USMA IN THE NEWS

When word filtered out that former Arizona Cardinals safety Pat Tillman had died in Afghanistan, the response was nearly universal.

What a shame to see a professional athlete, who had given up millions to serve his country, pay the ultimate price. The nation mourned and talked of how Tillman was a real hero compared to many of today's professional athletes.

That's all well and good. It takes courage, not to mention some serious nerves, to do what Tillman did. And he absolutely qualifies as a man to be respected in my book.

The funny thing is, all those people who fell over themselves to talk about what a hero Tillman was also made a point to mention how crazy it was that he would give up an NFL career to serve in the military. After a while, it started to sound like he had to be insane to do what he did.

HE GAVE UP MILLIONS OF DOLLARS! HE QUIT THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE! HE USED TO CLIMB THE LIGHT TOWERS AT ARIZONA STATE AND TALK TO HIMSELF!

I don't claim to be a psychologist, but I'd venture to guess that Pat Tillman was neither insane nor crazy.

I'd also say that he's not unique, either. Every year, hundreds of great athletes pass up the opportunity to go to Division I schools in order to attend West Point or the U.S. Naval Academy. Are they crazy? I think not.

Keenan Beasley did it. He was a great defensive end at Claremont High and had every opportunity to go to a Big 10 or Pac-10 program. Instead, he passed them all up for an appointment to the U.S. Military Academy.

Beasley was in the midst of his plebe year at West Point on Sept. 11, 2001, and he, like the rest of the cadets, could see the smoke from the World Trade Center towers from the academy. If anything, he says he felt even more of a need to give back to his country.

He also felt a sort of kinship to Tillman. Like Beasley, Tillman's father served in the military and was a big influence on his life.

"It was just tragic," Beasley said of Tillman's death. "He definitely represents the bulk of the Army. A lot of people entered the Army like he did, wanting to serve. There's a lot of heroes that have died for the country like he did."

Jon Wollam did it, too. The former Rancho Cucamonga wide receiver had his offers from Pac-10 schools after playing a big role in the Cougars' CIF Southern Section Division 5 title in 1999. Like Beasley, he said "no thanks" and went to West Point.

He watched the trails of smoke emanating from New York City after the attacks, even as he talked with his parents about whether he should even stay. After playing two seasons for Army, he chose to return to Southern California and Chaffey College, where he played football last year.

Even so, Wollam knows and understands why Tillman did what he did.

"There's a lot of qualities in the young men [at West Point] that resemble Pat Tillman," said Wollam, who's set to go to Cal State San Bernardino to become a teacher. "He probably didn't do anything that anyone else hasn't done, but if it helps the people of the U.S. relate to the military better, I have no problem with it. He served his country.

"Maybe the rest of the world can look at this and say, 'We've forgotten about the soldiers.' It brings it home for a lot of people."

In the end, it's not so much about the sport or the glory or the money. It's about the service.

Beasley played three years of football at Army and underwent reconstructive surgery on his shoulders in the off-season. He could've decided to play his final season with the Golden Knights, playing for Bobby Ross.

Instead, he's giving up the sport he loves to focus on his final year of school. After that, he'll spend a year getting his training in field artillery. If things continue on their current path, Beasley's next stop will be in the field, perhaps in Iraq or Afghanistan or some other hot spot.

"My ultimate goal is to be a commissioned officer and I have to get myself ready to do that," Beasley said. "It's a tough decision to do something like that, but in the end, a man has to do what he has to do."

Is that crazy? If only we were all that crazy.