" So is Hart on your Heisman list?" A co-worker asked me that today and I'm thinking, "WHAT?" Am I suppossed to keep a Heisman list somewhere and update it every Saturday night? Hopefully, I have something better to do on a Saturday night or I'm making another kind of list.
I realize this is a fun debate to have among college football fans, but I don't get it. Quick, tell me the name of the award that goes to the best colege hockey player. Anyone? The Hobey Baker Award. How about college basketball? Rev, BGL, Shooter, Pete, any fellow college basketball fan? How about the James Naismith Award!
Why does the Heisman get so much attention and publicity? Why would the University of Oregon put a billboard of Joey Harrington in Times Square? Why would I make a Heisman pose over my little brother as I beat him for a touchdown many years ago and he congratulated my pose by kicking me in man land? WHY?
Why would any college football player want to win the Heisman trophy this year? Do they want their team to lose a championship game as former winners have done so lately? ( See: R. Bush, T. Smith) Do they want to be in the same breath as former winner O.J. Simpson? Do they want to add to the percentage of Heisman winners who have done squat in the NFL? ( See: R. Salaam, E. Crouch)
Now that I'm done playing 20 questions with you, I'll provide some of the answers. Obviously, the Heisman Trophy exsists to recognize the best college football player every year. That's fine with me, but I could do without the weekly Heisman polls. By far my biggest beef with this award is this: WHY DOES IT ALWAYS GO TO A TOP RUNNING BACK OR QUARTERBACK ON A TOP 5 TEAM?
Does someone want to tell me that Larry Fitzgerald or Charles Rogers were not the best player when they each set receiving records? Guess how many of the last 20 Heisman winners were either running backs or quarterbacks? 17, which I think is ridiculous. This award I believe takes away from the team concept, which may play a part in why guys who win the Heisman haven't done so hot in their bowl games. Too much emphasis on the ME in TEAM if you ask me.
I understand why you may like this award. I just think it's over-hyped and doesn't really ever live up to the billing. And I would enjoy the process more if the best players got votes, not just the star running backs or quarterbacks.
Good post. People treat the Heisman almost like they treat BCS standings. "Did Michael Hart do enough to keep the top spot over Brian Brohm?" "Can Colt Brennan win playing in a weaker conference?" "How many people have to falter in this final week before Pat White and Darren McFadden get invited to the ceremony?" Perhaps that's why it goes to the top guy on the top team. It's vitrually decided by week 3. The top guy just has to play well enough after being annointed by Corso and Herbstreit.
I think the award has lost some of it's legitimacy, but it is still THE award in CFB. It seems to me that a lot of people have your attitude about the award these days....unless their guy is the winner.
School's still boast about their heisman winners when they advertise their program's histories. Fans mention the winners in their debates.Perhaps it will always be a popularity contest from now on, but until the voters weight their votes for the individual and not the team, it is what it is....
It does all depend on the media hype and who they want to see win btroup. Lately the award hasn't gone to the BEST overall player in college football. Just the most popular.
I hear ya Petey, but I didn't even care when Woodson stole Peyton's Heisman in 1997. ( And he definitely stole it) The main reason Woodson won the award was because he was on an undefeated team, that factor weighs in way too much when people vote. If you're going to vote for the best player, throw away team records.
Exactly my point Lisa. Seau or Lavar Arrington would have been excellent choices. I'm not sure when the award started going to just guys who were playing in BCS games, but I long for the days when the best player won the award.
As much as I try to ignore this hype, Tebow is the man to beat right now Rev.
I carry an action figure of Miyagi around in my back pocket. IT'S NOT A DOLL, IT'S AN ACTION FIGURE!!! Sorry, I get a little defensive about it sometimes.
Even though I am a usc alumni, I can not believe that Dennis Dixon is not on anyones top 5 list. He is by far the statistical leader of any player whos team has a winning record vs good competition. Mcfadden and hart are great players but If you are THAT good to win the Heisman you should carry your team to victory
I think the Heisman has morphed into a marketing tool more than anything else over time. It used to have its own prestige. However, everyone seems to be using it to showcase themselves. Schools are using it for recruiting. Players are using it to enhance their draft status. Even the voters seem to be using it to spotlight the glamour positions and big-time programs rather than looking at who is truly the best individual player.
One of the things I find remarkable is how often the award is used as an evaluation point for a player's pro career. It is almost as if the award itself doesn't mean anything unless the player somehow justifies it in the NFL.
Personlly, I think the award should be viewed for what it is intended to honor - being the best college player in the country for a given season. Having said that, I agree that the voting process seems tilted way in favor of glamour positions (RB and QB) at prestigious programs. Still, as Pete mentiioned in his comment, the award still has cache. It still generates buzz, and people still pay attention to who wins it.
Your boy Dennis Dixon could vault up the top of every Heisman list tomorrow Nooch. Very good point about the fact you have to be a star in the NFL to make your Heisman seem just.
I think I know who you're talking about sox4ever, I used to cheer him on in Ann Arbor.
Hart should be on every one's list period. He has more heart than anyone and no one will out work him on the field.Yes i am a wolverine fan and yes in my opinion he is the best player to ever wear the winged helmet.Mcfadden is good damn good but he is not the work horse Hart is. Here is my list
1.Hart
2.JDB
3.Mcfadden
4.Slaton
5.White
Last edited by Bigblue69 on September 28th at 11:51 AM.
I first got su####ious of the award when Herschel Walker didn't win it his freshman season... Orlando Pace not winning in 1996, Torretta over Marshall Faulk and/or Garrison Hearst in 1992 and Air Force's Dee Dowis not winning it or even finishing in the top three in 1989 sealed the deal... Jason White over Larry Fitzgerald was just ridiculous... Now it seems, if you're a USC quarterback you start out with 300-point lead on everybody else in the voting... To be honest, I don't mind if it goes to the top RB or QB on a Top 5 team, if that team wasn't expected to finish in the Top 5, like I would have voted for Major Harris No. 2 behind Barry Sanders back in 1988.
I'm a Wolverine fan too big blue, but Hart the best ever? I don't know about that, some guys didn't have to run their mouth all the time to get noticed.
Great points Robert. You know the thing would have been totally bogus if Barry wouldn't have won it. They had no choice that year but Barry.
Hart is better than Anthony Carter, Charles Woodson, Howard, Harbaugh, Edwards, and the candy man?? WTF man. I will be glad to see Hart and his big yap exit Ann Arbor with "zero" wins against THE Ohio State University.
Overhyped, not legit, care or don't care....it is JBD v. Tim "Choo-Choo" Tebow this year.
The funny thing is I read about 25-30 columns or stories like this one each year from all these sports writers, yet, the sports writers keep voting the same way... Maybe it is because sports writers aren't very smart and shouldn't be relied on for voting on these types of awards... Mike Gundy has my back 100% on this one... I know most sports writers couldn't identify a great offensive lineman just by watching a game which is why they never get voted for.
All good points, except for the guy that actually made a point to write "The Ohio State University". Very lame and extremely tired. Good school, but not that great. Anyway, I should preface that I am a gator fan, and I love Tebow. He could very well deserve the voters' strong consideration in the vote (we'll see in the battle with LSU). Bare in mind, however, that I don't see him leaving until he has a degree in hand (just by a personal judgement of his character/stress of staying for a degree). A question - even if he doesn't get it this year - could we be looking at someone who gets the prize twice (or thrice if he wins it this year)? Like USC, and maybe more so (leaning off the championship), UF is already loading/reloading and having ammo sent by the truckload for the years to come. The gator squad next year has been called out to be one of the best equipped squads in the last 20 years (can't quote it, so don't ask); people thought Brady Quinn would win the trophy multiple times from the time he was a freshman, but it seems to me that Tebow is the most likely candidate of our time. Any thoughts?
i love how 9/10 heisman winners completly suck in the nfl, if they even make a team lol.. wats they say about college football? it says u can be a troy smith and throw 4 td's against central iowa or some nowhere place, and get good stats towards the heisman race. yet the nfl, u look like some regular hobo with a heisman on his mantle
hoit
That's the problem from the start as everyone of the major powerhouses believes they've got a creditable candidate for the Heisman. Be it Brennan, Hart, Slaton, White McFadden and now they're even lauding and singing the praises of the Gators' Tim Tebow. Far be it for me to suggest what's appropriate but I'd rather wait till the end of the season before making a decision.
hoit,Woodson not only won it because Michigan was undefeated and probably the best team in America,but he also won it by never leaving the field...offense,defense,kick returns,punt returns,he did it all...By never leaving the field, he helped his team go undefeated...Peyton choked in a few big games too...A guy who never leaves the field on an undefeated team says a lot about him and his talent
Well just sitting here watching the game the Big East has even spent money hyping their heisman hopefuls!! Tebow has fallen into the heisman race by default. though in time he maybe worthy and even this year. but i prefer him to keep his young team him included focused on the task at hand.
I don't like the Heisman hype either.
I knew the hockey answer, as a few do.
When college football is in season, the country seems to stop, drop and roll. Our teams play far fewer games than basketball, so football gets the sportswriters and bloggers going to be hype all week till Saturday.
sls
yeah i believe it is to just annoy us fans too. i keep hearing booty's name thrown around. how can you be the best player in the country if you arent the 20th best QB in the nation?
Good comments all, except the shameless gator homer who called me lame. you hurt my feelings ####er.
Tebow has to be the favorite right now, considering McFadden will end up playing for an 8-4ish team. Booty will win it if SC runs the table and he keeps the INT's to a minimum. Tebow is throwing up some serious stats, so if the Gators win enough games, it will be Timmy starry-eyed in NY taking home the bronze fella. Hope he has more than $19 for a hooker.
BTW, he is gone after next year bro. Right Rev? Rev ####s his mom, so he would know.
I don't ever pay any attention to the Heisman race because it is a farce. The fact that it is almost always a RB or QB is what makes me not care. They say it is for the "Most Outstanding PLAYER". I was not aware that by "player" they meant RB or QB. The media slurping on it every week doesn't help.
If they would just change the award to what it really is and just say it's for the best QB/RB on a top 5 team, I might start carrying a list in my back pocket.
C'mon, the Heisman? How could you not be totally psyched about the award for the best non-Freshman, probably not a Sophomore, offensive scoring position player from an undefeated BCS conference team?
Well, I saw this on the main page, so congratulations on that.
I don't think there is a good answer as to why the Heisman has garnered so much more hype and prestige over the years than the other major individual awards, especially considering the poor track record of the award's winners at the next level. The Heisman is the most overhyped trophy in American sports today. The media obsession with this award doesn't help matters, of course.
i remember a time when the detroit lions had 4 heisman winners on thier team. What does that tell you? Heisman is way overhyped. "bristolman" you're as sorry as the "fat boy" coach @ tenn. Your boy Peyton didn't deserve the heisman, woodson was the best player of the best team that year. Grow up. Seems to me you should take comfort in what Peyton has done since..... Hart for Heisman, GO BLUE.
The reason nobody knows the other sports and The Heisman is so big is simple, college football is huge compared to them sports. I agree its a joke anymore, but Woodson deserved that one he got.
Both White and Slaton can be discounted from the Heisman trophy talk after last night's debacle against the USF Bulls.They just didn't play up to par because of the Bulls' stifling defense. Neither one of 'em could get started.
Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong(like you need my permision),but aren't Heisman candidates touted by their university and voted on by past winners.
I think this is the case which would explain alot.
QB's and RB's would automatically have the edge if they're voted on by other QB's and RB's
the only reason colt brennan is considered a heisman candidate is cuz that offense throws like 90% of the time. who isnt gonna have monster passing games week in and week out if alls u do is throw the ball??
i remember checking the game trax on one of hawaii's games and they had like 8 total rushes to like 40+ pass attempts.
Last edited by mets123 on September 29th at 9:01 PM.
Born and raised in the great state of MEE-CHI-GAN. Had a one year stint in Indianapolis where I grew to love all things Hoosier and watched the Colts bring home a Super Bowl trophy. My primary teams remain the Tigers, Pistons, Lions, Red Wings, and Wolverines and I wouldn't trade any of them. Still follow NASCAR, but it's not the same without the black number 3. My favorite sport by far is college basketball. I'll watch pretty much any game between November-Febr uary and March is the pinnacle of it all with the MADNESS. It can't be beat.
