JLC - You have been the consummate professional in covering this story. All facts, no speculation, rumors, or opinions. The Redskins Insider has been my #1 source for info since the story broke. My opinions of you have completely changed in the last 4 days. Thanks for giving us what we so dearly needed throughout the week: Truth and Raw Emotion from inside Redskins Park. You've won over a new reader in the process, and have proven to me that all media is not out to stir the pot. Thanks again, and RIP #21 - the backfield of heaven just got one hellava safety.....

Wow, blogs take precedence to print for the beat writer of the Post. Impressive.

Haven't had time to express more comments about all of this, but I have been reading everyone else's. Obviously, JLaC, Cindy, and co. have done a great job with coverage, and they deserve a ton of thanks and gratitude. But the comments up here have been for the most part very classy and dignified. For that, everyone who is a reader and commenter of this blog also deserve our gratitude.

Clearly, the immediate and extended families have had a difficult time with all of this. But so have the fans. For some of us, Sean touched us personally either in-person or through his play and/or demeanor, and for those folks, the grief is very real and palpable. For others, Sean's death (as with most celebrities who we will never meet) is a parable for our own lives, typically lived in the valleys and hills of redemption and sin. For them (us), Sean's death represents all of the lost chances, chances at hand, and chances to come to change our lives for the better.

We may never know the true culprits or cause for Sean's death, but his death can teach us all a lesson depending on how we interpret it. To some, it may be that who you associate with has a profound effect on your life (as Dorf taught his classroom of kids). To others, it may be that no matter the depths of our own sins, we can always choose to redeem ourselves, and that such a choice is within our own abilities. To still others, it could be a belief that the world isn't going to give you anything, and that every day could be your last and you should live your life accordingly.

To me, personally, seeing the outpouring of love and affection for Sean, what I've taken out of this is that it's never too late to live a good and noble life, that your past transgressions will be forgiven so long as your last breaths are lived with the love of your family, friends, and fellow man in your heart.

And I also have to say that the League's efforts to honor Sean are very touching. We all know the League is a fraternity of closely associated players. But the #21 decals are very, very touching.

JLC - Thanks for honest, accurate reporting. Whatever your opinions about how this man lived his life, you have done the respectful thing in keeping them to yourself at this difficult time. As choliver01 said, you've been my number one source of information and I'm glad that you're there reporting for all of us.

the stickers - totally surreal. But at the same time, it was actually nice to see football being played. We all know that Sean loved it. And as much as Deion Sanders annoys me, I definitely noticed that he was the only member of the NFLnetwork crew wearing the sticker. Good Show.

Jason, you've been a fantastic source of information for me. I appreciate all the reporting and writing you've been doing over the past few days. Like others, I grew up in the DC area, but I live in the San Francisco area now. It's not being covered in the local papers anything like what you're doing. So you're the number one stop for news on both Sean Taylor and the Redskins in general. Keep up the excellent work.

I live in the Dallas area and the Cowboys and their fans have been completely classy about ST. And of course it's an honor to Sean that NFL players are wearing his number. Yet it is still so odd to see Sean's number adorning Cowboy helmets -- particularly TO and Romo.

JLC I'm not going to lie this blog has been something I have used to help me with my grieving process. I am a big Sean Taylor fan, been one ever since he has been with the U. I was a huge Miami fan and Redskins fan and when the redskins drafted him I was like this is a dream come true. My favorite college player is now coming to my favorite professional team. Now all I find myself doing is sitting around wondering why...why his life had to end this way. The more I read your blog and I compare it to the bs that's getting spread amongst all the major national networks...I just want to thank you for giving us the opportunity to know who the real SdotTaylor is. I mean I know this has to be hard for you because I'm reading your blog 3 to 4 times a day and everytime I hear one of Sean's teammates or a family member quoted it brings me to tears. I just want to thank you for sharing this with us...it means so much...I don't know what the skins will do Sunday and frankly it really doesn't matter for me the season ended Tuesday morning when I woke up to this horrible news. I'm just glad to know that Redskins nation is so caring and although Sean is not here anymore he will never be forgotten.

I want to send out props to JLC - Definitely has been the #1 go to source for information and has shown respect to Sean Taylor, the Redskins and their fans. Thank you and it is greatly appreciated. Keep it up. R.I.P. Sean Taylor #21

i second deanaizme. coverage in Fort Worth has been very limited. your coverage has been first class. thank you.

I love that the Cowboys (and the whole League) has honored Sean in such a classy fashion.

But I'm still allowed to hate the Cowboys, right? :-)

Posted by: lil_rj1 | November 29, 2007 10:37 PM

Well said man. I'm a Miami and Skins fan and have felt the same way all week. It is hard to even care about football as a nice game is going on right now. The emotion at Fedex Sunday is gonna be awesome. I really hope we can come out with a great performance to ease some of our pain and do #21 proud.

I'm not sure that anyone's noticed, but the Packers and Cowboys are wearing black highlight paint instead of green and blue, respectively. The colour around the G and the vertical highlight is black, and the Dallas star is black.
Classy stuff by other NFL teams. Not even just limited to the 21 decals.

The weather prediction for Sunday is kinda dismal.....cold (in the 40's) with rain and maybe even snow. Almost seems symbolic....

Posted by: cdubb | November 29, 2007 10:59 PM

Know what you mean about the game, cdubb. Today was the first time I checked my fantasy team all week, and I usually keep up with the updates/roster moves/whatever daily. I just can't seem to get into it.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3134169

There is a lot of backlash coming against all the negativity surronding certain writers and talking heads of having absolutely non dignity of a dead man.

I hope this backlash lasts and may there be some reprecussions. If Wilbon has his chat on Monday, I propoes we flood the questions of him being disrespectful and too cynical before he was even dead.

How can it be one's fault if you are murdered at your house??????????????????????????????

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/dcsportsbog/2007/11/colin_cowherd_on_sean_taylor.html#comments

Just in case you guys missed it.

Just to let you know. America's Most Wanted calls into Elliot in the Morning every Friday and had this to say about the Sean Taylor Case.

- Miami Dade asked them not to run a story on it. Prolly cause they have something they dont want messed up.

- Burglars are normally not sloppy, which these 'burglars'were on both 'break-in's'. Leaving a knife, and confronting a homeowner, going into a house that is occupied etc... leaving two witnesses.

They say whoever it was had to have known whose house it was.

So basically they think he was targeted. And they even gave a shout out to WAPO for the head story on the skins page.

Antrel Rolle, have you called Miami Dade PD yet?

I'm not sure that anyone's noticed, but the Packers and Cowboys are wearing black highlight paint instead of green and blue, respectively. The colour around the G and the vertical highlight is black, and the Dallas star is black.
Classy stuff by other NFL teams. Not even just limited to the 21 decals.

Posted by: redscull | November 29, 2007 11:30 PM

Dude, your TV is messed up. I know you might be trying to look for comfort but the outline was green and the star was blue.

Anyone else think Ray Lewis is a really selfish dude and just said all this to bring more media around him?

"No matter where I've seen him, he always knew he could reach out to me for whatever reason. It's not just Sean, but numerous guys who call me for whatever, advice."

Really Ray? Now isn't the time for you to be tooting your own horn.

Did anyone see the moment of silence at the game last night? I missed it and was wondering how it went.

Zebra, I saw the moment of silence, however it just sounded like they shut the mikes off for 15-20 seconds. Guys in the stands removed their hats and were respectful, so I had no problem with it.

Today's stuff from Ray is light-years ahead of yesterday's stuff, and maybe J-LA was working with a partial quote yesterday, but go back and read what he said yesterday, and try and make heads or tails of it. It was like Ray was drunk when he made the quote.

Zebra - Thanks for the update re: DC101 - she usually calls later in the show, so I missed it b/c I was not at work yet. Also read in the Post today that burgulars normally do not carry guns because it will up the minimum sentence if caught. I also watch too much Law & Order and for someone to come to the bedroom means that they had some knowledge of the layout of the house. Just a little too much to think that it was random - at least connected to the previous break-in.

Glad that I can be at the game on Sunday - feel like we gotta let the team know how much we love and support them.

How can it be one's fault if you are murdered at your house??????????????????????????????

Posted by: 4thFloor | November 30, 2007 06:02 AM

No one ever said that it was Sean's fault (unless it was Cowpie - I will not waste my time with that hack). That would be a despicable reach.

I think you are misinterpreting the "I am not surprised" sentiment that some are expressing.

jdixon35 go back and read yesterday statement (Ray Lewis Speack post) that sounded more selfish. Reading this point seems more like a man that is in pain. That doesn't really know how to express it.

I have my Reaper jersey on today. It was hard putting it on this morning. I still can't believe he is gone.

I just got my rip 21 shirt from bucktown, its nice, Ill be sporting it out sunday.

"Today's stuff from Ray is light-years ahead of yesterday's stuff..."

Absolutely. I owe Ray-Ray an apology for the things I thought and said. I suppose in his grief he wasn't nearly as articulate as he wanted to be.

Where did that quote come from yesterday? It doesn't even sound like the same guy.

Hey there...Please don't think that because Jasno will focus on the blog through the weekend that this in any way means he won't be his usual hard-charging reportial self. This is the place to stay for up-to-the-instant reports. Jasno has staked this turf, you've been with us all the way, and we want to keep doing that through Monday, which figures to be the saddest day in the history of the Wasington Redskins, does it not? I'm going to take most of today off, but I'll be checking in. Jasno and I will be on earlier than usual Sunday, probably around 10:30 Eastern...please join us.

Thanks so much for everything Cyn Cyty.

Good Morning Everyone,
I love the sentiment regarding wanting to do something special for Sean like retiring his number.

However, has anyone stopped to think how many players have had their number retired?
#33 Sammy Baugh
That's it.

Absolutely, I hate it that Sean was murdered, but having only played three full seasons Sean did not deserve to have his number retired if Sonny J #9 or Darrell Green #28 have not had their numbers retired.

I don't think being murdered is reason to have your number retired. It is reason to be mourned and missed, and so we continue to mourn w/ the family and the Redskin nation, and Redskin organization.

Thank you, guys! Having this immediate connection with our readers since August 2006 has been really cool, even if I'm not a fan. We've always brought journalism to it, now it's at a different level. Wish we were discovering this under different circumstances, but that's out of my hands.
In case you missed it, Dan Steinberg has a nice item on the Eastern Motors ads the players do (sorry not all of you have seen them). Check out his post:

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/dcsportsbog/2007/11/sean_taylor_and_eastern_motors.html

RedskinRay1 I think he number should be retired because he was murdered. Sean gave it his all each and every week. No matter how bad our team was we knew we could count on him to lay the wood. He was an active player when he was murdered and should be remembered. I do respect that you see it from a different light.

I just got serious chills reading Cport's quote on wearing the 21. If he rolls out of the tunnel with that number on, I'll go nuts. If he rolls into the endzone with that number on, I think I'll ball like a lil baby.

Keep up the good work Jasno.

Ray;

It is not about the actual retirement of the number. The skins 'unofficially' retire numbers. No #81, #9, #28 for any future or current player.

Sean's number should be included in this. No one should ever wear 21 again. He was killed. Tradgically, in season and possibly one of the best players the skins have ever had.

I think Taylor fits into that company with Monk and Green.

There was an article in SI 2 weeks ago regarding the whole Mike Vick situation. Please understand, I'm in NO WAY, comparing Mike Vick, to ST. Ok?

What the article said was that, in certain situations, when attempting to distance yourself from the people you previously were associated with, its not as easy as it seems. In some cases, because of your 'athlete' status, you're not asked to participate in crimes, or things of that nature, in turn however, once you make it big, you're expected not to forget these people.

Just to clarify, I'm not comparing Vick/Taylor, just putting some information out there.

Sorry 4th,

I won't be joining any mob type protests against writers who speak their mind. We are not supposed to agree with them all the time, I think Wilbon's comments (and Whitlocks) have been misinterpreted and emotional anger at them is misplaced. I don't need to focus my emotions at people people just b/'c they have ideas, or thoughts. Even Shapiro and Cowherd, who I agree are class A jerks and sloppy at their jobs, would be wasted energy.

Instead I will work harder (I am in education as a career) to work toward focusing my energies, vitrol etc on the host of societal problems that created the context (not the actions...big difference) for this horrific event.

Also I am a huge free speech, freedom of press, market place of ideas guy, and I am not throwing rocks at those ideals just b/c people say things I wouldn't say or don't agree with.

I guess I don't understand them and some youse don't understand me.

I never say focus our rage against them. I didn't say spend all my time in life to bring them down. I made one suggestion and now it gets blown up into a free speech thing. I am talking about sensitivity that no one seems to have anymore and that's bad for all man kind.

4thFloor

I didn't say it was a free speech thing, I said, for me, I am not comfortable focusing my anger, emotion, blaming on people who write or say something.

Thats all, you had a call to action, and I declined with reasons.

I think Zebra has the right idea. They don't have to officially retire 21 but they should not hand it out. Sean wasn't hear long but he had enough of an impact on fans (an punters) that when you think of 21, you will think of Sean Taylor.

Cowherd has out jackassed Shapiro and Wilbon.

How did this become a free speech issue? I don't think anyone is saying the reporters don't have the right to voice their opinions but rather that they should have enough sense to know when and where it is appropriate.

You don't yell fire in a crowded room and you don't pile on a person who has just been murdered. It's simple common sense and human decency.

I agree that the number should be "saved" but the best tribute to ST which would last forever would be to play this season out as his father requested and be able to look back and remember how everyone dedicated themselves to his memory on the field. That's what he'd want.

I think a fitting tribute by the Skins secondary would be for each of them to tape their individual knuckles (and the one above the middle joint, except for the thumb) like Sean Taylor did. That's one of the things I always thought was cool about Sean Taylor, the way he always taped his fingers ... and how he delivered LFM on field every time his fingers were taped that way.

Day 4 ... and I've teared up today too.

I think it's important to cut people a little slack for just about anything they say after a shocking, sudden, senseless tragedy like this, particularly athletes who suddenly are called upon to be spontaneously reflective and eloquent.
You are, however, free to rip away on anything a columnist writes or a journalist says!

dcsween I have twice today so you are not alone. I was just telling my boy it's funny how Sean touch all of even though we never meet him. It feel sas if we lost a family memember.

Jason

I really admire your reporting, and I appreciate your compassion and professionalism. You've offered insight into a tough situation. I'm bragging on you man, and lots of my friends and Skins fans here in New York depend on your blog for our daily dose.

RIP Sean Taylor, and thanks,

jm220, not sure if you saw this one yet from today's WaPo (and not sure if I know who Neely is), but this one speaks to alot of what's been on my mind (like the guest blog from Ehren yesterday). http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/29/AR2007112902230.html?hpid=topnews

Thanks dcsween and I did read it this morning.

I find myself relieved and sickened at the same time regarding the untimely death of Sean Taylor. I am relieved in the fact that his family was unharmed in the face of tragedy. I am relieved in the fact that he is no longer a target, if that accusation was true. However, I am sickened by the theatrics of the popcorn eating Terrell Owens and in the fact of knowing that, for the next few years, he will be navigating easily downfield during games against our beloved football team. I was sickened to see the number 21 on the helmets of other teams. It only served as a reminder of the pain of this last week. I am sickened about thinking how his little girl will never again look into her father's eyes. I am sickened by the fact that on Sunday, this team has to take the field and play a game. While it is true that this may be a cathartic event for the players and coaches, it will be a sad day for me, a fan, knowing #21 is not on the field and that it isn't injury related. I am sickened in the revisionist way in which we had to hear about his past in times of grieving for his present and future.
The finality of death is not lost upon me. It is earth shattering every time it hits close to home. It doesn't matter that I never met this person. It doesn't matter that I never will. I felt a bond with him, as if we are part of the same extended family. Like any other member of a family who dies tragically, this must be grieved until the hurt is gone.
The irony of this tragedy is not lost on me either. Darrent Williams dies tragically and the Broncos very first game after the tragedy is against the Bills. In that game, Kevin Everett was paralyzed and near deaths door. Ironically, the first team we play after Sean's death is against those same Bills. In a very eerie way, this is the only team I would want to face this week.
Whether or not we win or lose is unimportant to me. I cannot look beyond today, but I hope that we keep the rest of our grieving family intact. While this game is a business, these players and these coaches are even more important to me as a fan. I don't care if they aren't the best players or coaches. They are my players and coaches.

Josh Lorenzo

The Bills can pay tribute by having Brian Moorman have try a fake punt.

Hey everyone... long time lurker here.. I just wanted to opine that perhaps there is such outrage about Wilbon's comments because of how it was framed within Shapiro's grossly inappropriate column on Sean's death. If you read Wilbon's article with some objectivity and the writer's perspective (granted, may be skewed), I don't see the malice that was inferred by Shapiro.

My $.02...

RIP #21... I, one of many, felt the world stop on Monday/Tuesday, and will never forget you.

etrod, nice thought, but Moorman now is permanently and psychologically unable to try such a thing a second time.

It's a bit much to see Ray Lewis, who dodged a murder charge, going on about how frustrating it is when the media brings up old wounds from a person's past.