s first game back.

I remember how his teammates nicknamed him “Meast”, because he was part man-part beast.

I remember how he may have been the best running back at the University of Miami, but he played Safety. Frank Gore, Willis Mcgahee, and Clinton Portis were the teams RB’s.

I remember how he scored a TD in the Eagles game in 2005 to clinch a playoff birth, then scored another TD in the Bucs game to seal a playoff victory.

I remember how Receivers feared going across the middle against him. No, they feared him wherever they were on the field.

I remember hearing that he got shot, and that he was clinging to life. It seemed so surreal.

I remember thinking he was so strong, he was going to pull through…but I guess God had a better plan for him.

I remember the media reporting bogus reports, implying that this was somehow Sean’s fault, some sort of retaliation for something Sean did.

I remember for a split second thinking what the media reported.

I remember the media not recanting their bogus stories. I myself am sorry for my momentary lapse in thought.

I remember thinking how there was no way the Skins would lose the following week against the Bills. They did, but then rallied as a team to make the playoffs.

I remember learning just who Sean was. The person, the teammate, the friend, companion, and father.

I remember it all, and I will continue to remember.

And some day, when my son and I are ready…I’m going to tell him all about Sean Taylor.

Cheers and Hail

RIP Perry Brooks

Former Redskin and friend Perry Brooks passed away yesterday, he was 55 years old.

Perry was a defensive tackle who played his college ball at Southern University and was drafted in the 7th round of the 1976 draft by the New England Patriots. Perry came to the Redskins in 1978 and remained with them until his retirement in 1984. Over 7 seasons Perry played in 92 regular season games and appeared in 2 Super Bowls, including the 82′ Championship season.

In retirement, Perry got into the automobile business and was a long time employee of Cowles Nissan in Woodbridge, VA. It was here that I first met Perry. As a young 20ish kid who happened to be a diehard Redskins fan, I was thrilled to be working alongside a former Redskin. I would sit and listen to Perry’s stories about those classic games and players that I had grown up admiring. I’m sure they were stories that Perry had grown tired of telling over the years, but he always welcomed me when I came to sit at his desk and ask him questions. Everything about Perry was big, his smile, his laugh, his personality and his heart. Perry not only shared his stories, Perry shared his personal Redskins tickets with me. I watched the last Redskins game played at RFK while sitting in Perry’s seats. That was an experience I will never forget and I will never forget Perry.

Perry was very proud of his family, a family that includes his son Ahmad, a linebacker for the 49′ers. My thoughts and prayers go out to them…I guess heaven needed a defensive tackle to help stuff the run. RIP #69.

RIP George Michael

Legendary sportscaster George Michael passed away today at the age of 70 after a 2 year battle with cancer…and a little piece of my childhood died with him.

Well George, I didn’t miss you then…but I sure miss you now.

Cheers and Hail

Remembering Sean

On Nov. 27th it will be 3 years since Sean Taylor’s passing. It’s still hard to imagine that he’s gone. This is a re-post of a blog that I wrote on the 1 year anniversary of his death and an Animoto that I made as a tribute. The 2nd YouTube is the Redskin’s official tribute.

I was watching a Skin’s game a couple of weeks ago and I was wearing my Sean Taylor 75th Anniversary Jersey (happens to be my favorite out of my collection). I was enjoying all the stress and excitement of the game when my 4 year old son asked me a question.

“Daddy, who’s jersey is this?”

“This is Sean Taylor’s jersey,” I replied.

My son then walked up to the TV and stood in front of it, his nose only inches from the screen. He stared intently at the TV for a few seconds as I asked him as politely as I can (while watching a Skin’s game) to please move out of the way.

“But Daddy, which one of those guys is Sean Taylor?”

After stumbling around for a couple seconds I came up with,
“Sean’s not playing today.”

Wow, how could I answer that? It’s a life and death question that he is not ready for, and quite frankly…maybe I’m not either. But that simple answer is not enough.

I remember so many things about Sean. I remember how excited I was that they picked him over Kellen Winslow. Excited, because I felt Taylor was a once in every ten years type of difference maker. An added bonus to this scenario brought my favorite player (Chris Cooley) to the Redskins in the 3rd round.

I remember how he intercepted a pass and returned it for a TD in his very first pre-season game. It was the Hall of Fame game against the Broncos, and Joe Gibbs‘s first game back.

I remember how his teammates nicknamed him “Meast”, because he was part man-part beast.

I remember how he may have been the best running back at the University of Miami, but he played Safety. Frank Gore, Willis Mcgahee, and Clinton Portis were the teams RB’s.

I remember how he scored a TD in the Eagles game in 2005 to clinch a playoff birth, then scored another TD in the Bucs game to seal a playoff victory.

I remember how Receivers feared going across the middle against him. No, they feared him wherever they were on the field.

I remember hearing that he got shot, and that he was clinging to life. It seemed so surreal.

I remember thinking he was so strong, he was going to pull through…but I guess God had a better plan for him.

I remember the media reporting bogus reports, implying that this was somehow Sean’s fault, some sort of retaliation for something Sean did.

I remember for a split second thinking what the media reported.

I remember the media not recanting their bogus stories. I myself am sorry for my momentary lapse in thought.

I remember thinking how there was no way the Skins would lose the following week against the Bills. They did, but then rallied as a team to make the playoffs.

I remember learning just who Sean was. The person, the teammate, the friend, companion, and father.

I remember it all, and I will continue to remember.

And some day, when my son and I are ready…I’m going to tell him all about Sean Taylor.

Cheers and Hail

Bay Area Blues

Marquis Cooper Derrick Brooks

The past week to 10 days have been a difficult one for residents of the Tampa Bay area. Bucs fans that were already reeling from Derrick Brooks getting cut were also hit with ex-Buc Marquis Cooper being lost at sea. Although it is impossible to compare a person being cut with a person’s death, the way the 2 things went down were both senseless.

Derrick Brooks was told his services were no longer needed after 14 seasons with the Bucs last week. It’s got every loyal Bucs fan up in arms, asking why? All Brooks did was never miss a game in those 14 seasons and made 11 Pro Bowls. All Pro 9 times, Defensive player of the year, and first ballot Hall of Famer. Oh yeah, he’s a pretty good guy off the field as well. He was the 2000 Walter Payton Man of the Year, which honors a player’s volunteer and charity work, as well as his excellence on the field. Brooks also founded the Brooks-DeBartolo Collegiate High School in Tampa, a school founded on the belief that, given the necessary resources and opportunities, every child has the potential to realize his/her dreams.

Fans are livid, it reminds me of when the Skins cut Art Monk. My uncle Mo a lifelong Skins fan, swore he would never root for the Skins again. 15 years later, he’s a Cowboy’s fan sticking to his word. I’ve seen countless fans interviewed stating the same thing, wherever Brooks lands is whom they will root for. Now, even the most loyal Brooks fan knows that he has lost a step (or two.) So it’s not necessarily the cutting of Brooks, it’s how it went down. They told him in the AM they were cutting him, and released it to the media in the afternoon. Why the big rush? They were $40 million dollars under the salary cap at the time. So there was no immediate need to cut salary to sign a free agent. They could have allowed Brooks to quietly talk with other teams to see what his market value may be. If there wasn’t a market, they could have scheduled a press conference for him to announce his retirement with dignity as a member of the Bucs. Instead, Brooks was forced to conduct an interview at the Bucs headquarters wearing a powder blue jumpsuit and requested that no Bucs logos be present. In true Derrick Brook’s style, he said all the right things.

To date the biggest player the Bucs have brought in the offseason is Kellen Winslow. A player that is the exact opposite of Derrick Brooks on and off the field. At this point I have to seriously question the new regime in Tampa Bay.

Cheers and Hail

Slinging Sammy R.I.P.