Quitters Never Win And Winners Never Quit

Just this past week, Syracuse Wide Receiver Mike Williams walked into Head Coach Doug Marrone's office and told the coach he was quitting the team. You might expect that from a member of the Scout Team who rarely gets to play in a game if ever, but not from a semifinalist for the Bilettnikoff Award, the award going to College Football's top wide receiver.

But that is exactly what happened. With four weeks left in the season, Williams has decided to throw in the towel. Syracuse is having a bad year, but that's no excuse or reason whatsoever for any member of the team, let alone the team's best player, to quit.

Williams was suspended from school last year for violating the university's academic integrity policy, but was allowed to return to the school in January. He was also suspended for the Oct. 10 contest against West Virginia for violating team rules. Though his team is having a losing season, Williams his having an outstanding season personally. He ranks fifth in the country in receiving yards and first in the Big East Conference with 118.7 yards, 7.5 yards per catch. So far this season, Williams has caught 49 balls for 746 yards and six touchdowns. Williams would have been a sure first round pick in next year's NFL Draft. Two years ago, Williams set a Syracuse record with touchdown receptions in 9 straight games

With so much a head of him, including millions of dollars, why would he up and quit? Whats more baffling is that in an interview, he said he was looking forward to returning for his final year of eligibility in 2010. Perhaps he is tired of losing. So what! Syracuse didn't quit on you after you cheated, or broke some academic rule. Why, Mr. Williams, are you quitting on the Orange now?

There are the Mike Williamses of the world, and then there are those like Brett Favre. Yes, Favre hasn't handled the soap opera with the Packers and Vikings like he should have, but that's beside my point. I wonder how many people know that Southern Mississippi was the only Division 1 school that gave Favre a scholarship. At one point, he was ranked 7th on the USM depth chart, absolutely buried with little hope of playing time, let alone being the starting quarterback. However, Favre worked and worked and eventually won the starting job for the Golden Eagles. During his Senior year in 1989, the Brett Favre-led Southern Miss Football Team upset Florida St. in Jacksonville, FL.

He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons, then traded to the Green Bay Packers. The rest, of course, is history. He's a sure Hall of Fame QB, and is leading Minnesota to a possible play off appearance and who knows what after that. What if Favre had decided to quit while being buried so far down on the USM depth chart? He didn't do it because he is a winner and winners never quit. Mike Williams, on the other hand, is throwing away a possible lucrative career in the NFL and letting down his Orange teammates when they need him the most. As one sports broadcaster put it, he went from a sure First Round draft pick to three or even four rounds down. It's ridiculous! Shame on you Mike Williams. Quitters never win, and you are a quitter.