MEDIANEWS STAFF Article Launched: 08/09/2007 02:59:31 AM PDT
SANTA CLARA -- Taylor Jacobs looked at the photograph attached to the inside of his locker. It showed a baby girl with dark hair, perched on her father's back. Jacobs touched it lightly, almost caressing the picture.
"My daughter," he said. "I'll never get over it. I'll get through it. But I'll never get over it."
Jacobs is fighting to earn a spot on the 49ers' roster at wide receiver -- a position the team dramatically upgraded in the offseason. As a fifth-year player who hasn't done all that much in his NFL career, Jacobs knows this is a make-or-break training camp. And receivers coach Jerry Sullivan said he has been impressive so far.
Thanks. And wow, that's very sad. I can't even imagine his pain. Well, I can imagine it, since I have 4 kids, and I know how much it would kill me to lose any one of them. I just wish the best for him, and good luck at making the 49er's (or someone's) roster.
Hopefully he can use his tragedy as a motivational tool to earn a roster spot and use his position and story as encouragement for others. I know that I look at my past experiences good/bad as being worthless if I don't share them with others. Nothing better than being able to show empathy for another or being able to help them avoid a pitfall you stumbled into.