Damn, did this thread get ugly! I just wanted to add that, contrary to popular belief, sometimes debate will actually sway someone. I, for one, used to think that calling a sports figure a “hero” was an insult to “real heros” (policemen, firemen, war veterans). Now I see that there actually is such a thing as a “sports hero” or “medical hero” (Jonas Salk anyone).
I have changed my mind, and I think it’s a shame that in the last year we’ve lost SPORTS HEROS like Walter Peyton, Payne Stewart, and Derrick Thomas.
Zette
PS- for what it’s worth, lighten up everyone. Jeez!
Love is like popsicles…you get too much you get too high.
Jess who? Jess aka Mr I contribute where?
Mr I got in on this and bashed a person rather than added any of this so called “fighting ignorance”. Or was that another one of those "posts just to boost their #)?
Marvin, get a life. Jess has been on the SDMB for years (literally). The choice to not post every day is hardly indicative of someone posting just to “boost their #”. (Can’t spell “number” Marv?)
BTW, the last time you were here, you promised us that you would limit yourself to MPSIMS. Is your memory that short, or do you simply never keep promises?
Okay I concede defeat. I’m bowing out. Otto you’re right. I don’t want to get into a pissing contest, and I’m not making much sense. I don’t care anymore. People are going to say different things about him, and that’s okay.
“The idea of a walk-in closet sounds frightening. If I’m ever sittin’ at home and a closet walks in, I’m gettin’ outta there.” ~George Carlin
Nobody bats a thousand. And even Cy Young lost a few games.
Your profile says you registered on February 3, a mere 8 days ago. If you truly have been here only eight days, whereas I have been here since last September, I fail to see how you could have enough information to decide how often I have failed. Either you lurked on the board for a very long time before posting, or you are an old poster posting under a new name. I would prefer to believe the former, but I bet it’s the latter.
And, of course, it’s only your opinion as to whether or not I’ve failed in the past.
If the shoe fits, wear it. If the glove fits, we must not acquit.
It’s why you don’t like a person, bunkie. You are judging persons based on their sexual tendencies and not by the content of their character, if I may paraphrase Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. here. That is prejudice. Also, you show no desire to change your opinions. That is obstinacy. You’ve stated your intolerance for gays. You, according to the definition of “bigot,” are a bigot.
They would be “pushing” their “fruity ice” on you" ONLY if they were insisting that YOU become gay also. They are not. They are only asking to be left alone and be allowed to love and marry whomever they choose. In fact, YOU are pushing THEM to like vanilla the same as you.
A business that refuses to sell to persons because of their race, creed, color, gender or sexual preference is engaging in illegal discrimination. They are breaking the law and should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. (Yes, I know you were using a metaphor up there. I’m just extending it to its logical conclusion.)
Ah, Jim Crow for gays, I see. Let them have their own stores, their own separate section at theaters and ballparks, their own water fountains, force them to ride in the back seat…
Again, they are not trying to make YOU do anything. They only want the same rights that you do to go where they wish, live where they wish, marry whom they wish.
That’s right, don’t let facts get in the way of your opinions and feelings. :rolleyes:
I was trying to make sure that you saw it and that others also saw it. Your defending the character of Derrick Thomas was admirable, but I thought I’d let others know the character of the person who was defending him.
I find that admirable. Their hamburgers I don’t admire, however.
BTW, I went through your post and edited it for grammar and punctuation. If I were my High School English teacher, Mrs. Duce, I’d give you a B+. As for content, I’d give it an F.
This is mostly a pissing contest between StarvinMarvin and reason. Been there, done that before, with other trolls. Ho hum.
Getting back to the OP, this is my most recent take on it all:
Thomas was undoubtedly a Sports Hero. According to the dictionary, he fills the dictionary’s definition #3 of “hero”. So, yeah, he was a hero, it that context (definition #3.) I personally don’t buy that he was a hero by definition #2 or #1. Those were more about risking one’s own safety to help others, displaying bravery, valor, etc. No slam against him - it’s just that many wonderful men in this world are NOT heroes.
Frankly, in my opinion, when one is a Sports Hero, usually the whole term is used. Meaning, you’d say “He was a true Sports Hero” or “Sports Hero Thomas…” and so on. This distinguishes a “sports hero” from the other kind of heroes, (war heroes, people who save others from burning buildings, etc.)
To me, Thomas was not a hero because he managed not to be an asshole when so many other athletes around him were assholes. He was, however, a wonderful, generous, and nice guy. Not being an asshole is not heroic, however.
He could, in a loose sense, be an individual’s “hero”. I have personal “heroes”, we all do. People I think are great. i.e. “You’re my hero!” However, that is a personal thing, each person gets to decide that for themselves. The media cannot designate personal heroes for the rest of us. (Not that they were doing that this time…or maybe they were.)
As far as the driving issue, it was idiotic, pure and simple. A personal decision was made to not wear seat belts, drive too fast. It cost him his life, and his best friend’s life. Idiotic, but it doesn’t negate that he was a nice guy otherwise. He will be much missed. But NO - there is NO damned excuse for driving like an idiot like that. Just because people do it all too often doesn’t make it any less unsafe. I cannot believe he didn’t know that NOT wearing seat belts was a risk. So he took his chances, made a stupid decision, and now he has paid for it with his life. Damned sad.
Yosemite, geta life girl. You are the one attempting to keep a fight going. Stop it. Grow up.
I felt angry and rather “puckered” because you and others are actually talking about someone I know, a friend. Someone none of you know, but feel fine in talking about, in a negative manner.
I simply asked that you leave it alone, drop the subject. OUt of respect, and in memoriam at least until he is buried, and gone.
Was that so much to ask? NO. But then again by the way everyone acted about it here, maybe it was. Hopefully someday I can repay the favor when some prominent friend of yours passes.
From what I am getting from your earlier posts on this thread, you are more of a distant acquaintence of Thomas. Sure, you are upset about his death. OK. It isn’t like the rest of us are delighted - all have agreed that it’s damned sad.
If it distresses you so much to read that many people do not consider really nice guys automatically “heroes”, or that driving too fast on icy roads is a dumb thing to do, then, my dear, the solution to your distress is obvious - stop visiting this thread.
I am not writing my posts to distress you. I don’t really care about you, one way or the other. You are a troll, you are not paying attention to the real issues being discussed on this thread, and you are basically a bore.
I am directing my posts to non-troll SD members. That would mean - NOT you.
MISS I contribute where?, if you please. I’ve been around forever – since the old AOL days, as a matter of fact (Hi Tom! And thanks!). And I stand by my statements, the accuracy of which you continue to prove hourly.
MISS I contribute where?, if you please. I’ve been around forever – since the old AOL days, as a matter of fact (Hi Tom! And thanks!). And I stand by my statements, the accuracy of which you continue to prove hourly.
From what I am getting from your earlier posts on this thread, you are more of a distant acquaintence of Thomas. Sure, you are upset about his death. OK. It isn’t like the rest of us are delighted - all have agreed that it’s damned sad.
If it distresses you so much to read that many people do not consider really nice guys automatically “heroes”, or that driving too fast on icy roads is a dumb thing to do, then, my dear, the solution to your distress is obvious - stop visiting this thread.
I am not writing my posts to distress you. I don’t really care about you, one way or the other. You are a troll, you are not paying attention to the real issues being discussed on this thread, and you are basically a bore.
I am directing my posts to non-troll SD members. That would mean - NOT you.
MISS I contribute where?, if you please. I’ve been around forever – since the old AOL days, as a matter of fact (Hi Tom! And thanks!). And I stand by my statements, the accuracy of which you continue to prove hourly.
From what I am getting from your earlier posts on this thread, you are more of a distant acquaintence of Thomas. Sure, you are upset about his death. OK. It isn’t like the rest of us are delighted - all have agreed that it’s damned sad.
If it distresses you so much to read that many people do not consider really nice guys automatically “heroes”, or that driving too fast on icy roads is a dumb thing to do, then, my dear, the solution to your distress is obvious - stop visiting this thread.
I am not writing my posts to distress you. I don’t really care about you, one way or the other. You are a troll, you are not paying attention to the real issues being discussed on this thread, and you are basically a bore.
I am directing my posts to non-troll SD members. That would mean - NOT you.
Okay, starvin, I’ll call you out on it. I played with DT for four years on the Chiefs, and knew him after that through charity work. I went to see him in River Falls in recent years when they trained there, and even snuck him over to Steve’s for gyros pizza. I talked to him two days after the Chiefs whupped on the Vikings.
Is it okay for me to say it then? I’M PISSED AT DT FOR DRIVING LIKE AN IDIOT! He’s dead, and I can’t bring him back. There was no reason for him to die, other than he was being stupid. That doesn’t make him bad, but STOP TRYING TO DEFENT HIS STUPID ACTION!!!
Did you meet him in the end zone? Did you get an atomic wedgie from him as a rookie? You keep trying to tell everyone to shut up because you claim to be his friend. I think maybe I can one-up you on that and tell you that DT hated gay-bashing sanctimonious fucks like you. He hated jerks who told were as rude to yosemitebabe as you were. Given how much lying you seem to have done so far, IF you ever met him, he probably hated YOU!
Okay, starvin, I’ll call you out on it. I played with DT for four years on the Chiefs, and knew him after that through charity work. I went to see him in River Falls in recent years when they trained there, and even snuck him over to Steve’s for gyros pizza. I talked to him two days after the Chiefs whupped on the Vikings.
Is it okay for me to say it then? I’M PISSED AT DT FOR DRIVING LIKE AN IDIOT! He’s dead, and I can’t bring him back. There was no reason for him to die, other than he was being stupid. That doesn’t make him bad, but STOP TRYING TO DEFENT HIS STUPID ACTION!!!
Did you meet him in the end zone? Did you get an atomic wedgie from him as a rookie? You keep trying to tell everyone to shut up because you claim to be his friend. I think maybe I can one-up you on that and tell you that DT hated gay-bashing sanctimonious fucks like you. He hated jerks who told were as rude to yosemitebabe as you were. Given how much lying you seem to have done so far, IF you ever met him, he probably hated YOU!
Hey that was being a jerk, you violated the rules right? You insensitive bitch. I am not a troll, and have not shown evidence I am. Your definition as a few “choice” other members like you will agree, is anyone who wont bend or step aside to let your diatribes and self-righteous BS pass. Yosemitebabe FUCK YOU, and Im sure you dont deserve the favor.
Bucky- what position? and how dare you lie through your teeth. You cant spell sack of shit. Derrick was deeply religious and believed in “live and let live” but said nothing about “being good pals with”. You obviously didnt know him past the trading card you held.