Jack Tatum, former Pro Bowl safety for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League, died recently at the age of 61.  He is most remembered for a hit he put on Darryl Stingley, a wide receiver for the New England Patriots, that left Mr. Stingley paralyzed from the neck down for the rest of his life.  The hit was perfectly legal at the time and Mr. Tatum was not penalized by the league–he was simply doing what he got paid for.  However, he was haunted by that play the rest of his life.  According to one of his friends, “He was never the same person after that play and for years he was almost a recluse.”  Unfortunately, the two men never got together after that hit.  I can’t help but think that life would have smiled more kindly on Mr. Tatum had he taken the initiative to meet with Mr. Stingley and apologize to him–not for what he did which is part of the game–but for what subsequently happened.  Who knows, the two may have become good friends as a result.  But that didn’t happen and Mr. Tatum died a sad man who was carrying a very heavy load.  There’s no doubt in my mind that if the two men had gotten together and talked, both of their lives would have been richer.