Another Day, Another Sad Story

So we all know that there are tons of things that go down every single day that would make your stomach turn. Early Monday morning, Redskins safety Sean Taylor was shot at his home in Miami. He was not with the team, because of injury, and that is the norm for the Redskins. But, the story goes, that 8 days before this, someone broke in to Taylor's home, went through his belongings, tried to get in to a safe. They didn't take anything, but left a kitchen knife on the bedroom pillow. No one was home at the time. Early Monday morning, Taylor heard someone in his house. He got the machete he kept under the bed for protection and went to lock the bedroom door. The door swung open, and 2 shots were fired, including the one that hit the 'Hitman' and got an artery. He passed early Tuesday morning. We all know this story by now. Something is fishy about this, though. It's being treated as a home invasion, but I don't see it that way. First, they broke in his house while no one was home and didn't take anything. That doesn't mold well with me. Second, his father is the chief of police in near by Florida City, and should have told Sean that this was no breaking and entering, or robbery. If it was, something would be missing. Something. Anything. Silverware. A TV. The family pet. Something would have disappeared. I don't know why his pops wouldn't Say, "listen son, you need a gun for protection right now. Someone came in to your home and didn't take anything. That means they were looking for you, not your things.

But here's my issue with this. He didn't have a gun in the house. After it got broken in to 8 days before that. I'm not putting that 100% on him though. The league doesn't want any of their players to have guns, even at their home, because they are so dangerous. They don't want their players to shoot anybody, even in defense because it shines a negative light on the league. But now, they are looking dumb because Sean Taylor was at home, in his bedroom and someone broke in his house. He didn't have a gun, and now one of their players is dead. The second NFL player in less than a year to be killed by the bullet (Darrent Williams). I would imagine the number of guns being purchased by NFL players are skyrocketing this week. You HAVE to be able to protect yourself. Florida has laws that would have made it 100% acceptable for Sean Taylor to shoot this man between the eyes. He would have never seen the inside of a jail. Not even for 2 seconds. At Sean Taylor's house, the first time it was broken in to, the phone lines were cut, disabling any communication with the security company. They phone company should have moved his box inside the house at that point. But now, the murder investigation starts, not the breaking and entering, or attempted robbery. Will this be another case that goes unsolved? Will it get preferential treatment because of his father's occupation? Was it over a girl? His fiance? Does she know who did this?


I think the NFL should have classes, or a symposium, about security. They have these meetings for rookies to give them basic knowledge of how their life is going to change since they are coming in to the NFL. They should have the same thing once a year for gun control. It's not illegal to own a gun, unless you're a felon, and the league shouldn't say that none of their players should have one, even at home, for protection. These players are at risk, more than the average person, even if they live in your average upper middle class neighborhood. I would say more so for robbery than a straight out murder, or attempt at harm, but you have to look at both sides of the blade being sharp in this case.

Any way you look at it, a man is dead, and a daughter will grow up with out a father.