of Hobey Baker, the only man in both the college football hall of fame and the hockey hall of fame.
SI has a great feature with 60 of its best articles, and this one caught my eye. I gave it to my students when I was teaching them about Achilles and the way that his choice--to live intensely and die young, or to life a boring, long life--epitomizes a decision that is played out over and over again in various contexts. We often associate this attitude to musicians-the 27 club and all that, and also to folks in the military, who, like Achilles, may ultimately choose Honor, and the associated "immortality" of broad respect and fame. But it also fits athletes. As we talk about traumatic head injuries, and learn more about it and other systemic injuries, the best athletes will have to make this choice--better to live intensely now, with fame and glory, at the cost of a happy, long life?
Anyway, here's the story of one such athlete, not so well known anymore, who, for a short while was the king of the American athletic scene.
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As far as your comment goes as regards to the military, it can be a strange dichotomy for the more seasoned service members, especially with those with families back home. I can still remember when I was a brand new Captain back in 2006 in Ramadi, Iraq, I felt like I was living one day at a time. I didn't have any real familial obligations, so I felt like I was just living for myself, which made me put all of my priorities on ensuring that my team came home safely at all cost. While not for glory, the thought of living a long life didn't really register in my life...don't get me wrong, I didn't want to die, but it was one of those things I didn't think too much about, especially as I was having too much fun doing some of the coolest things I was trained to do.
However, now that I'm almost a decade older with a young family (with a 3 year old and a four day old), I can't even relate to that guy back in 2006. I now look back on my fellow Marines, who had families back home and am in complete awe of them for their incredible courage and sacrifice. They were in the same familial situation as me now, yet they were more than willing to put themselves in such positions of danger when all they wanted was to be back home with their families leading uneventful and long lives watching their children grow (what I want most in my life).
Maybe some were adrenaline junkies or whatnot, but I think most toed the thin line between wanting the honor of leading their men through the most precarious of situations at the cost of even their own lives and wanting to be back home safe and sound with their families where they could lead those predictable lives.
And Ronnie, about aging and kids, your thoughts are spot on. I wasn't a military guy, but the world-be-damned narcissism (probably) of my youth didn't last long after I felt so rooted by the love of my daughter. Now it just sucks that I feel like I can see the finish line already in the distance (I made the mistake of reading parts of Tolstoy's confessions lately, hahaha.)
Ronnie: Congrats! I just received my 3rd grandchild on Thursday.
I have to admit that it's a trip having a baby boy.
I have to admit that it's a trip having a baby boy.
Nice! My hunch is that an early delivery, even if unexpectedly early, is better than waiting forever, what to speak of being in labor forever. Good news! Hope you can get some sleep here and there. I don't know Tomi, but if it's not weird, send her my best wishes (or our collective BBI best wishes)!