The Heisman Issue

The Heisman Issue

When you turn fifty, or so I have heard, you start to reminisce about more innocent times. Going to high school in the 70’s, times were not so innocent although that was my plea on at least one occasion.

The game I wanted to see, West Virginia vs. Missouri, went south, bloated in BCS secret sauce Saturday night. Missouri was playing Big Boy Football against the Sooners in the big 12 Championship game. The Tigers were underdogs and they played like it all night. But how does the Pride of Morgan Town, West Virginia, lose to a 28 point underdog Pittsburgh team with the BCS Title game yours for the taking? Panther Coach, Dave Wannstedt has not coached and won a big game since…EVER! You would have absolutely made the Buckeye defense look silly in the BCS Title Game and won an unprecedented National Championship for the Mountaineers. There is no more waiting, this was next year.

If you think the Sports Illustrated curse is tea leaves and Ouija Boards, think again. Kansas and Missouri went down after being on the SI covers on consecutive weeks. Now, I have created the curse of Tony at the Yard! Heal, let the devil be gone!

The only team who seems to be immune from this scourge is the New England Patriots. They are on the SI cover like once a month. After watching the last moments of the Ravens game Monday night, I am thinking forget about Brady, lies and video tape what deal did Bellicek cut with the red guy sporting a tail and pitch fork?

It would be a great story if Chase Daniels wins the Heisman on Saturday night. He won’t, Tim Tebow is going to become the first sophomore ever to win this coveted award. You can not argue Tebow’s stats but he needs to stay in college and graduate. He will not be able to play quarterback like that on Sundays but against College linebackers, he is tough to stop. He has a 177 passer rating and he set the SEC record for RUSHING touchdowns. Freakish statistics and even more amazing on a team with three losses.

Colt Brennan is an amazing story. He backed up Matt Leinhart in High school. He got kicked off the Colorado Football team freshman year. Colorado football players were out of control and the CU administration decided to make an example of young Colt. Mr. Brennan apparently decided to make a late night visit on a female dorm neighbor after downing a 12 pack. She had a different take on his advances. He ended up at Hawaii and has put up the best numbers in the country for three years. He is articulate, honest and contrite. His game winning drive against the Washington Huskies, last Saturday night was Elway-esque, only better. He was 42 out of 50 passing in that game for 448 yards. This kid is not throwing swing passes or slants either. They move the ball down the field. Georgia better quit whining about not being in the title game. Athens, GA will be no fun on New Year’s when the Bulldogs lose to the Rainbow Warriors with a coach named June.

Darren McFadden will have a bigger impact in the NFL than any of the Heisman Finalists, Reggie Bush, Matt Leinhart or any the Heisman winners still in the NFL. It is amazing what he does with those spindly legs. He reminds me of Eric Dickerson. He is exciting to watch play when he is having one of those games and he has had several. He has another gear in the open field. Additionally, he is another stirring testimonial to the value of an SEC education. I defy you to understand more than three words in any interview he gives.

Chase Daniels is probably not going to play on Sundays. Six foot quarterbacks can win Heismans but they do not usually win too many games in the NFL. He led his high school team to the Texas state championship three straight years and won two of them. I am sure all the Texas High School Football rednecks still talk about the title game they lost to end a 47 game win streak his junior year. It was the only game he lost as the starting QB.

Mr. Daniels was one of the most heavily recruited quarterbacks in the nation coming out of the legendary Lake Carroll Football program. He did not want to back up Vince Young for the Longhorns so he skipped out of Dodge and went to Missouri! This year, he leads Missouri to their first ever Big 12 Title game. Texas, Texas Tech and Texas A&M all got to watch the game from thier homes. He is a bright, articulate kid, with surprising speed and a cannon arm stuffed into a chunky, modest frame. He outweighs me by a bit but he sure carries it better in his six feet of vertical displacement than I can muster. Chase, have fun in New York, enjoy the dinner, let me know who Leinhart is with, and congratulate Tim.

Readers, send me your lock bowl picks before December 15. I am bit underwater this year and baby needs new shoes.

“Well, I guess well done is better than well said.” Tom Brady