Sean Taylor

While we await word on Washington Redskin Sean Taylor's condition, a moment to reflect on what his shooting says about athletes, pro sports, the leagues and owners, the media, guns, our gangsta obsessed society and the world in general.

On second thought...

Seriously, there is not enough news to start to speculate if this shooting is a result of the lifestyle Taylor chose. A ferocious player, he also is no stranger to trouble. Given tremendous talent and opportunity, he chose to walk the fine line of the life he came from and the life that was offered him. A smarter person might have left his old life behind and crossed the line to what was being presented to him, but for some that is easier said than done.

The early news reports are that he was shot during a robbery. My gut tells me he will end up knowing the people behind the robbery, but perhaps this will not be the case. Maybe while his life has not been exemplary, this particular incident had nothing to do with his previous lapses in judgement.

But considering the past, one can't help but jump to that conclusion. He came into the league from a school where bad behavior is the norm. He got into some trouble in the pros, but not nearly enough to have him rethink how he was living his life. A great defender, he also preferred going for the big hit rather than just a normal tackle, which often led to mistakes. But he knew it was the big hit that got you on ESPN. He believed he had to keep his street cred on and off the field.

It is weird to write about him in the past tense but odds are his playing career may be just that, past tense. Hopefully his life won't be past tense. And hopefully what happened was not something he courted through his lifestyle.

If he did though, we must all pay attention. Now Sean Taylor made his own bed. That said, sooner or later, the colleges, the professionals, the media, and the fans have to look at their roles as enablers. We can't cheer when they're on the field and roll our eyes when they're not. It doesn't work that way.