• Mike Wise draws up an obituary of Sean Taylor (WaPo)
• Fans have set up vigils and tributes for Taylor through the DMV (D.C., Maryland, Virginia) area.
• LeBron scored 38, dished 13 and added 4 rebounds and 2 blocks on his way to handing the Celtics their second loss of the season with a 109-104 overtime win in Cleveland.
• Ricky Williams’ comeback with the Dolphins is already over.
• Ole Miss will place recently-fired Arkansas coach Houston Nutt in their own recently vacated head coach position.
• The Patriots lost Roosevelt Colvin for the season.

For as much as he meant to the Redskins and football fans, star safety Sean Michael Taylor could have meant much more to his 18-month-old daughter, Jackie. But unfortunately, the life of the 24-year-old father from Miami, Florida was lost today, after suffering from a gunshot wound to the groin, piercing a critical artery — while protecting his family from an intruder.

Like most fans, I can’t pretend to know him outside of what I saw of him on the field, on TV and reports I’ve read. To us, he was “Meast,” (half-man, half-beast) the hard-hitting Pro Bowl safety who sported burgundy and gold every Sunday. We all feel as if we knew him, because he meant something different to us all, but in reality we only knew about him from an arm’s reach — really, not even. In his passing, we realize more of how he was emerging not only as one of the best at his position on the field, but also in his off-the-field position as a father and leader.

According teammates who were close to him, once young Jackie entered his life, Taylor was a changed man. He matured and became even more serious about his job as a football player, but even more serious about his job as a father. He was realizing his potential both at home and on the field.

Tragedies like this can happen to anyone, anytime. Taylor was not out at a club, not staying out late running about; he was in his home in the suburbs, under his own roof, when an intruder burst through his bedroom door and opened fire. In sacrificing his own life, his family’s life was saved.

This is bigger than the game of football. Today, the life of a son, a father and a man with the potential to positively affect lives was in a tragic manner.

Those who want to speculate about Taylor’s past at a time like this should hold off your judgment. From a bird’s eye view we could only see what we read about in the news, and whatever Taylor would allow — and lately he hadn’t allowed much. In his passing, teammates and close friends expose us to a man who was had grown, matured and evolved into a wonderful, respectful, responsible man.

A great American tragedy this is — May he rest in peace.

* * * * * * * * * *

Sean Taylor, Remembered

• YouTube clips of some of his on-the-field highlights.
• A Miami Herald columnist and mother to a former high school teammate of Taylor’s remembers Taylor as “respectful, well-mannered and even soft-spoken.”
• His Wikipedia page, complete with bio.
• Reports on his death: Washington Post | Miami Herald | D.C. Sports Bog
• Jarrett at SVPStyle.com — “What Sean Taylor Means to Black America”

*As I find more links I’ll add them to this listing.

The best place I’ve found so far to keep-up on the situation with Sean Taylor is on Washington Post site at the Redskins Insider Blog with Jason La Canfora. The latest information (as of 3:12 p.m. EST) has Taylor in grim conditions:

Richard Sharpstein, who has represented Sean Taylor in legal matters in the past and is a friend of the family, said moments ago that the player’s life is hanging in the balance in the hospital. Sharpstein, speaking from the hospital, said Taylor is “nonresponsive and unconscious” and the doctors are “worried about a possible brain injury or death.”

Sharpstein, who has been with Taylor’s family at the hospital much of the day, said that there are major worries that Taylor may have lost oxygen to the brain, and that no other procedures are planned for right now. “They’re waiting to see if he comes to,” Sharpstein said. He was shot in the groin/thigh area near the femoral artery and lost copious amounts of blood. He was airlifted to the trauma center and endured several hours of surgery, Sharpstein said.

Taylor is in intensive care, Sharpstein said, and his girlfriend and child were not injured in the attack. Sharpstein said Taylor was sleeping when he heard a noise in the living room. The intruders were at his bedroom and Taylor reached for a machete or other form of knife he keeps nearby in case of emergency, and two shots were fired, with one striking his leg.

“Right now he’s clinging to life and we’re all praying he makes it,” Sharpstein said.

Many fans who read the bad parts of his past are going to jump to conclusions that his dangerous past led to this current incident.

The following from WaPo’s Michael Wilbon during a chat rubbed me the wrong way:

McLean, Va.: Will your opinion of Taylor change if this does not turn out to be a random incident (e.g. home invasion)?

Michael Wilbon: No…People’s opinions are shaped by the way they’ve grown up, the way they see the world, what they know about the world the person in question grew up in, etc. Sean Taylor isn’t the only guy I know who fits his general profile. I’ve known guys like Taylor all my life, grew up with some. They still have shades of gray and shouldn’t be painted in black and white…I know how I feel about Taylor, and this latest news isn’t surprising in the least, not to me. Whether this incident is or isn’t random, Taylor grew up in a violent world, embraced it, claimed it, loved to run in it and refused to divorce himself from it. He ain’t the first and won’t be the last. We have no idea what happened, or if what we know now will be revised later. It’s sad, yes, but hardly surprising.

The comment that “this latest news isn’t surprising in the least, not to me” might be the main part that irks me. I guess Wilbon was never taught to hold premature thoughts and speculations before saying something he can’t take back.

If La Canfora’s information is correct, Taylor was simply trying to protect his family from a robbery attempt. In doing so, his family avoided injury and remain safe, while Taylor’s own life currently hangs in the balance. And all of this is “hardly surprising” to Wilbon? Maybe I am just going on emotions here but Wilbon seems pretty wrong for saying what he did.

At any rate, times like this should remind us of how inconsequential the outcome of a simple sporting event can be.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Taylor and his family during this difficult time.

• Redskins safety Sean Taylor was reportedly shot during a burglary in his Florida home. Hope it isn’t as serious are the reports say.
• Missouri’s upset over Kansas moved them into the 1 spot on the BCS standings. West Virginia rolled through UConn to overtake No. 2.
• Six untimely (as if any turnover can be “timely,” really) turnovers led to a Washington defeat in Tampa Bay, 19-13.
• I guess that 24 point spread was a bit premature, eh? The Eagles hung in and lost a close one to those stinkin’ Pats, 31-28.
• Not surprisingly, a “few” voices in Philly say Feeley should take over McNabb’s job whether the incumbent is healthy or not next Sunday.
• Houston Texans assistant coach and former Green Bay Packers head coach, Mike Sherman, is expected to take over the top gig at Texas A&M.
• The Yankees and A-Rod are allowed to move forward on his contract signing now that the league approved a marketing deal tied into his contract along with home run milestone bonuses.

• NCAA hoops #11 Oregon upset by Saint Mary’s.
• The Chiefs’ Priest Holmes is expected to retire after reportedly re-injuring his neck.
• What the hell is Nick Saban talking about, comparing a loss to 9/11 and Pearl Harbor? I-d-i-o-t.
• The Lakers make a trade! Of course it wasn’t to deal Kobe away, or else this would be the top bullet point.
• The NFL’s Jones brothers — Thomas and Julius — and their southwest Virginia background and ties.
• Jimmy Rollins, he of those Philly Phillies, won the NL MVP Award.
• I swear, Adam “Pacman” Jones will be news whether he really is or not.
• Despite Stephon Marbury rejoining the starting line-up, the Knicks continue their 7 game losing streak.
• The White Sox parted ways with oft-injured Scott Posednik.
• A little Q & A with Chris Chambers about his move from Miami to San Diego.

Brian Billick — he in all of his self-proclaimed ”offensive genius” – should pack an emergency exit bag, because his days in Baltimore are nearing an end.

Last we checked in on him, he was screwing up pass/run decisions on his way to loses. As of today, his Ravens are 4-6 and his inability to score has continued. Baltimore is ranked 26th in the league in points scored. And, worst of all, luck is not on his side.

As the Browns trailed 30-27 closing in on the final moments of regulation, Phil Dawson lined up and nailed one of the most bizarre field-goals ever witnessed in the field of play. The ball bounced off the left upright, fell onto the crossbar, and bounced backwards into the end zone. The two referees underneath the goal posts were baffled. One gave the incomplete signal as the other one questioned what the ball actually hit. The referees never left the field, as they went to confer with each other, but the Ravens headed into the locker room assuming they won the game.

Although the play was not reviewable, one of the goal post refs determined – correctly — that the ball had bounced off the crossbar, which meant the field-goal try was good.

The refs throw up the “it’s good” signal. Fans subsequently booed the refs. The very comfortable Ravens players were summoned from inside their comfortable “we just won!” locker room and proceeded to lose very quickly in overtime — by yet another field-goal.

In the post game press conference, Brian Billick was fuming mad for the series of events. His not-so-subtle complaint –

“We talk many times in training camp about preparing your team for the inevitable things,” Billick told reporters Monday. “I was remiss in covering what we do when we’ve won a game, go into the locker room and are told to come back out again. That’s not one scenario that I’ve covered. So, I don’t know that I had them adequately prepared.”

These bizarre moments happen in the NFL and aren’t exactly covered in the “NFL Refs For Dummies” booklet. The refs needed to confer and eventually got the call right — and Billick’s team was on the bad end of the “fixin’.”

Such is life.

Be it his bad luck or a little thing we call “diminishing skills,” Billick knows the end is near. The writing’s on the wall and now, even the ball seems to be screwing with his lifestyle. So no one is surprised for his excessive dwelling on the refs’ management of the bizarro field-goal correct call. Hell, had he turned into Mike Gundy on the postgame podium, no heads would have turned.

Billick is on the ropes. Scratch that — he is on the other side of the ropes, laying injured after being tossed into the crowd. Ever since their Super Bowlsome time now, Ray Lewis and his highly-feared defense covered up for Billick’s inadequacies. But now, tired of holding in the worst-kept secret — that Billick is no longer good at what he does — even Lewis himself has had enough.

Jim Fassel took the fall last October for the Ravens’ poor offense. Now, the Ravens are running out of scapegoats. Sooner or later the Ravens will point their blaming fingers in the right direction.

Until that point, expect Billick to dwell on Dawson’s field-goal for what seems like a lifetime.

Get used to hearing the following two words quite a bit — “Why me?”

• Denver moves into a tie for the AFC West division lead after a 34-20 win over Tennessee last night.
• Michael Vick checks into jail 3 weeks early, assuming he could knock off a few months early and eye an swift return to the NFL.
• A-Rod walks away with the AL MVP very decidedly.
• 2007 World Series MVP Mike Lowell will return to the Boston Red Sox.
• Mariano Rivera will remain a Yankee.
• Lil’ Romeo signed up to play hoops for the USC Trojans next season.
• The Orlando Magic look kinda legit, one would conclude.

• Following a weekend where he caught another “L” to OSU, Michigan coach Lloyd Carr is hanging up his coaching hat today.
• The Celtics finally have their undefeated streak end, losing to the Magic.
• The Patriots don’t remember how to lose.
• The Dolphins can’t spell w-i-n.
• Phil Dawson’s in-and-out field-goal was the most bizarre one I’ve seen… don’t go to Vegas, buddy!
• Very, very interesting series on TrueHoop with an NBA referee answering questions about gambling, perception and the general mood among other refs in the league.

• Barry Bonds was indicted yesterday on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice. Arraignment date set for Dec. 7. Hypocrites and Bonds Haters United act a fool!
• Alex Rodriguez is close to signing a deal worth $275 million over over 10 years; could rise to $300 mil if he breaks Bonds’ record… or will it be Hammerin’ Hank’s record by then…?
• Dennis Dixon gets injured in the first quarter and watches from the sideline as Arizona upsets No. 2 Oregon, 34-24.
• NYTimes’s Selena Roberts breaks down the three phases of Jim Dolan.

Today’s indictment of Barry Bonds marks a monumental moment in history. It took four years, but the feds have finally gathered enough evidence to charge Bonds with 4 counts of perjury and 1 count of obstruction of justice related to lying about knowingly using illegal performance-enhancers.

Part of the verbiage in the indictment:

“During the criminal investigation, evidence was obtained including positive tests for the presence of anabolic steroids and other performance enhancing substances for Bonds and other athletes.”

Nobody is surprised. This indictment has loomed over the sport ever since the first round of leaked grand jury testimony back in 2004. Even the MLB started their own investigation into Bonds known as the Mitchell investigation (though they seemingly denied it wasn’t just a Bonds witch hunt).

Last we checked on Bonds he was breaking Hank Aaron’s all-time home run mark, and promising fans he would be ready to play next season. Now teams are unlikely to get within shouting distance of the man, so the chances he signs with a team right now are extremely low. His arraignment will take place on December 7 in San Francisco and chances are his trial will take place in the spring as baseball season begins.

Right now, these are just charges so we’ll let them play out as they may. Reports are that Bonds failed a performance-enhancing drug test and the presence of a witness who will testify against Bonds (speculation — Greg Anderson?) helped lead to the final motions to indict the MLB all-time home run leader.

Let’s speculate further — If Bonds is eventually convicted, what are the chances George W. Bush steps in, calls the charges “excessive,” and commutes his jail time?

Just in case you were wondering what our fearless leader thinks about this compared with Scooter Libby’s, don’t hold your breath waiting. Revealing a C.I.A. agent’s identity and threatening national security is one thing but lying about taking drugs to enhance your performance in a series of games? That’s just completely and absolutely unacceptable and cannot be tolerated in this great nation! Ha!

Tony Fratto, a White House spokesperson, had the following message to relay from good ol’ W. –

“The President is very disappointed to hear this. As this case is now in the criminal justice system, we will refrain from any further specific comments about it. But clearly this is a sad day for baseball.”

It is indeed a sad day for baseball. The MLB has to figure out now how they will treat the records of their “tainted” athletes. Should they add asterisks or remove all tainted records altogether? They can’t mark just Bonds’ records and not get the rest of the positive-testing athletes also, right?

The trial will take its place. People will overreact. Bonds will be smug. Baseball will act dumb. The sun will rise and fall. All in all, hypocrisy on earth — especially in this country — will continue as expected.

UPDATE: Greg Anderson was released from prison, but not for deciding to testify against Bonds. The feds found out they didn’t need Anderson to indict Bonds. Anderson’s lawyer plans on suing.

More on Barry Bonds:

• Hate Him Or Love Him, Barry Bonds Is On Top (8/8/07)
• On Bonds, History And Dud Selig, Baseball’s Lame Duck Commish (8/6/07)
• Deciding The Fate Of Bonds’ Historic No. 756 (9/19/07)
• All our Bonds articles