I need to jump on a soapbox a little here, because I am getting sick and tired of pampered athletes comparing themselves to soldiers. Don't athletes know that comparing themselves to soldiers is absolutely absurd? In times when the world is quiet and the war is not on the forefront, we tend to let these comments slide, but during troubled times, it is hard to ignore. How can an athlete who makes has made over $200 million (Kevin Garnett) playing a game compare himself to the men and women of the U.S. who face death day in and day out in the hostile territory of a foreign land?
Last year Kellen Winslow II, or K2 as he calls himself, had this to say about a football game. "It's war, they're out there to kill you, so I'm out there to kill them. We don't care about anybody but this U. They're going after my legs. I'm going to come right back at them. I'm a fucking soldier." What an Idiot. Yeah, you are a real soldier, go back to your dorm room and play Xbox while some groupie feeds you grapes.
Last night Kevin Garnett had some idiotic things to say. I like Kevin Garnett, I think he is one of the classiest athletes in the business, but his latest actions have made me re-think that. "It's Game 7, man. That's it. It's for all the marbles," Garnett said. "Sitting in the house, I'm loadin' up the pump. I'm loadin' up the Uzi. I got a couple M-16s, a couple 9s. I got a couple joints with some silencers on them. I'm just loading clips, a couple grenades. I got a missile launcher with a couple of missiles. I'm ready for war."
This is the reigning MVP of the league. I am sure he will retract that statement in due time, like Winslow retracted his, but the fact of the matter is that these athletes need to think before they speak. By now, they should know that comparing themselves to a soldier is like Keanu Reeves comparing himself to ...well any good actor, take your pick.
Pat Tillman played football and died in war, I wonder what he would have said about comparing the two?
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