Sean Taylor

I’m a Washington Redskins fan. Please hold your comments on the inappropriate team name for later and be aware that I will agree with the vast majority of them. However, because I am a fan of the team, I was watching television early this morning with a bit more interest than I usually pay. At around 5:00 am or so a message came across the ESPN ticker saying that Sean Taylor, a Redskins player who had been shot in his home the day before, was out of his coma and responding to doctors. This made me happy for two reasons. First, I have followed the life and career of Mr. Taylor for a few years and he struck me as a man trying very hard to leave the past behind and make the most of his life. The second reason, of course, is that he could lay a hit on receiver like no free safety since Ronnie Lott. Hey, it’s football.

I watched and read the news coverage for the rest of the day with interest. Reporters and columnists, of all races, danced delicately around Taylor’s troubled past. Speculation about revenge, gang hits, and imagery of Taylor brandishing a machete, was interspersed with respectful reflection on his growing maturity since the birth of his daughter and his emerging leadership as a member of the Redskins.

However, what struck me most about the press coverage was my own memory of Sean Taylor’s so-called crimes, the transgressions that he is supposed to have overcome to the satisfaction of society and the press. First, let me grant that threatening someone with a gun while trying to recover stolen property is not a good idea (just ask OJ). But these are not the only “crimes” attributed to Sean Taylor. To quote one media outlet, “He had a drunken driving charge that was later dismissed. He skipped part of the NFL's mandatory rookie symposium. He fired two agents. He didn't like his contract. He refused to return Gibbs' calls during the offseason.” [AP]

Let’s examine these crimes, so respectfully included in the report of Taylor’s death. He had a drunken driving charge that was dropped? So are they assuming that he was guilty? Why? Is it because he is a well paid athlete? Is it because he is black and we all know that black people are only found innocent if they can buy justice? Maybe someone would like to consider the fact that there may simply have been an error on the processing form where the letter “I” took the place of the letter “B.”

And, oh my God, he missed part of the rookie symposium. Wow, I missed a couple of classes this semester; am I soon to be arrested or just declared the world’s most difficult student? He refused to take Joe Gibbs calls? Yeah, Tony Stewart did that for a while, too, but Taylor did it while trying to negotiate a contract. I’m fully aware that Joe Gibbs is granted messianic status by Redskins fans (heck, I have a team picture on my wall and he’s in it!), but contracts are contracts! That whole thing just evoked racially charged images of the uppity black slave arrogantly standing up to the firm but righteously kind plantation owner. That incident sickened me far more than the name of the team ever did. Finally, after all of that, Sean Taylor’s final and seemingly most serious crime was to lose trust in the media and refuse to talk to them. Ladies and gentlemen, I submit to you that the man was a genius! Seriously!

It doesn’t really matter to me what led to the incident that ended Sean Taylor’s life. Maybe it was a tragically random act, a vicious attack on a wealthy individual, or someone from his past who just wouldn’t let him escape. What bothers me is that even over the final silence of death, we still can't resist judgment and accusation. Too many times during this man’s life our society showed that when we say you can make mistakes, pay the price, and be forgiven and allowed to move on, we’re just completely full of…