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From the home office in Bristol, Conn., the weekly Top 20 List. . .
20 -- Soapbox moment No way am I going to be disenfranchised. Apparently I have one of the older versions of the ballot. This one says you're eligible to win the stiff-arming statuette as long as you're a college student, haven't played professional football, and haven't completed your four years of eligibility. That's it. But a handful of columnists says there's another rule: that you can't be 28 ... that you can't be of "professional age," whatever that means. . . that you can't be Florida State quarterback Chris Weinke. So what if Weinke is in his late 20s? No one complained when he threw six interceptions against North Carolina State. No one said a peep when he was nearly paralyzed against Virginia. No one seemed to mind when Florida State was trying hard to sign Ronald Curry, who later decided on North Carolina. And anyone who thinks 28 is professional age hasn't been following the NFL draft these days. Jevon Kearse wasn't 28 when he skipped his senior season at Florida to turn pro. Same goes Tennessee's Jamal Lewis, or Michigan State's Plaxico Burress, or Michael Vick, if he leaves Virginia Tech at season's end. When Weinke joins the NFL next year he won't be a six-year veteran; he'll be a rookie. The whole concept of Heisman age-ism is mind-boggling. If Weinke can't win a Heisman because he is 28, does that mean Texas A&M quarterback Mark Farris can't win one because he's 25 and has a wife and kid? Does it mean LSU's Josh Booty who, like Weinke, played minor league baseball, shouldn't be eligible? Weinke played in the Blue Jays organization for six years. He didn't play quarterback there, he played first base. Big difference. If anything, six years of football inactivity hurt him more than helped him.The Dec. 8 Heisman ballot deadline fast approaches. I'm not sure who'll get my vote, but I am sure my decision won't be based on age, but on performance. The ballot doesn't say the trophy is awarded to the Outstanding College Football Player of the United States born before 1978. And if there ever is a birth certificate requirement, then that will be the day I send my ballot back without a winner and signature.
19 -- Monster.com If Butch Davis, who popped off recently about his salary, decides to leave Miami for Alabama or the NFL, Hurricanes athletic director Paul Dee might want to check his Palm VII for Mark Richt's number. Richt is a former Miami quarterback who has spent the last 15 seasons as a Florida State assistant, the last seven as the offensive coordinator. FSU is 5-2 against Miami during that span. Richt also knows a thing or two about recruiting in Florida, as well as nationally. And, as an added bonus for Miami, Richt's hiring would leave a medium-sized flesh wound in the Seminoles' coaching staff. Just a suggestion. 18 -- This just in. . .News item: BYU honors legendary coach LaVell Edwards with gala send off and renaming of stadium. Reaction: If the Cougar officials really wanted to do something nice for him, they wouldn't have allowed a schedule that included non-conferences games against Florida State (at Jacksonville -- some neutral field, eh?), Mississippi State, and at Syracuse. BYU was outscored in those games, 115-45. 17 -- Our condolencesTo Boston College.
With the BCS rankings so close and the stakes so high, Miami coach Butch Davis doesn't have any choice but to try to run up the score -- if he can -- when the Hurricanes face the Eagles Saturday at the Orange Bowl.
16 -- Numb and number Does the Big 12 know how to reward its division champs, or what? Oklahoma and K-State get to play the league title game Dec. 2. . . in Kansas City. . . outdoors. . . at night. The whole thing makes the Humanitarian Bowl in Boise sound inviting.
Big 12 officials better hope the weather is decent. If it isn't, and OU somehow loses to the Wildcats because its spread offense is rendered useless by, say, a blizzard, then you'll hear the screams all the way from league offices in Dallas.
15 -- Clemson-South Carolina The next time you need an explanation of Rivalry Week, remember the words of Clemson place-kicker Aaron Hunt. Hunt, a true freshman who entered the South Carolina game with 10 misses in 20 field goal attempts, kicked three 3-pointers, including the winner with three seconds remaining. And if he had missed? "I don't go back to our locker room," he said afterward. "Maybe I never go back." He was kidding, we think.
14 -- Players of the week To the Dookies -- for hanging in there, despite their second 0-11 season in the last five years.
13 -- If at first you don't succeed. . . Who says a year's preparation doesn't make a difference? UTEP reduced LaDainian Tomlinson's rushing total from last season to this season by an impressive 25 percent. The bad news: Tomlinson had 406 yards in 1999, 305 last Saturday.
Maybe it's time for UTEP to ditch the Two-In-The-Box defensive strategy.
12 -- The evil empire speaks Who says the NCAA doesn't have a heart? Not Florida kicker Jeff Chandler, who was granted another year of eligibility after the NCAA took pity on his measly extra point -- his only point of the year -- made during a 1997 mega-blowout against Central Michigan.
Granted, this didn't exactly have the legal complexities of Roe v. Wade, but the NCAA could have stuck Chandler for a full season because of the PAT. Instead, it showed some logic and compassion. Chandler, a former walk-on, is Florida's all-time leading scorer.
11 -- Frank didn't ask, but. . . Frank Beamer is caught between a rock and a Bama. If the Virginia Tech coach says he's interested in the vacant Crimson Tide job, then he becomes a distraction and a traitor at Virginia Tech. So he has to say things such as, "I've said all along I have no desire to leave Virginia Tech. . . . To me, Alabama is one of the great programs in the country. But I think Virginia Tech is one of the great programs in the country."
Frank, baby, we feel your pain. Virginia Tech is one of the great programs in Virginia, but Bama is Bama, even in its present neutered form. If the money is right -- and Crimson Tide athletic director Mal Moore swears he'll be able to come up with the cash -- then Beamer ought to bolt if he gets the offer.
Think about it: Michael Vick could be gone after two more games. . . Miami appears poised to rule the Big East. . . Virginia is going to get its act together one of these days. Beamer's profession is littered with guys who stayed one year too long.
If ever there were a time to wave goodbye to Blacksburg, this is it. Beamer has done his duty. He got the Hokies to a national championship game in 1999. He recruited a once-in-a-decade talent in Vick. He was loyal, almost to a fault.
Now comes Bama, which says it will have the necessary cash to lure the likes of Beamer to Tuscaloosa. Beamer earns a reported $800,000 (with a $750,000 buyout clause), but he'll get a nice bump from Virginia Tech to entice him to stay put. That means the opening Bama bid has to start at $1.25 million, which is what Auburn will pay Tommy Tuberville.
Beamer would offer instant credibility, a calming presence, a media savvy coach who understands how the football world works. And if Bama is lucky, Beamer will bring his coaching staff, which includes well-regarded offensive coordinator Ricky Bustle and defensive coordinator Bud Foster.
10 -- Sunshine State politics With hotel accommodations at a premium as the political and sports world descended upon Tallahassee, the following sign was seen near the capitol building: "Will Vote For Room."
9 -- The Thalman Trophy L. Budd Thalman, sort of the father of Heisman Trophy hype, called it quits Saturday after 39 years on the business, the last 15 at Penn State, where he retires as associate athletic director for communications.
Thalman is the guy who, by all accounts, launched the first-ever Heisman "campaign" for a player. While at Navy in 1963, Thalman sent out pamphlets with assorted stats, quotes and notes on a clean-cut Midshipman named Roger Staubach. Compared to the tens of thousands of dollars TCU has committed to LaDainian Tomlinson's Heisman push this year, Thalman's strategy was right out of Mayberry RFD.
Only one regret when it comes to knowing Thalman: I never asked what the L. stood for.
8 -- Welcome back Nice to see Tennessee and former coach Johnny Majors finally share a group hug. Best of all it only took eight years for the cold shoulders to thaw. Majors returned to his alma mater for the first time since his dismissal in 1992 (there was talk of coup d'etat by then-UT assistant Phillip Fulmer; never proved, of course) and was honored, along with his 1985, 1989 and 1990 SEC championship teams, before Saturday's game against Kentucky.
7 -- Quote of the week "I think it's unfortunate that other teams don't get to play in championship
games. The teams that don't play in one miss out on a great opportunity, and
that changes the BCS. Some way or another, they probably need to find a
formula that deals with conference championship games. Maybe the champions of the Big East and ACC, they play, and the champions of the Pac-10 and the Big Ten play and then you decide the BCS after that." -- Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops, venting slightly about the inherent unfairness of the Big 12 and SEC championship games.
Memo to Stoops: The Rose Bowl pretty much takes care of the Pac-10/Big Ten thing. Has been ever since 1946.
6 -- Heisman Trophy race
5 -- The 2001 early list
Faces Clash-like decision: Should he stay or should he go?
We have seen the maize and blue future, and it is Henson. . . that is, if he doesn't join the Cincinnati Reds.
As subtle as a backrub by someone named Moose.
(See Vick comment.)
Cooler than an ice pack.
My preseason favorite.
Back for his second full season as Badgers' featured guy.
Great runner and if that passing improves. . .
4 -- Literary alert USA Today's Kelly Whiteside and Sports Illustrated's Ivan Maisel are collaborating on a book detailing the 365-day war that is Auburn vs. Alabama. With the blessings and cooperation of Auburn's Tommy Tuberville, Whiteside spent the entire last week inside the War Eagle program, while Maisel was given total access to the Bama program by outgoing coach Mike DuBose. The yet-untitled book will be published next fall. Whatever it costs, buy it.
3 -- Whatever happened to. . . . . . Football in the state of Mississippi? Ole Miss and 13th-ranked Mississippi State and No. 20 Southern Mississippi all lost last Saturday.
2 -- Retire! Now! With the win against East Carolina, West Virginia becomes bowl eligible, which means retiring coach Don Nehlen gets one last chance to break his dreadful postseason losing streak. Nehlen has lost eight consecutive bowl games.
Whatever happens, expect Clemson offensive coordinator Rich Rodriguez is the front runner to replace Nehlen next year. Rod is a a West Virginia grad and his wife is also from the state.
One hack's weekly elite Gene Wojciechowski's Movers and Shakers appears every Monday. |
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