By John McMullen
Philadelphia, PA (The Phan) - If MTV's True Life has taught us anything, it's that addictions are tough to kick.
Whether its alcohol, drugs or Internet porn, those pesky bad habits follow you like a shadow.
On Broad Street in North Philadelphia, the addiction for the Temple football program is losing.
Whether it's a Hail Mary in Buffalo last year or a stunning collapse in the Linc against Villanova last night, Al Golden just can't seem to teach his players how to win.
Dennis Green used to tell me "winning is a habit."
Well, so is losing. Despite owning superior talent, 22 more scholarships and a pair of 10-point leads, the Owls gave away their opener to the Wildcats, an FCS (formerly Division I-AA) team.
Every time Villanova looked like were about to pack it in, someone made a play.
Quarterback Chris Whitney kept drive after drive in the second half alive with his mobility and improvisational skills that would have impressed the folks at the Groundlings.
Safety John Dempsey forced two huge turnovers in the fourth quarter and redshirt freshman kicker Nick Yako, who looked shaky all night, came through when it mattered most.
Therein lies the real difference between Temple and Villanova...the culture.
Wildcats coach Andy Talley has built a winning tradition on the Main Line and his players expect to win, even against the big boys. Golden's charges are always looking over their shoulders for the other shoe to drop.
That leads to tentative play and more turnovers than you can find at your local bakery.
It's time for Temple to stop making excuses, go cold turkey and kick its addiction.
1 comment:
Your missing the point: Temple was out coached
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