RIP Jack Tatum

[Masherbrum]

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/thehuddle/post/2010/07/longtime-oakland-raiders-defender-jack-tatum-dies-at-61/1

Not a Raiders fan, but I remember seeing him play as a kid.   

[Dichotomy]

bummer

[Hajo]

Jack Tatum was a member of the team voted greatest of the first hundred years of college football....The Ohio State University Buckeyes.

I remember that team well.  They had two future 1000 yard rushers in the Pros.  All 3 running backs were drafted.

The defensive backfield of that team went on to play on sundays in the NFL.  As a matter of fact slmost 90% of the starting

22 ended up starting in the NFL.  Great memories of a great team.

Jack Tatum.....The Assasin.

[SEraider]

I'm a Raider fan........

RIP Jack Tatum

[bj229r]

Let's ask Darryl Stingley---wait......bummer, he died 3 years ago

[Hajo]

BeeJay......that's american football.  Players know that their career or future are in jeopardy when they step on the field.

It's a choice they make.  I was really down when stingley was paralyzed. I wish no one harm.  It is unfortunately a fact

of life for a football player.  Serious injury can come at any moment.

[Babalonian]

The Raiders can't follow Jack "The Assassin" Tatum down into hell soon enough IMO! 

BeeJay......that's american football.  Players know that their career or future are in jeopardy when they step on the field.

It's a choice they make.  I was really down when stingley was paralyzed. I wish no one harm.  It is unfortunately a fact

of life for a football player.  Serious injury can come at any moment.

I agree, an unfortunate fact about pro-football.  Almost as unfortunate as the fact that Tatum never apologized to Stingley for the incident, the most unsportsman precedent ever set within an american professional sports organization imo. 

I truly feel sorry for Tatum's family and friends, he was a talented player and legendary figure in the game, but I have always disagreed with his character and morals.  What good can I say about a retired raider that made no attempt to reconcile with Stingley until a cushy book release and HBO special were on the line 25-years afterwards.

[SEraider]

The Raiders can't follow Jack "The Assassin" Tatum down into hell soon enough IMO! 


I agree, an unfortunate fact about pro-football.  Almost as unfortunate as the fact that Tatum never apologized to Stingley for the incident, the most unsportsman precedent ever set within an american professional sports organization imo. 

I truly feel sorry for Tatum's family and friends, he was a talented player and legendary figure in the game, but I have always disagreed with his character and morals.  What good can I say about a retired raider that made no attempt to reconcile with Stingley until a cushy book release and HBO special were on the line 25-years afterwards.

He said on many occations he tried to see Stingley and tried to apologize but Stingley's family did not permit this.  Who can you believe?  It was unfortunate.

[Mano]

I was at that game. The stadium was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. It seemed like it took the paramedics an hour to secure him for transport.
The crowd did not know if he was even alive. Darryl Stingley did not move, period. It was pretty scary. I had never seen a sell out crowd at
the Oakland Coliseum that quiet before. Everyone heard that collision. It was loud.

Tatum did what he was coached to do all through his career, beginning at Ohio State. The Oakland Raiders drafted him
in the 1st round to stop receivers from running accross the middle. He was a great tackler. The only other safety to hit
as hard as Jack Tatum was Ronny Lott.

Tatum did attempt to visit Darryl in the hospital, but the family
would not let him enter. John Madden was allowed to visit him in the hospital.
Stingley spent several months in an Oakland hospital. They eventually flew him
back to New England once he was stabilized.