Garner's Modern American Usage (2009) notes that phrases like obviate the necessity or obviate the need are sometimes considered redundant, but these phrases are not redundancies, for the true sense of obviate the necessity is 'to prevent the necessity (from arising),' hence to make unnecessary..
At the Redskins game against the New York Giants on November 30, 2008, Clinton Portis ran down the field with a flag in the team's colors with the number 21 on it to honor the anniversary of Sean Taylor's death.
-- In 2002, Taylor was a first-team All-BIG EAST selection by the league's head coaches in his first season as a starter. He finished third on the team in tackles with 85 (53 solos), broke up 15 passes, intercepted four passes, forced one fumble, blocked a kick and returned a punt for a touchdown.