They can crunch, squeeze, explain or roll the numbers any way they want to. What the folks issuing player invitations to the Heisman Trophy ceremonies did to Texas Tech last year was dead wrong.
Tech coach Mike Leach said so again Monday night after learning that five _ count 'em, five _ players have been invited to this Saturday's Heisman Trophy ceremonies in New York.
Well, imagine that.
Just a year ago it seems like the Heisman folks only had enough money in the bank to pay for three players to fly, sleep and eat in New York and pick up a trophy that seems like nothing more than one given to the winner of the world's largest popularity contest. No one had any spare change in their Armani suits to accomodate two more players?
Players Nos. 4 and 5 on last year's Hesiman list, you may recall, was Tech quarterback Graham Harrell and Red Raider All-American wide receiver Michael Crabtree. Harrell was even in some of the pre-Heisman nationwide TV commercials.
Can you imagine the (free) national publicity the Raiders would have received if Harrell and Crabtree would have been on the Heisman stage? One program with two legitimate Heisman Trophy candidates in the bright lights of New York?
Suddenly, high school/junior college recruits who were leaning towards signing with Alabama, Texas, Cincinnati, TCU, Florida, Boise State, Oregon, Ohio State, Georgia Tech or Iowa, Virginia Tech or LSU, etc., would quickly put Texas Tech on their radar screen.
That thought probably crossed a few powerful colllege football minds, too. If it didn't, why did only three players receive invites to New York last year, and this year there's five?
You can save the spin game, fellas. We already know the answer
If you are one of the millions who think the politics behind the BCS is a sham, you really ought to take a hard look at the Heisman.
"There's no question Graham and Crabtree should have been invited to New York (last year),'' Leach said, ironically from New York, where he'll be attending Tuesday's College Football Hall of Fame ceremonies. "It was a total injustice they didn't bring them, there's no question, but they do what they do.
"The Heisman is solely a popularity contest. It is what it is. If folks have momentum at the end (of the season) and the rest, and then have plenty of popularity, they're going to be invited (to New York) and whoever is the most popular is going to win it.''
Since the Heisman folks are going to do their thing, BCS style, here's just a minor suggestion from Leach.
"What they should have done a long time ago, they ought to just move the Heisman Trophy (ceremonies) until after the national championship game,'' Leach said. "Whoever's the MVP in the national championship game they ought to just give him the Heisman.
"That's what they're trying to do anyway, except their dates don't line up.''
Leach, whose team plays Michigan State in the Alamo Bowl on Jan. 2, don't want to waste much time beating the proverbial dead horse. As he reinterated, the Heisman Trophy ceremonies "is what it is,'' and it's not about to change.
"It's a popularity deal and I wish all of them the best,'' Leach said. "But I've got better fish to fry.''
-- Dwain Price
They ought to quit awarding that trophy...it is a total joke every year.
Posted by: Harold | December 08, 2009 at 08:56 AM
Mike Leach was the reason his two players were not at the Heisman presentation. Do you remember the Tech game vs OU in Norman and the Baylor game in Lubbock. It was a 3 player race for the Heisman, not 5 player. Coach Leach is a good coach, but he is also a putz.
Posted by: USMC | December 10, 2009 at 09:02 PM