Which probably will not get as much mention by the media as his "troubles." Sean was a shy person, and many people interpret that as surly or arrogant. If Art Monk were a media darling, he'd be in the Hall of Fame by now. People that knew Sean loved him and looked up to him.

We'll never, ever, ever, EVER see another Sean Taylor.

were these shady characters he was hanging around with recently? You obviously know since you throw out a statement like that.

what was that like 7 years prior to his death? That condemns him to be shot and killed? With you as some judge? I've read articles in the sports media that said he was a good kid who turned his life around.

But thank you for moralizing, I'm sure it makes you feel better about your life.

I don't know his story or his history, and don't bother to try and explain it because I don't care.  About him or any other football player, or for that matter anything related to the so-called game of football.  Bummer for the family, but people die all the time.  I worry far more about the guys who die in Iraq than these modern-day gladiators.

Do a google search on "sean taylor gangster" and look at all the hits you get.  If you don't like it, then write to them about it.

And if a person associates with gangsters, no it doesn't condemn them to death, but it is certainly a lot more likely than for the rest of us.  People make choices in life.  He made his choices, and they apparently cost him his life.  The thing I don't get is why you think I should be upset about this.

Out of common decency and respect for the deceased, can't we have this debate on another day?

And the mourning of Sean Taylor doesn't mean that we don't care about the loss of each and every service person in Iraq and Afghanistan.  I am willing to bet that all of us here are pained by the daily news broadcasts highlighting the loss of lives of our brothers and sisters in Iraq and Afghanistan.

n/t

I googled "sean taylor gangster". You know what I got? I looked through the first 6-7 pages and saw nothing but message board posts by people just like you posting how he was a "thug", "gangster", and that his lifestyle caught up to him. Nothing about how he was caught up in a "gangster" lifestyle except of course their opinions of the situations.

So you want to back up your crap line some more?

Yes, you're right. People do make choices in life. Your choice was to be ignorant of facts and speak up when you don't know crap. I'm also not saying you should be upset about this. But don't expect people who are feeling sad about this react to you with vitriol because you want to stick your ignorant nose into a discussion.

is what I understand happened.

No one knows who perpetrated the crime.  It could have been one of the guys who he had a confrontation with three years ago, it could have been any other variety of losers, or it could have been a case of a rich guy being targeted by someone who wanted to get a piece of his fortune on the cheap, and perhaps bring the killer figured he'd get some reflected notoriety by killing someone who was famous.  It may not be the first time, but this doesn't make it any less tragic.

As far as rationalizing murder goes, I think it's a pretty callous thing to say that Taylor in essence got what he deserved.  I'm sure there are those who believe this -- frankly those kind of folk should count their blessings that they have lived a nice protected life rather than passing judgment on a situation which they only understand very, very abstractly. 

I agree 100%.

ericy, i just wanted to say that,you may not have known sean taylor but it is alot of other people that did! you might not be saddened by his loss but alot of others are including my young son that is a football player and that adored this young man!!! you talk about that alot of people die everyday(which is true), but how hurtful is your comment to that young man's family,friends,and his young fans that looked up to him!!! it is not about whether you like football,it is not about alot of people that die everyday,it is about showing respect to this young man's memory and his family members!!! you might have not wanted to know anything positive about this young man's life as you said, but you were quick to try and point out negative things in this young man's life!! and like i said several times WE ALL MAKE MISTAKES IN OUR LIVES!! WE ARE NOT PERFECT BEINGS EVEN THOUGH WE TRY AND FAKE TO BE WE AREN'T!!! we are not his judges to judge him! what i tell people is take a look in the mirror at yourself first!and if you are without any fault or sin go ahead and cast the first stone! ten times out of ten you can't and you know it!! when i read your comments that you made it was very hurtful to me,if it was hurtful to me think about his family! what if it was your loved one!! i am not trying to get into a knock out drag out debate with  you over mr. taylor, i'm just simply asking you before you make hurtful comments like that review what you are going to say before you say it!and like i stated before you might not have cared for or known sean, but others did, so next time have a HEART AND THE HUMAN DECIENCY to respect others in a time of mourn as this,please let this young man's memory rest now!! and i say that to everyone who is trying to bash this young man's meomry!!!!! rember people your family can still have fun and talk to you but this younng man's life is GONE AND OVER WITH!!!! and it is not from negative choices that he made in his life, it is from people who had their own ideas of greed to take what this young man had worked so hard for!!!!! to the taylor family again i am so sorry for your loss ,but remember with god you can gain!!!!! keep your heads up and remember sean as he was in life,remember the sean that made you laugh and happy!! because i am sure he would have wanted it that way!!!!!!  signed sherri

ericy, i just wanted to say that,you may not have known sean taylor but it is alot of other people that did! you might not be saddened by his loss but alot of others are including my young son that is a football player and that adored this young man!!! you talk about that alot of people die everyday(which is true), but how hurtful is your comment to that young man's family,friends,and his young fans that looked up to him!!! it is not about whether you like football,it is not about alot of people that die everyday,it is about showing respect to this young man's memory and his family members!!! you might have not wanted to know anything positive about this young man's life as you said, but you were quick to try and point out negative things in this young man's life!! and like i said several times WE ALL MAKE MISTAKES IN OUR LIVES!! WE ARE NOT PERFECT BEINGS EVEN THOUGH WE TRY AND FAKE TO BE WE AREN'T!!! we are not his judges to judge him! what i tell people is take a look in the mirror at yourself first!and if you are without any fault or sin go ahead and cast the first stone! ten times out of ten you can't and you know it!! when i read your comments that you made it was very hurtful to me,if it was hurtful to me think about his family! what if it was your loved one!! i am not trying to get into a knock out drag out debate with  you over mr. taylor, i'm just simply asking you before you make hurtful comments like that review what you are going to say before you say it!and like i stated before you might not have cared for or known sean, but others did, so next time have a HEART AND THE HUMAN DECIENCY to respect others in a time of mourn as this,please let this young man's memory rest now!! and i say that to everyone who is trying to bash this young man's meomry!!!!! remember people your family can still have fun and talk to you but this younng man's life is GONE AND OVER WITH!!!! and it is not from negative choices that he made in his life, it is from people who had their own ideas of greed to take what this young man had worked so hard for!!!!! to the taylor family again i am so sorry for your loss ,but remember with god you can gain!!!!! keep your heads up and remember sean as he was in life,remember the sean that made you laugh and happy!! because i am sure he would have wanted it that way!!!!!!  signed sherri

I just keep thinking about all the other families who lost loved ones to a gunshot wound last night.  I'm sure many had as compelling a story as Sean Taylor.

RIP all.

Especially when our real heros in Iraq and Afghanistan have their bodies hidden from the public upon their return to Dover, Del., or when the Pat Tilmans'have their stories' covered up.

Why focus on the people at the top of the world, when (as Senator Webb has said), we should be more concerned with those at the base.  I feel badly for his family, but no a bit more than I would for any other stranger's family.

as another tragic victim of gun violence who leaves behind a fiance, daughter, family, friends and teammates. And I think the media has been giving him fair play: that yea he had some legal troubles but was maturing after his daughter's birth and his successful season this year.

True, Taylor is getting more attention because he's a talented, famous pro athlete, but I think his story helps to demonstrate how no one is safe from gun violence.

I hope his daughter grows up in a safer nation than the one that claimed her father's life ... RIP Sean Taylor  1983-2007

My interest in football has faded as the 'Skins continue to suck. Taylor was one of the few players that genuinely still got me excited about the game. I'd watch just to see him play.

I wonder if Wilbon realizes what a Grandpa he sounds like as he continues to suggest that somehow Sean brought this on himself. Get back on your front porch swing, Michael. Might be time to yell at the neighbor kids on your lawn again.

my only thought was as a father, I feel really bad for that little girl who will grow up without a dad.

to fire shapiro and wilbon:

http://petitionspot....

When I heard that he'd been shot in the leg and was in critical condition, I thought of the femoral artery.  It turns out that WAS the femoral artery that was severed.  That is a very bad thing to have happen. 
  Taylor bled to death...-poor fellow. 

(It is not like in the movies where leg and shoulder/arm shots are seen as minor wounds....where John Wayne-type characters can carry on almost mormally.  Big arteries are all over and all likely mortal if broken.)

I think most of us who do follow football appreciate just how special an athlete he was.  He was the kind of talent that only seems to come around once in a generation for a team -- a lot of fun to watch on Sundays.

The circumstances surrounding the murder -- a guy who returned to his home to be with his family following a break-in demonstrates that he was also someone who had his priorities straight in his private life.  Everything that I've read suggests that he was doing the right thing in his private life in recent years.  Just a very unfortunate set of circumstances.

As a player it will be difficult to replace his talent on the field.  From a personal perspective, I have no doubt that the loss is an irreplaceable one for friends and family.  My thoughts and prayers go out to the Taylor family.

I am a Cowboy's fan - a heresy in Virginia, I know - and love watching the NFL Draft.  If I recall correctly, the Redskins had the sixth pick in the 2003 draft.  I hoped that they would draft Kellen Winslow (TE), because I thought he was a lesser talent than Taylor.  The Redskins were waffling on who to draft (Taylor or Winslow), and I was scared that they would make the correct decision by drafting Taylor.  Of course the Redskins drafted Taylor, and it made me nervous for the then future Redskins/Cowboys match-ups.  Needless to say, sports fans knew four years ago that he was a special, game-changing talent. 

We lost him too soon, and my heart goes out to his daughter, family, and friends.

there was some talk about the Redskins getting Winslow, but in the end Portis lobbied hard for Taylor, and that's the route that the team went.  The Skins also were able to add Cooley in the 3rd round that year -- probably the best draft in the Snyder era (which by Skins standards isn't saying too much -- I hate to admit it).

No question though Taylor was in the midst of his best season -- he wasn't just making great hits, but he was playing his position very well too.  It looked like Landry was a first-rate complement at free safety.  Taylor still wasn't on the same level as a guy like Ronnie Lott in his prime, but he definitely had that potential -- there was a sense that he had two or three great season ahead of him in the very near future.

Of course, I think that many of us would be willing to trade those kind of "what ifs" for the guy simply having been able to survive.  In 4 years he had already given Washington football fans quite a few good memories.  Given the nature of the game and the business -- between injuries and free agency -- there never are any guarantees.  In the case of life though, this is not the kind of thing that I would have expected.  Certainly not a few days after Thanksgiving week for a guy who was spending time in his house with his family.

he will be missed.

He was my favorite player. He never asked for a break and he never gave the offence one. He maybe a loss to redskins, loss to the NFL, and loss to the world but he well never a loss to my memory. RIP Sean

....I am glad he got to the Pro Bowl last year, he deserved it. I am sure a lot of people will judge him on some of his youthful associations. Look where he came from, inner city.  That's how a lot of NFL lives started, he did whatever he had to do to survive. He gets in a better situation, and look he was getting his act together--unfortunately it doesn't always work out. He was one of my favorite skins--much like Derik Thomas on the field out in KC, who lost his life in an automobile accident.

I think Wilbon has a lot of knowledge on Sports, but he's wrong on this one. He's not making any new friends that's for sure. He dropped a couple of notches in my book.

astounding ability to sense where the ball was going to be thrown, and an intense desire to do his best and win.  He should be mourned as a father who will never see his child reach adulthood, mourned as a beloved son and lover whose family will now never see the mature 50 year old he might have grown to be, mourned as a great talent who had the capacity to inspire and entertain millions with his incredible gifts.  Did he have flaws?  Yes.  I remember being annoyed at his more childish behaviors such as the spitting incident, and irritated at his willingness to place his career and his very freedom on the line with his ill-advised behavior a few years ago, but the fact is that on balance he was a work in progress.  As a player he was only just then closing in on his peak.  As a man he was beginning to show signs of maturity and responsibility.  The bad boy was giving way to the good father and the mature man.  Too bad we will never know the that Sean Taylor.