Trailer- Sean Taylor: A Football Life

I rooted for James Brown and all he had to say about Sean after his death. I thought what he did there was a bold and very needed statement.

I felt like that show could have been a lot longer. They barely scratched the surface of who he was as a player for us...they could have gone on and highlighted his entire 07 season until he passed. IIRC he ended up finishing 3rd overall for INTs that year. He was a true footballer in every sense of the word.

I remember Portis talking about how they were going to jump LaVar over that shaving cream incident and how pissed CP was that LaVar decided to speak at Sean's funeral knowing that he wasn't liked. I remember those 2 going back and forth about that. It upsets me that he was allowed to speak there.

Every football fan I know sent me a text basically expressing how sad that was and how special he was. Most didn't know the real side of him. I can admit that even I didnt like him when he first came here. He was a Miami Thug. He got in gun fights, DUIs, was rude, didnt talk to anyone. Just the surface things we all saw that immediately pushed me away. So I understand why a Charger fan wouldn't know him like we all do.

The best part though was seeing his little brother running down the street with Pedro behind him. I got goose bumps. I hope that kid comes up in to the NFL and can wear 21 like his brother did.

I recorded it and watched it by myself. It brought back a flood of memories. As some people have said, this is one death that so profoundly affected me in a way that is unusual for a death of someone you do not personally know. I was at Redskins Park Sunday night when the Redskins arrived back from their game. It was Gibbs' birthday and the 14-15 or so that showed up were allowed up at the building to welcome the team home. We had a birthday cake for Gibbs and he invited us into his office, and spoke to each of us individually, gave us an personally autographed copy of his book. I had come the furthest as I had come down from West Virginia for the weekend so I was able to be a the "welcome home". We had lost the game, and it was raining. Gibbs said of the cake: This is the best birthday gift I've received.

Little did we know that not long after that a tragedy was happening in Florida. When we heard of the shooting, so many people showed up at Redskins Park for a vigil for his recovery. We received news from Larry Michaels that he had stabilized. We were thrilled. When we all finally left that night, we went home with hope, only to wake up the following morning to hear the words we did not want to hear.

I remember calling my boss and basically saying I'm not working.. I didn't care what he had to say. I went down to Pez and Huly's and helped them collect candles, flowers, etc., to take to Redskins park to set up for what was sure to be a sad day/evening. They had already painted the "21" in the grass near the parking area and we passed out candles to everyone as well as black ribbons. While some people came, stayed a couple hours and left, I could not leave. Sean's death had so profoundly affected me, I just didn't want to leave til the very end. And til the very end I stayed. When we gathered around that "21" my heart broke when Chief Zee approached the center and just kneeled and saw his tears flowing. Prayers were said. Flowers and memorials were gathered around the tree next to the "21" painted on the grass. Media came and went but that didn't matter to us. What mattered was that there was a community of Redskin fans that were there to share the sorrow, the loss, the pain of losing such a young talent. I like a lot of people was not sure about this kid from Florida at the beginning. But I had trust in Gibbs. Gibbs saw something in him that a lot of people didn't. And he was so right. And the fact his play in the Pro Bowl was voted as the best... and the fact the kicker actually patted Taylor on the back after the hit, you knew there was respect.

I actually unfriended someone on facebook because of a conversation about Sean. It went something like this: If he hadn't gone home that weekend and stayed with the team, this would not have happened. My answer was: His house had already been broken into, if he wasn't there, his fiancé and baby may have been killed. And regarding his talent, this person said... he wasn't that great and would not have been the star people believe he would have been. I said, first, we don't know anything for sure, but he WAS a star and he was getting better until his injury. He was not with the team one because of his injury and two because his house had been broken into. He provided so many exciting moments for us as Redskin fans, how could you possibly say with that conviction that he would have never become anything. This same person is an RG3 "hater". It makes me wonder if this person (and I hate to consider this of anyone I know) has some racism...

In any event... As so many people have said... RIP #21. God took you from us early, but while teams may have their 12th man, we have a 12th man watching over us all the time.

Sorry to vent and babble, but I wanted to share my feelings and my memories.