To an Athlete Dying Young

the problem is not a racial thing YES it is predominatly black, but the issue is poverty stricken people. kids see someone from the hood coming up making money and doing good for themselves they don't strive to do that, they want to steal it from them, kill them whatever they have to do to get quick money. Athletes and YES again it's predominatly the black athletes spend millions of dollars on Jewlery and rims flashy things, instead of investing and saving money. I think the key to putting an end to thing is educating our underpriveledge youth, even athletes they come into money @ 22 years old after living 22 years with NOTHING they want everybody to see what they got now who they are and then they are the target of crime.

It's not a black and white thing it's the THUG mentality thing unfortunaltly the majoraty is black. they come from NOTHING and rise to fame because of there athletic ability, they come into money something they have never had before and they want everyone to know...the sad reality is the people you grew up with and that know you from the hood but didnt have the athletic ability or maybe they did but messed up there chances those are the ones after you, they want ot kill you and rob you of what you have. It's going to be a long time before this is corrected is it ever will be, they live in poverty...how are you going to change that? one thing is to teach the young athletes about Banks and savings accounts. they dont know nothing about that growing up, quick cash if they get cash... Educating our underpriveledged youth is the key

It is most unfortunate that while we are trying to cope with the senseless murder of our beloved Sean Taylor, a few members of the media contribute to this tragedy by adding character assassination.

The way the media is redirecting the focus of this story is sickening...this man was killed in front of his wife and kids and it is being protrayed as a thug culture problem. I do not see anyone framing the Drew Peterson story as part of the cop culture problem or a white man problem...how many white wives are killed by their husbands every year on Court TV, domestic abuse is rampant among the police and military, give me a break already. Everyone bashes hip hop, I saw the Departed for the first time this weekend, I couldnt watch the ending of this so called critically acclaimed movie that was ridiculously violent. There is no respect for human life in this country, for Gods sake we cant even agree on health care for children. America is a violent country based on a violent past, lets stop pigeon holing incidents like this and adress the real issue, our culture of death that transcends race.

It's BRYAN Pata, not Willie. Willie Cooper, a different Miami player, was also shot in a 2006 incident.