Any member of any college athletic program who says winning isn’t everything, is out of their mind.

Last semester Ron Faubion, former softball coach, was asked to resign by Missouri Southern for undisclosed reasons.

In his two seasons as head coach, Faubion amassed an 86-28 overall record, taking the Lady Lions to their eighth postseason appearance in just his first year as head coach.

And he was asked to resign.

Several College officials, including Athletic Director Sallie Beard, were asked to comment on the situation, and the only answer ever given was that it was a personnel issue.

Speculation has, of course, been coming from all directions, ranging from the insane to the plausible, but perhaps the most interesting thing coming from the softball program is the fact that five softball players quit the team immediately after Faubion’s forced resignation.

The disappointing thing about this is the fact the season was expected to be one of the Lady Lions best seasons in recent history.

This situation is bad enough in itself, but what really makes me mad is when College officials say that winning isn’t everything.

Which, therefore, must mean that losing is right up there with winning, and that would explain why a softball coach with better than .750 winning percentage is forced to resign, and a football coach with a .309 winning percentage is allowed to remain.

Ah, Southern football — the most money-hungry program in the sports department, and it can boast a .530 winning percentage since its first season in 1968, and whose head coach, Bill Cooke, has posted what must, at the least, be considered less than stellar records in his three seasons as head coach (2-9, 4-6, 4-7), and one season as interim head coach in 1988 (3-7).

So what logical conclusion can a person reach from this?

That’s a good question.

In a time of near budget crisis, Southern, in its infinite wisdom, finds it better to force a winning coach to resign and keep a losing coach in the most expensive of collegiate sports.

Genius, pure genius.

So, I am therefore issuing a challenge to the Athletic Department of Missouri Southern. If just one of you, any one of you, it doesn’t matter who, can sit down and give me a logical explanation as to what is going on here, then I will change my tune, and sing the praises of the Athletic Department, and their undeniable wisdom.

But I don’t think that’s going to happen.

Now, on a more somber note, I would like to send my personal condolences to Cliff Erwin, and the Philadelphia Eagles, who choked this past Sunday when they were assaulted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

However, if it is any consolation to Cliff, and the Eagles, the Oakland Raiders will be sure to put Tampa Bay in its place this Sunday in the Super Bowl.

Just wait and see.