Remembering Sean Taylor

By now most everyone, even those who are not even regular football fans (let alone Redskins fans) will have heard the news that Sean Taylor, the 24-year-old defensive stand-out for Washington died after being shot in his Miami home early Monday morning. What many people hadn't realized is just how it would affect people in Washington. Now most people know that I myself am a Redskins fan having watched them since childhood. Washington is one of those towns where the city and it's residents are crazy about their team and those who are die hard fans who will stand by the team through thick and thin. In recent years they have suffered a lot given that most seasons it's never a given whether the team will be good or not.

Be that as it may, we still enjoy our football and as a result most fans tend to think that they are a part of the team. Sure most of us will never have even one iota of the skill required to play in the NFL but by being such staunch fans we tend to develop this feeling that we are a part of the team and that the players are our best friends. I think that holds true for most any team out there in virtually any sport. No matter what, there are always fans who support their team and come to bond with them in ways that are sometimes bordering on obsession. The death of Sean Taylor though has brought to light (in my mind) some of the negative aspects of being a football fan in this town simply because it highlights the Johnny-come-lately attitude that pervades a lot of people in this town.

What do I mean by that? Well stated simply, until earlier this week, most people in this town would agree that Sean Taylor was a great player and was having a great year prior to his knee injury which left him sidelined. There was already talk about how he was hopeful to return later this season and again become a threat which had already managed to get five interceptions and give receivers second thoughts about catching the ball given his hard-hitting mentality. Still, while most people appreciated his efforts, he was never elevated to the role of someone like Terrell Owens who makes it a point to highlight his skills or boast every chance he gets. Taylor was relatively reserved in that way and shunned the press and as such he wasn't viewed as a media darling.

As I entered the gym last night, most every TV at one point or another, had a story on the death of Sean Taylor going. This included not only the local news channels but CNN and Fox News as well. Suddenly Taylor was national news and despite the fact that some people outside of this town wouldn't know Sean Taylor from Shawn Springs, his face and case were plastered everywhere. Suddenly the man who shunned the media was front and center in the media spotlight. Coverage ranged from scenes outside the crime scene in his Miami home to fans gathered at Redskins Park in Ashburn to share their grief. The most common statement made by people out there was that they "felt they needed to do something" and in this case that 'something' was gathering at the park and holding a candlelight vigil.

The news networks lauded his achievements and praised him as a stellar young man with a career and life that was tragically cut down. Looking back on it now I guess it's just a case of the media not wanting to speak ill of the dead since some of these commentators were the same ones who tore him apart (in a figurative sense) when he missed training camp meetings, orientation meetings and caused the Redskins to lose field position due to penalties on the field. His legal troubles were the highlight of their talk at times and though he was a great player from almost the time he first arrived on the field to the time he left it, his darker side is what made him standout for the media. It seems like they solely wanted to focus on the negative rather than the positive.

I mean it makes sense to me given that most people would rather hear about bad news so that they can feel good about themselves by thinking, 'jeez he's in a bad way, at least I'm not doing that badly.' When I see on the news that reporters are suddenly full of praise and bits and pieces of trivia and then I see fans who have never watched a Redskins game rushing to stores to buy a replica Sean Taylor jersey I get a little perturbed. Is their definition of 'doing something' exploiting his death? Suddenly now collectors will see the value of his cards and jerseys and such skyrocket for at least a little while. He'll be remembered as long as it's profitable for a lot of these guys to keep him such and then he'll fade away. Fans who loved to watch his hard-hitting, pass-stealing, passionate style of play will miss him and the Redskins will not be the same defensive threat without him, but those of us who appreciated him, as we appreciate the team, through thick and thin will still remember him even after those appreciating him for the moment have gone away too.