HEROIC: New York Knicks Player Skips Team Dinner at U.S. Military Academy

ESPN reports:

 New York Knicks center Joakim Noah says he skipped a team dinner at the U.S. Military Academy that featured cadets and a speech by a former colonel because he is against war.

Noah added he had "mixed feelings" about spending time at the academy, where the Knicks are holding training camp this week, because he is opposed to the idea of young troops fighting in wars.

"It's hard for me a little bit. I have a lot of respect for the kids who are out here fighting. But it's hard for me to understand why we have to go to war, why kids have to kill kids around the world," said Noah, explaining his decision not to attend the dinner after a reporter asked him about his experience at the event. "So I have mixed feelings about being here. I'm very proud of this country. I love America, but I just don't understand kids killing kids around the world."

Noah added: "At the end of the day, I'm not anti-troops. It's just not comfortable for me to see kids going out to war and coming back having seen what they've seen, having done what they've done. It's sad for me. It's sad for me because they're just sent out for things that I don't really want to get into it to be honest with you. It's hard for me."