stillers4me
12-25-2014, 06:57 AM
To Alejandro Villanueva, Christmas was just like his birthday.
It was like the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving and any other holiday — just an ordinary run-of-the-mill day.
Nothing special. No celebration. No fancy dinner.
Most of the time, it came and went with nothing much more than a passing mention.
And it was totally understandable.
Villanueva, a mammoth 6-foot-9, 330-pound practice squad tackle for the Steelers, spent three of the past four Christmas Days in Afghanistan as a rifle platoon leader for the Army Rangers, treating the holiday just like any other day.
“All the Christmas spirit is sucked out of it over there,” Villanueva said. “It's just another day. It was fine.
“Sometimes, Afghanistan was a pretty special place to be. I was always one of those guys who felt that I was in the right place, and I was exactly where I wanted to be. Maybe my Christmas spirit is a little dead, and maybe I can regain that over the next couple of years.”
If he stays with the Steelers, he won't have much choice.
First, veteran defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau recited his rendition of “T'was the Night Before Christmas” to the team. A couple of days before that, the offensive linemen exchanged gifts via Secret Santa. Villanueva politely opted out.............
Read more: http://triblive.com/sports/steelers/7297991-74/villanueva-christmas-army#ixzz3MuiGgr1q
I hope he can finally enjoy the things he was fighting for.
It was like the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving and any other holiday — just an ordinary run-of-the-mill day.
Nothing special. No celebration. No fancy dinner.
Most of the time, it came and went with nothing much more than a passing mention.
And it was totally understandable.
Villanueva, a mammoth 6-foot-9, 330-pound practice squad tackle for the Steelers, spent three of the past four Christmas Days in Afghanistan as a rifle platoon leader for the Army Rangers, treating the holiday just like any other day.
“All the Christmas spirit is sucked out of it over there,” Villanueva said. “It's just another day. It was fine.
“Sometimes, Afghanistan was a pretty special place to be. I was always one of those guys who felt that I was in the right place, and I was exactly where I wanted to be. Maybe my Christmas spirit is a little dead, and maybe I can regain that over the next couple of years.”
If he stays with the Steelers, he won't have much choice.
First, veteran defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau recited his rendition of “T'was the Night Before Christmas” to the team. A couple of days before that, the offensive linemen exchanged gifts via Secret Santa. Villanueva politely opted out.............
Read more: http://triblive.com/sports/steelers/7297991-74/villanueva-christmas-army#ixzz3MuiGgr1q
I hope he can finally enjoy the things he was fighting for.