# Derrick Thomas a hero? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 8, 2000, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/derrick-thomas-a-hero/4161 "2000-02-08T19:21:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2000, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/derrick-thomas-a-hero/4161/1 "2000-02-08T19:21:00Z")
So Derrick Thomas dies because he was speeding and not wearing his seat belt, he killed another passenger who was also not wearing a seat belt, and he’s a hero? Which part of that makes him heroic? Are we really so bereft of heroes that we must promote a football player who was too stupid to drive slowly on an icy road and too stupid to put on his seat belt to hero status? ---
**Author:** ![Satan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Satan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satan)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2000, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/derrick-thomas-a-hero/4161/2 "2000-02-08T19:29:00Z")
He’s dead? * * * Yer pal, Satan ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2000, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/derrick-thomas-a-hero/4161/3 "2000-02-08T19:31:00Z")
From a Reuters article: > [@](#): > > A community-minded person, Thomas was one of the NFL’s most active players off the field. He has been honored with > numerous humanitarian awards, most notably taking NFL Man of the Year in 1993. Sounds heroic to me. ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2000, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/derrick-thomas-a-hero/4161/4 "2000-02-08T19:32:00Z")
Yep. Today. [http://cnnsi.com/football/nfl/news/2000/02/08/thomas\_death\_ap/](http://cnnsi.com/football/nfl/news/2000/02/08/thomas_death_ap/) * * * Livin’ on Tums, vitamin E and Rogaine ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2000, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/derrick-thomas-a-hero/4161/5 "2000-02-08T19:35:00Z")
I had not heard that Thomas had died. (I don’t keep up on Sports News.) I am sad, as is everyone, to hear of his death. However, I don’t get “heroic” from all of this. Knowing the scary and obsessive Midwestern football fans, they’ll light candles for him and build little shrines to him now! (Kidding…kidding…_sort of…_) I think that’s why he may be called “heroic” - _all_ football players seem to be “heroic” by default by certain fervent fans. I found this excerpt from the Kansas City Star Web Site ( [http://www.kcstar.com](http://www.kcstar.com) ): > [@](#): > > Thomas and passenger Michael Tellis, 49, of Kansas City, Kan., were not wearing seat belts and were thrown from the car, police said. Tellis was killed instantly and **a third passenger who was wearing his seat belt was treated and released.** (Emphasis mine.) Kind of reinforces the idea that seat belts are a good idea, at least in this instance, huh? If Thomas had been wearing seat belts, this probably wouldn’t have happened. But he was a dolt and didn’t think he needed them, even when driving on icy, treacherous roads. Not exactly “heroic”. (By the way, where is he being called “heroic”? I don’t keep up on Sports News, and I mentioned before.) ---
**Author:** ![Satan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Satan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satan)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2000, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/derrick-thomas-a-hero/4161/6 "2000-02-08T19:37:00Z")
Hey Otto: His death is tragic. One that could have been prevented, but unless you have never drove your car a little faster than you should have been, maybe you best save the vitriol for someone who cares. I don’t think of his death as a “heroic” thing. It’s a stupid thing. And maybe, someone out there who is otherwise a perfectly good human being, will remember this the next time they’re in the snow and drive a bit more carefully and buckle up. * * * Yer pal, Satan ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2000, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/derrick-thomas-a-hero/4161/7 "2000-02-08T19:48:00Z")
My goodness! This thread has taken off! Thomas seemed like a nice guy, from the articles I’ve read. But, read this article here: [http://cnnsi.com/football/nfl/news/2000/01/30/thomas\_accident\_ap/](http://cnnsi.com/football/nfl/news/2000/01/30/thomas_accident_ap/) **SEVENTY MILES PER HOUR.** That’s how fast he was going. No seat belts. That’s not slightly foolhardy, that’s idiotic. I now live in the Midwest, I know what icy roads can be like, and I remember hearing the news stories of the terrible car crashes the day that Thomas had his accident. It was a bad day, very scary for driving. In fact, I had an accident the same day he did. Icy roads–very treacherous. I was wearing my seat belt, and I wasn’t going that fast on a surface street, but still I had an accident. (It wasn’t bad - I _wasn’t_ going all that fast. Obviously I should have been going slower.) “Heroic” to me means sticking your neck out and risking harm. To me that’s what it means. To use the word “heroic” in the wake of his death seems odd. (One rather associates the term “heroic” with the way he died. At least I do, and I suspect the OP does too.) To bring up all the great things he did, what a nice guy he was, etc. etc. (which I have no reason to doubt) is more appropriate, I think. But - I don’t keep up on Sports News, so I may be missing something. ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2000, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/derrick-thomas-a-hero/4161/8 "2000-02-08T19:51:00Z")
> [@](#): > > “Heroic” to me means sticking your neck out and risking harm. I should add there, “heroic” means sticking your neck out and trying to help someone else, and disregarding a risk of personal harm in the process. Oh, I’m sure that there are other ways to define "heroic, that’s just my spontanious definition. ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2000, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/derrick-thomas-a-hero/4161/9 "2000-02-08T19:54:00Z")
They weren’t calling his death heroic. They were calling his life heroic. Big difference. ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2000, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/derrick-thomas-a-hero/4161/10 "2000-02-08T20:04:00Z")
OK, OK - but if being a nice guy means you are “heroic”, most people are “heroic”, right? So what does this term mean, anyway? Not to negate the nice things he did - and not that I know much about him. He sounds like he was really a great guy. He may be all that, a Big Hero, and a bag of chips. But, from my meagre understanding, “heroic” is something reserved to acts where you risk your own safety to help someone else. His philanthropic activities may have been wonderful, certainly worth much praise and appreciation, but do they fit the definition of “herioic”? ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2000, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/derrick-thomas-a-hero/4161/11 "2000-02-08T20:11:00Z")
> [@](#): > > His death is tragic. One that could have been prevented, but unless you have never drove your car a little faster than you should have been, maybe you best save the vitriol for someone who cares. Not sure if you mean that Thomas doesn’t care because he killed himself or that you don’t care. Of course, if you don’t care, why did you read and respond? And yeah, I’ve driven faster than I should have on more than one occassion. Never killed anyone doing it, and if I had I wouldn’t expect to be lauded as a hero for it. I can pretty much guaran-damn-tee I wouldn’t be lauded as a hero for it, 'cause, see, I haven’t played football since junior high. ---
**Author:** ![Satan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Satan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satan)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2000, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/derrick-thomas-a-hero/4161/12 "2000-02-08T20:12:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by yosemitebabe: > > **His philanthropic activities may have been wonderful, certainly worth much praise and appreciation, but do they fit the definition of “herioic”?** I’ll bet that many of the people who he touched in his philanthropic activities helt he was heroic. * * * Yer pal, Satan ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2000, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/derrick-thomas-a-hero/4161/13 "2000-02-08T20:15:00Z")
> [@](#): > > (By the way, where is he being called “heroic”? I don’t keep up on Sports News, and I mentioned before.) Quoting from the AP story: > [@](#): > > Flags were lowered to half staff at Arrowhead Stadium. The Missouri Legislature paused for a moment of silence. Thomas’ death was announced by Bill Kenney, a state senator and former Chiefs quarterback. > > “Derrick Thomas was a true hero,” he said. ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2000, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/derrick-thomas-a-hero/4161/14 "2000-02-08T20:20:00Z")
> [@](#): > > I’ll bet that many of the people who he touched in his philanthropic activities helt he was heroic. Why? Why the term _“heroic”_? I think they probably thought he was a wonderful, generous, great guy. That sounds like a more accurate description of what he was, from what little I know. Like I mentioned before, “heroic” (at least in my book) usually describes actions where one puts themselves at risk, or make some great sacrifice, to help another. Being a nice, generous person does not (at least to me) exactly fulfill the definition of “hero”. It’s just a quibbling over terms. I’m not saying he wasn’t a nice guy. ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2000, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/derrick-thomas-a-hero/4161/15 "2000-02-08T20:26:00Z")
Well, after the Walter Payton debacle we had here a while, I think I’m gonna keep my opinion to my self. ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2000, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/derrick-thomas-a-hero/4161/16 "2000-02-08T20:39:00Z")
This thread is more about people’s reaction to Thomas’ death, not the man himself. I have only sad feelings about his death, and from all I have read, he sounds like a nice guy. I don’t know much about this, but is it typical for a state to get so worked up over a football player’s death? Excerpt from the news: > [@](#): > > The Missouri Legislature paused for a moment of silence. Thomas’ death was announced by Bill Kenney, a state senator and former Chiefs quarterback. I dunno, it just sounds like a little bit of overkill. Does California Legislature have a moment of silence every time an actor or other California celebrity dies? (A nice, generous celebrity, of course.) I’m from California, so that’s what I use as a frame of reference. I don’t know for sure, but I don’t ever remember hearing about it. It just seems odd to me. Oh well, if it makes Missouri Legislature feel better to have a “moment of silence” over a football player’s death, more power to 'em. But I am beginning to wonder if my jestful “lighting of candles and making shrines” comment (in regards to the rabid football fans) isn’t too far off. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2000, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/derrick-thomas-a-hero/4161/17 "2000-02-08T20:54:00Z")
Dead Athlete! Dead Hero Athlete! Where’s Eve? ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2000, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/derrick-thomas-a-hero/4161/18 "2000-02-08T20:58:00Z")
. . . Oh, I’ve just been a-sittin’ back here thinkin’ of how many book sales I’d lose if I said about the dead football guy what I said a few months back about the dead golf guy . . . ---
**Author:** ![StarvinMarvin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7993a0/32.png) [@StarvinMarvin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvinMarvin)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2000, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/derrick-thomas-a-hero/4161/19 "2000-02-08T21:17:00Z")
Satan- I must agree. As a high school/college football player I worshipped Derrick Thomas. He was awesome. Yet he blanaced humanity and the life of celebrity. As one who actually met him I now feel as though a little bit of the light that makes this world somewhat liveable went out. Otto, you are one sad, sick person. The accident was a common one, the seatbelt issue is important, but did the ice play a part? Was it the blizzard they were in? Were you there? Can you be the one to cast the first stone? Nice isnt it, not having had this happen to you, to be in judgement of one who doesnt have that 20/20 hindsight you do. ASSHOLE! * * * "When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are all in confederacy against him. " Jonathan Swift ---
**Author:** ![StarvinMarvin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7993a0/32.png) [@StarvinMarvin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvinMarvin)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2000, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/derrick-thomas-a-hero/4161/20 "2000-02-08T21:22:00Z")
Lets reterm “hero” to mean one who does great feats to benefit others, at cost of his own time and effort and energy. One who gives with love and great intensity of himself to make his world and community a better place. One of morals and values and courtesies and kindness. One who would stay 3 hours after games to make sure EACH AND EVERY CHILD THAT WANTED TO MEET HIM DID. So that I can not feel as though the sanctimonious assholes who question ones passing and his Memorial rememberances. May someone JUST ONCE say as nice and as wonderful about you after ou kick off, let alone a state and the people whom you helped. * * * "When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are all in confederacy against him. " Jonathan Swift [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/derrick-thomas-a-hero/4161.md?page=2)