This week I asked USA Head Coach Gary Gold about managing the emotion surrounding playing on September 11, and what he said was, for me, a good reminder.

His comments about being respectful of the American-born players who feel this anniversary more keenly were right and good, and in addition he pointed out that many of the USA players don't even remember the events of September 11, 2001. It reminded me that a large percentage of this sites readers don't remember, or weren't even born yet. 

So while I am mindful of saying "you just don't get it" I will try to paint a bit of a picture. If you are too young to remember 9-11, you're too young to remember that you used to be able to meet your friends and family at the gate in an airport. You didn't need to show a ticket to go through security (I remember in May, 2001 I was on the coaching staff of a high school boys team that took 5th at nationals—when we got back to Seattle all the parents who didn't travel met us at the gate with signs and balloons.)

You didn't have to unpack your back and take off your shoes to get into an airport. This seems frivolous given the subject matter, but it's just an example of how things were for so long, and then they changed. If you're young, the "changed" bit is all you know.

When the planes flew into the Towers and the Pentagon and crashed into a field in Pennsylvania, rugby players were deeply involved. Rugby players helped mount the counterattack that foiled the terrorists on Flight 93.

Many rugby players were in the Twin Towers and the Pentagon getting ready for the work day. Rugby players were all through the New York Fire Department, especially the company from Rockaway, and the New York Police Department. They charged into the fray. They saved lives. They gave their lives, too.

Why rugby players? Well, it's a gobal game and finance is a global business and there were rugby players from around the world, and just around the corner, at the World Trade Center. Rugby is a tough sport you get to play your whole life, which is why tough men and women, like the guys who raised the flag on the ruins and the soldiers who went abroad, played the game. Rugby players continued to give their lives for us after that day.

Rugby enjoyed a boost in its image after the attacks as word got around how Mark Bingham and Jeremy Glick helped on Flight 93, and how many were so brave. That image didn't last ... but it never quite went away. America saw rugby players as more than boozers and party animals, and that was good.

After 9-11, we saw more attacks around the world. In Bali, once again rugby players were hit, but as we saw in Mumbai and Manchester and Paris and elsewhere, the attacks were often on a broader idea of Fun and Freedom. People doing what they wanted—going to a concert, having a beer, enjoying dinner with friends—were, apparently the enemy.

That's why the United States and other nations sent soldiers overseas—to make sure we could have that freedom. Many of them were rugby players too. Many didn't come back. But even now, even after we've left Afghanistan in turmoil, let me say that those men and women who went there did the job. They kept their home countries (America, UK, Australia, and elsewhere) safe from such a blistering attack. 

They will continue to do that. I won't in these pages judge the global decision-making, although it's tempting. Instead I'll just say that those listed below are heroes, they are our rugby family, and they did not die in vain.

And if you're too young to remember, I hope you try to remember anyway. This wasn't just "something that happened" but an attack on regular people just going about their regular lives. We cannot, ever, let that stand, and we can't, ever, forget that there are those who want to do it again.  

List of Rugby Players Who Died In the September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attacks
Andrew Alameno - Mount St. Mary's RFC Md. - World Trade Center
Mark Bingham - University of California, SF Fog RFC, Calif. - United Flight 93
Edward "Ted" Brennan III - Holy Cross RFC, New York – World Trade Center
Matt Burke - Xavier High School Rugby Club, New York — World Trade Center
Michael Cawley – SUNY Oswego, New York – World Trade Center
Jason Coffey — Bryant University, RI — World Trade Center
Joe Dickey - Wisconsin Rugby Club, Wisc. - World Trade Center.
Bill Erwin – SUNY Plattsburgh, Saranac Lake RFC, New York – World Trade Center
Tom Foley - Old Blue RFC, New York - Firefighter FDNY - World Trade Center.
Linda George - Providence College Rugby Club, RI - American Flight 11
Jeremy Glick - Former Capt. Univ. Of Rochester RFC, New York - United flight 93 
James Greenleaf Jr. - Connecticut College RFC, Conn. - World Trade Center.
Charlie Heeran - Xavier High School Rugby Club, New York - World Trade Center.
Tommy Knox - North Jersey RFC, New Jersey - World Trade Center 
Ming-Hao Liu - Cheng-Kung Univ. RFC, Taiwan - World Trade Center.
Mark Ludvigsen - New York Athletic Club RFC, New York - World Trade Center
Sean Lugano - New York Athletic Club RFC, New York - World Trade Center.
Joseph McDonald - SUNY Albany RFC and Monmouth RFC, New Jersey - World Trade Center.
Christopher Mello - Princeton Univ. RFC, New York - American Flight 11
Mike McCarthy - Lansdowne RFC, New York - World Trade Center.
Terry McShane - Long Island RFC, New York - Firefighter FDNY - World Trade Center.
Rob Peraza - St. Bonaventure Univ. RFC, New York - World Trade Center.
Tim Reilly - White Plains RFC, New York - World Trade Center.
Nick Rowe - Manhattan RFC, New York - World Trade Center.
Mike Stewart - Old Blue RFC, New York - World Trade Center.
Mike Taddonio - Siena College, New York - World Trade Center.
Patrick Waters - Brockport State Doggies RFC, New York - Captain, FDNY - World Trade center.
Brent Woodall - New York Athletic Club RFC, New York - World Trade Center.