Question No. 5

Spencer Stone. Anthony Sadler. Alex Skarlatos.

Do you know those names? If not, read them. Remember them.

They're heroes. Real live, real life heroes.

They're the three Americans - two servicemen and one student at Sacramento State, childhood friends all three - who got on a train in Amsterdam to go to Paris as anonymous tourists and got off as international heroes.

In a world that seems to embrace celebrity for the sake of celebrity, which values achieving notoriety regardless of what it takes to do so, these three are now known throughout the country and world for every possible right reason.

As a crazed person with an AK-47 came out of a restroom intent on killing as many innocent people as possible, these three ran towards the man with the gun and neutralized the situation without any loss of life, and only three injuries - one of which was to Stone.

Even after the gunman was neutralized, Stone - himself cut with a box cutter - went to perform first aid on one of the others who was injured.

Think about what might have happened if these three had cowered under their seats? The story would have been about fatalities, lots and lots of them.

What would TigerBlog have done in the same situation? He has no way of knowing for sure, but he has a hunch.

He does know that he hopes to never find out. He does know that people like Stone, Sadler and Skarlatos inspire awe in TB for their courage and their willingness to put themselves in danger to help strangers.

They are real heroes, in a world that desperately needs them.

They're real inspirations.

TigerBlog has spent some time this summer answering a series of questions that were asked - anonymously - by someone. The questions were from a comment left under a previous story.

Here is the comment:
Now that the academic year is over, just a word to encourage more of your feature stories which include your personal memories or historical compilations. Here are some unsolicited ideas: Greatest games or events you've witnessed, with and without regard to historical context
Happiest moments you've experienced due to Princeton sports
Weirdest fluke plays
Most improbable comebacks
Most inspiring student-athletes

TigerBlog has already answered the first three. You can read them HERE, HERE and HERE.

TigerBlog is skipping over No. 4 for right now and going to No. 5. Who are the most inspiring student-athletes he's seen at Princeton?

He'll get to No. 4 soon.

Let TigerBlog start out by saying that he's not equating disarming a crazed terrorist on a train with competing in sports at Princeton University. He's just talking about inspiration today.

And the answer to the question? Well, it's a bit of a wimpy one, but it's true:

There are too many of them to name.

It's the reason anyone works at a place like Princeton. It's to be around young men and women of the caliber of the ones who compete as Princeton Tigers.

They are, obviously, great players. They are, obviously, great students. They also are out in the community, working with kids and adults, those who are homeless, needy and less fortunate.

There have been so many times in his nearly 30 years around these athletes that TigerBlog has shaken his head and thought to himself "where do these people come from? How did they get like this?"

Yes, for some of them, it all comes easily. They were just born with some sort of mechanism that makes them exceptional athletically and academically. TigerBlog has encountered very few, though, who took it all for granted and were cavalier about it.

You want a few names of those who have really made TB think "who are these people?"

How about Justin Tortolani, Class of 1992? He's one of the best lacrosse players in Princeton history and was one of the keystones of a dynasty that won six NCAA titles in 10 years, the first of which came his senior year, four years after Princeton was 2-13.

Today he's Dr. Justin Tortolani, a pediatric surgeon in Baltimore who in addition to his regular work has done countless hours of free medical care in the city.

How about Donn Cabral, an NCAA champion in the steeplechase who has now been a finalist at both the Olympics (eighth in 2012) and now the World Championships (he runs tonight in Beijing in the final)? You want humble? Talk to Donn Cabral for a few minutes, and you'll figure it out.

How about the late Dick Kazmaier, a man who won the Heisman Trophy and who, in all the years TigerBlog spoke to him, never once talked about "I," only "we?"

How about John Thompson and Jason Garrett, two of the most successful coaches in their respective sports, and yet two men who dropped everything to be at Conte's one night because they were needed their to try to help a young man who has been devastated by an awful disease? Thompson and Garrett, by the way, have foundations that spend a lot of money and offer a lot of time to touch an awful lot of unfortunate people.

How about women's basketball players like Michelle Miller and Alex Wheatley, who have so many academic and service honors that TigerBlog has lost track and yet still combined that with the drive on the court to help their team go 30-0 in the regular season a year ago?

How about Julia Ratcliffe, who is an NCAA champion and NCAA runner-up in the hammer throw and also the winner of the national scholar-athlete award for track and field as well?

Maybe most of all, there was Bob Callahan,  Princeton's longtime men's squash coach, who passed away nearly a year ago from a brain tumor at just 59 years of age? Nobody, anywhere, has ever fought a terminal disease with greater grace than Bob did.

To be honest, TigerBlog could go on forever naming current and former Princeton athletes whose accomplishments are jaw-dropping. Hey, there are all of the alums who have come back to coach at Princeton through the years. Or are in the military. Or have joined Teach for America or the Peace Corps or any number of other noble endeavors.

If you're looking for a place filled with inspirational people, Princeton Athletics is a good place to start.