Irish Heisman Candidate Manti Te'o

Notre Dame Middle Linebacker Senior Manti Te'o

 

Awarded To:

The outstanding college football player whose performance best exhibits the pursuit of excellence with integrity.

 

Ok, someone has to start it.  Come on, jump on the Red Line to the New York Downtown Athletic Club, we are campaigning for Manti Te’o and having his name placed on the 2012 Heisman ballot.  It should be the local beat reporters in South Bend with a wink and a nod from the media office in the ND Athletic Department doing this; however we are not sure those reporters are up to the task.  (Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun Times, South Bend Tribune, Gary Post Tribune, Fort Wayne Journal Gazette)

Only one primary defensive player has ever been awarded the Heisman (1997); cornerback Charles Woodson from Michigan.  He also was a kick returner and played some wide receiver.  In the NFL Woodson was an outstanding cornerback. 

Usually the award goes to the quarterback or running back and occasional wide receiver from a team that relied on the winner to propel them to a BCS Bowl or National Championship game.  The other candidates on the ballot did the same thing only to a lesser degree.

Others have been nominated but are almost as rare as hen’s teeth:

Dick Butkus Illinois – Linebacker 1963 and 1964

Tom Brown Minnesota Offensive Guard 1960

John Hicks Ohio State Offensive Tackle 1973

Rich Glover Nebraska Defensive Lineman 1972

Hugh Green Pittsburgh Defensive End 1980

Ndamukong Suh Nebraska Defensive Tackle 2009

Kurt Burris Oklahoma Center 1954

Orlando Pace Ohio State Tackle 1996

In this sad college football era of:

A Heisman winner returning his trophy for NCAA rules violations.  (USC)

A head coach lying over knowledge concerning illegal selling of uniforms and memorabilia.  (Ohio State)

A head coach crashing a motorcycle with his paid mistress hanging on for dear life.  (Arkansas)

A pedophile scandal that destroyed a coach’s reputation and laid low a storied school program. (Penn State)

A systemic problem of academic fraud and ineligible participation of players.  (North Carolina)

Pending investigation into illegal booster payments and compensation to recruits and players. (Miami)

Pending recruiting scandal investigation, illegal payments and kickbacks.  (Oregon)

The whispered take around college football is that Notre Dame is on its’ way back and it can only be a good thing for the Sport of College Football.  It is secretly somewhat encouraged through the media.  Although the Notre Dame distracters and haters are definitely out there in the media questioning and making fun of the comeback. 

Too much money, too many cheaters, too many Bowls, too many grabs for cheap fame, too many street thugs, too many out to promote a school or a conference all at the expense of integrity. 

 



We do not personally know Manti Te’o but by gosh he appears the real deal and we really respect him.  Strong in Faith.  Dedicated to completing his education.   Loyalty to his Team and school.  Believes in family and true friends.  Manti is undergoing some hard and troubling personal issues over the death of loved ones and has to be admired and is an example in faith to be emulated.

Notre Dame is four games into a pretty tough schedule.  Te’o has produced some decent statistics.

Tackles – 38 (16 unassisted and 22 assisted) Including 2 for loss

Fumbles Recovered – 2

Interceptions - 3 

Manti Te’o is a Notre Dame Team Captain and a quiet leader by example.  Younger players on the Team (and recruits) don’t look to him for the rah-rah, the head butt or the slap on the butt.  They look to him by the way he goes about business in the class room, weight room, the practice field and on Saturday.

So should the movers and shakers at the New York Downtown Athletic Club.

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