Texan, Soldier WIns Olympic Gold

From the Houston Chronicle comes this story...

COMMENTARY
Soldier's order for day: Step forward, win gold
By JEROME SOLOMON Chronicle Olympic Bureau
Aug. 13, 2008, 6:06AM

BEIJING — Not long ago, Master Sgt. Dave Easterbrooks, serving in Iraq, delivered a strong message to Pfc. Glenn Eller, Olympic dreamer.

"He told me that amateurs train till they get it right, professionals train till they never get it wrong — go kick their (behind)," an excited Eller said, not long after he had done just that, setting an Olympic record with a resounding gold-medal performance in double trap shooting Tuesday at the Olympic Games.

When it comes to the United States Army, there are times when our way of life depends on the men and women of the armed forces kicking some serious you know what.

Eller is an Army shooter, but he shoots clay targets, not people, with a shotgun.

While Eller, a 26-year-old from Katy, has been training to become an Olympic hero, some of the enlistees he shared sweat and tears with through basic training have been fighting overseas.

We love to say an athlete or team — one that is focused, won't be denied — is on a mission.

Well, with Eller, that is more than a writing cliché. It is fact.

He was on a mission. Basically, he was under direct orders to become a champion: Bring home the gold for the United States.

"Being a soldier in the U.S. Army, I do what is expected of me," Eller said. "And they asked me to come to Beijing and win the gold...

To read it all go HERE

Way to go SPC Eller!