SI's disrepect of Sean Taylor

[demskins21]

Has anyone read the lastest Sports Illustrated (Print edition Dec 31 - Jan 7 The Year in Sports Double Issues with Belichick on the cover)? They group Sean with D. Williams of the Broncos, who was shot in a drive by at some club, and Mike Vick. And this is the bio they have under his picture.

"Though he struggled during his first two NFL seasons- he was fined repeatedly for late hits and accused of brandishing a gun during a fight- The Redskins' Pro Bowl safety appeared to put his life in order after the birth of his daughter in 2006. But in an apparent botched robbery at his Miami home, Taylor was killed. During the Skins' next game, at home against the Bills, they sent 10 defenders onto the field for their first play."

That is his Bio? That is all they could write? Part of it is fine, but to not mention how he had become one of the best safeties in the league, or the fact he had been voted hardest hitter this year by SI is crazy. Not to mention he had become the heart of the defense and a fan favorite. I mean Sean was my favorite player and I know that plays a role in my anger over this. I just feel he has been disrespected by the media and that is why he avoided them in the first place. Darrent Williams bio is much different. This is SI's bio for him...

"One of the NFL's best young defensive backs, he was killed in the early hours of New Year's Day, shortly after his Broncos were eliminated from the playoff contention. In just two seasons Williams became hugely popular player in Denver, firing up teammates with his catchphrase "All ready!" He was gunned down in a drive-by shooting after members of his party got into an altercation at a club. His murder remains unsolved."

I have nothing against Darrent Williams. My beef is with the media and how they continue to disrespect Sean. At least most players in the NFL still respect him and wear the 21. Am I reading to much into it?

[iwasdoinit]

Can't expect otherwise from these people. That's what sells. He was in his own home.

[TK]

Has anyone read the lastest Sports Illustrated?
Was this the print edtion or online?

[Manasseh]

I don't know if we're talking about the same article, but I read the article that was in the issue with Brett Favre on the cover. I don't remember all the details of the article, but overall I thought it was a good article. It basically blasted the media for the way they reacted in the days after Taylor's murder.

[Backpack3r]

I havent heard anyone in the media disrespecting Sean, not even ESPN

[Glockypoo]

Please, someone tell me what is so wrong with this? Everything in the blurb is a fact.

We need to stop being so hyper-sensitive to everything and anything written or said about Sean.

We know how special he was. Who cares what others think. We cant expect non-Redskins fans and media to talk about Sean the way we do. Its just not realistic. Let it go.

BTW, this was in the print edition of SI with Belichick on the cover.

[Walking Deadman]

I also read the one with Favre on the cover while getting my oil changed at a Jiffy Lube (I don't buy SI) but it wasn't a bad article about Sean and it did attack the media for jumping the gun (no pun intended, not trying to be tasteless) to get the scoop.

[SUSkinsFan]

I think you're reading too much into it. The section is factual. Also, since most of what you would like to have seen written about Sean was written about Williams, I can understand SI not wanting to say the same thing about both players.

[Califan007]

Please, someone tell me what is so wrong with this. Everything in the blurb is a fact.


I think you're reading too much into it. The section is factual.
I don't think "disrespect" means "they lied"...I think it's more of a tone detected. The bio for Sean Taylor really does minimalize his on-field accomplishments and decides to go with the "Thug Turns Good" angle instead.

As for the article, didn't read it so not sure if there's any "tone" detected there as well or if it's an overreaction by the OP...

[Larry Brown #43]

I agree with the OP on this one. To call Darrent Williams "one of the NFL's best young defensive backs" while making no reference to Sean's talent is absurd. No disrepect meant to Williams, but ST was an elite player who was already considered by many to be the best safety in the game. I guess that wasn't worth mentioning?

[Glockypoo]

I agree with the OP on this one. To call Darrent Williams "one of the NFL's best young defensive backs" while making no reference to Sean's talent is absurd. No disrepect meant to Williams, but ST was an elite player who was already considered by many to be the best safety in the game. I guess that wasn't worth mentioning?
They referred to him as a pro bowl safety.

[demskins21]

This is the print edition with the Year in Sports cover (DEC 31 - JAN 7)

[Heidenreich]

I read this as well, and saw no problem with it.

Some of you need to stop looking for "disrespect" EVERYWHERE YOU LOOK!!!!!!!

[SUSkinsFan]

The bio for Sean Taylor really does minimalize his on-field accomplishments and decides to go with the "Thug Turns Good" angle instead.

Calling him a Pro Bowl safety implies what he did on the field, calling him a Pro Bowler then talking about his accomplishments would be redundant...

[demskins21]

I understand I may me biased about ST, but to say you saw nothing wrong with the medias coverage is crazy. They made him out to be a thug turned good guy.

[Glockypoo]

I understand I may me biased about ST, but to say you saw nothing wrong with the medias coverage is crazy. They made him out to be a thug turned good guy.

Let me preface this by saying I was one of Sean's biggest fans. I've shed many a tear over his passing.

That being said, Sean did have a checkered past. Lets not pretend he didnt. The thug turned good guy reference isnt that far off. Ya, thug is a little strong, but how else would you summarize his past discrepancies?

[stevenaa]

You guys take this stuff way too personally. ST was not respected in the national media as the Top Safety in the league. His reputation for late hits, spitting and skipping the Rookie symposium preceeded him. His actions caused the perception that he was thuggish. He did this too himself. Get over it.

[ZkinsFan]

horrible, just horrible

[Larry Brown #43]

You guys take this stuff way too personally. ST was not respected in the national media as the Top Safety in the league. His reputation for late hits, spitting and skipping the Rookie symposium preceeded him. His actions caused the perception that he was thuggish. He did this too himself. Get over it.
Way to take the lazy route and buy the easy, rubber-stamp story like many in the media did. Those who actually did their homework learned that there was much more to this young man's life and character than a few youthful indiscretions would indicate.

[Califan007]

Calling him a Pro Bowl safety implies what he did on the field, calling him a Pro Bowler then talking about his accomplishments would be redundant...
I'm referring to what the OP quoted as Taylor's bio...

[Califan007]

Let me preface this by saying I was one of Sean's biggest fans. I've shed many a tear over his passing.

That being said, Sean did have a checkered past. Lets not pretend he didnt. The thug turned good guy reference isnt that far off. Ya, thug is a little strong, but how else would you summarize his past discrepancies?
We've REALLY diluted the definition of "thug", then...

[ucfSKINS]

Was this the print edtion or online?

It was the printed edition. I received it too. I was reading it in my 'library' and thank the lord I was there cause I would have crapped my pants. I couldn't believe it either.

But they are the media, and we all know the media sucks ass!

[MeNoRevs]

More and more I see that some fans are like women (no offence to the 3 women posters on here, lol)

Super sensitive and looking for anything to start an argument

[Potato Sack]

Newsweek had a recent blurb about ST. They were basically bashing the media for treating him like a Thug, when in actuality he was just a victim trying to protect his family from thugs who broke into his house.

[Touchdown Redskins]

You guys take this stuff way too personally. ST was not respected in the national media as the Top Safety in the league. His reputation for late hits, spitting and skipping the Rookie symposium preceeded him. His actions caused the perception that he was thuggish. He did this too himself. Get over it.

I don't think what he did was thuggish. I would say that it was immature. There also is a little bias to be seen here. Ray Lewis, also from the University of Miami, was accused of murder the day before the Falcons/Broncos Superbowl, yet somehow his "checkered past" is not brought up whenever people discuss him. I understand that time heals all wounds, but what ST has done is not nearly as thuggish or as reprehensible as being involved in a murder case.

ST's case was dropped, while Ray Lewis had to reach a plea agreement for a misdemeanor charge of obstruction of justice. It seems that ST's "change" from a thug to a stand-up citizen isn't as drastic as the media would make it out to seem. He simply went from making immature decisions to making mature ones, something that all players go through.

I believe the reason for this bias is because ST was inaccessible to the media. So, instead of quoting him or approaching him, they could only go by what little information they had on his past.

I also believe that it is disrespectful to ST to bring up this past right now because of how recent his death is. Every writing about ST right now should be eulogical, and once the grieving period is over, only then should we bring up his past or talk of his mistakes.

[sugarmag15]

every now and then they just re-remind me of why I cancelled my subscription a few years back. Poor journalism being the #1 reason

[Backpack3r]

You guys are weird lol, nuff said