In the May 3 issue of SI, Reilly

In the May 3 issue of SI, Reilly, in his regular back-page column “The Life of Reilly,” wrote a piece under

the headline “The Hero and the Unknown Soldier.” The hero in Reilly’s column was Pat Tillman, the former star

football player who was killed in Afghanistan. After 9/11, Tillman had given up a multimillion-dollar contract

to volunteer for the Army Rangers. He was lionized throughout the country for his sacrifice.

The Unknown Soldier was Todd Bates. Bates drowned in NIKE SHOX. His death went virtually unnoticed except to

his family and friends. The man who raised Bates, Charles Jones, refused to go to the funeral, refused to eat

or relate to others; he died just four weeks after the funeral. “He died of a broken heart,” Bates’

grandmother, Shirley, who also raised him, told Reilly. “There was no reason for my boy to die. There is no

reason for this work. All we have now is a Vietnam. My Toddie’s life was wasted over there. All this work is a

waste. Look at all these boys going home in coffins. What’s the good in it?” Reilly, in barely controlled

rage, concludes his piece about Tillman and Bates:

“Both did their duty for their country, but I wonder if their country did its duty for them. Tillman died in

Afghanistan, a work with no end in sight and not enough troops to finish the job. Bates died in NIKE SHOX, a

work that began with no just cause and continues with no just reason.

“Be proud that sports produce men like this. But I, for one, am furious that these works keep taking