Peter King in Afghanistan

[JoeRedskin]

You can hate the guy, think he's a Parcells hack or whatever, but he consistently stands up for the guys in uniform who put their lives on the line for the rest of us everyday. I respect that.

His latest Monday Morning QB is about his trip to Afghanistan and has some real good stuff in it.

SI.com - Writers - MMQB (cont.) - Sunday March 9, 2008 10:50PM

This part got to me. Mike Rucker just became one of my favorite non-Skins players:

"This meet-and-greet was the biggest. We had maybe 300 enlisted men and women. It was sort of a somber occasion. We'd all just come from a Fallen Comrade Ceremony, one of the most touching things you'll see on any base, ever. A 24-year-old California Army kid, riding in an armored Humvee, got blown up by an improvised explosive device, and the entire base, some 8,000 men and women, lined up along the base main street at attention as their comrade's casket was driven by.

A military band played as the casket slowly was carried to a stop near the C-130 transport plane that would take the body to Dover, Del., and then on to his family home in California. The base chaplain spoke. I stood next to Mike Rucker, who got emotional several times during the week, and he was so rigid at attention during the ceremony that he appeared to be in a standing coma. Then the casket was wheeled into the plane, and the plane taxied out; and just a few hours, maybe 12, after this young man died, he was on his way home.

Anyway, a few minutes later, we found ourselves in front of this crowd of soldiers, all waiting to be entertained. As master of ceremonies, I couldn't let the moment pass without opening the evening with a question about the impact of this trip on the three players' lives.

When it was Rucker's turn, he took the mike and took a deep breath. "When I go home,'' he said, "part of my vision is I want to keep your story alive. I want to make sure NO ONE forgets about the job you're all doing ... ''

And then he started to choke up.

"I just ... I love you guys,'' he said, and he had to stop.

"Little things we take for granted ... '' he said, and he had to stop again, and he put his hand to his face.

The crowd gave him an ovation, long and loud. Later, the base's second-in-command, Sgt. Major Thomas Capel, told us, "Thank you so much for coming. You have no idea how much you've helped. This is a visit these men and women won't soon forget.''

They're not alone."

[celts32]

I never thought King was a bad guy to begin with. The hating on PK was way overdone and it was based mostly on Art Monk. Us Redskins fans tend to have thin skin when it comes to the media criticising the team. The only media person i think that has an actual agenda against the Redskins is Lenny P. As for Peter's trip, he did a great thing going over there.

[skinsfan_nn]

Originally Posted by celts32

I never thought King was a bad guy to begin with. The hating on PK was way overdone and it was based mostly on Art Monk. Us Redskins fans tend to have thin skin when it comes to the media criticising the team. The only media person i think that has an actual agenda against the Redskins is Lenny P. As for Peter's trip, he did a great thing going over there.

I'd agree for the most part about Peter King. Nice job & a big thanks.

But Pasta and don't forget the dreaded Sally Jenkins, I honestly don't think the Skins could ever do anything right in their twisted thinking.

[GMScud]

I'm glad to see King went over there. Just because he has an anti-Redskins bias in his journalism doesn't mean he's a bad human being.

Mike Rucker has always been a class act. Add this visit to his already glowing list of off the field work. He's been given the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, and he and Stephen Davis and a few others founded "Ruckus House," which is a center for underprivileged kids.

Kudos.

[sbaughone]

You guys can get all caught up in this jingo-istic crap, and I support the troops as well, but peter king is a SPORTSWRITER. And his SPORTSWRITING sucks - always has, always will.

I will never have anything nice to say about him. He is a fat loser who thinks he knows more about football than Joe Gibbs.

[celts32]

Originally Posted by sbaughone

You guys can get all caught up in this jingo-istic crap, and I support the troops as well, but peter king is a SPORTSWRITER. And his SPORTSWRITING sucks - always has, always will.

I will never have anything nice to say about him. He is a fat loser who thinks he knows more about football than Joe Gibbs.

PK's opinions are often wrong and he's not a great writer, but I just don't think he has an agenda to diss the Redskins. Case in point...he once said "I think Spurrier is going to win big". Most national sports writers have criticised the Redskins under Danny's watch...but not because they hate the Redskins but because Snyder is an easy target and it's also lazy reporting.

[Sheriff Gonna Getcha]

Originally Posted by sbaughone

You guys can get all caught up in this jingo-istic crap, and I support the troops as well, but peter king is a SPORTSWRITER. And his SPORTSWRITING sucks - always has, always will.

I will never have anything nice to say about him. He is a fat loser who thinks he knows more about football than Joe Gibbs.

I think it's pretty far fetched to say that a guy writing about his experience on a USO is jingoistic.

[wilsowilso]

I had to look up jingoistic. I don't like Peter King, but that article really doesn't fit the bill of promoting extreme patriotism in the form of aggressive foreign policy now does it? It's just an article on a USO trip to meet some soldiers. It's pretty good too.

[Sheriff Gonna Getcha]

BTW, I don't think Peter King has it out for the Redskins. I also think he's not the best sports writer, but he seems like a fair and decent guy.

[sbaughone]

All I'm saying is as a sportswriter he sucks. He's not paid to write about war, he's paid to write about football. And honestly, saying he's knowledgeable about football b/c he thought spurrier would win really doesn't advance the argument that he's a good sportswriter, or knows anything about football.

Anyone who writes about seeing soldiers die should be commended. But the key here is anyone. Peter king is a queen. I have no respect for him. And he is fat.

[SmootSmack]

Originally Posted by sbaughone

All I'm saying is as a sportswriter he sucks. He's not paid to write about war, he's paid to write about football. And honestly, saying he's knowledgeable about football b/c he thought spurrier would win really doesn't advance the argument that he's a good sportswriter, or knows anything about football.

Anyone who writes about seeing soldiers die should be commended. But the key here is anyone. Peter king is a queen. I have no respect for him. And he is fat.

Why does he "suck"? Because he doesn't always write glowing reviews about the Redskins?

And what does his weight have to do with anything?

[dmek25]

i think its funny how King writes something negative about the redskins, and as a reporter, he sucks. i don't think he is all the good of a writer, but seems like as a person, is an alright guy. if he writes positives on the skins, everyone will yell because he is jumping on the bandwagon

[mooby]

I don't think King is a bad sportswriter, but he does stick it to the Redskins more often than not. I don't mind though, it's something to do and like it or not he gets readers because of it. But he got a lot of respect from me for going from his "Monk shouldn't be in the HOF" stance to his "I'm gonna see what everyone around the league thinks, and then make an informed opinion about it" stance. He could be one of the biggest reasons the table finally turned and Monk got in this year.

And he wasn't writing an exclusive piece on war, it was a small mention in his MMQB article, which usually covers a lot of topics. I think that was a really nice thing to do to let the word out about that, and it was a good article. We may not support the war but I def. support the soldiers doing what they do.

[hagams]

From a Marines perspective, I see it like this. The USO tour is a great way to promote Unit Morale, and it really gives you a break from the day to day stress that Mortars and Bullets provide.
Today I saw that Jessica Simpson was over there, and I know there's been a ton of Sports players, and actors/actresses over there and Iraq. Outstanding. But, Peter King?? I think my morale would be better boasted by a bowel movement. I'd probably throw on a cammo Redskin Jersey, and slap him.
Every little bit counts, and I'm glad he's a supporter or our guys over there.

[Slingin Sammy 33]

Originally Posted by sbaughone

You guys can get all caught up in this jingo-istic crap, and I support the troops as well, but peter king is a SPORTSWRITER. And his SPORTSWRITING sucks - always has, always will.

I will never have anything nice to say about him. He is a fat loser who thinks he knows more about football than Joe Gibbs.

I'm no PK fan, but IMO it was nice to see an article about NFL players away from the field that didn't have to do with criminal activity. The media (no offense to any media folks intended, it's just the nature of the beast) will always push the bad stuff to the headlines, it generates web-hits and increases ratings. Over 95% of the NFL players are good guys and do great things for their communities but stuff like that doesn't make for great headlines so it doesn't hit the web and news outlets nearly as much as the bad news.

I don't get a jingoistic feel from this story at all. I think PK was just trying to give credit to the players visiting the troops. I thought it was a good article.