True heroes get their roll call; professional athletes not on list ...

Opinion by William Wilczewski

Too many times I hear Michael Jordon being called a “hero.”

Or Payton Manning.

Or Derek Jeter.

And while these guys are all among the best in their trade, “hero” is a much-exaggerated use of the word when it comes to pro athletes.

What do they really do but shoot, throw or hit a ball—something we do as kids just for fun, right?

True heroes, on the other hand, often have very physically and mentally taxing jobs, too, but those jobs often find them with their lives on the line.

Like the real American heroes in our United States Armed Forces.

No matter the branch—Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines or Coast Guard—these are the people we should not forget on a day-to-day basis, regardless if what they still do day-in-and-day-out does not appear as much in the newspaper or on TV or on the radio.

I was reminded of this over the weekend when my fraternal twin brother—a sergeant first class in the U.S. Army—told me that he was headed for Afghanistan in June or July.

Already an Iraq-vet, this will be my brother’s second tour in harm’s way. And I think we can all agree that this is a far cry from throwing a ball through a hoop, right?

Anyway, on my wife’s side of the family is recent Navy boot camp graduate Branden Beyerle—one of many Nogales High School (Ariz.) graduates that have chosen an honorable profession like my own flesh and blood.

Branden—as of right now, thank goodness—is stationed at Camp Pendleton, Calif., but regardless, both my brother and nephew deserve that title hero much more than any basketball, football or baseball player that I know.

Wouldn’t you agree?