Tim James: A True Warrior

Warrior.

That term is bandied about so much it sometimes seems it has lost its meaning. Many people use it to describe someone when it may not truly be deserved.

Face it, the workplace isn’t really a battlefield, and no CEO, no matter how tough he may think he is, would likely want to face a real warrior on a field of battle.

Sports journalists and sports media personalities use it so much to describe players that an alien listening in might mistake our innocent pastimes as battles we’re waging against each other. And while the thuggishness of some of those players might make them seem fierce to those watching, the true warrior spirit is generally unremarked on, as they don’t normally announce themselves with braggadocio.

One such warrior spirit sat quietly on the bench for three NBA teams for a few years. In college he’d been a fierce example of a “warrior," winning his share of battles for a frankly unheralded Miami Hurricanes squad who many believe overachieved in making the NCAA tournament. That warrior spirit resided in a man named Tim James.

James’ play, and his team's success, led him to be drafted in the first round in 1999 by the Miami Heat, where he languished on the pine, played in only 43 games while wearing a Heat uniform, never started, and never scored more than 7 points.

He subsequently played for Charlotte and Philadelphia before heading overseas to play for Japan, Israel, and Turkey.

And while he made a fine living doing it, I think that warrior spirit of his wanted more, demanded more. By 2007 his basketball career had wound down, and he had resigned himself to the fact he probably wasn’t going to be a superstar in that profession.

One thing that hadn’t wound down was his warrior spirit, nor his desire to serve more than just himself.

Foregoing any monies he could have made pursuing a career as a basketball coach, analyst, or media personality (many in his situation would have turned to that), this man, Tim James, who had long thought about a career in the military, decided to put those thoughts into action.

On Sept. 12, 2008, Tim James joined the Army. Like a former football star named Pat Tillman before him, he decided he wanted to do his part. And while he certainly didn’t have the fame of Tillman (and here’s hoping to God he also won’t share his fate—Tillman was killed by friendly fire in Afghanistan in 2004), James did share Tillman’s passion, warrior spirit, and patriotic heart.

As James himself put it, “I think of myself as a patriot. I wanted to give back to a country that gave so much to me.”

He went to boot, trained, and didn't speak of his former career to many.

Instead, he stuck his nose to the grindstone and molded himself into a fine soldier. He endured the harsh conditions any and all soldiers have to in their training, and counted himself lucky to do so, and he never questioned his choice.

“I have no doubts,” James said. “I have no regrets. Not one bit.”

His mother, Betty James, wasn’t so sure. In fact, she says she wanted to scream.

James' family is from a tough neighborhood in Liberty City, so his mother knows Tim is tough. However, she probably would have rather he hadn’t decided to risk his life in such a way to prove his toughness, even if she is beaming with pride.

As she said, “I never saw this coming.”

I don’t think Tim James would think he’s trying to prove anything though, other than to himself. I think he simply wants to serve his country and feels this is the best way to do it. As he told his mother, “Mom, this is what I want.”

James service so far has been exemplary. He serves as a Specialist at Camp Speicher, a massive base near Tikrit in Iraq. His captain, Curtis Byron, a veteran military man who has flown UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters in Iraq, has nothing but good things to say about James. The fact that James never told his fellow soldiers that he was formerly an NBA player and a millionaire impressed him the most.

“It’s a pretty impressive thing that he’s doing, making the transition from where he was then to where he is now,” said Byron. “Such a small percentage of U.S. citizens are in the military or are veterans, doing their part to protect the nation’s freedom. Putting that life behind you, setting aside any thoughts you had before about the military, that’s impressive.”

Needless to say, there are many within the Heat organization who feel proud of Tim James and his service. Pat Riley has stated there is a special night set aside this coming season to honor James. Riley, who has overseen a program he started with the Heat called the HomeStrong initiative that honors returning veterans at halftime of home games, has said he cannot wait for James to be honored in such a way.

"The work we do, while being important to us, is made possible by the efforts of our soldiers in the Middle East," said Riley.

Tim James deserves those honors.

He’s a quiet warrior spirit, and a patriot of the first resort. Whatever your beliefs about the war in Iraq (I’m personally opposed to the whole thing and have been from the beginning), there is no reason not to support the troops who serve there, and absolutely no reason not to recognize the sacrifice of this fine "warrior." This is one sports figure who deserves the term being used in reference to him.

Tim James, a true warrior and patriot.

Quotes of Tim James, his mother Betty James, Captain Curtis Byron, and Pat Riley are taken from the AP article on this story as well as the Miami Herald piece on it.