The Buzz: Heisman news and views
Happy offseason! Here’s a compilation of the latest updates from around the media world so you can stay up to date on what’s happening with the Heisman.
The Buzz…
Marcus Mariota‘s Heisman Trophy will be on display at the Oregon Historical Society in Portland from June 5-7. Due to a sponsorship from Nike, fans will be able to view the trophy for free.
Three of Ohio State’s Heisman winners were together in New York recently. Archie Griffin, Eddie George and Troy Smith took part in a panel hosted by the Buckeyes’ alumni association (of which Griffin is the CEO).
Lots of good stuff from the panel in this link, including George, on the prospect of another Ohio State Heisman this coming season:
“I think it’s due. Archie won in 1975. I won in 1995. Troy won in 2005…well fine it was 2006, but this year it’s 2015-2016, so I think it’s due.”
2010 Heisman winner Cam Newton came back to Auburn to finish up his degree in sociology. However, he refrained from taking part in graduation ceremonies so as not to distract from the festivities.
“When I do get my diploma, I’m going to put it right above my mom’s door, so she knows her words were not in vain,” Newton said. “All my awards that mean the world to me are implanted (in her house), and this is no different. If anything, it’s going right along next to the Heisman.”
Newton plans on making good use of his degree, too.
“As I get more educated about sociology, and education as a whole, shame on me if I don’t use my influence in a positive way. Someone may look at my situation and say, ‘He may be financially set, but yet he’s bettering himself.’ Maybe I can encourage somebody else who is in my situation or is down and out [to] always strive for a better you and that’s what this was pretty much all about: making myself better.”
Bo Jackson knows about helping people. He recently promoted his annual bike race across Alabama with the state’s governor, Robert Bentley. Jackson began the ride after the April 2011 tornadoes to help rebuild homes and construct community storm shelters, and it has continued in the years since. This year’s ride started and ended in Auburn in early May. Proceeds went to the Governor’s Emergency Relief Fund.
Army’s 1958 Heisman winner Pete Dawkins is obviously a football legend. But did you know his other favorite sport is Rugby? Dawkins came to the sport later in his athletic career while studying in Oxford, England.
“They are both great games of character, and teamwork, but they obviously have a violent side that can lead to injury, so the fact that one can learn from the other on safer tackling and helping develop young talent is a great thing,” Dawkins said recently when asked about the upcoming “Heads Up Tackling” clinic that will be held on May 31 at PPL Park outside of Philadelphia as part of the final day of the Penn Mutual Collegiate Rugby Championships, the de-facto national title matchup for both men’s and women’s Rugby Sevens in the United States.
“I found as an American what the rest of the world already knew, and what it seems the U.S. is now discovering from what I understand, that rugby can be a fun, exciting and tradition-filled game for fans and participants of all ages.”
There are eight Heisman winners active in the NFL. The oldest, Charles Woodson, is still considered among list of best players in the league. The 1997 winner from Michigan was ranked 64th out of 100 by his peers in a recent NFL Network poll.
Philadelphia coach Chip Kelly says Tim Tebow is ready to be his team’s fourth quarterback.
“I think he’s improved,” Kelly said. “He spent a lot of time in the last two years in terms of working on his game. Wanted to have a fourth quarterback here, you’re not going to go through [training camp] with three.”
Johnny Manziel‘s new mentor is also Lebron James’ business partner.
