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Jesup, Georgia 31545

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

75

Cult? No, thats too strong. Religion? No, that could be sacrilegious. Fanaticism? Yes, Valdosta Wildcat football loyalists are fanaticsin a good wayas in the Americas winningest football team. Winningest? Yes, its on Valdostas welcome sign: home of 23 state and six national championships. And like the wordwinningestyou wont find that many victories anywhere else either. Winningest? Thats right, as in Wright Bazemore, the coach who many thought couldnt be replaced. But Nick Hyder told his Cats to never, never, never, never, never, never, never quit. And he didnt until he dropped dead in the school lunchroom, but that wasnt until he became the winningest Wildcat coach ever. In 22 years, his teams won six state titles and three national championships. Between 1980 and 1992, his record was 163-11, a .937-percentage victory margin. That kind of winning is so addictive, becoming a fanatic is easy. But finding a replacement for gridiron saints like Bazemore and Hyder was anything but easy. Just ask around Valdosta. Or better yet, ask the parade of coaches who didnt last long. And then to gnaw on the fabled Wildcats ego, the upstart Vikings of Lowndes County High began filling their trophy case. Chew on

Must Win takes you inside the cage of Valdosta Wildcats

that, Cats! The Wildcat Nation became a zoo of bitterness and frustration. Something had to be DINK done, and NeSMITH thats the Chairman basis of Drew Juberas new book: Must Win. I zipped through its 318 pages in three days. In Jesup, if you beat Valdosta, your season is glorious. Things were never more glorious for the Yellow Jackets than they were 58 years ago. Coach John Donaldsons Yellow Jackets beat Bazemores Cats not once, but twice, in 1954. Both times, the score was 13-7. And old men sitting around coffee tables still revel in those victories en route to a state championship. I was too young to remember, but I will never forget standing in the Jesup press box on Nov. 28, 1975. Coach Vince Dooley was on my right. His assistant, Mike Cavan, was on my left. They had their eyes on a young Buck Belue. Many Valdosta fans had their eyes on the big game in Macon next week, so they stayed home. The Wildcats had the Jackets under their paws. Future

My Opinion
MMM

Clemson quarterback Billy Lott stood near the end zone to punt, but he surprised everyone including Coach Donaldson. He rifled the pigskin to pint-sized Donnie Palmer, streaking down the middle. Donnie raced into history, stunning Nick Hyders gold-and-black-clad Cats, 15-14. Thats not in Juberas book, but what you will find is an eye-opening stroll through its-not-like-itused-to-be world of high school football, except for the fanaticism of winning. Must Win introduces you to Rance Gillespie, a tiger of a coach from Tiger, Ga., who dares to become a Bazemore-Hyder-like legend. He told the interview committee, There are very few places in our culture where a kida young mancan learn toughness and have a place to go and find himself. Football is one of the last resorts for that. You can ask Georgia Bulldogs Malcolm Mitchell and Jay Rome about the toughness and compassion of their high school coach. Gillespie is tough on himself, too. Along with sweat and dogged determination, Xs and Os ooze from his pores. His wife, Claudette, said, Rance will talk football with a dead frog if the frog is listening. Thats what it takes, along with enough championships, to win a free plot in the Valdosta cemetery. And if you want to know about that reward and the winningest team in America, Must Win is a must read.
dnesmith@cninewspapers.com