[b][url=http://www.arizonarepublic.com/news/articles/0524tillman24.html]Cardinals safety Tillman chooses the Army over the NFL[/url][/b]

[img]http://www.arizonarepublic.com/news/gifs/breaking/0524tillman24.html.jpg[/img]

Cardinals strong safety Pat Tillman is making a decision that could cost him millions of dollars. But his reason for leaving the NFL is priceless: He wants to defend his country.

Tillman, a former Arizona State star, told Cardinals coaches and owner Bill Bidwill Wednesday that he plans to join the Army and wants to be a Ranger. He has taken the Army physical, is expected to sign enlistment papers next week and should enter boot camp at the end of the month.

Tillmann, 25, and his younger brother, Kevin, are joining together, and Tillman reportedly hopes to resume his NFL career after the three-year commitment.

"This is very serious with Pat," Cardinals coach Dave McGinnis said. "It's not just a snap decision. You're not dealing with a guy who's real shallow. You're dealing with a guy whose waters run pretty deep."






Very deep indeed.

You're a better man than I Mr. Tillman.

You are to be commended.

Cool, an athlete you can really look up to. Sadly, there are far too few of them.

Someone who believes the "we" in "We should do something" means "I".

Wow,

Tillmans no superstar, but still, WOW...

I hope this becomes a fad...

I would say he is now a super star.....unlike the ones doing drugs and more concerned about 'show me the money!'

He may not be a superstar but an average/mediocre NFL player might make more money in one season than an Army Ranger could make in his life.  I am impressed, but I don't think you have to worry about any fads starting, I suspect he is one of a kind.

He walked away from a million dollar a year contract.

[i]"An unrestricted free agent, Tillman was offered a multiyear deal that likely averaged close to [b]$1 million a year[/b]."[/i]

A real stand up guy! I'd like to see Neon Deon do that!


Edited to remove racism.

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Thank you.

It happens. Such is the danger of such immediacy in posting.

Okay, fine.

[:)]

kpel: Come on, we're talking about Bill Bidwell here-unless you are too young to remember when he had his traveling circus in St. Louis. Paying Tillman even 1/3 of a contract would be a class act-but Bidwell ISN'T a class act. It's really amusing to be living in Phoenix and to be seeing him trying to pull the same shit here as he did in St. Louis. The dolts here actually WANT to give him a new stadium, but they can't find a place to build it (ha,ha). People in Phoenix ought to look at St. Louis and what happened when they let Bidwell leave-A SUPER BOWL TEAM!!

Don't you remember John F. Long's offer to GIVE Bidwell all the land he needed for entire stadium complex at the intersection of 101&I17? Dollar Bill Bidwell turned it down because he wanted the development rights AROUND the stadium  complex too.

Bidwell is a loser.

The Army won't take anyone with drug arrests in their history, so even if he wanted to, he cant.

He now also qualifies as a "Sports Hero." More power to him.

I may be wrong, I have been wrong before, BUT

I dont believe [b]Deion Sanders[/b], AKA Primeime, has ever been arrested for drugs....


I remember him running over a rent-a-cop at riverfront (who wouldnt love to do that sometimes)..

SALUTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What's the story with the rent-a-cop?