2008 Woodie Awards
Inside The Lines: Weighing in on the NFL's latest tragedy
J. Andrew Horvath
Issue date: 11/29/07 Section: Sports
- Page 1 of 2 next >
Every sports fan has vivid memories of on-field events, recollections of things that made an impact on either an outcome of a game, or simply a moment that is cast in the mind, cemented into an unchanging, almost dreamlike scenario where greatness, disappointment, or emotion overtake our normal senses and become something lasting.
Two of my strongest memories as a football fan involve bone-jarring, teeth-gnashing collisions that made me cringe and holler with excitement at once. One was during last year's NFL Pro-Bowl when AFC punter Brian Moorman got his bell rung by an NFC safety along the sideline after deciding to pull the ball down and attempting to make a first down on a called punt.
Another was a perfect example of how to evade a tackle in the most physical manner; Florida State running back Greg Jones in a 2004 game against the Miami Hurricanes laid down such a brutal hit on a Canes' safety that it caused the game's play by play man to shout, "Oh, he's running over people!"
Involved in both of these hits, once the giver and once the receiver, was former Washington Redskins free safety Sean Taylor, who early Tuesday morning died of a gunshot wound suffered in his Miami home during an alleged break-in. He was twenty-four years old.
Sean Taylor, known as Meast (a combination of man and beast) to his teammates and, along with fellow safety LaRon Landry called Area 51 affectionately by Redskins fans (Taylor wore number 21 and Landry 30, which combines for 51), was both famous and infamous for his physical style of play, which some would argue verged on dirty.
Standing over 6'2" and entering the league at linebacker size, he was a forceful player who enjoyed tormenting opposing receivers who dared venture over the middle of his field. Earning All-American honors his junior year at the University of Miami, he was drafted by the Washington Redskins with the fifth overall pick in 2004. He was named an alternate to the Pro Bowl twice in his first three years in the NFL, playing in the game once which resulted in the aforementioned hit on Brian Moorman. That hit was emblematic of his style of play, and the criticism surrounding it was emblematic of his career. For all the accolades and admiration sent his way, Taylor was not without his troubles.
Two of my strongest memories as a football fan involve bone-jarring, teeth-gnashing collisions that made me cringe and holler with excitement at once. One was during last year's NFL Pro-Bowl when AFC punter Brian Moorman got his bell rung by an NFC safety along the sideline after deciding to pull the ball down and attempting to make a first down on a called punt.
Another was a perfect example of how to evade a tackle in the most physical manner; Florida State running back Greg Jones in a 2004 game against the Miami Hurricanes laid down such a brutal hit on a Canes' safety that it caused the game's play by play man to shout, "Oh, he's running over people!"
Involved in both of these hits, once the giver and once the receiver, was former Washington Redskins free safety Sean Taylor, who early Tuesday morning died of a gunshot wound suffered in his Miami home during an alleged break-in. He was twenty-four years old.
Sean Taylor, known as Meast (a combination of man and beast) to his teammates and, along with fellow safety LaRon Landry called Area 51 affectionately by Redskins fans (Taylor wore number 21 and Landry 30, which combines for 51), was both famous and infamous for his physical style of play, which some would argue verged on dirty.
Standing over 6'2" and entering the league at linebacker size, he was a forceful player who enjoyed tormenting opposing receivers who dared venture over the middle of his field. Earning All-American honors his junior year at the University of Miami, he was drafted by the Washington Redskins with the fifth overall pick in 2004. He was named an alternate to the Pro Bowl twice in his first three years in the NFL, playing in the game once which resulted in the aforementioned hit on Brian Moorman. That hit was emblematic of his style of play, and the criticism surrounding it was emblematic of his career. For all the accolades and admiration sent his way, Taylor was not without his troubles.
Be the first to comment on this story