Mike Leach's quarterback at Texas Tech, Graham Harrell, has had a prolific career. He also had a prolific season -- when you take the Red Raiders to 11-1 and barely miss a BCS bid, that's generally the case. But it wasn't quite good enough to warrant inclusion as a Heisman finalist. And his coach is not happy about the snub.
"If Graham is not invited to the Heisman, they ought to quit giving out the award," Leach said in a statement released by the school. "It is a shameless example of politics ruling over performance. The other guys are deserving, but he has earned a place alongside them."The Heisman Award is presented and admired with great stature. Mostly by ESPN and the people who get to vote for it, but they have so much stature and other admirable qualities that it's kind of justified. However, there is always some sort of small school, etc., beef that surrounds the trip to New York for a few lucky young men.
But I agree wholeheartedly with Leach -- if Sam Bradford (also: not Chad), Colt McCoy and Tim Tebow are justifiably good enough to be worthy of a plane ticket to New York so two of them can find out whose NFL career is going to fail first, well, it seems safe to say that letting Harrell -- or Michael Crabtree as he pointed out -- tag along wouldn't really be that big a deal.
Or, alternately, they could just start making the award actually mean something by taking the votes away from people who don't watch enough football and removing ESPN's media "vote".
Comments (Page 1 of 1)
I agree with Mike Leach-- This is an OUTRAGE that GRAHAM is not going to New York!!!!!
I am furious that Graham was overlooked!!!
They did the same thing to Brady Quinn his junior year. Everyone assumed he would not win, but would be a finalist. But they only invited three that year.
Maybe Harrell will be like Quinn and get invited his senior year.
Graham is a senior...this is why it is so sad he was not invited.
I am furious that Graham was not invited to New York,,,after what all that kid has done....not only on the field but off the field.....I see a lot of Politics in this just like every thing else.
Come on guys,,,give Texas Tech a chance.
He ought to be ---Graham's stats are far better than Colts.. I guess you have to play for a popular school like Texas even though they have the same record and are in same conferance. Shame on the heisman commitee -- shows that power and popularity still runs the NCA and not talent.
Unfortunately the Heisman has turned into an opinion poll instead of the best athletic performance. Without a doubt the Heisman is loosing its allure just as the BCS National Championship. The only thing I agree with Obama on is going to a playoff system for the National Championship.