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After watching the USGAs premier golf tournament, the U.S. Open, I began to consider athletes and warriors. . .are they one and the same finding themselves on different fields of battle? Homers Achilles was perhaps the greatest warrior ever. He died from a wound to the one area of his body where he was vulnerable, his foot. Crazy Horse was a warrior chieftain who learned, from observation, how to develop battle plans which proved a tremendous challenge to the United States Cavalry. He died from a wound inflicted by one of his own people. Beowulf slayed the Swamphags offspring, the Swamphag, and the Dragon, while being mortally wounded by the Dragon. Joan of Arc was a heroin who dressed in mens armour and led French soldiers in a defeat of the English in a major battle. She was later condemned to death and burned at the stake for wearing masculine clothing and being a heretic. The warrior chieftain, Tecumseh, rose to the pinnacle of the Shawnee Nation, and yet, he died on the battlefield with his warriors. . .his enemies never knowing he had participated in the battle. Our medal of honor winners faced death head on, performing miraculous feats of heroism to save their fellow soldiers. . .many loosing their lives to save their comrades. How, then, can we place our great athletes on a par with our past and present warrior heros? Michael Jordan is, perhaps, the greatest basketball player to play the game to date. Enemies? His enemies treated him with respect, constantly attempting to best him, for the most part in vain. He stands head and shoulders above most of basketballs heros. Joe Dimaggio hit safely in 56 straight games and was an exemplary human being on and off the field. His enemies have never come close to approaching his feat of excellence. Byron Nelson won 11 straight golf tournaments. Tiger Woods has come close to approaching that pinnacle but was stopped prior to reaching Mr. Nelsons record. Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, and Gary Player have done more to promote the game of golf than any other players. There enemies often came out ahead at the end of a tournament but it was time that defeated them, not another human being. Muhammad Ali is considered, by many, the greatest boxer to ever step into the ring. When the time was right, he stepped aside not knowing that a physical affliction, caused by blows to the head throughout his career, was slowly affecting his motor skills. Were extremely lucky to have our heros live on long past their primes. Time and health are the mortal enemies of all athletes and, perhaps, its fitting that time or health stops them the same way an arrow, or a sword, or a bullet stopped heros from the distant past. Remember, theres one common thread that ties them all together, the will to fight till they know the end is now. During the reign of Achilles it was important to be a battling warrior. Today, its important to give all youve got regardless of pain you may be undergoing at the time. Tiger Woods, again, and this time fighting through the pain, proved that the best due rise to the challenge and do not give up, regardless.All of our heros, real life, or those having stood the test of time through literature, possess intestinal fortitude, integrity, and stand honor bound to battle through to the end.Does that make them on par with one another? Its not apples and oranges. However we decide to view athletes and warriors one thing is certain, if we were able to stand them shoulder to shoulder we would honor them with equal approval.
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