The assassin speaks out

by Bill Bender
Staff Writer

Before former Atlanta Falcons defensive end and FOX analyst Tim Green wrote The Dark Side of the NFL, one of the most vilified characters in the NFL's history spoke out first.

Jack Tatum, the safety who gained notoriety for bone-crushing hits for the Oakland Raiders, wrote They Call Me Assassin, with Bill Kushner in 1979. The book is as enigmatic as "The Assassin" himself.

Tatum is best known for the hit that paralyzed New England Patriots wide receiver Darryl Stingley in 1978. Stingley never walked again, further enhancing Tatum's persona as a cold-blooded mercenary on the football field.

They Call Me Assassin offers a different look. Tatum presents himself as a fair player, aggressive but clean. After being fined for a punishing hit that put Hall-of-Fame receiver Lynn Swann in the hospital, Tatum told NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle "I plead guilty, but only to aggressive play."

Throughout the book, Tatum details his life, which by no surprise is surrounded by fellow aggressors. Tatum devotes a chapter to his life in the New Jersey slums, his playing experience under Woody Hayes at Ohio State and his playing days with the villainous, freewheeling Oakland Raiders.

Tatum talks candidly about how his ferocious play overshadowed his accomplishments on the field. Tatum was a two-time All-American at Ohio State, won two Super Bowls with the Raiders and was arguably the most feared player in the league's history.

The most intriguing parts of the book detail the Raiders' rivalry with the Pittsburgh Steelers. After all, it was Tatum's hit on John "Frenchy" Fuqua that directly led to the "Immaculate Reception" in the 1972 AFC Championship game. Tatum moves on to call the play of Steelers stars Franco Harris and Swan "soft."

Tatum offers insightful opinions on the pitfalls of college recruiting, the camaraderie of NFL players and the NFL's role as a business-entertainment medium.

Tatum later wrote a sequel with Kushner in 1989, They Still Call Me Assassin. Aside from attacking the shallowness of NFL ownership, Tatum clearly tries to eliminate the stereotype of athletes as aggressive meatheads. Perhaps Tatum is trying to save his own reputation, although he admits to having "knockout" contests with teammate George Atkinson in the Oakland secondary.

This book was well ahead of its time. Tatum is the classic case of a misunderstood football player. In spite of repeatedly stressing that he played within the rules, Tatum is still perceived as a cheap-shot artist. The one hit on Stingley, however, which he says was not that hard, solidified his reputation as a hitman.

Overall, They Call Me Assassin, is a must-read book. Quarterbacks do not throw at Deion Sanders because the ball might get picked. Quarterbacks, however, did not throw at Tatum because receivers did not want to end up in a morgue. The underlying theme in Tatum's "confessions" is a real-life perspective on how the NFL has evolved for the worse.

So give the "Assassin" a shot - just do not run a slant route over the middle.