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Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Befriending Tillman: On finishing the first half of Krakauer's Where Men Win Glory


            Reading Where Men Win Glory by Jon Krakauer (one of my favorites) – about half way through and finding it hard to put down.  Very good.  Before starting it ran into some conspiracy theories about Pat Tillman’s death while on YouTube which I won’t link up to here.  Things saying he was assassinated because of his burgeoning critical views of our involvement in Afghanistan.  Then I went and spent time on Google Earth looking at that region and then thought of Krakauer’s book which was never super-interesting when it came out.  Oh, and also the football season had hit the playoffs a few weeks ago when I bought a copy of the text.

            Pat Tillman quit his job in the NFL as a safety/clock-cleaner at the end of the 2001 season, the season during which the Twin Towers were taken down.  He was good at what he did.  Years ago, during the time when events transpired that Krak’s book talks about I, as were many, struck by Pat’s decision: giving up a successful career to go get shot at.  After reading the book the decision is understandable.  Turns out he is one of the most interesting people I have met/read about ever.  A super-athlete but also very educated, who had a will to always learn.  He was always reading something.  He was challenging his mind as he challenged his body with the purpose of staying sharp.  When his dog-owning colleagues were playing golf in the offseason, the cat-owning Tillman was cliff-jumping, ice-climbing, running marathons and competing in triathlons.

            Why the appeal of sports?  Krakauer says that Tillman appreciated football for the tremendous workload it demanded.  It also provided tangible success, success achieved among other athletes who are at the top of their games.  9/11 changed the field where meaningful success may be achieved for Tillman.  One big question with which I am approaching my reading of this book is, Why are sports so interesting?  Is it detrimental to be in their thrall?  Is it okay to keep sports as an occasionally indulged in pastime? 

            The reason for these questions is the critique of sports by those that say sports blind people to what is going on in society.  Chomsky defines sports as something to divert the attention of the masses so that the world can be run according to the wishes of the elites.  I won’t argue with him but still I think it is possible to enjoy sports and at the same time have a critical understanding of the world.

            Tillman got out of sports.  In a metaphorical sense he was sports: sport reflected on what it is to be sports and deciding a change was necessary.  Self-reflection was nothing new to Tillman – he kept a journal, read a lot and sought out challenging discussions with people.  After joining the Army he recognized the folly and cynicism behind the wish to bring democracy to Iraq.  The book starts with the situation that led to his death – by then he was in Afghanistan on the trail of bin Laden, the mission he joined up for.  He was there for personal reasons; personal reasons that where tied up with reasons pertaining to duty to country. 

            Krakauer had access to Pat’s journals.  The journal entries are at times quoted at length and are amazing to read.  Tillman wrestled with his decision to join, recognizing that he joined for principled reasons but also because of a deeper, more passion-based purpose.  These deeper reasons are the seat of morality for all of us. 

            Can’t wait to keep reading.

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