This is a Royals baseball blog, but...

by PhattStairs on Dec 1, 2007 3:22 AM EST Comment 17 comments

I want a little input from the fanbase here, and this is kind of Kansas City sports related...its all relative you know...

this is about the Sean Taylor death...I, personally, have no clue what to make of it...I never have known what to think of a person I have not personally known dying...I've had a few times in my life when someone I've known little has died and I was confused...I have also had those very close to me die and it was, well, like you'd expect...emotional to the Nth degree

Sean Taylor to me was the best safety in the NFL at the time of his death...a hard hitter, a hard worker, and a monstrously talented athlete...I hate making statements post death, but Sean Taylor is probably gonna be the NFL version of Kurt Cobain...we are never gonna truly know his intentions or capabilities...

with that said I want to bring forth Larry Johnson's and Jim Rome's comments on the subject...I don't know if I am getting soft from having a kid on the way or what, but...DISCLAIMER: I have searched the internet for EXACT phrases of what Larry Johson and Jim Rome said only to find nothing, so I will paraphrase their statements to the best of my memory to complete this diary...

on 810 I heard an interview with LJ where he said that basically he was glad he wasn't in Sean Taylor's position of getting to know bad people and being involved in that and that he is glad his family doesn't have to deal with it like Taylor's family is and, also, that he is a strong believer in karma and that Taylor had karma against him from the gun charge from a couple years ago... this is, well, basically what he said...I couldn't believe it...my wife and I were appalled...she added, "he is always such an ass"...I mean, seriously, I knew LJ was a self-righteous moron, but DAMN DUDE...

then I watch Rome Is Burning later on (I guess just to get even more pissed off)...but Rome is like, all, why was Sean Taylor even home?... saying he should of been with the team...and, to me, it felt like Rome was kind of saying it was his fault for being an idiot for being home that night, seriously its what he was portraying, saying "I'm not saying anyone deserves to be murdered, but..."... (once again, I couldn't find the script, probably because its been destroyed to save a lawsuit)...

anyhow...I'm completely awestruck...surely Shock Americana hasn't come this far...right???

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well

first ill say i have not heard about either of the comments, so my comments come with the assumption that they are both true.

jim rome has always been a douche and i would expect nothing less from him. frankly, he doesn't really know that much about sports, he just knows how to state opinions in such a way for people to pay attention to him.

the LJ one doesnt really bother me that much. if a person believes in karma (which LJ might, i dont know) then what he said is perfectly legitimate. i don't think he is saying he doesnt feel bad about the situation, but instead the situation is a result for choices made by him a long time ago. given LJ's way with words around the media, im sure he makes himself sound like a monster in the process.

regardless of that, this is probably the saddest sports story in a long time. Some make the argument that his death is no different than any other less famous athlete or person getting murdered, but i think his means so much more b/c of his fame. I like the way tony K put it on pti when talking about his daughters reaction, that people invest so much time and emotion in athletes and teams, that taylor's murder is comparable to a family member's murder. some person they have never met has seemingly life-shattering effects on others. but then maybe sean is looking down and realizing that despite all the mistakes he might of made, millions of people truely loved him.

"The basis of optimism is sheer terror." Sounds like Oscar Wilde was a Royals fan!

by ZeppelinDZ on Dec 1, 2007 4:57 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

nicely put...

if anyone could find the actual quotes it would put a lot better perspective to this...and, btw, Jim Rome has always been in my Top 3 people I want to fight in a cage match...

Don't be lonesome for your heroes. Be your own hero.

by PhattStairs on Dec 1, 2007 11:09 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Chris Everett

Agrees with you.

Being a fan is irrational, but what is the alternative?

by philofthenorth on Dec 1, 2007 11:17 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

LMBO!!!!!!

Don't be lonesome for your heroes. Be your own hero.

by PhattStairs on Dec 1, 2007 11:33 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

LJ's comment

Rome is one of the biggest douches in human history, so his B.S. speaks for itself. But LJ shouldn't get any kind of pass for his comments. I don't know the circumstances surrounding Taylor's death. I don't know if he got in with the "wrong crowd" and quite frankly, neither does LJ. So, LJ shouldn't be making comments like that. He is talking out of his ass. But even if we knew Taylor was killed by some partner in crime, this isn't the time to be "telling it like it is." The man just died. That is a tragedy for his family. Have a little compassion and common human decency, LJ. I love the Chiefs and I wish LJ well on the field, but he's a world class narcissistic, insensitive jackass.

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on Dec 1, 2007 11:44 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Wilbon basically did the same thing

by LeoBloom on Dec 1, 2007 1:23 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Whitlock's take, for what it's worth

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/7499442?MSNHPHCP&GT1=10637

Royals, NBA, Golden Hurricane, Hawkeyes, Chiefs, and KU basketball, in that order.

by Rowyal on Dec 1, 2007 1:29 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I can't comment on LJ or Rome

But I do think it was a case of not being able to get away from a bad history. And I think its probably tougher than people think to escape that past.

That being said, he probably should have moved away from Miami.

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Dec 1, 2007 2:25 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

what i dont get...

is that everyone just assumes that it was, more or less, an inside job or payback or something, and not a random attack

Simmons, of all people, made a good point awhile back about the new media environment of constant analysis and instant reaction leading to guys basically making ill-informed and tasteless comments about things they know nothing about (i.e. Andy Reid should step down and deal with his family).

Whitlock has been beating this "black culture has to reform itself" drum for years now. Which is all fine and good. Personally, I'd prefer that we wait, what, half a week? before we start printing "this is what this means" columns. Although I know it doesn't work like that anymore.

However, athletes simply answering questions is a little different. Not OK or better, but different.

Side note: I don't know who is harder to root for, LJ or Priest.

by royalsreview on Dec 1, 2007 3:09 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I would wait...

...until I had more than a guess about what is going on before I started condemning the murder victim for his own death.

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on Dec 1, 2007 3:52 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Good points

In fact, I thought I heard on the radio that the suspects were not from his past at all. It is early to say, and a lot of people are jumping to conclusions.

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Dec 1, 2007 4:10 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

One of my fondest dreams

Jim Rome, Nancy Grace and Bill O'Reilly all enter a sealed train car. I tell them only one can leave alive. But I am lying. I bury the train car in 20 feet of concrete immediately.

Rock Chalk Talk for pretty good KU College Baseball Coverage

by James Quinn on Dec 2, 2007 2:08 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

hey-o

hilarity

by marbotty on Dec 2, 2007 2:31 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Totally agree

Now that would be must see TV! Who needs writers?

by dman126 on Dec 2, 2007 3:22 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Would Colin Cowherd

Fit in that car, too?

Being a fan is irrational, but what is the alternative?

by philofthenorth on Dec 2, 2007 11:43 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

And

Jay Mariotti, Bill Plaschke, Skip Bayliss

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Dec 2, 2007 8:24 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

From what I've heard so far

All evidence that has come out so far points to a home robbery gone bad. Some burglars were trying to rob him, didn't expect him to be there, were surprised and shot him. No evidence so far that this has to do with his "lifestyle" or the crowd he ran with. Think there will be any apologies issued? Of course not.

I probably disagree with you.

by NYRoyal on Dec 2, 2007 3:09 PM EST reply actions 0 recs