Pat Tillman

Pat Tillman, former NFL strong safety for the Arizona Cardinals, was killed in Afghanistan yesterday.

I remember a couple years ago when he left the NFL, giving up $3.6 million over 3 years, to join the Army Rangers. Even then, his bio read like a storybook; small guy with intensity who made it as a linebacker in college, student athlete who refused to redshirt and graduated in 3.5 years, pro football star who quietly walked away from the game to serve his country.

It's too bad the story couldn't have had a happy ending.