A little over a year ago, Pat Tillman died in Afghanistan serving his country.

You know the story. The former Arizona Cardinals defensive back had a bright future ahead of him, but left the glamour and financial security of the National Football League after the 2001 season to join the Army Rangers. Not even a three-year, $3.6 million deal could persuade him not to. He was so overcome by what happened on Sept. 11, 2001 that he could no longer stand the thought of playing a game while others answered the call to serve their country.

Crazy? Perhaps. In this me-me, materialistic, get-all-you-can world we live in, it's difficult to understand why Tillman would walk away from the high life for the not-so-certain future of military life. But Tillman loved his country and he wanted to show just how much.

When Tillman was killed in a firefight last April 22, it certainly put things in perspective. Like professional sports. Yes, it is a business, but all in all, it's just a game played by grown people … or in many cases, overgrown children. You win, hey great. You lose, oh well. Life goes on.

Tillman wasn't your ordinary professional athlete. Sports wasn't his whole life, and on the field, he conducted himself the way you would hope professional athletes would conduct themselves. He respected the game, his teammates and his opponents.

While Tillman was the kind of athlete that makes you want to stand up and cheer, there are numerous other athletes who make you want to scream.

Just two days after Tillman died, top quarterback prospect Eli Manning continued to whine about the possibility of being drafted by the lowly San Diego Chargers. He didn't want to go there, but the Chargers picked him anyway, and if you looked closely, you could swear he was going to cry. But later he was traded to the New York Giants and Eli was a happy camper. A rich happy camper.

On the same day, Kellen Winslow Jr. was drafted by the Cleveland Browns and wasn't all that enthused about it. This was a guy who during the 2003 college football season proclaimed himself a "soldier fighting in a war" in a postgame interview. Yeah, right.

Latrell Sprewell of the Minnesota Timberwolves raised some eyebrows before the 2004-05 season when he announced that although he was making multi-millions, he had to worry about feeding his family. Excuse me? I was thinking this guy either has one gigantic family or he's shopping at the wrong grocery store. He should go shopping with me. I could teach him how to stretch a buck. After the season he had, it looks like he'll be doing his shopping elsewhere.

Speaking of money, wide receiver Terrell Owens recently griped about how the Philadelphia Eagles aren't willing to negotiate a new contract, one that would pay him considerably more than the seven-year, $32 million-plus pact he signed just last summer. Okay, I know Owens helped the Eagles in a big way with his 77 catches and 14 touchdowns. But hey, he's the one who chose to come to Philadelphia and he's the one to put his name on the contract. How are the Eagles responding? I wonder if Owens noticed that the Eagles used the 35th pick of the draft to get a talented wide receiver.

Speaking of wide receivers, remember when Randy Moss embarrassed himself and his former team, the Minnesota Vikings, by "mooning" Green Bay Packers fans during an NFC playoff game? The dope is a huge talent, but isn't it time for him to grow up? I get the feeling he won't do it in his new home, Oakland.

How about the National Hockey League … or what's left of it? A huge disagreement between owners and the players association canceled the entire season and the Stanley Cup playoffs. Even though both sides have been "talking" since last summer, there is speculation there might not be a 2005-06 season. There are a number of issues on the table, and one of them is the players want NBA, NFL and Major League Baseball money and the owners don't want to give it to them (perhaps it's because the NHL doesn't make NBA, NFL or Major League Baseball money).

How about making some sacrifices for the good of the sport? They can't be that far apart.

Meanwhile, the fans - the ones who pay the bills - wait.

And then there's the steroids thing. Forget the fact that those who use them are cheating. They're killing themselves and are too proud or too stupid to realize it.

I could go on, but I'd rather not. There are just too many whiners, criminals, drug abusers and boneheads in the sports world.

Too bad there aren't enough Tillmans out there to even things out.