EX-TITANS QB STEVE MCNAIR SHOT TO DEATH

[San]

EX-TITANS QB STEVE MCNAIR SHOT TO DEATH

http://www.nypost.com/seven/07042009/news/nationalnews/former_titans_quarterback_steve_mcnair_s_177589.htm



ASSOCIATED PRESS
Posted: 5:39 pm
July 4, 2009

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Former NFL quarterback Steve McNair has been shot and killed.

Nashville police spokesman Don Aaron confirmed that police were called to a residence and found McNair and a woman shot to death inside. Aaron said authorities don't yet know the circumstances of the shooting.

"I don't have any answers for you now as to what's happened, who's responsible," he said.

Aaron said police have tentatively identified the woman but did not release her name.

McNair played 13 seasons in the NFL and led the Titans within a yard of forcing overtime in the 2000 Super Bowl. The former third overall draft pick also played for the Baltimore Ravens before retiring after the 2007 season.

"He was one of the finest players to play for our organization and one of the most beloved players by our fans," Titans owner Bud Adams said in a statement. "He played with unquestioned heart and leadership and led us to places that we had never reached, including our only Super Bowl."

[MuffyBee]

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/9765822/Reports:-Ex-NFL-QB-McNair-found-shot-to-death
Ex-NFL QB McNair found shot to death in condo


Former NFL quarterback Steve McNair and a woman were found shot to death Saturday inside a residence in Nashville, police said.

Nashville police spokesman Don Aaron confirmed that authorities were called to a condominium and found McNair and a woman shot to death inside. Aaron said police don't yet know the circumstances of the shootings.

"I don't have any answers for you now as to what's happened, who's responsible," Aaron said.
<snip>

[San]

Former NFL quarterback Steve McNair found shot and killed; unidentified female victim also found

BY Rich Schapiro
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Saturday, July 4th 2009, 4:59 PM

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/2009/07/04/2009-07-04_former_nfl_quarterback_steve_mcnair_found_shot_dead_in_nashville_report.html#ixzz0KKfJLjQH&C

Former NFL star quarterback Steve McNair was discovered shot to death Saturday inside a Nashville condo, authorities said.

McNair, 36, was found with a gunshot wound to the head. An unidentified female victim was also found murdered inside the complex.

Nashville police spokesman Don Aaron said authorities don't yet know the circumstances of the shooting. "I don't have any answers for you now as to what's happened, who's responsible," he said.

Police were investigating possible witnesses yesterday. There were no arrests.

Tennessee Titans owner Bud Adams confirmed the quarterback's death in a brief statement.

Adams called him "one of the finest players to play for our organization and one of the most beloved players by our fans."

"He played with unquestioned heart and leadership and led us to places that we had never reached, including our only Super Bowl," Adams said.

The flame-throwing QB played 13 seasons in the NFL before retiring from the league last April.

A three-time Pro Bowl pick, McNair played college football at Alcorn State before joining the Houston Oilers as the third overall pick in the 1995 NFL draft. McNair played 11 seasons with the Titans, who moved from Houston, leading the team to the Super Bowl in 1999.

The Titans lost that game in heartbreaking fashion when McNair completed a pass near the St. Louis Rams' goal line in the contest's waning seconds, but receiver Kevin Dyson failed to cross the line.

McNair was the co-MVP of the league in 2003, sharing the award with Peyton Manning. That year, McNair threw for 3,215 yards and 24 touchdowns with only seven interceptions.

McNair played his final two seasons with the Baltimore Ravens. The Mississippi native led the Ravens to a 13-3 record in 2006. But he injured his groin during the season opener last year and never regained his Pro Bowl form.

McNair recently opened a restaurant in Nashville called Steve McNair's Gridiron9.

"I always wanted to retire and teach kids about life, and I'm still doing that with my camps," McNair told the Tennessean last week.

"This is something that I can still give back to the community. A lot of college students don't have the funds to go to [upscale] restaurants, but we can still offer them good food, healthy food they can afford."

McNair leaves behind a son, Steve Jr., who is a star wide receiver at a Mississippi high school.

[MuffyBee]

http://views.washingtonpost.com/theleague/nflnewsfeed/2009/07/mcnair-reportedly-shot-and-killed.html
McNair Shot and Killed
July 4, 2009


UPDATED (6 p.m.)...

Former Tennessee Titans and Baltimore Ravens quarterback Steve McNair was shot and killed in Nashville, police have confirmed.

McNair, 36, and an unidentified woman were found dead in a condominium, a Nashville police spokesman told reporters at an impromptu news conference near the property.

Investigators did not yet know the circumstances of the shooting, spokesman Don Aaron said.

"At this point, we don't know the circumstances of these shooting deaths," Aaron said. "The investigation is going to be conducted by the police department's centralized homicide unit. Those detectives have assembled here at the scene. The condominium still has to be processed. There is a lot of work yet to be done. It's going to take many hours to process the scene. I don't have any answers for you now as to what's happened, who's responsible, what the circumstances are."

Aaron said that police had tentatively identified the woman but did not release her name, pending confirmation of that identification and notification of her family.

No one had been arrested for the shooting, said Aaron, who indicated that investigators were questioning visitors to the condo complex to see if they had any information.

"We are saddened and shocked to hear the news of Steve McNair's passing today," Titans owner Bud Adams said in a written statement released by the team. "He was one of the finest players to play for our organization and one of the most beloved players by our fans. He played with unquestioned heart and leadership and led us to places that we had never reached, including our only Super Bowl. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family as they deal with his untimely passing."
<snip>

[Red]

Former Tennessee Titan NFL QB Steve McNair Dead … Shot to Death in Nashville, TN

http://scaredmonkeys.com/2009/07/04/former-tennessee-titan-nfl-qb-steve-mcnair-dead-shot-to-death-in-nashville-tn/

Steve McNair was found shot to death along with an unidentified woman Saturday. The two were found dead in a Nashville condo in what appears to be a double homicide. The woman’s name is being held until pending notification of the next of kin.

The man known in college as Air McNair out of Alcorn St, became know in the NFL and the Titans as being one of the toughest and hard working QB’s in the business. Never can I remember a game toward the end of McNair’s career where he was not playing with an injury that would sideline most. McNair was one of the true NFL gladiators and warriors of his generation where statistics did not tell the story.

As 4th of July fireworks are scheduled tonight in Nashville, TN … many of the spectators for the festivities have gone to the location of the shooting in downtown Nashville.

[Red]

I can remember watching Steve McNair college high lights when he was at Alcorn State, a SWAC all-black college and saying WOW!!!

Steve McNair was not only tough as nails he was a trend setter. He reset the bar for black QB's in the NFL and made it possible that NFL GM's would get a clue and actually realize it was OK to draft a black QB.

Joined Fran Tarkenton and Steve Young as the only players to pass for 30,000 yards and rush for 3,500 yards

Donovan McNabb, Michael Vick, David Garrard, Dante Culpepper and Byron Leftwich can all send Steve a thank you cars or at least flowers to his funeral as it was Air McNair who paved the way for the new age of drafting black QB's.

He had that it factor like former Tampa Bay Buc and Wash Redskin QB Doug Williams.

[Red]

Could this have been a murder/suicide? The details provided at tonight's press conference certainly made it sound like it.

from the front page ...
http://scaredmonkeys.com/2009/07/04/former-tennessee-titan-nfl-qb-steve-mcnair-dead-shot-to-death-in-nashville-tn/


According the the police press conference McNair was shot multiple times and the female victim, Sahel Kazemi, was shot once in the head. Metro police said that the door was locked when a co-renter of the condo arrived. Also the police spokesman said that they are not actively looking for a suspect tonight and they will be meeting with the Medical Examiner tomorrow morning.

Wow, I am speculating, but from the info the police gave in tonights press conference, this sounds like a murder/suicide. One victim shot multiple times, one victim with one shot to the head, the gun still present at the crime scene, the door to the condo was locked, McNair was found dean on a coach and the woman on the floor.

[MuffyBee]

http://www.sportingnews.com/nfl/article/2009-07-04/good-guy-mcnair-key-hurricane-katrina-aid
Good Guy: McNair key in Hurricane Katrina aid
Sporting News Magazine
Saturday, Jul. 4, 2009 - 8:38 p.m. ET
Steve McNair's desire to help his community was enormous, and nothing showed that more than his assistance to Hurricane Katrina victims. As part of package saluting the Good Guys in sports, Paul Attner offered the following in June 2006:
 
It started with a conversation with Brett Favre.
 
Steve McNair, then still with the Titans, and Favre are Mississippi natives, and their teams were scheduled to play a preseason game in Nashville three days after Hurricane Katrina. Favre told McNair he was packing the Packers' plane with relief supplies for his state. That led McNair to ask his foundation director, Mike Mu, to arrange a relief drive in Nashville.
 
By the end of McNair's effort, 20 tractor-trailers had been filled with supplies. More than 800 volunteers helped out, and children brought their piggy banks. Fundraising efforts brought in more than $300,000.
 
A couple of weeks after the hurricane, the first trucks rolled into Mississippi and serviced areas that the Red Cross and the Federal Emergency Management Agency were not reaching. One of the trucks went to McNair's ranch, where his mom supervised the unloading process.
 
Mu and McNair realized they needed a distribution point, so they began the Steve McNair Distribution Center in Gulfport. That led to weekly deliveries to the center of goods purchased by McNair's foundation.
 
Later, Favre and McNair contributed to a $150,000 donation to the state's high school and youth football programs.

[texasmom]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,530066,00.html

Former NFL Star Steve McNair Killed in Shooting

Saturday, July 04, 2009  
 
 AP





Jan. 8, 2000: Tennessee Titans quarterback Steve McNair looks for a receiver during the Titans' 22-16 wild card playoff win over the Buffalo Bills.


 
NASHVILLE, Tenn.  —  Former NFL quarterback Steve McNair was shot multiple times, including a shot to the head, and a pistol was discovered near the body of the 20-year-old woman found dead with him Saturday in a downtown condominium.

Nashville police spokesman Don Aaron identified the woman as Sahel Kazemi, whom he called a "friend" of McNair's. She had a single gunshot wound to the head.

Police said McNair was found on the sofa, and Kazemi was very close to him on the floor. Aaron said the gun was not "readily apparent when the scene was first locked down."

Autopsies for both were planned for Sunday.

Aaron said McNair's wife, Mechelle, is "very distraught."

"At this juncture, we do not believe she is involved," he said. "Nothing has been ruled out, but as far as actively looking for a suspect tonight, the answer would be no."

The bodies were discovered Saturday afternoon by one of McNair's longtime friends.

Police said Kazemi was arrested Thursday on a DUI charge while driving a 2007 Escalade registered to her and McNair. McNair was in the front seat, but didn't break the law and was allowed to leave by taxi.
Nashville police spokesman Don Aaron confirmed that authorities were called to a condominium and found McNair and a woman shot to death inside. Aaron said police don't yet know the circumstances of the shootings.

"I don't have any answers for you now as to what's happened, who's responsible," Aaron said.

"There are persons who were around the complex today, visitors, who have been taken to headquarters for questioning, just to see what they know, what they may have seen," Aaron said. "No one is in custody right now."

The condominium where the bodies were found is one that McNair was known to frequent, but police spokeswoman Kristin Mumford could not say whether he was the owner.

Detectives from the police department's centralized homicide unit were on the scene.

McNair played 13 seasons in the NFL and led the Titans within a yard of forcing overtime in the 2000 Super Bowl, which they lost 23-16 to the St. Louis Rams. He also played for the Baltimore Ravens before retiring in April 2008.

"We don't know the details, but it is a terrible tragedy and our hearts go out to the families involved," NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement.

"We are saddened and shocked to hear the news of Steve McNair's passing today," Titans owner Bud Adams said in a statement. "He was one of the finest players to play for our organization and one of the most beloved players by our fans. He played with unquestioned heart and leadership and led us to places that we had never reached, including our only Super Bowl."

About 50 people crowded just beyond police tape outside the complex in the upscale Rutledge Hill neighborhood, some wearing Titans hats. The condominium is located within walking distance of an area filled with restaurants and nightspots, just a few blocks from the Cumberland River and within view of the Titans' stadium.

McNair began his career in 1995 with the Houston Oilers, who eventually became the Titans, and finished with 31,304 yards passing and 174 touchdowns. McNair played with pain for several years, and the injuries ultimately forced him to retire.

The highlight of his playing time might have been a five-game stretch at the end of the 2002 season when he was so banged up he couldn't practice. McNair started all five games and won them all, leading the Titans to an 11-5 finish and a berth in the AFC championship game for the second time in four seasons.

McNair played all 16 games in 2006, his first season in Baltimore, and guided the Ravens to a 13-3 record. But he injured his groin during the season opener last season and never regained the form that enabled him to earn a berth in four Pro Bowls.

"I am deeply saddened to learn of today's tragic news regarding the death of Steve McNair. He was a player who I admired a great deal," said New England Patriots senior football adviser Floyd Reese, who was GM of the Titans when McNair played there. "He was a tremendous leader and an absolute warrior. He felt like it was his responsibility to lead by working hard every day, no matter what.

"I don't think there was a player who played with him or against him that didn't look up to him and respect him," Reese said. "My heartfelt condolences go out to his family, his friends and the many teammates who loved and admired him."

Titans coach Jeff Fisher was out of the country, taking part in the first NFL-USO coaches tour to Iraq.

[texasmom]

Could this have been a murder/suicide? The details provided at tonight's press conference certainly made it sound like it.

from the front page ...
http://scaredmonkeys.com/2009/07/04/former-tennessee-titan-nfl-qb-steve-mcnair-dead-shot-to-death-in-nashville-tn/


According the the police press conference McNair was shot multiple times and the female victim, Sahel Kazemi, was shot once in the head. Metro police said that the door was locked when a co-renter of the condo arrived. Also the police spokesman said that they are not actively looking for a suspect tonight and they will be meeting with the Medical Examiner tomorrow morning.

Wow, I am speculating, but from the info the police gave in tonights press conference, this sounds like a murder/suicide. One victim shot multiple times, one victim with one shot to the head, the gun still present at the crime scene, the door to the condo was locked, McNair was found dean on a coach and the woman on the floor.

It sure sounds that way.   

But I hope it's investigated properly, in case it wasn't; but was intended to LOOK that way.

[nonesuche]

Could this have been a murder/suicide? The details provided at tonight's press conference certainly made it sound like it.

from the front page ...
http://scaredmonkeys.com/2009/07/04/former-tennessee-titan-nfl-qb-steve-mcnair-dead-shot-to-death-in-nashville-tn/


According the the police press conference McNair was shot multiple times and the female victim, Sahel Kazemi, was shot once in the head. Metro police said that the door was locked when a co-renter of the condo arrived. Also the police spokesman said that they are not actively looking for a suspect tonight and they will be meeting with the Medical Examiner tomorrow morning.

Wow, I am speculating, but from the info the police gave in tonights press conference, this sounds like a murder/suicide. One victim shot multiple times, one victim with one shot to the head, the gun still present at the crime scene, the door to the condo was locked, McNair was found dean on a coach and the woman on the floor.

I remember sending my son an article about McNair regarding a speech he gave to recruits, he had only been in the NFL about 5 years at that point. He had accomplished so much, beaten the odds by taking his opportunity at Alcorn State - not a power or elite program - and then built his path into the NFL. He was extraordinary indeed and a true leader.

This woman was charged with a DUI two nights prior in McNair's SUV. This morning the news is stating McNair's wife isn't suspected of having any involvement at this point, and that there isn't a clear suspect either. What was he doing dating a 20 year old anyway?

Perhaps they had an open marriage but geez..........sure is risky behavior when you are perceived as a wealthy athlete.

[nonesuche]

I found the article still on my external hard drive.

     
________________________________________
Steve McNair went I-AA to play QB

BY JOHN O'CONNOR
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER Jun 30, 2004

Tennessee Titans quarterback Steve McNair, a product of Division I-AA Alcorn State, was the NFL's top-rated QB in 2003, when he was the league's co-MVP with Indianapolis QB Peyton Manning.

In a Division I-AA football stadium, in a state with seven Division I-AA football programs, a Division I-AA testimonial took place Monday evening.

"I'm proud of my I-AA background," said Tennessee Titans quarterback Steve McNair. "I wouldn't change it if I had the chance to do it all over again."

McNair, a guest at William and Mary's Colonial All-Pro Football camp, was the NFL's top-rated QB in 2003. He shared the league's MVP award with Indianapolis quarterback Peyton Manning. This coming season will be McNair's 10th in the NFL.

So, what was McNair doing at Alcorn State, a 2,700-student Division I-AA school located 7 miles outside Lorman, Miss.?

"Believe it or not, Alcorn was the only college that gave me the chance to play quarterback," he said.

Florida, Mississippi State and Mississippi also wanted McNair, who grew up in Mount Olive, Miss., and still lives there during the offseason. But those Southeastern Conference schools viewed him as a I-A defensive back. That seems silly, until you realize McNair shared Mississippi's high school record with 30 career interceptions.

Alcorn supplied the opportunity to wing it, and 14,496 passing yards later, Air McNair had put the I-AA Braves in the national spotlight.

"Some guys at bigger schools get caught up in the numbers. They don't even get a chance to play until their junior or senior years," said McNair, a four-year starter for the Braves. "In I-AA, they'll give you a chance to play in your first year, to show your talent earlier."

He led his team to the'92 and'94 Southwestern Athletic Conference titles, and finished third in the'94 Heisman Trophy race. Ahead of him were a couple of I-A players, Colorado's Rashaan Salaam and Penn State's Ki-Jana Carter, who didn't pan out as pros.

Virginia's I-AA programs are Richmond, William and Mary, James Madison, VMI, Hampton, Liberty and Norfolk State. Though the gap in overall talent between I-A (85-scholarship maximum) and I-AA (63-grant ceiling) has grown during the past two decades, I-AA schools still manage to sign and develop pro-caliber players.

McNair becomes the third ex-I-AA quarterback to win or share the NFL's MVP award in the past three years. Oakland's Rich Gannon (2002 MVP) played at Delaware. Kurt Warner (2001 MVP), now with the New York Giants, is a Northern Iowa alumnus. Fifteen former I-AA players were picked in the 2004 NFL draft.

This is the time of year McNair bounces from camp to camp, including his own, held last weekend at Alcorn State. "It's a lot, but it's all for the best. It's all for the kids," he said.

Campers think football. McNair's message hits them from another angle, one that transcends college football's divisions. "Get your education. It's the most important thing," he said.

[San]

Retired NFL QB Steve McNair killed in murder-suicide by 20-year-old woman
BY Rich Schapiro
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Saturday, July 4th 2009, 4:59 PM

http://tinyurl.com/kkt9hv

Former NFL star quarterback Steve McNair was found dead with multiple gunshot wounds in a Nashville condominium Saturday - and authorities hinted he was murdered by a girlfriend who then turned the gun on herself.

Cops discovered McNair's bullet-riddled body slumped on a sofa inside his rented condo's blood-spattered living room, authorities said.

A woman McNair was reportedly dating, identified as Sahel Kazemi, 20, was found dead only a few feet away with a single bullet wound to the head. A gun was lying nearby, Nashville police said.

"At this moment nothing has been ruled out, but as far as actively looking for a suspect tonight, the answer would be no," Nashville police spokesman Don Aaron said.

It remained unclear what might have triggered the slaying, Aaron added.

McNair, 36, who was married and had four children, had reportedly been dating Kazemi for a few months. They met at a Dave & Buster's restaurant where Kazemi worked, her former boyfriend told the Tennessean newspaper.

Neighbors of Kazemi told the paper they often spotted McNair visiting her apartment. At times, she returned home in a black limousine, and not long ago, she showed up with a brand new Cadillac Escalade she said was a gift from her boyfriend.

"She is the sweetest girl, and she did not deserve this," Kazemi's ex-beau, Keith Norfleet, told the newspaper upon learning of her death. "He was making her believe they were going to be together, and everything would be perfect."

Cops were alerted to the deaths by a longtime friend of the ex-Tennessee Titans great after he walked into the grisly scene about 1:30 p.m.

McNair was spotted returning to his condo about 2 a.m. Saturday, Nashville police said.

Fred McNair, Steve McNair's oldest brother, said family members likely will travel to Nashville tomorrow to comfort the beloved gridiron star's wife.

"It's still kind of hard to believe," Fred McNair said. "He was the greatest person in the world. He gave back to the community. He loved kids and he wanted to be a role model to kids."

Authorities said McNair's wife, Mechelle, was devastated. "Mrs. McNair obviously is very, very distraught by what has taken place," Aaron said.

McNair and Kazemi were inside a 2007 black Cadillac Escalade, registered to both of them, on Thursday when cops pulled over the vehicle and charged her with driving under the influence, Nashville police said.

Kazemi had bloodshot eyes and the smell of alcohol on her breath but she refused a Breathalyzer test because "she was not drunk, she was high," according to the affidavit.

McNair, who recently opened a restaurant in Nashville, was not arrested.

His shocking death prompted a flood of tributes from former coaches, players, NFL execs and even the governor of Tennessee.

"He was one of the finest players to play for our organization and one of the most beloved players by our fans," Tennessee Titans owner Bud Adams said.

"He played with unquestioned heart and leadership and led us to places that we had never reached, including our only Super Bowl."

Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen also mourned the loss of the man who led the Titans to the Super Bowl 10 years ago.

"Andrea and I were very saddened by the news of Steve McNair's death," Bredesen said. "He has always felt like part of the Nashville family, and he will be sorely missed."

The hard-nosed QB played 13 seasons in the NFL before retiring from the league last April.

A three-time Pro Bowl pick, "Air" McNair played college football at Alcorn State before joining the Houston Oilers as the third overall pick in the 1995 NFL draft.

McNair played 11 seasons with the Titans, who moved from Houston, leading the team to the Super Bowl in 1999. The Titans lost that game in heartbreaking fashion when McNair completed a pass near the St. Louis Rams' goal line in the contest's waning seconds, but receiver Kevin Dyson failed to cross the line.

McNair was the co-MVP of the league in 2003, sharing the award with Peyton Manning. That year, McNair threw for 3,215 yards and 24 touchdowns with only seven interceptions.

McNair played his final two seasons with the Baltimore Ravens.

The Mississippi native led the Ravens to a 13-3 record in 2006. But he injured his groin during the season opener in 2007 and never regained his Pro Bowl form. He retired last April.

"He was a tremendous leader and an absolute warrior," said New England Patriots senior football adviser Floyd Reese, who was GM of the Titans when McNair played there. "He felt like it was his responsibility to lead by working hard every day, no matter what."

Samari Rolle, who played with McNair on the Ravens and Titans, described him as the perfect football player. "If you were going to draw a football player, the physical part, the mental part, everything about being a professional, he is your guy," Rolle said. "I can't even wrap my arms around it. It is a sad, sad day. The world lost a great man today."

In June, McNair opened a restaurant near the Tennessee State University campus called Steve McNair's Gridiron9.

"I always wanted to retire and teach kids about life, and I'm still doing that with my camps," McNair told the Tennessean last week. "This is something that I can still give back to the community."

rschapiro@nydailynews.com

[texasmom]

http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20090705/COL0504/907050354/McNair+real+on++off+the+field
 

July 5, 2009


McNair real on, off the field

By Rick Cleveland
rcleveland@clarionledger.com

The first time these eyes saw Steve McNair was 21 years ago this fall. He was 16 years young, and he was, in a word, special.

McNair played that day in a state championship football game for Mount Olive, and he never came off the field for a rest. He kicked off, through the end zone, to start the game. He threw passes; he intercepted a pass; he threw for a touchdown; he ran for a touchdown; he made almost every tackle; he punted; and he returned kicks and punts. He won the game almost single-handedly.

You didn't have to be Bear Bryant, Eddie Robinson or Vince Lombardi that day to know you were watching someone special. He played quarterback and safety, but he would have been the best player on the field at any position. He was that gifted.

Those memories came flooding back Saturday afternoon when I heard the shocking news that Steve "Air" McNair was dead, apparently murdered.

I don't pretend to know about the circumstances surrounding McNair's death. But I did come to know and appreciate the man over the years, not only as a gallant athlete, but as a compassionate and humble man who gave his time and money to many causes.

“He’d do anything in the world for you,” his Hattiesburg agent, Bus Cook, said through sobs Saturday. “I cannot believe he’s gone. I just cannot believe it.”

McNair won the widespread respect of both teammates and foes because of the way he played his sport.

“Steve was a warrior, just a great competitor; I can’t believe he’s gone,” Archie Manning said. “I just got off the phone with Peyton (Manning), and he’s pretty much in shock. He loved to compete against Steve, and they had some unbelievable games against each other. Peyton played in Nashville last fall when they retired Steve’s (Tennessee Titans) jersey. That was a special day for Peyton because he had so much respect for Steve.”

Peyton Manning and McNair shared the National Football League’s MVP award in 2003.

“I always enjoyed Steve’s company, too,” Archie Manning said. “We always had that Mississippi bond. This hits me like Walter (Payton) did. They were both too damn young to die.”

So many memories


Of Willie Morris’s reaction after first seeing McNair play. After a few trips to Lorman to see McNair play at Alcorn State University, I told Willie, a close friend, splendid writer and avid Ole Miss fan about McNair. Willie went to see him once, and then quit going to Ole Miss games that year so he could watch Air McNair. “Rickey,” Willie gushed, “He’s even better than you said he was.”


Of the sunny, crisply cool October day in Lorman when McNair broke the all-time NCAA total offense record against Southern University. He scrambled out of the pocket, dodging two or three defenders off their feet, then lowered his head for a big gain. When officials stopped the game, Steve handed the football to his proud mother, Lucille McNair, who had raised him alone. Yes, and then he won the game with a last-minute drive against the clock, as he did so many times.


Of the trip to New York for the 1992 Heisman Trophy presentation. Sports Illustrated had put McNair on its cover that year with this headline: “Hand Him the Heisman.” They should have. Rashan Salaam, a running back from Colorado, won it that year. McNair not only was a better runner than Salaam, he could do all the rest, too. Yes, I voted for McNair. He should have won it. He was the best player in college football that year. He finished third.


Of a trip to the Gulf Coast and a distribution center for Hurricane Katrina victims in the fall of 2005. The workers there were talking about all that McNair and Brett Favre were providing for their center and the victims. “Everything we ask for, they send us,” one volunteer said. McNair and his wife, Mechelle, themselves, helped load trucks headed to Mississippi with much-needed staples.


Of McNair playing with every sort of injury imaginable, both at Alcorn and then in the pros. Of a Tennessee trainer cutting away a flap of skin from McNair’s thumb on his throwing hand, so he could go back out and lead the Titans to a huge victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Of Lucille McNair telling me when she knew her son, Steve, was one tough customer. “He was 8 years old, raking leaves in the yard,” his mother said. “He was pouring gasoline on the leaves to burn them but some of it went on his hand and it caught fire. He came running into the house with his hand on fire and we had to take him to the hospital, but he never cried. I never remember that boy crying because he was hurt.”

That may be. But across Mississippi, many cried on July 4, 2009. Steve McNair was 36, and, as Archie Manning put it, “too damn young.”


Contact Rick Cleveland at rcleveland@clarionledger.com.

 
 

[texasmom]

 

http://www.tmz.com/2009/07/05/mcnair-and-his-friend-before-the-shootings/

McNair and His 'Friend' -- Before the Shootings

Posted Jul 5th 2009 1:05PM by TMZ Staff

TMZ has obtained photos of Steve McNair and Sahel Kazemi on vacation together about three months ago.

In the photos, McNair and Kazemi can be seen parasailing together on some kind of beach getaway. It's clear the two had some sort of special relationship.

McNair and Kazemi were both found shot to death in Tennesee yesterday -- McNair's body was riddled with bullets, Kazemi suffered just one shot to the head. Authorities say a gun was found very close to her body.

Officials won't classify the incident as a murder/suicide just yet ... but so far, the facts seem to point in that direction.

McNair, a former NFL MVP who was married with four children, was 36 years old.


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Steve McNair and Sahel Kazemi

[texasmom]

www.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/sns-ap-fbn-mcnair-killed,0,4191302.story

chicagotribune.com

Police rule shooting of McNair a homicide; death of woman found with him still unclassified

TERESA M. WALKER

AP Sports Writer

2:18 PM CDT, July 5, 2009

 NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Police are calling the shooting death of former NFL quarterback Steve McNair a homicide, but they haven't yet reached a conclusion about the death of the 20-year-old woman found with him.

Nashville police spokesman Don Aaron said Sunday that the two had been dating the past several months.

Aaron says McNair was shot four times, twice in the head. The woman, 20-year-old Sahel Kazemi, was killed by a single gunshot wound. The pistol was found near her body.

The 36-year-old McNair, a four-time Pro Bowl selection who was married with four children, and Kazemi were found dead Saturday at a Nashville condominium he shared with a friend.

McNair played most of his career with the Tennessee Titans before he was traded to the Baltimore Ravens. He retired last year.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The shooting death of former NFL quarterback Steve McNair raised questions Sunday about his relationship with the 20-year-old woman whose body was found alongside his in his downtown condominium.

McNair, a four-time Pro Bowl selection who was married with four children, was found Saturday with multiple gunshot wounds on a sofa in his living room. The woman was killed by a single gunshot wound and a pistol was discovered near her, police said.

Authorities didn't immediately say who was to blame for the killings, but they weren't looking for any suspects.

Police do not believe McNair's wife was involved, spokesman Don Aaron said. Mechelle McNair, mother of two of his four sons, was expected to collect her husband's belongings from authorities. Funeral arrangements were not expected to be finalized until Monday afternoon at the earliest.

"She's still very upset, very distraught," agent Bus Cook said.

McNair led the famous Tennessee Titans' drive that came a yard short of forcing overtime in the 2000 Super Bowl, before the Titans traded him to the Baltimore Ravens in 2006. "On the field, there isn't a player that was as tough as him," the Ravens' Derrick Mason said.

McNair retired last year and had recently opened a restaurant in Nashville, where he shared a condo with a friend.

Friends declined to describe the relationship between McNair and the woman, Sahel Kazemi, who was a waitress at a restaurant quarterback and his family frequented. Police only described her as a "friend."

A man who answered the door at a house in the Jacksonville, Fla., suburb of Orange Park said it was the home of Kazemi's family, but said her relatives did not want to comment.

"We don't have anything to say, please leave us alone," he said.

A Nashville neighbor saw McNair, 36, at Kazemi's Nashville apartment so often — two to three times a week — that he thought McNair had moved in. McNair never tried to hide his presence but kept to himself.

Neighbor Reagan Howard said Kazemi often was dropped off in the early morning hours by a limousine and upgraded recently from her Kia to a Cadillac Escalade.

"It was pretty obvious that she was taken with him," Howard said.

McNair and Kazemi had been together just two days earlier, when she was pulled over driving a 2007 Escalade registered to her and McNair. She was arrested on a DUI charges, and he was allowed to leave in a taxi.

The bodies were discovered by McNair's longtime friend, Wayne Neeley, who rents the condo in the upscale Rutledge Hill neighborhood with McNair.

Neeley then called Robert Gaddy, who had been friends with McNair since they played at Alcorn State. Gaddy alerted authorities.

"People have certain things that they do in life," Gaddy told The Associated Press on Sunday. "We don't need to look on the situation at this time (but) on the fact we just lost a great member of society."

Cook said he was not aware that McNair was seeing Kazemi, a woman whose name the agent learned about through reports of the shooting.

"It doesn't make any sense. I don't know what to say," Cook said.

Police said a witness saw McNair arrive at the condo between 1:30 and 2 a.m. Saturday and that Kazemi's vehicle was already there. The condominium is located within walking distance of an area filled with restaurants and nightspots, a few blocks from the Cumberland River and within view of the Titans' stadium.

Autopsies were conducted Sunday with results expected later in the day.

Fred McNair, Steve McNair's oldest brother, said some family members would likely travel to Nashville on Monday to consult with Mechelle.

"It's still kind of hard to believe," Fred McNair said. "He was the greatest person in the world. He gave back to the community. He loved kids and he wanted to be a role model to kids."

McNair and his wife split their time between Nashville and their farm in Mount Olive, Miss., according to a statement from the Titans.

An arrest affidavit from Thursday said Kazemi had bloodshot eyes and alcohol on her breath when she was pulled over, but refused a breathalyzer test, saying "she was not drunk, she was high."

McNair and his family frequented the restaurant where Kazemi was a waitress, according to employees and patrons of Dave & Buster's in Nashville.

"She was reliable 90 percent of the time," manager Chris Truelove said of Kazemi. "She was pretty outgoing. A lot of the guests liked being around her, and she liked being around the guests."

Co-worker Shantez Jobe, 33, said she was friends with Kazemi.

"We talked about who had more fashion sense, and who was the cutest, and who could get more boys, you know some of the stuff girls do," Jobe said.

In June, McNair opened a restaurant near the Tennessee State University campus. It was closed Saturday evening, but had become a small memorial, where flowers, candles and notes had been placed outside the door.

McNair led the Titans to the 2000 Super Bowl, which they lost 23-16 to the St. Louis Rams. He was co-MVP of the NFL with Colts quarterback Peyton Manning in 2003.

Manning said in a statement Sunday that he had some great battles with the quarterback.

"Sharing the NFL MVP honor with him in 2003 was special because of what a great football player he was," Manning said. "I had the opportunity to play in a couple of Pro Bowls with him, and the time spent with him in Hawaii I'll never forget. I'll truly miss him. My condolences go out to his family."

McNair's most notable moment came in the 2000 Super Bowl. With the Titans trailing by seven, he led the team 87 yards in the final minute and 48 seconds, only to come up a yard short of a touchdown. Kevin Dyson caught his 9-yard pass, but was tackled at the 1-yard line by the Rams' Mike Jones.

McNair accounted for all of Tennessee's yards in that drive, throwing for 48 yards and rushing for 14. The rest of the yardage came on penalties against the Rams. Before that, he brought the Titans back from a 16-0 deficit to tie the game.

"If you were going to draw a football player, the physical part, the mental part, everything about being a professional, he is your guy," former Ravens and Titans teammate Samari Rolle said. "I can't even wrap my arms around it."

McNair grew up in rural Mount Olive, Miss., and became a nationally known college football star playing for Alcorn State, a Division I-AA school in his home state. He was so dominant in the Southwestern Athletic Conference, he became a Heisman Trophy contender. National media flocked to little Lorman in the southwest corner of the Magnolia state to get a look at "Air McNair." He still holds the Division I-AA (now known as Football Championship Subdivision) records for career yards passing (14,496) and total offense (16,823).

McNair was the third overall draft pick in 1995 by the Houston Oilers, who eventually became the Titans. He finished his career with 31,304 yards passing and 174 touchdowns. McNair's rugged style led to numerous injuries and aches. He played with pain for several years, and the injuries ultimately forced him to retire.

During a five-game stretch at the end of the 2002 season, McNair was so bruised he couldn't practice. But he started all five games and won them, leading the Titans to an 11-5 record and a berth in the AFC championship game for the second time in four seasons.

McNair played all 16 games in 2006, his first season in Baltimore, and guided the Ravens to a 13-3 record. But he injured his groin during the season opener in 2007 and never regained the form that put him in those Pro Bowls.

McNair is survived by Mechelle, his wife of nearly 12 years; and sons Junior, Steven, Tyler and Trenton.

___

Associated Press writers contributing to this report include: Ron Word in Jacksonville, Fla., Travis Loller, Lucas L. Johnson II and Kristin M. Hall in Nashville and Emily Wagster Pettus in Mount Olive, Miss.







Copyright 2009 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

[texasmom]

Steve and Mechelle McNair

Here is the Link: http://www.chicagotribune.com/videobeta/watch/?watch=df891023-c09c-4929-b548-ab8135427bbe&src=front

[Frijole]

RIP Steve.  Thanks for all the memories.

[texasmom]

Update of earlier story:

www.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/sns-ap-fbn-mcnair-killed,0,4191302.story

chicagotribune.com
Police rule shooting of ex-NFL QB McNair a homicide; death of girlfriend still unclassified
TERESA M. WALKER

AP Sports Writer

6:31 PM CDT, July 5, 2009

 NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Shot twice in the head and two more times in the chest, former NFL quarterback Steve McNair was the victim of a homicide, police declared Sunday. But authorities wouldn't say it was a murder-suicide — even with his 20-year-old girlfriend dead at his feet from a single bullet.

McNair had been dating Saleh Kazemi for several months, and Nashville police spokesman Don Aaron said Sunday that a semiautomatic pistol was found under her body. She was shot in the head.

McNair, who was married with four sons, had a permit to carry a handgun in Tennessee, and he was arrested once before with a 9mm weapon although charges in the case were dropped. Police said they had not yet determined who owned the gun found at the scene.

Investigators weren't looking for a suspect but were questioning friends of the couple as well as Kazemi's ex-boyfriend. They were also waiting for results of drug and other laboratory tests before deciding whether McNair was killed in a lovers' quarrel.

"That's a very important part of the investigation as we work to ultimately classify Miss Kazemi's death," Aaron said.

The details surfacing after McNair's death stand in stark contrast to the public persona he enjoyed during his career.

McNair repeatedly played through serious injuries and pain to win, though he came up a yard short of forcing overtime on the Tennessee Titans' famous drive that came a yard short of forcing overtime in the 2000 Super Bowl.

Generous, he frequently took part in charity work for both the Titans and later the Baltimore Ravens after a 2006 trade. McNair even helped load donated food, water and clothes onto tractor-trailers that he had arranged for Hurricane Katrina victims, and paid for three football camps for children himself this year.

McNair and Kazemi were found dead at a Nashville condominium — which overlooks the Titans stadium — that he rented with his friend Wayne Neeley. Police believe both died early Saturday. Neeley found the bodies hours later, and called a friend, Robert Gaddy, who played at Alcorn State with McNair. Gaddy dialed 911.

"People have certain things that they do in life," Gaddy said. "We don't need to look on the situation at this time (but) on the fact we just lost a great member of society."

The quarterback's agent, Bus Cook, said he had never heard Kazemi's name until news of the shooting broke Saturday. What McNair's wife knew wasn't clear Sunday. Cook said Mechelle McNair was "in and out of it." He said she had no comment after the police called his death a homicide.

"It doesn't make any sense. I don't know what to say," Cook said.

Mechelle was "very upset, very distraught" Sunday, Cook said. She was preparing to finish funeral arrangements Monday.

McNair split his time between Nashville and his farm in Mount Olive, Miss. He recently opened a restaurant near Tennessee State University that was aimed at serving healthy, affordable food to college students.

McNair was also seen so often at Kazemi's apartment that a neighbor thought he lived there.

McNair met Kazemi when his family ate often at the Dave & Buster's restaurant she worked at as a server, and the two began dating in a relationship that included a vacation with parasailing. Photos posted on TMZ.com showed McNair gazing and smiling at the young Kazemi.

"She pretty obviously got mixed up way over her head with folks," said Reagan Howard, a neighbor of Kazemi's.

A man who answered the door at a house in the Jacksonville, Fla., suburb of Orange Park said it was the home of Kazemi's family, but said her relatives did not want to comment.

"We don't have anything to say, please leave us alone," he said.

The victim's sister, Soheyla Kazemi, told the Florida Times-Union in Jacksonville that the young woman had expected McNair to get a divorce. "She said they were planning to get married."

Kazemi often was dropped off by limousine in the early morning hours and recently went from driving a Kia to a 2007 Cadillac Escalade registered to both herself and McNair. Her niece told The Tennessean that Kazemi thought McNair was divorcing his wife of 12 years soon.

Nashville courts had no record of a McNair divorce case, but a home he owned in Nashville is on the market for $3 million.

The real estate agent declined to comment. Her online listing for property described it as a "gigantic house" of more than 14,000 square feet and photos showed a pool, home theater, baby grand piano and ornate furnishings throughout.

McNair and Kazemi were together Thursday night when she was pulled over driving that Escalade. She was arrested on a DUI charges, and he was allowed to leave in a taxi even though he was charged with drunken driving in 2007 when his brother-in-law was stopped for DUI while driving McNair's pickup truck.

McNair led the Titans to the 2000 Super Bowl, which they lost 23-16 to the St. Louis Rams despite his 87-yard drive in the final minute and 48 seconds. He was co-MVP of the NFL with Colts quarterback Peyton Manning in 2003.

Manning said in a statement Sunday that he had some great battles with the quarterback.

"Sharing the NFL MVP honor with him in 2003 was special because of what a great football player he was," Manning said. "I had the opportunity to play in a couple of Pro Bowls with him, and the time spent with him in Hawaii I'll never forget. I'll truly miss him."

The Titans drafted Vince Young in 2006 to replace McNair, who had mentored him since he was a teenager. They never played together but did play against each other that year.

"He was like a father to me. I hear his advice in my head with everything I do. Life will be very different without him," Young said in a statement Sunday.

McNair grew up in Mount Olive, Miss., and became a football star at Alcorn State, the Division I-AA school in his home state as he dominated the Southwestern Athletic Conference. He became a Heisman Trophy contender as reporters flocked to little Lorman to watch the man known as "Air McNair."

He still holds the Division I-AA (now known as Football Championship Subdivision) records for career yards passing (14,496) and total offense (16,823). McNair was drafted in 1995 by the Houston Oilers, who eventually became the Titans.

Picked four times for the Pro Bowl, McNair finished with 31,304 yards passing and 174 touchdowns. He led both the Titans and Ravens to playoff berths, including two AFC championship game appearances with Tennessee. Injuries finally led to his retirement after the 2007 season

Besides his wife, McNair is survived his sons Junior, Steven, Tyler and Trenton.

___

Associated Press writers contributing to this report include: Ron Word in Jacksonville, Fla.; and Travis Loller, Lucas L. Johnson II and Joe Edwards in Nashville.

[Bearlyhere]

I just happened to come upon this article while searching for something unrelated.

http://www.serioussportsnewsnetwork.com/2007/11/mcnair-urges-nfl-to-increase-strength-of-painkillers.html

Approaching what appears to be the end of an impressive career, McNair has battled constant injuries of late and credits the strength of his cortisone shots and vicodin for extending his time as an NFL quarterback.

“Without the vicodin, oxycontin, cortizone shots and a morphine drip, I can’t play,” McNair explained. “It’s that simple – no drugs, no Air McNair.”

McNair is not alone in this fight. Kevin Domboski, the Ravens assistant trainer, has witnessed McNair’s struggles firsthand. From his perspective, McNair’s is a unique case that requires special attention, and he hopes the NFL will help the cause.

“Steve has got to have the highest drug tolerance of any player I’ve ever seen,” Domboski insisted. “He’ll pop fifteen or twenty Oxycontin’s before the game starts, and they’ll wear off by the third quarter.”

Ravens Head Coach Brian Billick has witnessed the pain that McNair regularly suffers, and is sympathetic to his QB’s plight.
************************************

I know pain, for sure and I cannot imagine a doctor giving anyone that much pain killer.  I also have trouble keeping awake on half of the small amount I have been given.  No, it does not relieve the pain, and it is my understanding that it shouldn't.  It should get you to a level where you can function and have a better quality of life.  Do you mean if I take enough pain pills, I can feel young again?

Is this a real problem? 

I wish there were pain killers that did not affect the functioning of the rest of your body.