When Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman

Pat Tillman, in When Men Win Glory is viewed as a ruthless beast on and off the football field who lived to play the game of football with extreme tenacity and desire. He loved the feeling of adrenaline and danger, often performing or testing dangerous stunts/activities for pleasure alone. He found himself a home on the Arizona Cardinals and excelled from an athletic standpoint at the safety position. In getting selected by the Cardinals he felt a certain loyalty to the team when denying a 9 million dollar contract with the St. Louis Rams. This deal would have guaranteed more playing time and much more money than Arizona had to offer, but the Cardinals was the place for him. A long with also having loyalty for his team, he also had a strong loyalty to his country. His life of football went from a million miles per hour to a screeching halt after the 9/11 incident.
When the lives of everyone in New York was vastly devastated, Tillman’s football life seemed to be “hollow” or not as important than it had felt in years prior. In his book he states, “Sports embodied many of the qualities I deem meaningful. However, these last few years, and especially after recent events, I’ve come to appreciate just how shallow and insignificant my role is. . . . It’s no longer important” (Krakauer). Turning down a 3.6 million dollar deal with the Cardinals, Tillman then enlisted into the U.S army with his brother Kevin. They completed basic training in 2002 and found themselves in “Operation Iraqi Freedom” as a Ranger being deployed to Afghanistan. After serving for nearly two years, Tillman was killed by friendly fire in April 2004. With his aspiration of a “need to make a difference in something that matters” he was viewed as an honorable hero.
Tillman served our world as someone who made the most of his life. In fulfilling his duties as an athlete he felt he could play at the next level thus being drafted into the NFL. In fulfilling his duties as a citizen in the United States, he felt he could make a difference thus enlisting in the army. Throwing away a life of fame and fortune to serve for our country proves the type of character Tillman had. In Mr. Book Review, James Varner said, “Tillman's story was one of sacrifice, both monetarily when he joined the Army, and then mortally when he lost his life in combat alongside his fellow rangers in Afghanistan” (Varner).
This book is part of our Post Modern Literary Era and demonstrates the drive of a United States citizen to serve his or her country. Unfortunately it resulted in the death of a great soldier and athlete that made a difference in other peoples lives. His story swept through not only the sports world but the national news and was seen as a hero and role model to many.

Information Source: Filkins, Dexter. "The Good Soldier." Web log post. Book Review. New York Times, 8 Sept. 2009. Web. 13 Dec. 2010. .

Varner, James. "WHERE MEN WIN GLORY: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman." Military Review 90.2 (2010): 121-122. Military & Government Collection. EBSCO. Web. 13 Dec. 2010.

Picture Source: Krakauer, Jon. Where Men Win Glory. 2004. Photograph. Bookhills.

My Prison Without Bars

My Prison without Bars

Pete Rose was one of baseball’s all time greats. Rose, the all time MLB leader in games played, at bats, outs and a record most saw to believe as an un-reachable achievement, the all time hits record shattered by Rose at an astounding 4,256 hits. He won three World Series, three batting titles and a coveted MVP award. He received two gold gloves and was also selected to play in 17 different All-Star games. Rose is one of the most consistent players in all of sports history. His amazing skill on the field at five different positions, with a great eye for hitting, is overshadowed by scandalous activity throughout his career.

My Prison without Bars, written by Pete Rose, explains his excessive gambling problem through the 24 years he served in the majors as a player and manager. Rose being suspended from the MLB in 1989 due to allegations of gambling on baseball only heated the water for was what to come. Being suspended from the league by breaking “Rule 21”, stating “Any employee, who shall bet any sum whatsoever upon any baseball game in connection with which the bettor has a duty to perform shall be declared permanently ineligible”(MLB Regulations). This not only ended his coaching career it also completely removed him from having a chance of being inducted into the Hall of Fame. Rose had interviews on television shows such as 60 Minutes where he straight faced lied to the camera and all the viewers watching and listening. His only actual confession was through his words in his story! In his book he claims, “I should have had the opportunity to get help, but baseball had no fancy rehab for gamblers like they do for drug addicts. If I had admitted my guilt, it would have been the same as putting my head on the chopping block -- lifetime ban. Death penalty. I spent my entire life on the baseball fields of America, and I was not going to give up my profession without first seeing some hard evidence. I just kept telling myself that permanently is a long goddam time. Right, wrong, the punishment didn't fit the crime -- so I denied the crime"(Rose322).

Rose, still to this day, believes that he should have a shot for the Hall of Fame and believes he was treated unfairly. In an interview with sports illustrated he said, “If I had been an alcoholic or a drug addict, baseball would have suspended me for six weeks and paid for my rehabilitation. The distinction between drugs, booze and gambling told me that baseball was interested in punishment, not treatment.”(SI issue Jan 5, 2004).

This book by Pete Rose, written in our Post Modern Literary Era, shows and teaches us about loving something you do and falling astray from it by an uncontrollable bad habit. I believe that many folks who read this book can relate in some way to an addiction of some sort that endangers a person’s well-being. This habit doesn’t necessarily have to be gambling or drugs, it can be an eating disorder, a money spending problem, a steroid problem, etc, all of which have a negative outcome to one’s life. In Rose’s case, he had a lot to loose and he lost a great part of it. He ruined the one thing that he loved to do by not being able to control something that he was addicted to. This book shows that thing’s aren’t always black and white and that the punishment doesn’t always seem to fit the crime. As Rose stated, if he had a drinking or drug problem, he would go to rehab and still be a hero. Having a gambling problem just made him come out looking bad with no help or rehab offered by the league.

Information Sources: Rose, Pete, and Rick Hill. My Prison without Bars. [Emmaus, Pa.]: Rodale, 2004. Print.

Selig, Bud. "SI.com - Magazine - Rose: I Bet on Baseball - Monday January 5, 2004 2:54PM." Breaking News, Real-time Scores and Daily Analysis from Sports Illustrated – SI.com. 5 Jan. 2004. Web. 10 Dec. 2010. .Print.

Picture Source: Bull, Gregory. My Prison Without Bars. Photograph. INHISTORIC, Cincinnati

Beyond Belief

Josh Hamilton, the baseball worlds “next big thing” didn’t work out the way everyone had hoped. In Beyond Belief, written by Tim Keown, is a story of how the best things in life can take a turn for the worst. Hamilton being a five star recruit out of high school was a superhuman, freak of nature athlete. He would play anywhere on the field and excelled at whatever position he was placed at. He was drafted first overall at the age of 18 to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, where he was put on a high pedestal to become the greatest baseball player to ever live. After enduring a back injury due to a car wreck, Hamilton began to grow into a depressed state. The fact that he was not able to perform on the field to his greatest potential because of his ailing back, Hamilton began to grow impatient and frustrated with himself. After an epidemic of bad decisions Josh found himself inked from head to toe and addicted to drugs such as crack, and cocaine. Between sneaking drugs into the teams facility, being kicked off the team, and abandoned by just about everyone he had in his life, Josh was left with nothing more then himself and his drugs.
After stealing money and belongings from loved ones for drug purposes finally his family knew enough was enough. Through ongoing drug rehabilitation sessions Hamilton was finally clean and living life safely and healthy. Gradually he began to fall in love with the sport that had showed him so much love for a majority of his life, baseball. Getting a chance to start for a big league team, the Cincinnati Reds signed him to a contract which caught the attention of many teams. After one year in the majors the Texas Rangers offered a trade proposal sending Hamilton down to Texas where he excelled just as if he were a rookie, and now the rest is history.
Hamilton now being an icon to baseball and to those who just like a good story are amazed at the turn of events that he endured. Going from “next big thing”, to a bum addicted to drugs, to a loved figure in all of baseball just shows how life is a roller coaster. Through this he is not only a great athlete but also a role model to anyone who is going through tough times, and looking for some inspiration or just a helping hand. Kevin Travis a writer says he saw Hamilton at a Fellowship of Christian Athletes' annual fall fundraising banquet where he spoke about his book and his life in general. He said the thing that stuck out the most when Hamilton spoke was his humbleness. While talking he said, “Every day I get asked 'How do you explain this, how do you explain that' and I would just sum it up as it's a God thing” truly showing Hamilton’s true colors. In another guest speaking appearance, writer John Drescher says, “His comeback has been one of the best sports stories of the last few years”.
I feel this book is a great example of Post Modern Literature writing. I t ties in the true trials and tribulations of life and provides thoughts and ideas for all ages. It teaches a lesson to young and old and shows that no matter how down a person is, having hope, support, and a passion can pull us out of our darkest hours.

Information Sources: Travis, Kevin. "Overcoming the odds." Sun Journal (New Bern, NC) 21 Oct. 2010: Newspaper Source. EBSCO. Web. 6 Dec. 2010.

Drescher, John. "OPINION: He wants to tell his story." News & Observer, The(Raleigh, NC) 07 Nov. 2009: Newspaper Source. EBSCO. Web. 6 Dec. 2010.

Picture Source: http://www.google.com/imgres/BeyondBelief. Web. 2010.

Post Modern Literary Era

The Post Modern Literary Era dating back to the beginning of the 1940’s is chuck full of famous writers from Truman Capote to J. K. Rowling all leaving their literary marks on this era. Books such as The Da Vinci Code, American Psycho and even Twilight are books read by all races, sexes, religions, and just people in general. These books have been enjoyed for years and will continue to be enjoyed in the future. There are also many books written in this era by authors who were and are still today great sports figures. These books tie in sports with different aspects of people’s lives, and how they are affected by the outcome. The subject matter of these books vary from relationships between fellow players, drug problems, and even leaving ones sport to serve for our country. Some have sad and tragic endings while others demonstrate the fortitude to overcome problems.

Tying together the Post Modern Literary Era with those books written about and by sports figures could stimulate the interest of young and old. They will be able to possibly teach younger people a lesson while at the same time provide some memorable thoughts for the older readers. Using the Post Modern Literary Era allows us to read about a more modern timeframe in which more people can relate to. This time frame is new enough whereby such modern comforts such as automobiles, planes etc. already existed. The era is current enough to allow the readers to remember the authors and to possibly live during their time frame. I believe this would be a valuable asset as appose to utilizing an era whereby the people involved were ancient history.

Information Source: "American Novel". Post Mondernism. Web 2 December 2010.

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americannovel/timeline/postmodernism.html.

Picture Source: Web 2 December 2010. http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3221/2914543497_e2df96b114.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.flickr.com/photos/alexdumitru/2914543497.