Tragic Nick Madaras story lives on through soccer balls in Iraq

If you didn’t get a chance to watch ESPN SportsCenter over the Memorial Day weekend, you missed one of the saddest/most heart-warming stories ever.

Army Pfc. Nicholas Madaras was only 19 years old when he was killed by a bomb while on foot patrol in Iraq in September 2006.

His tragic story lives on by the thousands of soccer balls that have been delivered to Iraqi children in his name.

Check out his story on ESPN, but make sure you have a Kleenex or handkerchief to wipe your tears:

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=3218181&categoryid=2378529

Memorial Day: Never forget our TRUE heroes!

As we celebrate Memorial Day, let’s not forget what this holiday is all about and why we continue to live in a free country.

Without the sacrifices of millions of men and women over history who have given their lives for our country, we would not enjoy the freedoms we have today.

If you’re watching a baseball game or any other sporting event, just remember that we wouldn’t even have these pleasures without those who have selflessly laid down their lives for our country.

It doesn't matter if your favorite team is the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, San Diego Padres or Los Angeles Dodgers for that matter ... please, always remember this:

Memorial Day used to be a solemn day of mourning, a sacred day of remembrance to honor those who paid the ultimate price for our freedoms. Businesses closed for the day. Towns held parades honoring the fallen, the parade routes oftentimes ending at a local cemetery, where Memorial Day speeches were given and prayers offered up. People took the time that day to clean and decorate with flowers and flags the graves of those the fell in service to their country.

"Let no vandalism of avarice or neglect, no ravages of time testify to the present or to the coming generations that we have forgotten as a people the cost of a free and undivided republic." -- General Logan - May 5, 1868

We need to remember with sincere respect those who paid the price for our freedoms; we need to keep in sacred remembrance those who died serving their country. We need to never let them be forgotten.

May God continue to bless America.

Unlike local TV, pro wrestlers are very patriotic

Say what you want about owner Vince McMahon and World Wrestling Entertainment.

You can call the group too theatrical, too this or too that.

But there’s another term you can use for McMahon and the WWE: “very patriotic.”

At the beginning of Monday Night Raw, the WWE featured a salute to our troops on Memorial Day.

This beat the heck out of the local TV stations that led their newscasts with the same-old police blotter stuff and threw in Memorial Day remembrances as an afterthought.

Actually, the WWE is gaining quite a reputation for its patriotism.

After all, this was the first organization to hold a major public event in the aftermath of 9/11, staging a show in Houston just two days after the terrorist acts and having McMahon say “We’ll go on with the show; we’re not afraid of terrorists.”

This is also the same WWE that travels to Iraq each year during Christmas time and puts on a show for our troops.

When it comes to being patriotic, our local and national TV shows can sure learn a lot from the WWE.

Remember our fallen heroes on Memorial Day

As we begin our Memorial Day weekend, let’s not forget what this holiday is all about and why we continue to live in a free country.

Without the sacrifices of millions of men and women over history who have given their lives for our country, we would not enjoy the freedoms we have today.

If you’re watching a baseball game or any other sporting event this weekend, just remember that we wouldn’t even have these pleasures without those who have selflessly laid down their lives for our country.

Here are excerpts from a past Memorial Day speech by President Bush at Arlington National Cemetery:

"Every year on this day, we pause to remember Americans fallen by placing a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns. I'm honored to do that this morning on behalf of the American people. The names of the men buried there are known only to God, but their courage and sacrifice will never be forgotten by our nation.

"At our National Cemetery, we receive the fallen in sorrow, and we take them to an honored place to rest. Looking across this field, we see the scale of heroism and sacrifice. All who are buried here understood their duty. All stood to protect America. And all carried with them memories of a family that they hoped to keep safe by their sacrifice.

"These are the men and women who wear our uniform. These are the men and women who defend our freedom. And these are the men and women who are buried here. As we look across these acres, we begin to tally the cost of our freedom, and we count it a privilege to be citizens of the country served by so many brave men and women. And we must honor them by completing the mission for which they gave their lives, by defeating the terrorists, advancing the cause of liberty, and building a safer world.

"A day will come when there will be no one left who knew the men and women buried here. Yet Americans will still come to visit, to pay tribute to the many who gave their lives for freedom, who liberated the oppressed, and who left the world a safer and better place. Today we pray that they have found peace with their Creator, and we resolve that their sacrifice will always be remembered by a grateful nation.

"May God continue to bless America."

Remember our fallen heroes on Memorial Day

As we begin our Memorial Day weekend, let’s not forget what this holiday is all about and why we continue to live in a free country.

Without the sacrifices of millions of men and women over history who have given their lives for our country, we would not enjoy the freedoms we have today.

If you’re watching a baseball game or any other sporting event this weekend, just remember that we wouldn’t even have these pleasures without those who have selflessly laid down their lives for our country.

Here are excerpts from a past Memorial Day speech by President Bush at Arlington National Cemetery:

"Every year on this day, we pause to remember Americans fallen by placing a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns. I'm honored to do that this morning on behalf of the American people. The names of the men buried there are known only to God, but their courage and sacrifice will never be forgotten by our nation.

"At our National Cemetery, we receive the fallen in sorrow, and we take them to an honored place to rest. Looking across this field, we see the scale of heroism and sacrifice. All who are buried here understood their duty. All stood to protect America. And all carried with them memories of a family that they hoped to keep safe by their sacrifice.

"These are the men and women who wear our uniform. These are the men and women who defend our freedom. And these are the men and women who are buried here. As we look across these acres, we begin to tally the cost of our freedom, and we count it a privilege to be citizens of the country served by so many brave men and women. And we must honor them by completing the mission for which they gave their lives, by defeating the terrorists, advancing the cause of liberty, and building a safer world.

"A day will come when there will be no one left who knew the men and women buried here. Yet Americans will still come to visit, to pay tribute to the many who gave their lives for freedom, who liberated the oppressed, and who left the world a safer and better place. Today we pray that they have found peace with their Creator, and we resolve that their sacrifice will always be remembered by a grateful nation.

"May God continue to bless America."