7/8/09

Air it Out : Steve McNair


I'm gonna offer a different perspective of Steve McNair. I want to tell you some things that you may or may not know about the man. I never had the opportunity to meet the man but I knew of him quite well. My former college teammate, Anthony Cook, was drafted in the same year as McNair by the Houston Oilers. They were teammates for several years. Another good friend, Eddie Robinson, Jr, played several years with McNair and was on the team that McNair led to the Super Bowl. McNair and I also graduated the same year. His school, Alcorn State, never played my school, South Carolina State but I followed his career. I felt like I knew him. In the game of football, there's a brotherhood. You don't have to be on the same team but we all share a bond. Nevertheless, I knew Steve McNair.

I knew Steve McNair as Air McNair

I knew Steve McNair was a helluva quarterback

I knew Steve McNair gained more than 6000 yds rushing and passing and threw for 53 touchdowns during his senior year.

I knew Steve McNair was the highest draft pick to come from a HBCU.

I knew Steve McNair led the way for the current crop of black quarterbacks in the NFL. When he entered the NFL, some media referred to him as a "black quarterback". When was the last time you've heard somebody refer to Donovan McNabb's skin color.

I knew that Steve McNair played the violent game of football in pain. He played hurt...a lot.

I knew that Steve McNair ALMOST won a Super Bowl on a great last drive.


I don't know Steve McNair.

I don't know about why Steve McNair was "dating" this 20 yr old woman.

I don't know what kinda marital problems Steve McNair was having.

I don't know what kinda husband or father Steve McNair was.

I don't know why Steve McNair was cheating.

One thing I do know...it ain't my none of my damn business! And it ain't yours, either! For the past few days, I've listened to this man's name be degraded, judged and dragged through the mud by many people who have done the same thing. Even if you've never cheated, no one should pass judgement on the man. Steve McNair didn't kill himself. He was murdered in cold blood. He was the VICTIM.

Infidelity does not normally lead to death. Over the past few days, I've listened to people say things that have really pissed me off. Steve didn't ask to be murdered. Steve's infidelity should not have taken him off this earth. You could say that the infidelity was a by-product that led to his death but McNair didn't deserve this. McNair's legacy will be what he did on the field and his charitable contributions off the field. His legacy will not be about some young, crazy woman who didn't think much about her life nor his. Keep this in mind, Steve McNair was MURDERED by somebody who he trusted. And there have been some to suggest that he "brought this on himself." That's bullshit. It does't matter what you think about his decisions to date a 20 year old waitress despite being a married man with 4 sons. He's dead and there ain't no coming back from that.

I don't think this will serve as a lesson to men (or women) who cheat. Magic Johnson got HIV in '91 and yet there are STILL people have babies by 3 or 4 different baby mammas. The lesson here is that you must be careful of the company that you keep...male or female.

Shame on those of you who are throwing stones. Steve McNair was somebody's father, son, brother, uncle, cousin, friend, teammate, frat brother, and yes...husband. They will mourn him forever when this story is no longer a headline.

I may have pissed some of you off with this post. If i did...good! Put the stone down. You don't know Steve McNair

I do.

4 comments:

XIKhai said...

I completely agree. In my tribute to McNair I made sure to leave this situation out of it. Folks are quick to judge the actions of someone they knew nothing about. I didn't McNair personally but I know alot of ppl didn't even know his name until they heard about his tragic death and now everyone has an opinion about him.

His legacy will live on for the work he has done on the field and in the community...his mistakes are not ours to judge.

Thanks for the insight!

Kingsmomma said...

Good post 12Kyle,
While i remember that he is someone's father, brother, son, husband I also know that this incident was avoidable. It's all in the company you keep.

You're right, he didn't ask for this nor does anyone deserve such an end but he allowed a troubled woman into his life. I think people are conflicted with his tragedy b/c while he was great at all the things you mentioned he was "bad" at one, that being his marriage (maybe) and his death is a direct result of his infidelity.

Good post,
Great way to remind the public that even though his death was tragic and he seemed to have become infamous in a negative way, that his life's accompolishments should be celebrated as well.

Eb the Celeb said...

I'm not throwing stones and by no means do I feel he deserved this but there is a certain amount of tact you have to have when you are a professional athlete, celeb, any type of public figure. You may not want to be a role model, but you are... that's the price you have to pay for making millions of dollars. They don't complain when the checks are being cashed so they can't complain when they are looked at in a light that they dont like. They could easily have a 9-5 like the rest of us if they dont want to deal with all the other scrutiny that comes with being a person of that caliber. With that said... you have to be overprotective with the company you keep. No matter what was going on in his marriage he was being selfish to both his wife and kids by dipping out. His selfishness led to his death and now 4 precious little boys having to grow up without his father. You are an adult and you have to take responsibilities for your actions and its a shame by him not doing that... led to his tragic death, but there is noone to blame here but him. Granted he didn't deserve it... but we can only blame him. No one knows what was said in that condo before she started shooting. Maybe he was ending it with her once and for all and she got mad, but either way... it shouldn't have gotten that far.

When you're a celeb and you're a bachelor you can partake in all the groupie love you want, but when you have a wife and kids you are no longer just living for yourself and everything you do effects them. No matter how great he was on the field, he forgot that part.

RIP Steve McNair. You still will always be one of my favs that ever did it, but I hope this is a lesson to all the others dipping out that they have to do better.

Sharise Cook said...

I think this is a shame what happened to Steve McNair. Not only to hisself but to his family as well. I know this don't have nothing to do with this but my sister knows you, her name is Jamia Jackson. I remember you but I don't think you remember me. I'm from rochester.

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