Texas vs USC: Fame is Fleeting

Let me get this out of the way: Hook-em Horns

The day after Texas’ victory, Vince Young was all over the TV. He was on Jay Leno. Sports pundits assured us he should be picked first in the NFL draft.

President Bush called Coach Brown to congratulate him early in the morning following the win.

It was as if USC didn’t even exist.

Yet USC played equally as great a game as Texas.

In fact, a few inches here or there, a doubtful call by the referee reversed and the game would have been won by USC.

The point is not that USC should have won or that Vince Young is not an unbelievable quarterback.

The point is that the margin between winner and loser can be very very small and it can even be something out of the loser’s control.

And yet the reward for winning is overwhelming. The winners are supermen, athletic geniuses. They are in constant demand for interviews. Their images are everywhere.

The losers are questioned. What didn’t they do this or that? Why are they so stupid?

A few inches here or there and the shoe is on the other foot.

USC is the greatest team to ever play college football. Three straight national titles.

Coach Brown can’t win the big game.

Vince Young needs to stay another year in college to learn how to play quarterback.

An individual involved in such a situation can’t let himself be defined by fame or by criticism.

Both are fleeting.

The media may be the message, but it is not reality.

Jody Nelson: We hardly knew you

But we do know that you had been with Patterson UTI before they went public and we do know that those in charge at Patterson reward those who are loyal to them.

We do know that Jody had at least $13 million in Patterson stock and that he made hundreds of thousands a year in salary.

Why?

Why embezzle $70 million dollars when you already have more than most people make in a lifetime?

Only to buy more stuff?

Apparently he started doing it soon after he became CFO.

The usual profile is a drug or gambling habit, but multiple airplanes, boats, vehicles houses, ranches, and a truck stop.

Where did that come from?

How can you think you won’t get caught eventually.

Armchair psychologists and detectives have offered various explanations:

He did it for the thrill, for the adrenaline rush.
His girlfriend made him do it.
He started small and it was easy. It just went from there.
He didn’t think he was getting his fair share and was jealous of those in charge.
He liked playing the big shot.
His relatives encouraged him.

Who knows?

Anita Clinkenbeard got ten years in jail for less than one million.

What’s $70 million worth?

What does it feel like to be thinking you’re going to prison for a long time and that things ain’t going to be so good even after you get out?

When you had it all.

Who knows. Maybe even Jody doesn’t.