Reactions to the ESPN 30 for 30 on the 1997 Heisman Race
Like many of you, I just got done watching the ESPN documentary on "The Great Heisman Race of 1997." Some reactions:
- I love Charles even more now and am even more convinced he deserved it.
- Interesting filmmaking technique - they didn't have a single current interview. They did the entire doc with old footage and news clips. Overall, I thought it was good. Reminded me of so much stuff I'd forgotten - not just Michigan stuff, but everything happening in college football at the time.
- The documentary was mostly about how Peyton Manning lost it than anything else. Trying to be objective, though, I thought they gave Charles his due. Damn, that guy was great.
- Disappointing that they totally glossed over Fulmer screwing us over and Scott Frost's whining in the coaches' poll. Didn't mention any of it. They just mentioned how it ended up a split national championship.
- I totally would not have guessed that Kirk Herbstreit was on ESPN at that time. My sense of historical time is waaaaaay off.
- Fuck Tennessee.
December 9th, 2023 at 10:24 PM ^
FYI - it airs again at 10 p.m. EST Sunday if you missed it.
December 9th, 2023 at 10:25 PM ^
Loved them going the archival route.
Also, shout out to The Sporting Jews of Southquad on WOLV TV. Happy Hanukkah.
December 9th, 2023 at 10:44 PM ^
Don’t know where those guys are now but they must be loving this.
December 9th, 2023 at 10:32 PM ^
I was hoping they had secret video footage of Phil Fulmer trashing his office after Woodson won the Heisman
December 9th, 2023 at 10:33 PM ^
I was glad they didn't change the ending. I thought the broadcast was fair. During the season it was Peyton's award to lose. Michigan wasn't projected to do much that year and Woodson's rise in the Heisman talk rose with the team's fortunes.
I thought the part where they talked about television exposure was interesting. The national media attention put Woodson on the map. The MSU, PSU and OSU games were all big games that gave Woodson a lot of attention. Leaf and Moss did not get nearly the exposure.
The Tennessee fans were bitter. The documentary probably downplays how bitter they were. We would listen to the fans call in on this radio sports talk show from Nashville.
Credit Coach Carr for letting take snaps on offense and handling the punts. He would not have won the Heisman as the greatest cornerback ever to play the game.
December 10th, 2023 at 12:12 AM ^
They’re still bitter. I went to a game in Knoxville recently and when people I met learned I'm a M supporter they’d tighten up for a bit before reengaging.
December 10th, 2023 at 6:54 AM ^
I work for a company with a plant just outside Knoxville. About 95% of the staff are UT Grads. They are still so very bitter. One staff member still has on her cubicle wall of a newspaper with the headline “Peyton was screwed” or something like that.
She bows to a shrine of UT and Peyton every morning before work. I’m not kidding either. I rock my M gear every time I go there and she tries to engage me. I just say “The best player won the award”. One of these days she will turn me into HR for some bullshit like “Peyton Harassment”.
These guys are something else.
December 10th, 2023 at 10:00 AM ^
Alcoa?
Edit: I worked for Alcoa, out of Pittsburgh, from 97-99. It was glorious to see the PSU game with a bunch of Nitty lion fans.
December 10th, 2023 at 4:43 PM ^
The most amazing thing to me about this doc is how obvious it is that Woodson deserved it. Peyton absolutely disappeared in the biggest games. That's definitely not Heisman behavior.
December 10th, 2023 at 1:19 AM ^
I’m a first generation northerner. My mom and dad were born in TN. My grandparents (RIP), aunts, uncles, cousins etc. all still live in TN
they hate OSU more than Michigan, and they actually root for Michigan most of the time.
but man they hate Woodson with the fire of 1000 hells
December 10th, 2023 at 1:34 AM ^
They won the national championship the year after Peyton left. What in the frick have they got to complain about? Why not complain about Tee Martin not winning the Heisman?
December 10th, 2023 at 10:15 AM ^
Exactly. Peyton was a choke artist who could never beat Florida (and also struggled in NFL playoff games). Same team the next year with Tee Martin beats Florida and wins it all.
December 10th, 2023 at 8:42 PM ^
Manning couldn't beat Spurrier in the NFL, either. And Spurrier didn't do all that well in the pros.
December 10th, 2023 at 10:09 AM ^
I grew up in Oak Ridge and my family was all in the Knoxville area at the time. I was home for Christmas and wrote a letter to the editor of the Knoxville New Sentinel (no Twitter back then) defending the decision and my family had to pretend not to be related to me (we have a somewhat uncommon last name) when confronted by outraged acquaintances and clients.
December 10th, 2023 at 1:23 AM ^
You have to consider their fans were still emerging from having lost a war, the advent of electrification and for a majority of them now having to wear shoes!
Voting and math proved a bridge too far.
December 10th, 2023 at 7:41 AM ^
Electrification was a thing there. The TVA was huge.
December 10th, 2023 at 8:40 AM ^
I know, I lernt it from “oh brother where art though”.
December 10th, 2023 at 9:50 AM ^
What does The Time Variant Authority have do to with Tennesee?
December 10th, 2023 at 6:13 AM ^
SEC folks, it seems if they aren't elated they are bitter
December 10th, 2023 at 7:42 AM ^
If they aren't related they're bitter, too.
December 10th, 2023 at 8:41 AM ^
I believe the term is jilted.
December 10th, 2023 at 10:33 AM ^
It was Manning's to lose, but as the season progressed it felt more like it would've been awarded to him for his career, not the season. Woodson had the highlight reel plays (pick against MSU, punt return in The Game) and put his stamp on multiple games on both sides of the ball.
December 10th, 2023 at 12:04 PM ^
Manning losing to Florida opened the door. That was supposed to be his Heisman moment and instead, his team got blown out (again).
December 9th, 2023 at 10:34 PM ^
It was funny to see how much younger everyone looked.
December 9th, 2023 at 10:37 PM ^
I was really struck by how different Peyton sounds now. He seems to have lost some of the drawl. And considering how much of it he still has, that really tells you how it was in 1997.
December 10th, 2023 at 7:42 AM ^
See I thought he sounded exactly the same. He was already TV polished in college. Also noticed the Herbstriet had some bushy eyebrows back then.
December 10th, 2023 at 7:45 AM ^
He was a scrawny corn pone kid, I'll tell you. (Not untalented, of course.) Which is one of the keys to the drama. TN fans didn't see him as Archie's son and a nepo kid, but the whole issue through the lens of a certain kind of. . . resentment. And the fact that this edge underlay the thing was part of why Woodson's win resonated for a lot of us.
Having said that, I have come to like Peyton despite myself. And despite the fact that he is miserably overexposed.
December 10th, 2023 at 10:37 AM ^
Overexposed is right.
December 10th, 2023 at 8:46 AM ^
My cousin, from Northern Massachusetts, lost his New England accent, after living two years in Columbus.
They probably wanted to make him king like the airport locker scene in “men in black”
December 10th, 2023 at 12:51 AM ^
Woodson looks so much better aged just like his fine wine.
December 10th, 2023 at 8:21 AM ^
So perfectly named...
December 9th, 2023 at 10:35 PM ^
Same night Michigan beat Duke in bball too.
December 10th, 2023 at 12:46 AM ^
Accurate. We all had two reasons to celebrate on south U that night.
December 10th, 2023 at 1:46 AM ^
Rushing the field after the OSU game then the next week Woodson winning the Heisman and rushing the court after a Duke win on the same day was the pinnacle of my sports enjoyment.
December 9th, 2023 at 10:38 PM ^
Phil Fulmer is a shit human and always has been. Fuck him, his whole family, anyone who shares his last name, all Tennessee fans, coonhounds, Dr. Phil, creamsicles, bluegrass, hot chicken, Dollywood, Davy Crockett, Fed Ex, Randy Orton, the Great Smoky Mountains, Little Debbie snack cakes, Nathan Bedford Forrest, miniature golf, and the letter T.
December 9th, 2023 at 10:54 PM ^
Leave hot chicken out of this. But carry on otherwise.
December 9th, 2023 at 10:58 PM ^
Fine. Hot chicken and Morgan Freeman can stay. But that’s it.
December 9th, 2023 at 11:33 PM ^
And this thermos and paddle game. And thats it!
December 10th, 2023 at 8:11 AM ^
Bluegrass is more of a Kentucky/WV thing. TN is more known for the bubble gum country out of Gnashville. And of course blues from Memphis, but that’s culturally more of a Mississippi city than fitting in with the rest of TN
Not saying, just saying.
December 10th, 2023 at 8:50 AM ^
Never been to the Station Inn I take it. There’s more to Nashville than music row…
December 10th, 2023 at 12:54 AM ^
Ummm...hot chicken, so delicious with an icy cold brew.
December 9th, 2023 at 11:22 PM ^
But how do you really feel?????
December 9th, 2023 at 11:27 PM ^
I like creamsicles.
December 10th, 2023 at 12:14 AM ^
That’s because you’re a dirty communist.
December 10th, 2023 at 12:49 AM ^
LOL. Cam is on fire.
December 9th, 2023 at 11:47 PM ^
I haven't seen it yet but I am totally on board with this.
December 9th, 2023 at 11:57 PM ^
They dirty.
They lowdown.
They some snitches.