Over the weekend, Pat Tillman’s mother Mary Tillman spoke exclusively to the Mail on Sunday about Prince Harry receiving the Pat Tillman Award for Service at this year’s ESPYs. As I said, Mary Tillman is a Gold Star mother, she has every right to say whatever the hell she wants. But I find her statement incredibly curious, and it’s suspicious to me that she made the comments to the Mail. I kept waiting for something else to come out about it, like the family issuing a statement like “Mary Tillman doesn’t speak for the Tillman Foundation” or “Mary Tillman’s words were taken out of context by the Mail.” It absolutely feels like the Mail played fast and loose with the whole story, especially given Mary Tillman’s lack of knowledge about the Invictus Games. Well, the Tillman Foundation hasn’t said anything but ESPN sort of pushed back gently on Mary Tillman’s comments:
Pat’s mother, Mary Tillman, told the Daily Mail that she was “shocked” by the choice.
“I am shocked as to why they would select such a controversial and divisive individual to receive the award,” she said, according to the outlet. “There are recipients that are far more fitting. There are individuals working in the veteran community that are doing tremendous things to assist veterans. These individuals do not have the money, resources, connections or privilege that Prince Harry has. I feel that those types of individuals should be recognized.”
ESPN said in a statement: “ESPN, with the support of the Tillman Foundation, is honoring Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, specifically for the work of The Invictus Games Foundation as it celebrates its 10th year promoting healing through the power of sport for military service members and veterans around the world. While we understand not everyone will agree with all honorees selected for any award, the Invictus Games Foundation does incredible work, and ESPN believes this is a cause worth celebrating.”
While Mary said she was not consulted about the award winner, she has also not previously been involved with the selection of recipients for the award named for her son.
It’s not like ESPN made it some big secret why they decided to honor Harry with the award. In the network’s announcement/press release of their special awards, they cited the Invictus Games front and center. Invictus is fully the reason why Harry is being recognized with this award. And yet ESPN’s resident dumbf–k Pat McAfee did a segment in which he failed to mention Invictus and instead, pretended that Harry would receive the award for being a famous sports fan. Some really strange sh-t is happening and we really aren’t getting the whole story. That being said, I like that ESPN pushed back and this is important: “While Mary said she was not consulted about the award winner, she has also not previously been involved with the selection of recipients for the award named for her son.” Kind of suggesting that she’s clout-chasing off Harry’s name, right?
Photos courtesy of Instar.
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- Netherlands and France Out – The Hague, Netherlands -20220421- Prince Harry watches the Powerlifting contest during the 5th Invictus Games at Zuiderpark -PICTURED: Prince Harry -PHOTO by: Dutch Press Photo/Cover Images/INSTARimages.com -51438029.jpg This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact Instar Images LLC for licensing fee and rights information at sales@instarimages.com or call +1 212 414 0207 This image may not be published in any way that is, or might be deemed to be, defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Please consult our sales department for any clarification needed prior to publication and use. Instar Images LLC reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this material. If you are in violation of our intellectual property rights or copyright you may be liable for damages, loss of income, any profits you derive from the unauthorized use of this material and, where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or any statutory damages awarded
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- NOT AVAILABLE FOR PUBLICATION IN THE NETHERLANDS OR FRANCE – The Hague, The Netherlands -20220422-King Willem-Alexander and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex watch the finals of wheelchair basketball during the Invictus Games -PICTURED: Prince Harry -PHOTO by: Dutch Press Photo/Cover Images/INSTARimages.com -51441054.jpg This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact Instar Images LLC for licensing fee and rights information at sales@instarimages.com or call +1 212 414 0207 This image may not be published in any way that is, or might be deemed to be, defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Please consult our sales department for any clarification needed prior to publication and use. Instar Images LLC reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this material. If you are in violation of our intellectual property rights or copyright you may be liable for damages, loss of income, any profits you derive from the unauthorized use of this material and, where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or any statutory damages awarded
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- North America Rights Only – The Hague, Netherlands -20220416-Prince Harry and Meghan Duchess of Sussex attending the Jaguar Land Rover Driving Challenge during the Invictus Games at Zuiderpark the Hague, Netherlands -PICTURED: Prince Harry and Meghan Duchess of Sussex -PHOTO by: Aaron Chown/PA Image/INSTARimages.com Disclaimer: This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact INSTAR Images for licensing fee and rights information at sales@instarimages.com or call +1 212 414 0207. This image may not be published in any way that is, or might be deemed to be, defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Please consult our sales department for any clarification needed prior to publication and use. INSTAR Images reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this material. If you are in violation of our intellectual property rights or copyright you may be liable for damages, loss of income, any profits you derive from the unauthorized use of this material and, where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or any statutory damages awarded For images containing underage children: Be advised that some Countries may have restricted privacy laws against publishing images of underage children. Inform yourself! Underage children may need to be removed or have their face pixelated before publishing
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- NOT AVAILABLE FOR PUBLICATION IN THE NETHERLANDS OR FRANCE – The Hague, The Netherlands -20220422-King Willem-Alexander and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex watch the finals of wheelchair basketball during the Invictus Games -PICTURED: Prince Harry -PHOTO by: Dutch Press Photo/Cover Images/INSTARimages.com -51441073.jpg This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact Instar Images LLC for licensing fee and rights information at sales@instarimages.com or call +1 212 414 0207 This image may not be published in any way that is, or might be deemed to be, defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Please consult our sales department for any clarification needed prior to publication and use. Instar Images LLC reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this material. If you are in violation of our intellectual property rights or copyright you may be liable for damages, loss of income, any profits you derive from the unauthorized use of this material and, where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or any statutory damages awarded
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- USA Rights Only, The Hague, Netherlands – 20220420- Prince Harry fist bumps a United Kingdom supporter as he attends the Indoor Rowing competition during the Invictus Games at the Zuiderpark. -PICTURED: Prince Harry -PHOTO by: DDP/INSTARimages.com -ddpimages_17059995 This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact Instar Images LLC for licensing fee and rights information at sales@instarimages.com or call +1 212 414 0207 This image may not be published in any way that is, or might be deemed to be, defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Please consult our sales department for any clarification needed prior to publication and use. Instar Images LLC reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this material. If you are in violation of our intellectual property rights or copyright you may be liable for damages, loss of income, any profits you derive from the unauthorized use of this material and, where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or any statutory damages awarded
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- USA Rights Only, The Hague, Netherlands – 20220417- The Duke and Duchess of Sussex attending the Invictus Games athletics events in the Athletics Park, at Zuiderpark the Hague, Netherlands. -PICTURED: Prince Harry, Meghan Duchess of Sussex -PHOTO by: DDP/INSTARimages.com -ddp_17043891 This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact Instar Images LLC for licensing fee and rights information at sales@instarimages.com or call +1 212 414 0207 This image may not be published in any way that is, or might be deemed to be, defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Please consult our sales department for any clarification needed prior to publication and use. Instar Images LLC reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this material. If you are in violation of our intellectual property rights or copyright you may be liable for damages, loss of income, any profits you derive from the unauthorized use of this material and, where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or any statutory damages awarded
I wonder if there is some family discord that is playing out. Perhaps Mary is routinely critical of the decisions of the Tillman Foundation but it’s only when she mentioned Harry that she got attention. Well, I hope she enjoys it because she won’t be able to put that cat back in the bag.
Pat McAfee says ignorant crap all the time. ESPN is getting what they bought with that. This is hardly the most stupid and uniformed of his comments, even during the same show.
If she is routinely critical then she could be involved in the foundation and have her say. It’s interesting that she isn’t.
Nah, if she isn’t involved and has that strong of an opinion on the recipients it’s bc she can’t be involved. Like, she’s probably been iced out by that side of the family.
PS- iced out not be the right term here bc it makes it seem like one side of the family is right and the other wrong. I’m just trying to say that she probably isn’t allowed to have a part of the foundation.
I kept thinking yesterday when this played out it may well be opposite day again. Apparently there is family discord. So maybe projection. Who knows what’s going on for her, but that she has nothing to do with the foundation says something. I feel bad for everyone. I’m sure she’s going to wish she hadn’t said anything.
I’m not surprise that Mary is unhappy about the foundation THAT PAT’S WIFE CREATED. Very often when a male family dies and the wife is in charge of his affairs family members just can’t accept the fact that the wife has priority. I fully understand that she loves her son, but it’s the wife that has the say and that’s just how it is 😶
It feels like her family feud more than anything, so there’s projection going on. It’s definitely sad.
Mary Tillman sounds like THAT kind of MIL who believes just because she’s the son’s mother has to be the matriarch of the family. There’s a reason why Pat’s wife and brother do not involve her in the foundation. I suspect Mary is really problematic MIL behind the scenes from way back.
I agree, with all of you. This sounds like a mother who will go to her grave believing that no one loved her son more than she did, so she is the most grievously wounded by his death.
I see that Marie is remarried with five children. That’s probably the crux of the situation. His mom thinks she’s forfeited her right to control her son’s memory.
Clout-chasing, to what end?, I wonder. She’s the trophy guy’s mother; she shouldn’t need Harry’s clout.
she probably never got along with the widowed daughter in law who started and runs the foundation.. or if she did in the past she doesn’t now is my best guess.
Dragging that a-hole Pat McAfee all day I’m here for. I have no idea what family drama is going on behind the scenes, and it’s sad if there is discord. But I’m not going to utter a critical word about this lady or anyone in the family. She lost a son in a horrific incident during a stupid war and then was repeatedly lied to by the Pentagon bureaucrats under political pressure. The same is true of all the family members. Hopefully, we can all extend some grace. Harry is a big boy and I’m sure he respects her feelings whatever they are.
She is giving another ‘exclusive’ to the Mail on Sunday at the weekend. That removes any benefit of the doubt I might have given her. She is souring what should be a lovely occasion for Harry and Invictus.
No sorry. This lady lost her son, yes, and she was lied to by the Pentagon etc, yes to all, but it wasn’t prince Harry that lied to her etc, etc. So no, she doesn’t get a pass for dragging Harry for all the wrong reasons. Harry is a big boy? How does that even make sense? So Harry is a big boy and can take the abuse? My goodness!! Pat Tillman lost her son, she is entitled to her own opinion about so many things but she is NOT entitled to the facts and distorting them to fit a narrative. Harry is a controversial and divisive individual in what way? If she has any grief with how the foundation is run or how the awards are being awarded, please take it with the foundation or with ESPN. Don’t get Harry caught in the crosshairs of a fight he has no business in. And if Mrs. Pat Tilman (the mom) knew nothing about Harry etc, how about “I don’t know this guy, and therefore can’t give any informed analysis on whether he deserves this award or not so I will not comment” or “I have no say in how these awards are done, I have never been consulted on anything therefore can’t give an opinion since I don’t even know anything about prince Harry”? All those would have been sufficient responses instead of her bashing Harry for stuff he has no control over.
I absolutely do not understand why people think Harry needs our protection from a traumatized Gold Star Mom. My goodness!!
Who said anything about Harry needing our protection from a traumatized woman? We just saying that the woman being a Gold Star mom doesn’t give her the right to bash another “traumatized” veteran who has nothing to do with her inner family fights (if at all there are any) but none the less bash him just for the sake of it. If she has an issue with how her child’s foundation is being run, why not take it up with the people in the foundation instead dragging Harry? And I’m sorry her being a Gold Star mom is not a free ticket to being gross towards someone else’s child who himself gave everything (and has devoted all his life) and equally fought for his country and has given all his life to support other veterans and their families. Your “Harry is a big boy” comment was something I really was appalled by, like Harry is a grown ass man so he can be abused at will because the abuser is a Gold Star mom. Like really?
I think the criticism is valid, she seems unable to research and inform herself about Invictus, so her words are hurting the veterans that Invictus is fighting for in the first place. She is, of course, allowed all of her feeling about her son’s death, but besmirching an organization that has saved, and is continuing to save, the lives of suicidal soldiers is unforgivable.
She’s not hurting Harry, she’s hurting the soldier who they can’t help because some corporation heard that Pat Tillman’s mother hates Prince Harry, and that’s all they need to know to pull their support. That’s where we are in this country now, thanks to Trump.
It’s the exact same thing that makes the royal family so despicable.
It just never stops , the abuse .
I will never understand why people just want to put Harry down , whatever he does .
To be honest I get a bit annoyed that Invictus doesn’t come out and support him a bit more .
Just over all of it , it’s seems Harry and Meghan will have to live with this treatment all their lives , just not fair really .
He doesn’t want his invictus foundation to be distracted by lies. Like M and H don’t get distracted personally by lies. Only the media and their bots want that. So why do you?
No real supporter wants anything. One person said something. She’s unrelated to the award. Espn did what they needed to do. Invictus are not involved.
I think Harry has probably gone further, and told them to just ignore all of the noise about him, no matter how much it irritates them. He’s not going to get into a never-ending cycle of someone being mean to him in the press, so Invictus Games fights on his behalf. He’s fighting for them, not the other way around.
Christine, of course he has.
Harry knows the media and their paid bots want engagement so ‘why don’t invictus respond’ is exactly what they want for clicks. And Harry and invictus are not giving it to them. Because invictus responding is only a win for the media. Hence comments like, why don’t they?
I’m very glad there was some push back, but hate that it was necessary. In the end, it doesn’t matter because the sh*t they do sticks to them, not Harry.
Makes it seem like there is a feud ongoing amongst the Tillman’s also. The family members involved with the foundation probably don’t want to comment and escalate conflict with the mom. She has nerve calling PH ‘divisive’ considering this. Too many new outlets have repeated this (and likely reached out to her for comment) and it seems ESPN believes she made the comments, so it is hard to give her a pass here.
And really that’s the thing. She dragged Harry into a fight he has no business in, so frustrating.
I want to say she’s just clout chasing because anything associated with H&M garners a lot of press but I wouldn’t put it past the palace being behind the “backlash” as well. They aren’t associated with Invictus or the games and it burns them that they couldn’t/can never take it away from him so him getting recognised internationally for it makes them especially jealous and enraged.
I also think the palace is behind this, but the pathetic thing is that even if they’re not, their antics are so well known and documented at this point, suspicion automatically falls on them. They made this bed, now the veterans who served them and are watching everything unfold can watch them lie in it.
And it kills these A-holes that Harry is getting all the recognition left right and sideways while none of them is being mentioned for absolutely nothing. The king’s trust is a local (Charles’s avenue for money laundering and bribes for honors scheme) NGO that no one other than those in the UK knows about, their Dirtsh!t thing for William has never really taken off and other than mentioning and associating William with Mike Bloomberg and Bill gullible Gates, no one ever mentions it in any other context. So, it really burns and sticks in their craws that Harry has started and established and is running 3 massive projects, one on a very international level, and 2 not very far behind while none of them are even being mentioned in anything. Meanwhile, nobody even knows not even a single name of the leftover royals are, go figure.
You really would think that the palaces would have gotten concerned after Harry and Prince Seeiso founded Sentebale in 2006 when Harry was in his late teens. Still, they watched Harry found Invictus in 2014, and then Travalyst in 2019.
Their response was to finally cough up Earthshot, a project its “founder” doesn’t seem to have even a passing interest in, unless it’s the time of year he gets to hang out with celebs.
The palaces watched and let Harry found all these organization and were not at all bothered because they never ever imagined that Harry would leave them and take all his projects with him. They always counted on Harry founding all these projects but be pushed into the background while William and to an extent Charles got all the recognition, credit and accolades associated with these organizations. There is a reason why William was sent to Lesotho sometime in early 2000s. The palaces were plotting even then to have William inserted somewhere into Sentebale and take it over and be credited for that too. Then Harry had enough and picked up his wife and son and left England and now the palaces and their minions are working to have him un-alived or destroyed in any other way because they now see how his success in not benefitting William. They are all evil.
But Sentebale and Invictus have never been royal patronages. They’ve always been Harry’s, which is why he still has them to this day. William was never going to be inserted into Sentable, decades after the fact.
I’m also inclined to think so.
I think it is as simple as simple people not bothering to read. Pat McAfee said he didn’t know anything about Harry other than he was famous. He didn’t bother to read. Mary Tillman said she didn’t know why he was chosen. She didn’t bother to read. It is for Invictus – something that even the most vindictive Windsor hasn’t been able to sully. Period.
Attacking Invictus would not be a good move for the CIC of the armed forces, or the next CIC of the armed forces.
They’ve already made it very clear they don’t support the competitors. Attacking the games is just the next step to get “at” Harry.
This is my take on it, that she doesn’t really know any details.
And she’s not making the effort to find out.
I’m glad ESPN issued a statement.
There’s definitely been a whole team cold-calling anyone associated with Pat Tillman, the award, ESPN, ESPYs, etc. It’s petty and vindictive and cruel.
They would love to sour the Invictus experience for everyone just to get at Harry. They’ll chip and chip until Harry feels like he has to resign for the good of the games. Then, they’ll call him a quitter and keep chipping because they’ll have smelled blood and it’s all a game to them.
I can’t help wondering – the tabloids have always been sleazy and wink-wink and rightwing and – but, has something changed in their coverage of Harry. It’s almost a vendetta against him.
Is it his lawsuit? Meghan? Guilt over Diana? Required by BP + KP to be exceptionally nasty to get any access there?
All of the above but especially the lawsuits maybe?
This has been going on since 2016. Tom markle was found and used to try to stop the wedding. Also anti harry and Meghan petitions were used for years. The dm comments included petitions to stop the wedding. This is just so creepy.
This all morphed into the truly vile attacks after Harry and Meghan’s Australian tour in 2018. They were making jabs at Meghan long before that, but that tour being SO successful really broke the brains of the palaces and British media, and they’ve been trying to diminish Harry ever since. They’ve always diminished and abused Meghan.
All the above + IG is a huge success. Even with all of Harry’s other successful ventures, IG is the feather in his cap imo. They’ve been trying to create issues with IG where there are none for years now in an attempt to separate him from it like you said. Plan “create chaos around the whatever the Sussexes do” is still full steam ahead.
Without doubt it’s the lawsuits. Having KP&BP onside to “legitimise” their hate campaign is just a bonus. However, it wouldn’t surprise me if KP enjoy the furore around these awards and would LOVE to use these campaigns as a means to force Harry to stand down and the patronage to be handed over to William! This might prove more difficult than “they” think. IGs is now a recognised global event for veterans and would probably fare better if Harry’s successor is someone who has actually been on a battlefield. Something William. his wife, his father and his step-mother have most definitely not done.
It seems to me William and Charles want harry to return. Harry although he never really was can be close to William and Kate again and they can so called guide him. He can start over. And the only way Archie and lilibet can return if harry takes them from Meghan. William made things unpleasant and Charles took away their UK home. It is such a disgrace. I hope there are many more protests against the royals.
I don’t think they want him to return. They want him to disappear — one way would be for him to return and be placed in a dungeon. They don’t like his star power, so returning him to the “fold” is one way to extinguish his light. That’s what they thought would happen when they forced him out. To their dismay, not only has it not panned out that way, it’s also exposed the future king has a hollowed-out shell.
BRF want him to stop the lawsuits before more of their dirty deeds get exposed. They don’t really want him back, they just want to control a process that was taken out of their hands when he got free of the system. Anything they can do to injure the Sussex reputation, slow their earnings, crimp their opportunities, endanger their lives and continue to abuse Harry is a fight to stop the truth getting recorded for posterity in court documents.
Invictus Games has never been a royal patronage, and it drives me bonkers that the narrative that it should be “given” to William is in near constant rotation. Even if Harry did step down, it’s never going to a single member of that family. Invictus Games can’t have failed to notice that none of the royal family members have given their support to the athletes.
Invictus without Harry will be the end of Invictus. Win win for the haters.
I agree, and it’s infuriating to watch them try.
People are really out here crying about a veteran creating something positive for veterans. Something that involves the power of sports. Couldn’t be me.
I wonder if it is k p in back of this. There are so many bots and derangers all with the same derogatory comments and lies about harry and Meghan.. Piers is getting flak and push back for his constant rants against harry and meghan.
I would safely bet a lot of money on that.
If harry s birth family were not so divisive and controversial he and Meghan and the children could have stayed in the uk.
She may be trying to clout-chase off Harry, but she ends up doing so off her dead son as well. She looks tacky, bitter, and crass. Gold Star or not, she should have kept her mouth shut instead of letting herself be used by right-wing tabloids. Even if she hadn’t meant for that to happen and it was done out of ignorance, all she did was drive a wedge between her and her family.
She is a gold star mom, but the decision she is criticizing involves a gold star wife, Tillman’s widow.
Ok I find the gold star thing interesting. Do other countries do this? Is it only for military? What about for other government officials dying in the service of their country?
I really hate to say this about a Gold Star mother, but she is falling prey to the same scammers as daddy Markle. I am sure there is a contract for her to speak with that one publication and money has changed hands. She will fill her pockets until the ESPYs are televised.
The ESPYs will have a beautiful presentation for Invictus and Harry. Then she will have nothing more to say.
The ESPY Awards recognize a very small niche market. Even in the US it’s a minor ceremony, despite the presence of global superstar athletes. Harry will accept his award and this saga will be quickly forgotten. The same as when Caitlin Jenner was honored, a controversial decision that had little impact on the reputation and integrity of the ESPYs.
No the Espy’s are huge in this country. This is a televised event that is seen on TV stations across the US. This event is not minor in any means. You do not get on a major network such as ABC in this country if you are minor event. This show will be on at 8pm which is a peak viewing hour in the US. This nomination is huge for Invictus. More people in this country will get a look at what Invictus does for veterans.
Not quite. The ESPY award recognizes an enormous market. Not just the 4 major sports in the US, but everything else from UFC fighting to college gymnastics, tennis, NASCAR, golf, etc., etc., etc. What’s not well recognized is the actual broadcast award show which has been in ABC for almost 25 years, I think. Simone Biles is nominated and I will watch for that alone, even if Harry weren’t involved.
Yes, I was speaking more to the televised ceremony itself, with the niche market being the intersection of those who watch sports and those who watch awards shows. Relative to entertainment awards shows like the Oscars, the ESPYs don’t generate much buzz once they’re over. I’m sure there are plenty who know the answer, but I can’t name
who won Best Male/Female athlete last year.
@Aeire – Patrick Mahomes and Mikaela Shiffrin. And I can’t remember which film won the Oscar last year, lol.
But, I don’t think the point of the award is the televised ceremony. To get an ESPY gives recognition in the sports community, which leads to all kinds of connections, like sponsorships and sports broadcasting. The Invictus Games can benefit from that.
The ESPY (Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly Awards) is the Oscar of sports. Do you think the Oscar is insignificant?
“There are recipients that are far more fitting“ This just sounds too British for me to believe it’s an authentic quote.
There’s an old video of a woman in a book store taking about Meghan Markle and the state of tabloid journalism. I can’t remember who she was but presumably a British author or journalist. Anyways, the woman talked about being called and asked if she would agree to saying such and such about Meghan. The woman said, no, I can’t say that bc I don’t know. They kept pressing her and rewording it to try and get her to agree to putting her name to saying something against Meghan. The woman refused but she talks about how very very pushy they were. Idk if these were Mary’s exact words or whether she just agreed with what the DM reporter Caroline Graham said. But even agreeing isn’t a great look. Perhaps she will come out and retract but so far she hasn’t.
No doubt that’s what happened. I have no idea about this lady and her state of mind or family disputes, but it sounds like she was manipulated by the British media, which is so shameless. What bothers me is that major outlets like NBC are picking this up and giving it legitimacy.
Technically, agreeing with what the DM reporter said and allowing her name to be used in a tabloid about a charitable organization is not a good look. If she didn’t agree or her words were twisted or they’re not even her words, then I do hope she says something. Bc if they twisted it or took advantage of her, then they are also maligning her character. Bc the story does make her look bad. If it’s getting repeated by NBC, that’s worse for her. Harry is going to be on the stage and repping the incredible work IG does for athletes. It’s going to make the naysayers look either ill-informed or like petty haters.
So Pat Tillman’s widow is the Chair and Co-Founder of the Tillman Foundation. She obviously approves of this selection. And it’s interesting how the mother went to the public instead of to her, with her grievances.
She is clearly been paid by The Daily Mail to regurgitate their racist hate. And like Thomas Markle, money is more important to her than her son’s legacy.
Yes and yes.
Media outlets are leaving out the part of the statement where Mary Tillman has no say, past or present, on who gets the award. No one wants to criticize a Gold Star mother, but Mary Tilliman’s reputation has been damaged. Being accused of being bribed by the Fail to disparage Harry is a bad look and her words (if she said them) had damaged the foundation in her son’s name. Some in the X sphere are saying the Tillman Foundation are getting nasty posts. And there may be family fused which could be why the foundation made no statement, but ESPN wouldn’t be able to release what it said without its blessing. If Harry declines the award it would be more damaging and put a cloud over the ESPYs. I think everonye involved are working one this.
I’m not sure why H would decline the award especially as it would be an insult to the foundation that actually bestowed him with the honour.
This has the palace and Charles dirty paw prints all over this. That klan will never be on Harry or Meghan’s level. EVER.
I think I’ll listen to Spare today.
My first take on this is just because you raise a good human being doesn’t mean you are one.. there are a lot of shit parents.. makes me wonder if she is one also🤷🏻♀️ or she was bought, what was the fail offering Rex? 70,000?
I think she talked to Daily Mail because they are the ones who asked for a comment. Probably no one else did.
And I don’t think she’s chasing any clout by calling out Harry’s selection. (How does this benefit her?) She probably agreed with the previous years’ award candidates selected.
I am certain that every single British news organization immediately descended on anyone in the Tillman family they could find. This is how they operate, 100% of the time.
I love the Brits and Americans said let’s go after the guy who put together an event for wounded veterans and their families.
Walking the Walk, actually from what I’ve seen there’s been quite a push back from Veterans. Americans can’t be held responsible for bots or trolls.
Not just veterans. The comments section on sites that tend to have more reasonable readers (not tabloids or sports blogs) like the NY Times and People magazine the majority of the comments were pushing back against the narrative that Harry doesn’t deserve the award.
Being a gold star mother doesn’t give her the right to say whatever the hell she wants especially when she’s belittling another woman’s son who served two terms in Afghanistan.
And undermining her d-i-l, a gold star widow.
Well said.
Honestly it wouldn’t surprise me if the DM had just taken her words out of context and that they were now trying to see how long they could go without having to admit it.
I just don’t see this lady reaching out to the DM. Here is my guess…
DM “Did you know that a divisive and….person is going to receive the award?”
Mary “No”
DM “Do you think the award should go to someone who is famous for being famous?”
Mary “no”
DM “Did anyone ask you if Prince Harry…?”
Mary “no”
I think KP is behind this, I see their footprints. They picked a gold star mother to say words about Harry, and you can’t criticize a gold star mother. Just like you can’t criticize a cancer patient. SMH.
It does have the reek of KP all over it.
Her criticism doesn’t even make sense. She’s saying that individuals working with veterans don’t have as many resources as Harry, so…they deserve the award more?
Meanwhile, the point is that Harry has used his resources to major effect. What he’s done is proportionate with his resources so…how does that make him undeserving?
If press outlets were people then we’d be thinking “restraining order” for the DM.
They love weaponising people for their agenda, and this has their dirty fingerprints all over it. Whether Mrs Tillman went along willingly because she had a couple of points to score I don’t know but Gold Star mom or not, she doesn’t have a right to drag a veteran who works for those in the veteran community and who has SAVED lives in that community because of it.
As I said the DM is behind this (with or without KP prodding) – the way the quotes sound speaks volumes for a start. It’s definitely part of their MO. The ESPYs were right to push back and probably the most appropriate to do so. It’s their night, they should protect it.
So Richard Palmer is trying to say this is a big story and a never trumper who formerly managed gop campaigns said “not really. Mary Tillman is not known for being entirely sane and pops off whenever she is given the opportunity “.
I think we need to stop caring what this woman says altogether. She’s not even a part of the foundation which tells you a lot. It Pat’s widow running it.
Quite a few reputable outlets have picked it up but I don’t feel it’s a big story in terms of public reaction to it. The only people angry at Harry getting this award are trolls and a few sports bros who don’t read articles to find out why he is getting the award. I don’t feel this is a major topic of conversation for most people. There is so much serious news going on at the moment. I’ don’t think most people are giving this fake controversy the time of day.
And Pat’s brother is involved in the foundation as well. So yeah. Someone showed mama the money/she wanted the attention (IMO).
She’s also MAGA apparently, so there’s that … and she has no relationship with her daughter-in-law either.
Frankly, I think people are missing one point. Was any money offered and taken for this ‘interview’? That really needs to be known. We’ve seen the influx of bm people put in places of employment to bring the bm tabloid mindset to the US. I think it’s really important that if money changed hands that it’s reported. The US does have journalistic standards and this is NOT acceptable. I hope there’s a journalist out there who follows up on this.
I had assumed money was given. Only bc I remember omid scobie saying in an interview with James O’Brien that it’s one of the biggest differences bw us and uk papers. Uk papers, or at least uk tabloids, pay their sources to go on record. It seems highly unlikely that the DM would be advertising an exclusive interview if they had not given her money. If it’s exclusive then that means she is only talking to this one tabloid outlet. A tabloid that pays for people to speak with them for stories. Maybe that’s not the case but it seems like a likely scenario.
“I am shocked as to why they would select such a controversial and divisive individual to receive the award,”
When was Prince Harry “a controversial and divisive individual” in the USA. Despite my interest, he is a niche entity. Not enough folks know about him for him to be “a controversial and divisive individual.”
I imagine the awards ceremony viewing will be off the charts. I believe they will do a very credible job of showing just why Harry was nominated, because he and the IGs couldn’t be more worthy, and it will be very moving. Because one would have to be made of stone not to be moved by the IGs, how much the vets need and benefit by them, how much they love Harry and vice-versa. Let’s hope Pat (I’ve been kicked in the head) McAfee will be watching, is able to view and take in something other than SouthPark and the Crown. I hope others that went along with the criticism will be able to take in and recognize the truth. That Harry is a prince among men, not because he was born into royalty, but because he is a servant and sincere. So let’s just take this one point: the Invictus Games are wonderfully beneficial to Veterans who serve other people to the detriment to themselves; the Royals and establishment and British press try to destroy it. What about that says the Royals are trying to serve others? The Royals are nothing about helping other people. There is no altruism there. They don’t appear to give a —- about the veterans. It is all about them and their ego. This is insane. It has reached insane proportions. And as far as having heard that there are different or more effective slander laws in Britain: really? Are they different for Harry and Meghan? Because it seems one can say anything at all in Britain and get away with it.
Harry is a remarkable man.
Thanks Mary for spotlighting the IG-making all this noise about an award given to others who are not American and who are somewhat famous-Harry has been working with IG for ten years-its alright for her to state her opinion-but she should have gotten on the board that makes these nominations-these awards were given by her former daughter in law and his brother-why did she not discuss her feelings with them instead of the UK media-this sounds and feels planned for a smearing of Harry and by extension Meghan-I was always taught to read, search info, and learn the steps along the way-to jump up and start foaming at the mouth shows a lack of education.
I was trying to give Mary Tillman the benefit of the doubt on the criticism but reading in another post the Fail has an “exclusive” with her this weekend she’s in bed with that rag. It’s not only hurting Harry but she may air grievances about the foundation and her former DIL. Sorry she is now Thomas Markle.
Take a look at the ESPN article of Mary Tillman on the anniversary of Pat’s death. It may explain some things. https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/39954768/nfl-cardinals-tillman-afghanistan-9-11 First kudos to ESPN for doing real journalism and the reporter doing a thoughtful interview. Second, in the Mary Tillman admits she’s still angry there is no accountability (court martial, Leavenworth, loss of ability for the commander who gave the orders that day to have a lucartive post military career) . I feel she may be transferring that anger at Harry. Also she admits people around her thought her quest has become obsessive; and she admits she can’t let go at times and still hasn’t. It explains why ESPN made the statement of Mary not being involved in the decision making for who gets the award and why the Tillmans have not come out to defend or denounce her. But the Fail may have caught wind of the article and decided to exploit this woman’s pain to get at Harry. Harry won’t attack a Gold Star mother and they know it. Lady Whistledown has more journalistic integrity than the DM. If evidence shows Mary Tillman took a check to torpedo Harry, the Invictus Foundation, the Tillman Foundation, the ESPYs and ESPN my sympathy ends.