[Bette]

Much has been written and reported about the troubled past of Redskins Pro Bowl safety Sean Taylor, 24, who was gunned down by an intruder in his suburban Miami home early Monday morning and died from the wound to his groin and femoral artery early Tuesday.
Certainly he had experienced problems with the law. Taylor pleaded no contest to misdemeanors of simple battery and simple assault after facing felony charges for a 2005 incident involving a handgun. During that altercation, Taylor was accused of waving a gun at a man and hitting him during a fight over the alleged theft of the player's all-terrain vehicles. And there was a DUI arrest in 2004 - his rookie season; he later was acquitted.
In just more than three NFL seasons, Taylor was fined at least seven times for late hits and infractions ranging from wearing non-sanctioned socks to spitting on an opponent's face.
Those who really knew the very private Taylor said that the birth of his daughter in May 2006 profoundly had changed him and prompted him to become more mature and responsible.
Remember, Taylor was 20 years old when he was drafted No. 5 overall by the Redskins in 2004 after a terrific three-year career at the University of Miami. He was barely out of his teens when he signed a seven-year, $18 million contract.
Taylor lived in the fast lane but seemed to be slowing down and growing up in the past few months. But the tragedy extends beyond his killing. Taylor's baby girl was in the house when he was shot. The baby's mother, Taylor's longtime girlfriend, called police for help. That child has no father now.
Imagine the horror his friends, family and teammates are experiencing as they cope with his death.
The NFL has programs in place to help educate these young men about the perils they face as newly minted millionaires and celebrities.
The NFL takes its mandatory rookie symposium seriously - so much so, the league fined Taylor $25,000 in 2004 for skipping out of the session early.

Truth is, athletes such as Taylor and Williams face these pressures and pitfalls before they even reach the NFL, most as early as high school.
The lifestyle intervention must begin when they are teenagers. By the time they reach the NFL, these lessons should be continuing education for players, not their initial wake-up call.



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