Why Is Taylor's Death So Troubling To Us?

[Paintrain]

I think because he was such a mystery to us, due to his mistrust of the press, we had a different level of fascination with him that we don't have with some other players but we knew on Sunday he was going to show up to blow up.. We identified with his passion for the game, reveled in his ability and were awed by his play.. Since he was our best defender, arguably overall player, it's a huge loss on so many fronts. We saw him as still a shadow of what we were going to see him become. It's like we had our futures robbed from us as well..

Not to be insensitive and nothing personal to this player, but if this happened to say Lorenzo Alexander or Marcus Mason, it would still be as tragic but wouldn't reverberate so much.

[SUNRA]

Sean Taylor was an absolute terrorist on the football field. He spoke volumes with his game and he had a magnetic attraction to the fans young and old. I don't think I have seen a player live up to all the hype of his teammates and fans at the U and make such and impact the first year he arrived. I'm glad I kept the Redskins 2004 yearbook. It shows ST is in rookie year as #36. Man, what a football player.

[EternalEnigma21]

you're right paintrain, and I also think on my part at least, there was this hope that he was a guy we were going to get to know... that the mystery was going to be unraveled soon and he was going to let us in and now that's not going to happen.

[Skinner]

Originally Posted by SkinsFan6388

it would be troubling if any of our skins died as previously stated. this death was so senseless and he was only beginning to see his true potential. theres no doubt he was on his way to being one of the most feared defenders in the league. but more importantly the man was only 24 yrs old, and had a child that will never know her father. it personally kills me inside to think about what was lost and what could have been.

I couldn't have said it any better. He didn't even get to see his daughter grow up, he was trying to protect his family. This just tears me apart inside

[motorman]

Originally Posted by 12thMan

If any current Redskin had suffered this untimely and tragic death, I know we'd all be mourning and very sad today. But is it possible, as much as we hate to admit it, there's something a little more hurtful, if you will, about Sean Taylor's death. How did we come to like a player so much in such a short period of time? How did we seemingly look beyond his past transgressions and cheer so hard for him and got excited when he was in the lineup?

I hate to say it, but save maybe a guy like a Clinton Portis or a Jason Campbell, do we still mourn like this? To this extent? Why is this death, Taylor's death, so damn devastating? It's like one minute the guy is about to return from a knee sprain and the next minute he's gone. I can't fathom this.

Was Taylor just an athlete? More than an athlete or something we fixed in our minds and we're sorry to see a bad ending to our fairytale? I don't know...I'm just trying to get it all out.

I understand your feelings as I feel the same way- going to the games and seeing sean play was amazing. But, these young athletes need strong mentors. I was professionally involved in another young pro athletes incident that started at a night club in DC and ended in Northern Virginia where he was shot. He survived and I watch him on tv playing on the court now- starting. I can't described to you seeing the man laying on the operating table defenseless. We talked and only he and I know what was said - but it seems that it may have impacted him. [I hope]. I wish sean's family all the best and they are in my prayers. Sean is looking down now and he can finally see how much he was truly loved by the redskin fans and fans across the nation. God Bless you Sean.

[Defensewins]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

I don't think we'd mourn the same way if this had happened to say Asante Samuel or even Reed Doughty. It's not a bad thing, it's just the way it is. Sean Taylor was a Redskin (part of our favorite team). Not only that, but he was a uniquely gifted athlete who we are blessed to have seen play albeit for only a brief period of time. Speaking specifically about Taylor the player, guys like him come along once every decade or so in any sport.

But then at the same time, it just reaffirms the mortality of all of us, no matter how skilled you are at anything. And the suddenness (is that a word?) of it all. And it's scary.

Great post.

Why ST of all people?
I have not felt like this since Len Bias died.
As you can tell by my Warpath name defense means a lot to me. We have not had a player of ST ability and most importantly HEART and LOVE FOR THE GAME in decades. I will miss him. A true Redskin.
I admired and loved ST's game even before we drafted him. What made me realize what a special player he was when they asked many of the great players on ST's freshman year national championship Miami team, which teamate would you want with you, almost all of them said Sean Taylor.
When you can be great and combine that with the love and respect from of your teamates...that is by definition a special player.