Best article I've read yet on Sean Taylor, the man

[dgack]

But here in this upper-middle-class neighborhood, he was a sweet, smiling teenager who dazzled his teachers at the exclusive Gulliver Preparatory School when he transferred in midway through his sophomore year because his father thought he would have a better chance at college if he left the public school system.

Frank Gisonni, who taught marine biology to Taylor and Williams, remembered Sean as a bright child who mingled easily among the children of prestige at Gulliver.

Taylor met Jackie Garcia, the niece of actor Andy Garcia, at the school, and everyone felt they were destined to become a couple, Gisonni said. His senior year he was named prom king and he attended it wearing an all-white tuxedo and a white top hat. He even danced with the school's founder and matriarch, Marian Krutulis, who is in her 80s.

"She was very proud of him," Gisonni said. "He was such a charmer."

Family members bristle at the perception of Taylor as a brutish loner, and several would not speak to reporters because of it. Those who did said he was a good kid who lived in a solid neighborhood with his father and kept out of trouble.

washingtonpost.com

[SmootSmack]

Very nice.

Andy Garcia's niece, who knew?

[dgack]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

Very nice.

Andy Garcia's niece, who knew?

Exactly, and given that context, it sure does put a different spin on the whole "thug athlete living with some girl he knocked up" undertone a lot of news reports have implied, doesn't it?

When it comes right down to it, many of us on this board could have been a guy like Sean Taylor, in his position. Middle class, but parents worked hard to get him into a private school so he'd have a better future, lived in a not-so-great neighborhood, did the requisite college partying and young adult bad decision-making but ultimately realized there are more important things in life, and got his life in order.

So to hear people suggest he had it coming, well, to me that means that any of us who have made mistakes in our youth have it coming. Stories like this ought to make it clear that Taylor was not a bad person, not a mean person, not an evil person. He wasn't just some guy who was important because he could hurt people on a football field.

He was a thoughtful young man trying to be a better person, better at his job, better at being a father, better at being a leader and role model. And that's a whole hell of a lot more than a lot of people can say. A lot of people talk about changing themselves and doing better, but few actually do. Sean Taylor was one of those remarkable few.

[skins268]

seems like he had a Very good upbringing with a great family.He deserved much better.

[warriorzpath]

Maybe now, these sports reporters can take back the judgments and assumptions they made based on Taylor's supposedly thuggish influences and rough environment that led him to trouble and being shot.

I used to like Wilbon, but based on this article- if he can't apologize for his remarks (which weren't too harsh, but still negative)- then I have lost all respect for him. And I will never tune into his show again and switch the channel when he is on TV.

[Cowell]

GREAT read.

I don't know if any caught Outside the Lines but they were talking about how over-blown ST's background has become due to this and how everyone seems to think that this incident must be because of his background. For once ESPN was sticking up for ST.

[skinsfan69]

Originally Posted by warriorzpath

Maybe now, these sports reporters can take back the judgments and assumptions they made based on Taylor's supposedly thuggish influences and rough environment that led him to trouble and being shot.

I used to like Wilbon, but based on this article- if he can't apologize for his remarks (which weren't too harsh, but still negative)- then I have lost all respect for him. And I will never tune into his show again and switch the channel when he is on TV.

Honestly I'm sick of the media assholes who have to say stupid shit. We've all done stupid shit in our lives. We all have a past. I don't know of one person that hasn't driven drunk. And the ATV's? Who knows what happened. I know one thing. It wouldn't have happened if some loser wouldn't have stole shit off of his property in the first place. I'm not saying what he did was right. But I know I'd be mad as hell if someone stole anything from me. I hate nothing more than someone who steals. But the media just can't stop bringing crap up. I honestly HATE the media. There are so many media outlets and everybody wants to be a fucking star.

I heard Wilbon on every single radio show and on TV. What is he? Some fucking expert? It's like he's Mr. Know It All. How can he comment on Taylor when he didn't even know the guy? Please. And to Colin Cowheard. He's even worse. What a fucking tool. He should be fired for his stupid ass google comments. Do these assholes report to anyone? Do they have anyone watching over them? Have they become so powerful that they just can say anything?

PS. Sorry about my language. But I'm just plain old angry right now. Let the guy be put to rest before people have to bring up his past.

[JWsleep]

Originally Posted by dgack

When it comes right down to it, many of us on this board could have been a guy like Sean Taylor, in his position. Middle class, but parents worked hard to get him into a private school so he'd have a better future, lived in a not-so-great neighborhood, did the requisite college partying and young adult bad decision-making but ultimately realized there are more important things in life, and got his life in order.

I fully agree (and with the rest of your post too). In fact, this is one of the things that is most upsetting to me is that he was among my favorite skins BECAUSE he had the troubles and struggles he did. He wasn't some "untouchable" athlete beyond comprehension. He was human. Given the amount of stupid things I've done in my life, and to get through them, made it easy to feel for Sean. Guys like Michael Jordan are amazing, no doubt. But I'd rather have spent a day with Sean, because he was real, we could recognize ourselves in him, as a man, if not as a staggeringly gifted athlete.

(I still cannot believe it.)