Do you want Achilles or Hector?

[teachercd]

Would Hector make changes to his scheme and come up with a different gameplan to defeat Achilles the next time they met? Or would he say, "I don't need to change anything, my sword just needs to execute better"?

 

But to answer your question, I would rather win the right way. I would rather win a couple championship and having them mean something, than winning multiple championships and getting some (or all) of them vacated (or even just the knowledge of shady things that happened during that time).

Hmmm, interesting. Achilles form of fighting was never seen as shady by anyone but the losers. There is a chicken/egg thought.

[True2tRA]

If being Hector means you never dominate or can't win, then I choose Achilles.

 

Theres something more appealing about being Hector and striving for that victory over Achilles, at least for me anyways. If there were that chance that Hector could be at his best and beat Achilles, then I'd root for Hector.

 

I relate it to being a Broncos fan as a kid and watching them be the second best team in the league multiple times. When they finally beat Brett Favre and the Packers for their first Super Bowl, I cried. It almost meant more to me because I'd seen them struggle for so long.

 

Its that way for Nebraska and Miami back in those 80's and 90's matchups. It's like Nebraska was Hector and we were stepping into Achilles home arena trying to beat them' and failing multiple times. When we finally did it, it was glorious.

 

I'd root for Hector for 20 years if I knew he had a chance to pull the upset. Like I said though, if Hector has no shot at ever being the Champ, then to hell with that. Championships is what the game of football is all about.

[Blackshirt39]

But Achilles defeated Hector. I'll take Paris, the guy who killed Achilles.

 

Didn't Paris also get Helen of Troy? That's what it's all about.

[Guy Chamberlin]

Mike Tyson is Achilles.

 

Evander Holyfield is Hector.

 

Hector defeats Achilles, even though Achilles was willing to bite his ear off.

 

Later, they become friends.

 

The End.

[Husker from Kansas]

Mike Tyson is Achilles.

 

Evander Holyfield is Hector.

 

Hector defeats Achilles, even though Achilles was willing to bite his ear off.

 

Later, they become friends.

 

The End.

If this is the case then Achilles not only beat Hector, but also speech therapy and hooked on phonics!

[zeWilbur]

Mike Tyson is Achilles.

 

Evander Holyfield is Hector.

 

Hector defeats Achilles, even though Achilles was willing to bite his ear off.

 

Later, they become friends.

 

The End.

So let Achilles go to jail for a few years and lose the physical dominance,his strongest asset, and then be surprised when Hector beats him doing things the "right way"? Not sure that holds up in college football.

[jimk]

How is Hector's throwing motion? Can Achilles be a thumper back?

[grandpasknee]

The question is. If Achilles were to meet Hector on 20 different occasions, wouldn't Hector occasionally win, even against the given rationale that favors Achilles? Wouldn't Hector win may 7 or 8 out of those 20? Would those wins be sweetened by the other losses and by the clear realization that the "good" had triumphed? Was Osborne Hector? Was Switzer Achilles? For me, if I were to put the defeats against Switzer's Sooners on one side of the balance, and the victories against Switzer's Sooners on the other side of the balance....I'd favor the Victories even if they numbered less.

 

But the point others have made is valid. In today's $$$$football environment, it is win baby. I think one can be ruthless and yet stay inside the rules. Very hard question. Glad I'm a fan and not a coach, AD or Chancellor.

 

Thanks for bringing this perspective up for discussion by the way,

[grandpasknee]

Zeus.

Definitely +1

[Landlord]

Was Osborne Hector?

 

 

I think the argument can be made that he didn't win it all until he abandoned the Hector identity. Not entirely, but just enough.

[Moiraine]

Neither

[JJ Husker]

 

Was Osborne Hector?

 

 

I think the argument can be made that he didn't win it all until he abandoned the Hector identity. Not entirely, but just enough.

That's bullsh#t. I'm getting real tired of this revisionist history that wants to claim that Osborne went a little dirty to make it over the hump. And primarily because of the Lawrence Phillips thing. Read some of Tom's book on the subject and find out why he really gave LP too many chances. Spoiler alert- it wasn't to win a natty, it was to do all he could (yes, probably too much in hindsight) to help a young man who just couldn't be helped.

[TonyStalloni]

Achilles ruthless lack of conscience wasn't related to his exceptional physical prowess. Todays video phones and instant replay from many angles have for the most part ended the ability of the no conscience athlete to succeed in the long term. Once the press gets their hands on an athletes misdeeds he faces a long suspension. Example Adrian Petersen and Richie Incognito. Lawrence Phillips would have never been let on campus if he had committed his crimes this year. There is nothing saying a supreme athlete needs to be a criminal mind. They are just few and far between and have been spoiled most of their life.

[TonyStalloni]

 

 

Was Osborne Hector?

 

I think the argument can be made that he didn't win it all until he abandoned the Hector identity. Not entirely, but just enough.

That's bullsh#t. I'm getting real tired of this revisionist history that wants to claim that Osborne went a little dirty to make it over the hump. And primarily because of the Lawrence Phillips thing. Read some of Tom's book on the subject and find out why he really gave LP too many chances. Spoiler alert- it wasn't to win a natty, it was to do all he could (yes, probably too much in hindsight) to help a young man who just couldn't be helped.

 

I've been arguing (without much success) with some TO haters on Shaggybevo for a few weeks now. I stand by the idea that Tom put his reputation on the line to help a young man who was probably going to pull him into the scandal.

[Landlord]

 

 

Was Osborne Hector?

 

I think the argument can be made that he didn't win it all until he abandoned the Hector identity. Not entirely, but just enough.

That's bullsh#t. I'm getting real tired of this revisionist history that wants to claim that Osborne went a little dirty to make it over the hump. And primarily because of the Lawrence Phillips thing. Read some of Tom's book on the subject and find out why he really gave LP too many chances. Spoiler alert- it wasn't to win a natty, it was to do all he could (yes, probably too much in hindsight) to help a young man who just couldn't be helped.

 

 

 

I entirely support and defend Osborne as a great man, but the withholding evidence and interviewing witnesses to sexual assault are way more damning ammunition than Lawrence Phillips is.