places SOOO much emphasis on individual accomplishments?? For instance...watching granny lou tonight at halftime of the Rutgers/Navy game. He's touting the Big East because they have 4, count 'em, 4 legit Heisman candidates. Whoop de doo!! Is it just me? I don't care about that kind of stuff, personally. I think it's all a crock of crap. Troy Smith only served to cement my position, but that isn't where I became such an anti Heisman/other individual awards guy. Does the name Gino Toretta ring a bell? Andre Ware? INHO, hardly ever does the ACTUAL best player win the Heisman, anyway. You'll never convince me Troy Smith was the best player in the country last year. I'm pretty sure we had one of the top 3 players in the nation last season in Jamarcus Russell, yet he wasn't even CONSIDERED for the Heisman. I know, I know, he had no help from the university...puhleeze. I don't want LSU to become enamored with individual accomplishments...but they definitely did their part by coaching him up and fielding a great team against a great schedule, which allowed for PLENTY of national exposure, with SEVERAL TV games last year. The Big East, as a conference, is already hyping their 4 Heisman contenders. I've heard of TEAMS doing it, but whole conferences?? Ridiculous. IMHO, TEAM accomplishments are FAR more important than individual accomplishments. Questions? Comments? Snide remarks??
I hear what you're saying but you have to look at the bigger picture. Sure in terms of individual success only eight members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame have won the Heisman,[1] but four winners have also been named Most Valuable Player in a Super Bowl. If you listen to the players winning these awards, they rarely take all the credit and usually refer to it as a "team" award. The Heisman for instance, usually goes to a RB or QB. You think kids don't pay attention to that stuff? It goes toward recruiting, coaching, post-season success, media attention, high draft potential, more money. Most fans like superstars. Only a few of them are around and only a few can win such prizes. Yes, the media plays an ever larger part but there's nothing wrong in taking some pride when you have an outstanding player on your team who gets recognized for it and who, in turn, can give back to their school. I doubt that the Heisman would have given JR any more negotiating power-talent trumps all. Still, it's fun to see the best of the best go at it post season IMO.
Although I think too much is given to the Heisman race I like the fact that other awards are given to recognize individual accomplishments.
Hold it right there. After punking Arizona 45-3 on national tv, he was squarely in the picture. THen we lost to Auburn 7-3 and scored zero offensive touchdowns. HE fell out of it after throwing 3 picks vs Florida a few weeks later.
OK, first off...which REALLY nails my point...is the "big picture". WINS & CHAMPIONSHIPS. That's the big picture to me. Secondly, I totally agree with you about recruiting, although you shouldn't have put it in the same sentence with high draft potential...see Troy Smith, Gino Toretta, et al. I have no doubt, though, that a team that churns out Heisman winners excels in recruiting...see USC.:thumb: Most fans like superstars? You're probably right again... but I'd take Matt Mauck, or Matt Flynn for that matter, over Troy Smith anyday. Mauck wasn't flashy, nor is Flynn...but neither of them were getting run down from behind by defensive lineman.:thumb: Oh, and as far as the players giving their team the credit...I have no problem with the players here...my problem is with the media pumping players up before the season even gets rolling...they were already doing it before the season even started. The last time I remember LSU pushing somebody for Heisman was Tommy Hodson. That didn't last too long, because as soon as they started the Heisman push...he started failing on the field.
Good point...can't argue that...but tell me who was the better player...JR or Troy Smith? And then define what the Heisman is supposed to be awarded for.
I cant beleive what holtz did at the half with his "locker room speech". ESPN, we can all see he's senile, do you really need to be feeding his fantasies? $10 says next week he give a ND locker room speech
