ESPN Podcast Campus Conversation on '97 Heisman
http://www.espn.com/espnradio/play?id=21663494
Revisiting 20 years(!) since 1997 Heisman trophy vote - maybe the best 4 candidiates ever assembled.
Charles Woodson and Randy Moss both interviewed.
(Incidentaly, Ivan Masiel has previously said Manning was robbed which is total BS.)
December 4th, 2017 at 1:50 PM ^
Ryan Leaf. Wow. It may be hard for many to accept it now, but he was a phenominal QB in college.
I worked with someone who played with him in high school. In his words, "Million dollar arm, 10 cent brain."
December 4th, 2017 at 2:20 PM ^
December 4th, 2017 at 2:24 PM ^
December 4th, 2017 at 3:30 PM ^
December 4th, 2017 at 7:53 PM ^
December 4th, 2017 at 1:59 PM ^
December 4th, 2017 at 2:14 PM ^
1982 (the top 5 vote getters, all made the NYC ceremony):
(1) Herschel Walker,
(2) John Elway,
(3) Eric Dickerson,
(4) AC,
(5) Dave Rimington. A Center from Nebraska. A Center made the NYC ceremony!!!
Dan Marino - his Senior year at Pittsburgh, where he was pretty damn good! - was all the way down at 9th.
Ricky WIlliams was 5th in 1997, FWIW, but didn't get the NYC invite.
December 4th, 2017 at 2:26 PM ^
December 4th, 2017 at 2:07 PM ^
destroyed UT that year. They didn't win thier division, much less the conference.
If Payton, the human growth hormone (for his wife), had look decent versus UF, he would have won.
Payton threw a pick six in the first quarter to put them down 14-0. That play probably eliminated any Heisman consideration.
December 4th, 2017 at 2:14 PM ^
Inside the Gator 20. Manning was pressured, but you just gotta eat it, take the field goal. Down 7-3 after 1 Quarter in the Swamp isn't that bad. But instead he threw it up for grabs.
Manning put up some great numbers after that - but you just knew UT would never come all the way back. And they didn't. Manning didn't deserve the Heisman after that one throw.
December 4th, 2017 at 2:31 PM ^
Manning made the mistake - that pick 6. Contrary to that, on that same Saturday Woodson had an interception and the punt return, along with blanketing David Boston.
Woodson outright won that trophy by his play in big games.
December 4th, 2017 at 2:59 PM ^
That same day, Michigan beat Baylor in a game that, honestly, wasn't garnering much national attention at the time. Woodson wasn't overly high on folks' Heisman radar on the morning of September 20, 1997, and U-M wasn't overly high on the National Championship radar just yet either.
If Manning had beat UF and played well .... that may have shut the door on the Heisman competition. No matter what Woodson may have done, Peyton would likely have had an insurmontable lead. That's taking nothing away from Woodson's efforts in 1997, just the way history likely would have played out. It was MUCH harder to catch a Heisman front-runner 20 years ago vs. what it is today - just the way the media and CFB world was back then.
But the door was left open, and we know what happened.
December 4th, 2017 at 2:57 PM ^
When the lights got brighter Woodson got better. To say he didn't deserve it or someone, anyone, deserved it more than Charles is an idiot.
December 4th, 2017 at 3:16 PM ^
your position on Tennessee having idiots doesn't need any qualification.
Further at the time, the prevailing attitude was the the Heisman didn't deserve Payton, not that Payton didn't deserve the Heisman. These are people who can wear the save vest to work, to hunt and to cheer for their Vols.
Moonshine and its effect on the brain....
December 4th, 2017 at 3:23 PM ^
I do feel --- despite "MAC, Marshall, didn't face good enough competition, et cetera" --- a decent argument can be made for him.
He was simply one of a kind. You could see that even when playing the Central Michigan's of the world (I saw 2 Marshall games live in 1997: @ CMU and the Motor City Bowl vs. Ole Miss).
There WILL be another Peyton Manning. There MIGHT be another Charles Woodson. But I'm confident in saying there will NEVER be another Randy Moss.
December 4th, 2017 at 3:56 PM ^
I'll never forget Moss going for 80 yards on Marshall's first play from scrimmage. Hell of a Motor City Bowl. Maybe the best. Deuce McCallister, Moss, Pennington. That was back when there was half as many bowl games as now.
December 4th, 2017 at 5:36 PM ^
the thing was, EVERYONE in the Silverdome knew that first play was going Moss' way. A very noticeable buzz of anticipation in the Dome.
Then, Ole Miss (arrogant Tommy Tubberville being his usual self) decides to play man coverage. Sort of like an average dude telling Mike Tyson "I'll give you one free punch, test my chin."
IMO, definitely the best Motor City Bowl ever. I just counted --- I've been to 12 of those things! But actually, one of the better football games of any type I've attended.
December 4th, 2017 at 11:27 PM ^