Wednesday, November 28, 2012

No True Defensive Heisman Ever: Manti Te'o's Chances

Manti Te'o: The Appropriate Heisman Choice
By: Jason T. Davis


    It seems like every year at this time we're all standing around having the same old discussion. Who is going to win the Heisman? We always know the leader(s), and we know the sleeper(s). We can, for the most part, recognize the guy who is simply honored to be invited, and the guy(s) who can actually take that trophy home. This year though, remains very different from the rest. There's no Clear Cut choice. There's no Clear Cut choices. None. There's a freshman, a defensive player, a pretty good WR on a poor under-achieving team, and an under-achieving QB. No one has separated themselves from the pack, and people like Geno Smith and Colin Klein in my opinion, have put themselves outside the discussion. So that leaves us pretty much with 2. There's the freshman who has now broke Tebow and Newton's yardage records(Both years they won the Heisman), and then there's the best linebacker in the country on an undefeated Irish team. No freshman has ever won the award, and now Texas A&M's Johnny "football" Manziel is in line to possibly be the first. Manziel has 3419 passing yards, 24 TDs, 8 Ints, a completion percentage of 68.3%, and 19 Rush TDs. Ridiculous numbers for a "true" freshman. Meaning he red-shirted last year and was still on a college team. He simply couldn't play, and that saved 4 years of possible eligibility. I doubt he'll need all that though considering the way he's playing. One very renown college football scout once said this about Johnny, "he's the best prep player I've ever seen in all my decades of doing this." It is an incredible year indeed for the kid from Kerrville, Texas who had originally committed to Oregon before changing his mind to Texas A&M in order to be closer to home. His Aggies even won some big games including their upset of undefeated Alabama a few weeks back. Johnny definitely has Heisman numbers. They're better than Bradford, Cam and Tebow's. They not only all won the award, but were pretty much hands-down the favorites those years. It would seem based on the numbers and history, that Johnny Football will become the first freshman Heisman Winner Ever. I not only can see it, I wouldn't be angry about it. How can you be? Look at the kid. However, I am in firm opinion that he should NOT win the award this season. The winner of the Heisman trophy should be LB Manti Te'o. There are many reasons T'eo should win this award over Manziel, and none of them are because Manziel has more chances to win it.
    Manti T'eo has left a standing legacy at Notre Dame, but this isn't about his ever-lasting career. We don't have to talk about how he decided to pass on the NFL draft and come back for his Senior season. We won't address his career numbers at all because this award is simply about a season. We don't even have to get into the young man's character and charity work because it doesn't play here. To put it bluntly, it's about the Most Outstanding Player in a College Football Season. It's about the field. We've all seen him lead the Irish to an undefeated season and championship game berth, get the cover of Sports Illustrated, and even play and win a game just days after losing his Grandma in a car crash and his Girlfriend to her long-standing battle with leukemia. His character and leadership are unmatched and unquestioned, and he will more than likely be a multiple Pro Bowler. But I reiterate, his intangibles aren't under the microscope. His Senior season is. His season, a Heisman-worthy season, has been nothing short of remarkable. He's registered 103 tackles in the regular season, 1.5 sacks, and 7 Ints. His 7 interceptions are the most for a FBS linebacker since 2001. That's over a decade at a position that churns out NFL talent more than maybe any other, and also faces mostly Average College Quarterbacks for 3-4 years. Keeping it all in perspective, 7 interceptions is outstanding. He also leads a defense that is 2nd in the nation in scoring defense(10.33 pts per game). Point being, just because someone's numbers match a previous winner's, that doesn't mean the person should automatically win the award. Te'o has proven he is a power and a force on the field and one of the best football players in the country. If the award is everything the public believes it to be, then there's no reason why Manti can't win. Not just finish a finalist, but win. The only issue is whether the voters will see it that way or be allured by the freshman's gaudy numbers.
    The meaning of the award is what should lead us to choose a winner, and the ridiculous part about it especially if the only other "true" candidate is a freshman. The Heisman trophy, by definition, is awarded to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman (former Brown University and University of Pennsylvania player; head football coach at Auburn University, Clemson University, Rice University, and the University of Pennsylvania; and football, basketball, and baseball head coach and athletic director at Georgia Tech). It is the oldest of several overall awards such as the AP Player of the Year, the Maxwell Award and the Walter Camp award. The AP and the Heisman recognize the Most outstanding while the Maxwell and Walter Camp award recognize the Best Player. The award is for the Most Outstanding Player, not the Best Offensive Player! Nowhere does it read that it should and will be given to an offensive player. Let me make you ponder for a moment. The last 2 Defensive Heisman Winners: 1. Charles Woodson-In 1997. However, he was a corner back AND a punt returner. 2. Ernie Davis. In 1961. However, he played linebacker, fullback, AND halfback. 3. Before that it was ND's own Leon Hart in 1949. He played tight end AND defensive end. Basically what I'm saying is that no TRUE Defensive Player has EVER won the award! That's a travesty and remains unacceptable to most college football fans. I sincerely doubt Te'o is the first defensive player to deserve this award, but he now has a prime opportunity to win. This is the year it should all change and I'll hope it does. There's no Tebow leading his SEC team to a title. There's no Cam leading his undefeated Auburn to a national championship. Te'o has done enough to win the award this year. If Manziel was at least a Sophomore and was leading his undefeated team to the National Championship game...I'd say vote for him. This year however, belongs to Manti.

-Jason T. Davis @WisdomOfSports

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Notre Dame: Navigating through 2 decades of mediocrity

Notre Dame: A season to remember. A coach for the future
By: Jason T. Davis @WisdomOfSports


     For a Notre Dame fan, I am extremely young. I'm only 26 and have no memories of Lou Holtz and his courageous carry-offs in the '80s. It's very unfortunate I don't because that was the last time Notre Dame was even nationally relevant. Sure, there were the few years with Samardzja, Brady Quinn and Weiss at the helm, but most Notre Dame fans could see that it wasn't going anywhere. The "illegal" push by Reggie Bush to get USC QB Matt Leinart into the end-zone was a pretty nice prick too. Either way, it was obvious the Irish weren't doing anything memorable in those years anyway. Keep in mind Notre Dame let Weiss go with 6 years left on his contract and a 35-27 record in 5 seasons, with 2 BCS bowl game losses in his first 2 seasons. Sure, for a moment there Irish fans thought this was what longevity was going to look like. 2 straight BCS bowl game appearances. It kinda felt good. A part of us thought that we'd taste the sweet glory that is "being relevant in a BCS world" for some time. We were wrong. And for the older fans, you at least got the 80's and maybe more. Us children of the baby-boomers has had nothing of memory. Not with-standing memory. Not the kid of sports memories you can appreciate at least. To me, this 2012 season is the first true taste of Irish success, and it feels good. I know there's 29 Seniors and we'll have a tougher go for a year or two while the roster refills itself with youngens, but I'm positive that Coach Kelly success is not the fleeting star that Weiss' success was. Brian Kelly is not only Coach of the Year, but also a coach that will once again bring stability and relativity back to this illustrious football program of Notre Dame.
      For all the haters who think the program's over-hyped and over-coveted, let me put out a few statistics to explain why they're so notorious. Notre Dame has won 13 National Championships(2nd in FBS schools to Alabama). Notre Dame has a Record 7 Heisman Winners(Ohio State has 7 as well. Maybe 8 is Te'o pulls off the miracle win) Notre Dame has produced 96 consensus All-Americans and 32 unanimous All-Americans(more than any other university.) These are all great reasons to feel like your favorite team or school is prestigious. It all makes sense. There's only one issue though. Most of those players were obviously before the 1996 season(Holtz' last year). In fact, most were before the 1990's altogether. Holtz went 100-30 during his 11 seasons as ND head coach and definitely had more success in the beginning than the end. However, since Coach Holtz, you're looking at Coach Davie for 5 seasons at 30-25, Coach Willingham for 3 seasons at 21-15, and Coach Weiss rounding it out nicely. That pretty much wraps up almost 2 decades of mediocrity during the media boom of America and a huge reason for Notre Dame haters to pounce and Notre Dame defenders to feel cornered and indefensible.
      In my opinion, both sides of this argument are accurate. Notre Dame hasn't been relevant for almost 2 decades and there's no excuse for that kind of disappearing act. None. Notre Dame also has an incredibly thorough and rich history of success within the football program. This can't be ignored or forgotten by the true fan or the true hater. I ran through the numbers..they're gaudy. However, There's still no excuse for the lack of success to get the program back into the national spotlight for over a decade and a half(and I dont mean on NBC, I mean in the BCS discussion). What I'm saying though, is that there are reasons. There are factors involved that have hindered Notre Dame's chances and opportunities to stay on the top, or even floating in the middle of the college football world. Factors that have directly influenced how they fell so hard, so fast, and for so long. It can't just be the AD or the coaches involved. There's more to it. True, they did not find a guy who could build the program back up and continuously get 4-Star recruits to come live in South Bend until Kelly, but it is Notre Dame like it or not. A lot of kids DO want to come play here and be a part of a loving and rich tradition. Some simply for their faith, it is a Catholic institution. So how did this fall from grace occur? No way it should've gotten this dark. In my opinion, sociology has a lot to do with it.
     Besides the routine answers(coach, AD, kids didn't think it was cool anymore, Catholic school, expensive), let me point out a few reasons why I believe Notre Dame sunk so low for so long. Some of this has to be contributed to the country we live in and the current situation facing our colleges and our student-athletes. Notre Dame has dealt with some key elements putting it at a disadvantage for recruiting and maintaining national success. For starters, South Bend is no flashy Los Angeles. It's no New York or Chicago. It's not even some great warm weather college town like Gainesville or Norman. It doesn't have the lure that USC, UCLA, Raleigh, Baton Rouge or even Little Rock can provide. It's cold as hell most of the year. Also, no one talks about how a vast majority(don't ask me why) of these top recruits come out of the South and West. That's strategically horrible for Notre Dame to begin with. For most top players, it just doesn't carry the "my buddies are going, it's warm, it's close" vibe that Tallahassee, Knoxville, Austin or any of these schools have. Notre Dame's location regionally puts them at a huge disadvantage in convincing these kids to come play in Indiana at a predominantly white and upper-class school instead of Florida, Florida State, Clemson, Texas, Oklahoma, LSU or Alabama. Notre Dame's tucked away in nowheres-ville Indiana, middle of the map with horrible weather conditions comparatively and nothing to do but go to school. Perfect choice for most parents, sure. But parents of star football players? Maybe. If they even want or have a say in their child's choice. They also have the disadvantage of being extremely exclusive when it comes to admissions. Most of these top recruits couldn't even get into Notre Dame! These elements include high school grades, standardized test scores such as the ACT and SAT, extra-curricular activities and simply maintaining a high GPA while attending the University. Keep in mind there are only so many scholarships as is. These factors and more have led to multiple top recruits choosing other schools over Notre Dame. I believe there are numerous factors that have and will continue to hurt Notre Dame's chances of being as competitive as the Alabama's, Oklahoma's, USC's or Texas's of the world. It's just the truth. The math just doesn't add up for some of these kids(no pun intended). The correct decision for most kids, in most situations, is to Not choose Notre Dame. The top players are looking to make the NFL, not gain the best education they can. Sometimes that's how it's seen despite the advantages at Notre Dame both on and off the field. All this and more is what makes this run by Brian Kelly and his boys so memorable. I do believe however that by not playing in a conference, Notre Dame is at a huge advantage because they wouldn't survive a conference like the SEC almost every year. They would most likely not even have a chance at a National Championship game almost every season. Some ND Lovers would argue this: They don't have to play in a conference championship, sure, but they also can't win a conference championship and have automatic BCS birth." This is true and has hurt ND a few years in the past, but it usually didn't play into effect. Now, knowing the BCS is going away, not belonging to a conference will certainly help the Irish more than hinder them With the top 4 entering a playoff and maybe even top 8 in a few years, Irish have as good of a shot as any setting their schedule each season.
    Regardless of it all, Brian Kelly has navigated through all the turmoil and issues in a short period of 3 years to put the Irish back on the national platform and playing for a National Championship. I never thought I'd see the day...possibly in my entire life. Fun Fact to think about over the next 40 days till this game. If Brian Kelly can pull off this win over Alabama, he'll have a national championship in his 3rd season. That's the same year former Notre Dame coaches Frank Leahy, Ara Parseghian, Dan Devine and Lou Holtz all won a National Championship. In my opinion, he has proved he is the right man for the job, but now he has a chance for a serious fairy-tale ending.

Jason T. Davis @WisdomOfSports

Penn State, Bill O'Brien, and the Incredible Journey Within

Bill O'Brien--The Saving Grace of Happy Valley
By: Jason T. Davis



    There's no discussion in the college football world as to who should be awarded the National Coach of the Year. It's going to Brian Kelly for his out-of-nowhere undefeated season and national championship game Fighting Irish. It's well deserved and I agree with it. But let me take a minute and talk about one of the runner-ups of the award. The real winner in the country's heart. Bill O'Brien has done an incredible job at Penn State in his first year as head coach. I can't begin to understand the type of situation he walked into. It must've felt like he moved to a village that had been torn apart by a ravenous monster who crept in the shadows for decades preying on their kids. Yea, eery stuff. But this didn't just happen to some big metropolis. This is a small, football-loving town. Football is why they're so famous. Penn State football is why they're so well known. It has mostly defined them and helped them cherish Saturdays as much as Sundays. However, I don't think people can still quite gauge the ramifications from these molestations. This is Happy Valley. This is Penn State Football. This is Joe Paterno...err wait, never mind. Another great point though: Their "savior" of football and routine was now intricated in this disgusting situation of abuse and cover-up. That adds to the sting and now DIVIDES the town. They can't just be healing, they now have to be divided as well. Divided on the guy who did a TON of good for many people's lives but made a costly mistake...costly. To add to it, he's now passed away and can't even speak of the incidents themselves or the reasons behind it all. The silence adds more pain. Point being, Bill O'Brien did much more than coach football, and much more than any other football coach was asked to do this year. Maybe ever. And he did it in the raging spotlight on a talent-ridden team. The man moved to a town that had felt destroyed from within. Where it was once the beating heart of the sports world, Happy Valley now felt completely segregated. They were now pinned under a microscope and poked at for being a cesspool for evil. They were hungry for a taste of something sane. Bill O'Brien and that Penn State football team gave them a reason to believe, an excuse to forgive, and a chance to move on.
    Silas Redd's departure, along with other transfers, coupled with seniors graduating, set Bill back extremely far on the depth and talent chart. To tackle the stigma that had been placed on the once so legendary helmets? That would be a much bigger ordeal. How did his players feel after being ostracized and badgered by the media, abandoned by locker-room brothers and forced to learn an entire new system of football? Apparently, under new head coach Bill O'Brien, they felt united. That, solely, shows me what he is capable of. Not only did he help these kids overcome these demons that were resting on their shoulders with no responsibility, he also led them to believe in their football abilities despite the influential losses on the roster. These kids knew it. They were on a sinking ship. They watched top recruits now change their minds on where to attend school and multiple friends and players transfer. They knew even wins couldn't get them to an epic bowl game based on the sanction laid down. Sanctions that only affect and hurt the kids who had nothing to do with it(story for another time). Bill put it all together, and by doing that has put a new face on Happy Valley. He is truly a leader of men and has proven as well to be a healer of a broken community. Through all hostility and setbacks, the Nittany Lions still went 8-4 this season in the Big Ten Conference. Just a thought, but they OF COURSE lost their opener given all the emotion. So taking that one back because it would've taken a miracle to pull that out given the circumstance, they went 8-3. Either way, 8-4 is a better record than USC; the Pre-Season No. 1 team and the landing spot of their lone star rb, Silas Redd.
    A key sign to the "man within?" Bill O'Brien knew exactly what he was walking into. He braced his family for the landing and took a leap of faith. A leap of faith that he could win games, recruit good players and help move a community forward. He was willing and ready to take on this enormous challenge. It speaks volumes. This didn't just fall onto his head. He knew what laid ahead, and for that I'd like to congratulate the entire community on the first step to healing. It's incredibly impressive and shows the character of one man, one town and a legendary group of young men who stayed in the trenches to fight together. Congratulations, Penn State.

Jason T. Davis @WisdomOfSports

RG3--Rams Biggest Regret?

Rams Will Regret Not Drafting RG3 and Trading Bradford for Pieces
-by Jason T. Davis


   There is no denying what Sam Bradford is capable of as a starting NFL quarterback. I don't think it's in question. He won the Rookie of the Year award and has appeared like the spark for the resurgence of the Rams franchise. Fast forward a few years later and it seems like there might be some dust on that beautiful glass case. I believe he'll make a pro bowl or two...I truly do. I also feel that he'll win some playoff games along the way, especially with some protection and actual weapons. Bradford has 14 tds, 9 ints, 2447 yds, 84 passer rtg thus far this season. Nothing to go nuts about. Again, I do really like the kid. I completely understood the number one draft choice given the year's options and the Rams' situation at that given time. I would've been hesitant though given his Season Ending shoulder injury/surgery during the beginning of his Senior Season. He looked a bit fragile then. He went on to only play 10 games last season and seems to have a knack for the injury bug. I firmly believe that after a few seasons, Coaches and front office personnel can see what kind of quarterback they have and what kind of quarterback he could become. Sam can become a really nice quarterback that will win you some games when he's healthy. However, he is not transcendent. He does not transform an average roster to a playoff contender simply by putting on his pads. Let's all face it people, the hype surrounding RG3 is the real deal and a bit more. I'm not sure the NFL has seen a quarterback of this magnitude and mixture. He is unprecedented in his ability. I am not jumping to conclusions. His skills are uncanny. His incompletions are minimal almost every game as well. He's done this with no Garcon pretty much and a lesser version of Santana Moss. The hype has turned into concrete evidence based on statistics and wins. His draft counter-part is showing he's an amazing product as well. Luck looks like an absolute stud, and there is still some real thought that the Colts were a bit hasty to count out RG3 so fast as a No. 1 draft choice. Many feel they had their minds made up on Luck halfway through the college season. Either way, the Colts know they have a TOP TIER NFL QUARTERBACK. Luck is no Bradford. RG3 is no Bradford. But let's just forget about Luck for a minute. This doesn't concern him. The Colts didn't make an incorrect choice. Both choices were the "creme de la creme." In 11 games this season, his ROOKIE season, Robert Griffin III has recorded 16 throwing TDs, 4 Ints, 2500 passing yds, 104.6 passer rtg, 58 rush yds/game ave, 6 rush tds and 9 TDs of 20+ yds(NFL Leader). He has mobility, vision, leadership, sells way more tickets and advertising than almost every QB(Something a smaller market like STL could've considered), a much bigger arm than Sam, and is  just a better overall quarterback than Bradford. RG3 is going to cement himself in the Top Tier QBs in this league. In my opinion, he should already be more coveted by GMs than guys like Rivers, Stafford, Romo and Newton. He is, to put it bluntly, a different kind of cat.
   Here's what I'll never understand about the Rams and the RG3 opportunity they had in front of them. Why, with Fisher coming into his first season, were they so quick to dismiss the idea of building around RG3 and trading Bradford for some picks and maybe a piece. It's like the Rams front office simply said, "Listen guys, we just haven't given Sam the time it takes to fully develop. We have to let him ride it out for a few years and see." That's all fine and well, when a Top 7 NFL QB ALREADY is sitting in your lap. They talked to him, they knew his character and ethics. They saw his workouts. He could make every throw and do it with WR agility and grace. He's an olympic runner. He was an amazing QB for Baylor. He did win the Heisman, right? Just like Bradford. The difference is that the Rams could've seen that RG3 was the better QB ALREADY than what they had. This isn't the NBA, folks. This isn't sticking with your pretty darn good young Center, trading the lottery pick, and then getting a ton in return. This is the NFL! This is the Quarterback position! The most important position in the most popular American Sport! It's almost always the end-all-be-all. RARELY do you see a Great team win rings without a Great QB. Sure it happens, but it's a rarity and NEVER A DYNASTY. I'm not saying the QB is equivalent to the whole 53 man roster. Hell, there's 3 phases of game, I get it. What I am saying however, is that Bradford is a really good QB, but RG3 is already an elite(Talent-wise) QB. If you don't believe me, fine. Simply give it a few years.
   The Future reads as follows in my mind: Bradford will continue to get injured for the next couple of season and not really take the Rams anywhere legitimate. He'll modestly struggle until eventually he either won't be resigned or simply get traded for low value. Another great point about this--Rams could've gotten quite a bit for young Bradford. Give it a few more years and maybe a few more injuries and the offers will be less. Either way, RG3 will become a multiple pro-bowler and have the Redskins in the playoff discussions every single year. I believe he will definitely win a Super Bowl. He will also  continue to sell a lot more merchandise, receive more endorsements(which makes your team look good), sell more tickets and gain more overall attention to your franchise. He is everything the Rams needed. They needed him in Every way and that's why it hurts them. This wasn't the Giants getting a ton of draft picks for RG3 and keeping Eli. This wasn't a big market like Chicago trading RG3 for tons of picks and keeping Cutler. They have the market size, the ticket sellouts, the franchise QBs and the popularity to do that trade and have it be a good move. I think the Rams will do well with their picks and have a really nice team in 3 years. The problem however, will be they don't have the QB situation locked down either because of inconsistency of injury.
The Rams had months to explore trading their young quarterback and acquiring multiple picks and players for him. It was evident RG3 was going No. 2 for months. All this leads me to the conclusions that the Rams were excited about the future with Bradford and weren't interested in a Rookie QB. They could've had some patience and explored how this Baylor kid might be the game-changer for their muddling franchise in numerous ways. Hell, it is a business as well. He wins and makes you a lot of money. Everything about Bradford's boring. His game, his look, his personality. Blah. Had they said, "Hmm..I'm not sure Sam's the true answer guys. Young bucks like Cam and Dalton look like they have more franchise QB potential. Maybe it'd be wise to give the Heisman from Baylor a good look. This new crop seems better than the old crop...And we got a beaten up piece of the old crop."I know hind-sight's 20/20. But dam St. Louis, just take a damn look! This could've risen them out of the depths they've been in since the Warner years; which only lasted a few short seasons. Bradford's no Grossman. He's no J.P Losman. Let's be real though. He's also no Matt Ryan, Eli Manning, Phillip Rivers, Drew Brees, or even the young RG3. He's not even Jay Cutler. St. Louis. Sorry, he may not be at the bottom of the Starting QBs list, but he's for sure not what you though he was...or think he is.

Jason T. Davis @WisdomOfSports