The Yellow Jackets' High-Flying Candidate

It’s early November. Those of us with functioning television sets know exactly what that means: It’s voting time. Just turn on the tube and you’re bound to see somebody campaigning about something for somebody. In the heartland of America, for example, the papers and nightly news can’t decide which side to take in an intense quarterback tussle between Ohio State’s Troy Smith and Notre Dame’s Brady Quinn. On the Atlantic Coast, much of the talk has revolved around two Big East contenders running all over the place, West Virginia’s Steve Slaton and the Barack Obama of football, Rutger’s Ray Rice, who’s seemingly come from nowhere to make all sorts of noise. Even in the Governator’s state of California, they’re getting in on the political times, standing up for Cal-Berkeley’s dazzling tailback Marshawn Lynch and quietly building buzz for Hawaii’s record-rewriting QB Colton Brennan.

And honestly all of that is nice. It’s good to come across mud-slinging that actually involves some real darn mud! Candidates in Washington D.C. could take some notes from these 18-year-olds in cleats. Still, much like on Capitol Hill, they’re missing the real issue here. That central concern with the Heisman is that it should be about picking the best athlete in college, that guy most important to his football team. Yes, it helps wearing a jersey that’s familiar to all and it certainly doesn’t hurt playing your last game after New Year’s Day, but the media –and they can’t blame any hanging chads for this; well, unless they’re talking about Michigan’s tough quarterback Chad Henne- is seemingly overlooking one of the season’s most obvious facts: The Heisman Trophy winner might be Georgia Tech wide receiver Calvin Johnson.

Sure, most agree that No. 21’s got the best hands in the NCAA, but what the way-more-likeable Randy Moss did against North Carolina State on November 4 (nine catches, 168 yards, two touchdowns, tying him for the Yellow Jackets’ career mark) is only indicative of what the 6-3, 235-pound speedster is capable of every Sunday in the NFL. He’s that good. Really.

Boosters from Georgia Tech had nothing to do with this piece, I assure you. This is just one observation from a guy who simply wants the best for his country. The Buckeyes’ Troy Smith is great. And when he’s on, Irish quarterback Brady Quinn is exceptional. But for what it’s worth, I do not approve this mess of a job the voters are doing in overlooking Calvin Johnson in the current Heisman Trophy race.