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."