Just win......

"Just win, baby!" Every football fan in America knows this phrase that is so famously the mantra of the Oakland Raiders. This phrase has been ever-present on my mind for the last two weeks for two distintcly different reasons.  First, my favorite hitter of all-time dies recently. Jack Tatum succumbed to heart failure at age 61. Tatum had to be the most fierce hitter of all time. His hits were legendary for their intimidation and for their devastation. I am to young to have watched Tatum play, but his hits were constants on NFL films highlight reals. I used to watch these tapes before every junior high and high school game. Tatum crushed the competiton and I wanted to as well. Little did I know that fate would eternally deem me a defensive lineman, but that's a story for another day.  Tatum is the starting safety on my all-time team. Here's to you, Jack Tatum. I salute your greatness. Check him out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJrDYQwwbuY

"Just win" also comes to mind when I think of Ole Miss allowing Jeremy Masoli to join the team. I am all for redemption stories but some people have proven that they are poor decision-makers. Masoli's desicion- making off the field is ridiculously poor. He should not be on a college campus. With that said, I completely understand the decision. Football coaches are hired to win games. All the notions of building character and teaching leadership are complete BS. If you lose, you will be fired. Bob Davie had a 100% graduation rate and was fired from Notre Dame. A school that claims to value academics fires a coach who graduated every player. So the bar has been set at every school that plays big time football. "Just win, baby," even if that means lettimg a criminal or two (or several) on campus.