Football Players Are Tougher Than Military Servicemembers

CPT Aaron Kletzing — Tue, 24 Sep 2013 19:43:44 -0400

This is according to Attauyo 'Ty' Nsekhe, a St. Louis Rams' practice squad offensive tackle. How do you respond to these words from an NFL player, given that the military has sacrificed so much?

Response by Capt Frank McClung made Sep 25 at 2013 9:09 AM

Capt Frank McClung — Wed, 25 Sep 2013 09:09:08 -0400

Invite him to spend a day training with the special forces or SEALs. He might have a different attitude.

Response by MAJ Nate Dougall made Sep 25 at 2013 11:10 AM

MAJ Nate Dougall — Wed, 25 Sep 2013 11:10:38 -0400

Having played football in college and been in the military for a long time I would put football above soccer but below hockey. I have been playing rugby for 22 years - now that is a tough sport. It is a surprising comment especially from someone on a practice squad.

Response by SN Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 25 at 2013 11:17 AM

SN Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 25 Sep 2013 11:17:14 -0400

Only a fool who has never served would ever make such an ignorant and foolish statement... This is not truly surprising that someone would say this. Typical of hollywood and professional(questionably) spoiled(most definitely) overpaid athletes.

Response by CPT Don Buzzelli made Sep 25 at 2013 11:28 AM

CPT Don Buzzelli — Wed, 25 Sep 2013 11:28:53 -0400

I played football in college a long time ago and enlisted in the army and signed up for Special Forces, where I spent three years enlisted and three years as an officer. There is no comparison to the dedication, mental and physical toughness and your ability to do it every minute of every day of every month of every year--not just for two or three hrs doing practice or a game, three our four months a year.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 25 at 2013 11:33 AM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 25 Sep 2013 11:33:12 -0400

Having also played football in college, I too am not surprised by the comment from the football player. As we know, there are references to war in competitive contact sports. But the player who is making the statement is a participant in a game with really no external negative consequences for failure other than personal ego. I learned a great deal on the "Fields of Friendly Strife" on the Hudson that have added me throughout my career, but I know a few young service members who are deployed right now who would rival any professional athlete.

Response by CW2 Geoff Lachance made Sep 25 at 2013 4:18 PM

CW2 Geoff Lachance — Wed, 25 Sep 2013 16:18:46 -0400

No athlete is tougher than a military service member.
I like football, but football players aren't even tougher than hockey players. They don't have to live with serious injuries and or death. Nor, do they have to live with the constant fear that goes with combat actions! In my humble opinion, military people are the toughest around!

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 25 at 2013 4:30 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 25 Sep 2013 16:30:59 -0400

We have no choice but to be tough. Unfortunately when we get hurt in combat there are not "sidelines" for us to return to. Those who have been deployed know that there is no "time out" in war. The enemy does not care if we need to regroup. There objective is to hurt us in any way they seem fit. Unneccesary roughness does not exist. Not to mention we make pennies on the dallor compared to this guy. Lets send him over there and see how tough he is when an IED detonates.

Response by CPT Ed Hale made Sep 25 at 2013 10:23 PM

CPT Ed Hale — Wed, 25 Sep 2013 22:23:01 -0400

Unless Attauyo 'Ty' Nsekhe has been a service member, he is really in NO POSITION to make that comparison. All athletes play in a RULES based, controlled environment regardless of their sport. Granted, in football there is COLLISION, SUPER FORCES, HIGH SPEED MOVEMENT. In Combat (or preparation for combat) you have all that PLUS the element of randomness and complete lack of organized "fair play". Not to mention that your opponent is out to KILL you---not simply block you or tackle you, but KILL you. Having played on both fields, I believe that the comment itself is good for generating feedback and other OPINIONS on online forums such as this, but completely unsubstantiated and without merit. I would be willing to bet that there will be far more "Military Servicemembers" who have experience with both that will comment than football players trying to defend or quantify their position.

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 26 at 2013 9:20 AM

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 26 Sep 2013 09:20:15 -0400

You don't, sir. He lives in a bubble of disbelief no logic will pierce.

Response by Spc 1 J W. made Sep 28 at 2013 9:50 AM

Spc 1 J W. — Sat, 28 Sep 2013 09:50:34 -0400

With ignorance comes arrogance.

Response by Sgt Frank Martin made Oct 3 at 2013 8:35 PM

Sgt Frank Martin — Thu, 03 Oct 2013 20:35:37 -0400

I'm sorry if my response offends anyone, not really... My simple response to this waste of skin would be "K.M.A"...

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 20 at 2013 4:14 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 20 Oct 2013 04:14:07 -0400

maybe he should inquire why Army Ranger Pat Tillman was killed by not-so-friendly fire

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 28 at 2013 9:29 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 28 Oct 2013 21:29:38 -0400

Never suffer a fool. The guy is a self absorbed jackass.

Response by SSG Ronald Limbaugh made Nov 25 at 2013 5:48 AM

SSG Ronald Limbaugh — Mon, 25 Nov 2013 05:48:51 -0500

I have to say that my initial reaction was close to being angry, but upon further reflection and calming thoughts, I began to think along the following lines:

Many times opinions are based upon how a person views the facts from their own perspective. A football player believes he is tougher than a Soldier, that's his opinion. In some respects I can see how that is true. I spent eight years in the Infantry, yet during that time, there is no way i would ever suit up and place myself in harm's way by stepping on the 50 yard line with NFL players. I wasn't that sort of tough. However, I would be willing to guess that many of these same players, while tough enough to do that, would not make it through a 25 mile foot-march with an 80+ pound rucksack, after completing 20+ days in the back forty of Fort Campbell, KY, much less being sent into a combat zone for 9-15 months, living in sparse conditions, walking patrols or riding convoys, or even dealing with being away from friends and family for so long. I'm sure there are a few NFL players that could hack it, just as there are some Soldiers that could definitely make it in the ranks of the NFL, but tough is a relative term and opinions are a dime a dozen.
I made a comment on another thread, concerning the comment "pretty-much Infantry". This is similar in that I think many people need to have a hero and this type of comment allows them to compare themselves to their heroes, whether they admit it or not.

Response by SFC(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 1 at 2014 11:21 AM

SFC(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 01 Jan 2014 11:21:20 -0500

Why are we giving this PRATICE SQUAD player any free media. He does have the skill to make the real team so he has no room to talk. That's like a ROTC officer telling my about how the Army works Really?

Response by SSG Robert Burns made Jan 1 at 2014 11:30 AM

SSG Robert Burns — Wed, 01 Jan 2014 11:30:26 -0500

Man to be so rough, they sure do wear a lot of pads. Could you imagine what they'd wear if they had to dodge bullets?

Im curious, does the Taliban get fined or suspended for shooting at our knees or hitting a defenseless "player?"

Response by SSG Laureano Pabon made Jan 1 at 2014 12:36 PM

SSG Laureano Pabon — Wed, 01 Jan 2014 12:36:02 -0500

Sir before I put any comment here I first had to look at what took place.

I found this Article in the web.

Read the update:

http://p.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/sep/23/st-louis-rams-ty-nsekhe-blasts-military-it-doesnt-/

Pro football player Ty Nsekhe blasts military: ‘It doesn’t take much skill to kill someone’

Attauyo ‘Ty’ Nsekhe of the St. Louis Rams started quite the firestorm on Twitter Monday afternoon after he elevated himself above U.S. military members for having “skills.”

Response by Cpl Ray Fernandez made Jan 1 at 2014 4:53 PM

Cpl Ray Fernandez — Wed, 01 Jan 2014 16:53:47 -0500

I don't even bother getting upset about people claiming that they have it as hard or harder than the military or they're tougher than the military. For me to get upset it would mean that I actually gave them any credibility on the subject. I say let him speak, and then the foolishness of his words will provide the backlash his foolsih words deserve.

Let's see he practices to play a game which lasts 60 minutes that is divided into 4 quarters, and he gets another long break at half time, and if he actually made it to the actual playing squad, he'd play maybe a portion or about half the game at most.

Now let's see a servicemember is training in conditions that may put their life at risk, and when it's their time to go deploy and do what they train to do, their opponents don't stop because they hear a wihistle, they try to kill, oh and there is no half time, no time outs, and at times you can't tell who is your opponent, even those that are supposedly on your side may be out to kill you. Not to mention a crowd in attendance may just be your enemy and just as deadly to you as your known enemy.

I mean even this Rams "player" (he's on the practice squad so he probably isn't good enough to be called a player since he doesn't suit up on Sundays, and the Rams are the worst team in their division), so even his credibility on what toughness is required to be a professional football player is even beyond his grasp.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 2 at 2014 3:05 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 02 Jan 2014 15:05:26 -0500

All I can say to him is "Walk a mile in my shoes and tell me if you feel the same." Soldiers work through sickness, injury and adverse conditions. Football players get a stubbed toe and are out for weeks. They play a game that we all have played as children and never put their lives on the line for a cause.

Response by TSgt Marco McDowell made Jul 30 at 2016 7:27 PM

TSgt Marco McDowell — Sat, 30 Jul 2016 19:27:34 -0400

Is there more to the story? I need context...and face it, there are people in the military that make you wonder how they've survived. Everything is agony, suddenly they need to go to sick call before a hump, they need 500 thread silk sheets, it's not Starbucks, my God I have to work from 0830 until 1500? It is possible he speaks some truth with a segment in the service.

Response by Sgt Jimmy Skuce made Jul 31 at 2016 1:58 AM

Sgt Jimmy Skuce — Sun, 31 Jul 2016 01:58:25 -0400

Practice squaD. 'NUFF Said. In the Military we don't have scrubs on practice squads.

Response by SGT Robert Riley made Jul 31 at 2016 2:24 AM

SGT Robert Riley — Sun, 31 Jul 2016 02:24:00 -0400

This comment is coming from nothing more than an individual who is narcissistic and struggling with a personal dilemma about his own testicular fortitude. Football players participate in a game where the end result is a lost championship, smashed ribs, TBI and a blow to one's ego. Football players can never be compared to military service members especially those in the combat arms arena because the end results are sometimes finite...coming home in a flag draped casket at Dover AFB or traumatic amputation of the limbs, bullet wounds, psychological issues and a broken marriages. A football player when sprinting across a field worries about being tackled by some opposing player who may or may not be cranked up on steroids and get a few bruised ribs while those of us who have deployed had to or are worrying about whether there is an IED out there, indirect/direct fire; heavily armed insurgents or a sniper waiting to terminate you. It takes both mental and physical courage to deal with that and carry out your mission while all hell is breaking loose around you. That is what makes us service members far more tougher than a football player who view of toughness is spending a few hours on the gridiron dodging like-minded fellows like him. Attauyo "Ty" Nsekhe may be tough on the football field but I guarantee that he isn't as tough as some of the female gunners who went out with my platoon on route clearance missions in Afghanistan.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 31 at 2016 5:26 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 31 Jul 2016 05:26:59 -0400

Football players have to be tough for a few years and they get off seasons. Soldiers are on the job for twice as long with no off seasons.

Response by CPO Randy Francis made Jul 31 at 2016 8:56 AM

CPO Randy Francis — Sun, 31 Jul 2016 08:56:38 -0400

That's pretty funny coming from a second rate practice squad player.

Response by SSG John Jensen made Jul 31 at 2016 7:47 PM

SSG John Jensen — Sun, 31 Jul 2016 19:47:13 -0400

Marching Band ' If it was easy, it would be called football'

Response by SFC Don Ward made Jul 31 at 2016 9:34 PM

SFC Don Ward — Sun, 31 Jul 2016 21:34:10 -0400

I ignore ignorance.