Barely a Footnote

Superbowl XLIII and the NFLs Betrayal of Pat Tillman

Guy Montag (feralfirefighter.blogspot.com)

June 20, 2010

Unveiling of Pat Tillman statue at Univesity of Phoenix Stadium General Petraeus performs the coin toss before Super Bowl XLIII

Pat Tillman played for the Arizona Cardinals from 1998 through 2001, yet, as you watch the Cardinals play the
Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, you might neve know it. The NFL loves to wrap itself in the flag, yet the league has no
plans to remember him. The Cardinals have a statue and reflecting pool dedicated to Tillman outside their stadium, but
nothing on their jerseys.
-- Bill Plaschke, LA Times 1-25-09

You couldn't help but notice in the days before tonight's Super Bowl that the memory of Pat Tillman feels like barely a
footnote. In fact, the NFL sent out a news release a couple of days ago, with the trumpeting headline: "NFL salutes
service, courage and bravery in Super Bowl XLIII." But it had nothing to do with Tillman. the NFL picked a
beautiful theme for the Super Bowl It's difficult to think of better words to describe the most important Cardinal any
of us will ever know.
-- Rick Maese, Baltimore Sun 2-01-09

I think they [NFL] haven't gone out of their way to help; they've exploited Pat, just like the military. they have a
beautiful statue to him at Cardinal Stadium. I don't know if that's more for us or him; I feel like it's more for them.
They haven't really helped to try to find out what happened to Pat. It's like, "Okay, we had the jersey dedication, we
did this, let's move on."
-- Mary Tilllman, 6-02-08

He [Pat Tillman] might have been the most celebrated story of this year's Super Bowl between his old Arizona team
and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Instead, he's the saddest. And also the most awkward what should have been the
dream story that cemented the marriage between the NFL and the US Army, turned into a terrible tragedy and a
mortifying embarrassment. when the Stealth Bomber roars overhead before the game on Sunday maybe people
will remember that American sport's connection with its armed forces is not all about glory. It's about secrets, lies and
death, too.
-- Oliver Holt, The Mirror 1-28-09
 Barely a Footnote
Superbowl XLIII and the NFLs Betrayal of Pat Tillman
June 20, 2010

During his 2004 re-election campaign, President Bush addressed Cardinal fans on the Jumbotron
during an emotional halftime ceremony in which the Arizona franchise retired Pat Tillman's
jersey number. Yet, during the 2009 Superbowl with his team (the Arizona Cardinals) playing
the Steelers, Pat Tillman was barely a footnote. Old news. A bit troublesome for the media and
NFL to dwell upon. A bit of an embarrassment. Best ignored.

The Media (New York Times in particular) Army, Congress, and the Presidency (both Bush and
Obama administrations) have betrayed the Tillman family by their failure to hold accountable
those responsible for the cover-up of Pat Tillmans friendly-fire death (see documents posted at
feralfirefighter.blogspot.com for details).

During 2007-2008 the Democratic Congress (particularly Congressman Waxman, Senator Webb,
and Senator McCain) pretended to investigate the Armys handling of Tillmans death. But
they merely white-washed those involved, General Stanley McChrystal.

Last year, despite General McChrystals central role in orchestrating the cover-up of the friendly-
fire death of Pat Tillman and the fabrication of his Silver Star citation, McChrystal was promoted
to the Armys highest rank by the Senate and President Obama,

Ironically, during Superbowl XLIII, Gen. David Petreaus (a long-time friend whos worked
closely with Gen. McChrystal and pushed for his promotion) did the coin toss at the beginning of
the game and was honored for his service, courage and bravery. Yet, during the Superbowl
not a word about Pat Tillman (who exemplified those values) was televised.

The NFL has betrayed the Tillman family as well. They exploited the death of Pat Tillman, yet
refused to help the Tillman family in their search for the truth. I guess the NFL figures theyve
paid for a statue, had a jersey dedication, paid for a Tillman USO in Afghanistan time to
move on. The NFL turned Pat Tillman into an icon, instead of recognizing his iconoclastic
nature.

Im still angry that the truth about Pats life and death has been buried by the media and
government. Tillman was enshrined as an icon while the man fell by the wayside, his parents
used as props at his funeral. The truth may be painful, but its the truth, his mother said. If
you feel youre being lied to, you can never put it to rest.

We should honor Pat Tillmans memory by honoring the man, not the myth.The iconoclast, not
the icon. As his mother said, Pat would have wanted to be remembered as an individual, not as
a stock figure or political prop. Pat was a real hero, not what they used him as.

Guy Montag
From the NFLs 1-29-09 press release, NFL Salutes Service, Courage and Bravery in
Super Bowl XLIII:
 The NFL will salute the military and the heroic crew of US Airways Flight 1549 during
Super Bowl XLIII pregame festivities at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay live on
NBC on Feb. 1; it was announced today. GENERAL DAVID H. PETRAEUS,
commander of the United States Central Command, will toss the coin in a special
ceremony moments before the start of the game. The US Airways Flight 1549 crew
will be recognized on the field for helping safely rescue 150 passengers on New York's
Hudson River last month. FAITH HILL will sing "America the Beautiful" and
JENNIFER HUDSON will perform the National Anthem prior to the coin toss.

Note: In Spring 2009, General Petreaus urged President Obama to fire General McKeirnan and
promote General McChrystal as the new commander of the Afghan War. General
McChrystal played the central role in the cover-up of Pat Tillmans friendly-fire death
and directly supervised the writing of his fraudulent Silver Star.

I wasnt happy to see Gen. Petreaus on the field honored for his service, courage and
bravery when hes certainly aware of the role played by his friend Gen. McChrystal in the
Tillman case (see my post The Emperors General for more details at
feralfirefighter.blogspot.com)
...

From the Baltimore Suns Rick Maeses Cardinals stand as enduring tribute to Tillman (2-
01-09):

Faith Hill will sing "America the Beautiful." Jennifer Hudson will belt out the national
anthem. Fighter jets will fly overhead. Gen. David Petraeus, commander of the U.S.
Central Command, will toss the coin. And then two teams will clash on a lush spread of
grass and 150 million fans from sea to shining sea will stop everything to indulge.
America and football. A union as perfect as any, inspiring among its faithful the most
important of tenets: loyalty and love and devotion. But something's missing. You
couldn't help but notice in the days before tonight's Super Bowl that the memory of Pat
Tillman feels like barely a footnote. In fact, the NFL sent out a news release a couple of
days ago, with the trumpeting headline: "NFL salutes service, courage and bravery in
Super Bowl XLIII." But it had nothing to do with Tillman. He deserves to be
remembered today.

So today we celebrate America and football. And what a great union it is. We would be
hard-pressed to find someone who bridged the two or represented either better than Pat
Tillman. Though it has announced no plans to pay tribute to Tillman today, the NFL
picked a beautiful theme for the Super Bowl - service, courage and bravery. It's difficult
to think of better words to describe the most important Cardinal any of us will ever
know.
...
From The Pittsburgh Post-Gazettes Chuck Finders Players sense hero's presence (2-
01-09):
 Pat Tillman -- Played for the Cardinals from 1998 through 2001. An 8-foot bronze
statue, hair flying, adorns a "Freedom Plaza" outside University of Phoenix Stadium. His
retired No. 40 and name appears in their Ring of Honor. His photo hangs in the trainer's
room and elsewhere around the team's Tempe, Ariz., facility.
Yet now that the Cardinals -- after 89 mostly mediocre-to-miserable years -- have
reached the summit of Super Bowl XLIII today against the Steelers, questions remain:
What about honoring Tillman here? Marie Tillman, his widow and now chairman of
the Pat Tillman Foundation, has been invited to sit with the Cardinals' owners at
Raymond James Stadium, Bidwill [Cardinals owner] said. But beyond that, no patches?
No stickers on helmets? No ... something?
NFL officials plan to show a scoreboard video tribute to Tillman in a game where they
are honoring, among others, military veterans in a display that includes Iraq commander
Gen. David Petreaus participating in the coin toss.
Note: It appears that Pats mother, Mary Tillman and her family were not invited to the
Superbowl. She has been a vocal critic of the the NFL for refusing to help find her out
what happened to her son.
...

From Bill Plaschkes 1-25-09 column, Pat Tillmans Friend Hasnt Forgotten Him:
This is a story not only about a missing tag [dogtag given to a teammate], but a missing
legacy. The Super Bowl is here, but any mention of the most nationally beloved alumnus
of either team is not. Pat Tillman played for the Arizona Cardinals from 1998 through
2001, yet, as you watch the Cardinals play the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, you might
never know it.

The NFL loves to wrap itself in the flag, yet the league has no plans to remember him.
The Cardinals have a statue and reflecting pool dedicated to Tillman outside their
stadium, but nothing on their jerseys. An NFL spokesman said there may be something
about Tillman on the NBC television broadcast, but there were no guarantees.

I just think there's some missed opportunities there," said Walz, a linebacker who was
Tillman's training camp and road roommate during their four-year Cardinals career.
Given what Pat represented, you would think they would do something.
...
From Dave Zirins 6-08-08 column, The NFL's Tillman offense: The League Screams
Patriotism But is Silent When the Family of a Patriot Seeks its Help:

Mary Tillman has a message for the National Football League: Help me find out what
happened to my son. Now, after six investigations and two congressional hearings,
there remain many unanswered questions about Tillman's death and the Army's initial
investigation of it. His family has challenged the Bush administration, the Pentagon and
the media to uncover the truth.

In a recent interview with me, she was highly critical of the actions of the NFL
 because she believes it continues to bathe in the glory of her son's patriotic sacrifice while
doing little to help the Tillman family find out how Pat died.

War and patriotism, of course, have long been associated with the culture of football.
Military airplanes overfly many stadiums before games begin. The NFL has seized on
Pat Tillman as another way to connect with the red, white and blue sports fan. Earlier this
year, former Commissioner Paul Tagliabue brought together the NFL and the United
Service Organizations to build the Pat Tillman USO Center at Bagram Air Base in
Afghanistan. And the league just opened an exhibit dedicated to Tillman at its Pro
Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.

The league certainly seems to have the clout to get things moving. Owners of
professional football teams are some of the wealthiest and best-connected people in the
United States. 20 veterans who saw combat in Iraq and Afghanistan took the
extraordinary step last August of writing a letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell,
asking his help in securing the release of the requested documents.
Unfortunately, the league has not responded to Mary Tillman or the veterans.
...

During David Zirins interview with Mary Tillman last year Like He Died Twice': Mary
Tillman's Lonesome Road (6-02-08) Mary Tillman criticized the NFL leadership for their
failure to help her uncover the truth:
It seems the NFL has taken many opportunities to commemorate Pat, but they don't want
to get behind you. Do you think they want to have it both ways?
I think they haven't gone out of their way to help; they've exploited Pat, just like the
military. I do believe that. I mean, they have a beautiful statue to him at Cardinal
Stadium. I don't know if that's more for us or him; I feel like it's more for them. It's sad
for me to say that, but I think it's true. They haven't really helped to try to find out what
happened to Pat.
They have tremendous power...
Oh, absolutely. But there has been no effort to find out. You know, and the fact that
players who played with him wanted to wear his number--they wouldn't let them do that.
It's a minor thing I suppose, but at the same time I think it's kind of telling. It's like,
"Okay, we had the jersey dedication, we did this, let's move on." I think that speaks a lot.
If you could say something to the last two NFL commissioners Roger Goodell and Paul
Tagliabue if they were here right now, what would that be?
Well, I would say to them that they exploited Pat no differently than the military. You
know, this is a young man who was quite unique. He was trying to do the right thing and
it would be the right thing to try and find out what happened to him.

...
The Mirror UKs Oliver Holt wrote in The tragic demise of Pat Tillman is the Star
Spangled Tragedy of the Super Bow l (1-28-09):

But given the sacrifice Tillman made, given that he would only be 31 if he was still alive and
might have been playing in this Super Bowl, there has been little mention of him here in Tampa.
the NFL says nothing is planned.

A US Marine sergeant with a camera crew and a badge that said 'Pentagon Channel' moved
purposefully from one Arizona Cardinals player to another yesterday. I followed that sergeant
around the sideline for a while and heard him speaking to other Cardinals players, too. Not once
did he mention Pat Tillman.

That is just part of Tillman's tragedy. He might have been the most celebrated story of this
year's Super Bowl between his old Arizona team and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Instead, he's the
saddest. And also the most awkward. what should have been the dream story that cemented
the marriage between the NFL and the US Army, turned into a terrible tragedy and a mortifying
embarrassment.

when the Stealth Bomber roars overhead before the game on Sunday, even in the excitement
of the moment, maybe people will remember that American sport's connection with its armed
forces is not all about glory. It's about secrets, lies and death, too.