McNair no ‘hero’

I have just finished watching a news segment on former NFL star Steve McNair’s funeral on CNN in which they referred to him as a hero.

A man with a wife and four children having a mistress is in no way a hero. I always thought a hero was someone to be looked up to and admired. What a poor example this sets for the youth of America to see their idols in such situations. He was an excellent football player, but to call him a hero is going overboard.

Our heroes are fighting in foreign countries, not at home cheating on their families. Calling him a hero degrades the meaning of the word, which lately has been afforded to anyone in sports or entertainment. Maybe I just don’t understand.

Granville Ferguson
Marshall, Mo.

Comments

[Jazz-Man]

Oh and as a Christian you have the right to question another Christian if you see unholy doings; but to do so and not work with your Brother or Sister to change makes it all in vain. Just wanted to throw that in there.

[Jazz-Man]

Are you people that cold hearted that you cant even acknowledge what McNair did on the field; even I can say OJ was a hell of a player and I can also say he did it! Is your hatred for one man that bad? You all must live unhappy lives. His character towards women was down right pitiful yes he wasn’t the best husband…..But he was a good player.

[NoMoreMrNiceGuy]

So if I understand your thought process and moral compass. Money = character?
You would make a great family court judge, Sol.

[Proud American]

Sol............read my post again. I said I believe he did not have a strong bond with GOD, I didn't say he did not have a bond.

And about those charities, did you know that is in their contracts. Most of them have to do it, some want to.

[solomon]

Never been a fan of his, I have no interest in his infidelities being validated, I have no real interest in him at all, I've just been speaking to the hypocrisy of those who judge him for his affair while excusing it in others. Granville set the tone and what else did we get....

Kate excused them because they "did something with their lives"

littlehoofer suggests that flaws are somehow not flaws and that it is not normal human behavior to lie and cheat....must have just arrived on the planet or slept through every history class....

PA brings in God and then judges the man.....

NE checks in from his imaginary gated community, calls me a liberal and then jumps on his man victim soap box.....what a bi$^h...

indy is back with oil changes being character flaws....

Marctnts makes an excellent point, but that is for his family to deal with, as it would be for your family in that situation.....

All the while you all missed the fact that I never said the man was a hero, I just said his acts that had nothing to do with football should be his legacy, the lives he changed. The truth is that you will excuse such acts in others but not in this guy.

Wonder what Ike's kids thought about his affairs when it came out? Who cares, he whupped the Gerries. Why don't you guys care that Jefferson had a thing for screwing his slaves? Why, because he's a founding father?

You guys should be ashamed of yourselves........

[Indy]

Yeah, that is THE tragedy in this story. I can't imagine the confusion and pain his children are left holding. Whether some consider him a hero is a moot point. His kids are left to consider life without their dad and his wife is left to clean up the mess. I feel very sorry for them.

[Marctnts]

"There is nothing heroic about being shot dead by your mistress. Nothing heroic about bringing disgrace to your wife and children. Nothing heroic about winning it all, and choosing to squander it this way."

Well said, Indy. Face it, the guy, for all his charitable work, had his life ended as a result of his infidelity and left his greatest legacy (his children) in a position where they must wonder what kind of man their father actually was.

[Indy]

Sol,

You seem to have a vested interest in seeing this man's infidelity validated, as you do with the other men you mentioned. While they make for provocative questions, not sure they make for good arguments. Not gonna play the gotcha game that "X" equals "Y". I don't think their adultery invalidates their good works, nor do I think their good works validate their infidelity.

Are the founding father heros...I tend to think of them as inspired, American patriots who worked for something much larger than themselves. I wouldn't put their legacy in the same league (pun intended) as Mr. McNair. Not to diminish him - just apples and oranges for me.

I personally think we use the term "hero" much to flippantly in our society. I'm not ready to stick his head on Mt. Rushmore just yet. That's just me.

[solomon]

C'mon guy's.....i gotta get out of here in a few and really am looking forward to any one of you(and my darlin' Kate) saying even though Ike led us to victory in WWII he was not a hero..........Jefferson was not an American hero either, and the list goes on...

[solomon]

.....character flaws are forgetting to change your oil?.....

...let me ask you then....Jefferson, FDR, Ike and so many others, not hero's because they were not true to a marriage?....

[Jazz-Man]

Too bad, I will still wear his jersey but he wasnt a nice guy when it came to females. Like I said too bad.

[Indy]

To me, character flaws are forgetting to change your oil, put the toilet seat down, or floss regularly. Adultery is beyond that. I've watched it literally destroy 2 families and permanently scar the lives of 6 children. It is selfish, evil, and destructive. Actions have consequences. In this case, it cost a man his life and his family everything. That's not judgemental, Sol. That's the reality of it. Hate the sin, love the sinner. There is a REAL difference, and people are not judging harshly because they see the distinction. I don't care if other prominent men in history had mistresses. It doesn't make it right.

There is nothing heroic about being shot dead by your mistress. Nothing heroic about bringing disgrace to your wife and children. Nothing heroic about winning it all, and choosing to squander it this way. No one here disputes that he didn't do good works with his time, talent, or money. I am hopeful that he did. He undoubtedly made a difference in someone's life. People are complex, and generally their legacies shouldn't be boiled down to one act.

So, call him a great FB player, call him human, or call him whatever floats your boat. What people are objecting to is calling him a hero. Not. Even. Close.

[solomon]

.....nothing Liberal about it NE.....why do you put political terms to something that has nothing to do with politics?....as a football player the guys life means nothing to me, so your hero worship line of attack is meaningless....this man had more christian charity in his little finger than his detractors do in their entire bodies.....his contributions are a matter of record...the fact that he had a flaw in his character to me does not negate those things......people talk about the soldiers being hero's.....they are, but do we think they are all Cromwell?...is the guy in Afghanistan fighting for our country a hero unless he is having an affair?.....

...like I said, you guy's grade tough....

[hajkar]

Nah, NoMo, that guy is just a victim on public assistance.

[NoMoreMrNiceGuy]

Spoken like a true liberal excuse maker Sol.
He was not a ero, sorry to burst yor bubble. Tough player and great athlete, yes, but that's it. He is nothing special in any other regard, just a common male.
This guy here is however a hero:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090716/ap_on_re_us/us_wrongfully_jailed

[solomon]

PA.....you talk about belief in God and morals then you sit in judgment of your fellow man.....what he did on the football field to me is as insignificant as his affair......my point is a flawed human can still be worthy of one's admiration...this man gave his time, his money and added his inspirations to better the lives of many (Christian traits, right?)....

I bet your god isn't as strict as you are, otherwise heaven might be a desolate place.....

[solomon]

......let's go back to my examples, which person do you judge the way you are judging this guy?......

tinydancer......it is considered "human" to have flaws last I checked.....

[Proud American]

If you want to witness real heros....just take a look at the men and women who worked the accident in Peculiar last night. They are hereos. They put their lives on the line everytime a call comes in. Not just on Sundays.

[Proud American]

I believe it all comes down to morales, and true belief in God. Apparently He had niether of these and that is the problem

[tinydancer]

So, solomon...I guess he can be considered a "hero" by everyone but his family. It's not considered "human" to lie and cheat. These are flaws. They are considered negative traits, not the whole person. And just maybe Abraham Lincoln didn't have any mistresses not because of the way he looked but another trait....honesty. Remember, "honest Abe"?

[solomon]

....you guys grade tough.....I mentioned the charitable giving of his time, money, efforts and celebrity that benefited people and you belittle him......yet a man who had sex with property, a young President renowned for his exploits while suffering tremendous back pain, a murderous politician/soldier, the person half the country considers a socialist and Ike(Kate, could you get with that smile?)

[Indy]

Great link, Kate. Bless and thank your son for his service.

[Kate]

BTW, super cool picture at the top of the link. Looks to me to be a single seater - F/A-18 E? My son leaves soon for his first deployment. I can’t seem to get enough of these pictures - maybe trying to be a part of his life while he’s away.

[Kate]

Meh. The guy played a game all his life. Whatever their faults, sol, the others you listed did something with their lives. Well, maybe not so much Kennedy, but that’s another story.

Anyway. Here’s a real hero. http://www.neptunuslex.com/2009/07/15/maybe-you-missed-it/

[Indy]

Then call him human, but not a hero. That's not judgemental in my book, or in my America. Just a judgement call, I suppose.

I don't think the letter writer invalidated his successes in life. He had many and those should be celebrated.

You call adultery a flaw - some would call it a choice. In either case, it isn't heroic.