Johnny ‘Football’ To Johnny Heisman: Manziel Wins Heisman Trophy

He’s Johnny Heisman now. There is a lot to like about Johnny Manziel, and our universe has been infatuated with everything he’s done in his breakthrough season. His last name rhymes with iconic actor Denzel Washington, he was a backup quarterback and a YouTube sensation at one point.

It finally was a moment when Manziel arrived at Texas A&M, where he made a statement and cemented his Heisman status with a signature win over Alabama that swept over the nation, as it created enough buzz in college football. From there on out, he was mentioned in Heisman conversations, credited for leading the Aggies to an unthinkable victory. Unnoticed as a redshirt freshman, as people in Aggieland mispronounced his last name, Manziel ultimately revealed that he’s the finest quarterback in the nation.

The quarterback position is, without question, the toughest position of this more popular sport, which benefited in Manziel’s favor. But not to take anything away from Manziel, he was definitely well deserving of the prestigious award and had been presumed the frontrunner since the highlighted win over Alabama. It’s not all that difficult for the country to realize that he’s compiled Heisman-like numbers, it’s not all that difficult for the nation to discern that he’s the catalyst for lifting an accomplished program out of mediocrity.

The stiff-armed trophy, rightfully so, went to Manziel, a high-school hero, a household name at Texas A&M. The Heisman winner of 2012 must be a role model to a slew of kids in Texas, as well, after a high school student in Kerrville was sent home a few weeks ago for a haircut of the freshman phenom, and Manziel’s “Johnny Football” nickname with the Texas A&M logo shaved into scalp.

When Manziel was named the winner of the 78th Heisman trophy, on a historic night for college football, his mouth was agape, he was stunned and he was grinning. A night of emotion and jubilance illustrated that he’s indeed the nation’s top quarterback, and by winning an honorable prize that a bevy of players never had an opportunity to win or take the stage, he rose to national limelight. After his humble speech, he raised the trophy and kissed it, he refused to let it go. He cradled the trophy, smiling and speaking eloquently, as his father, Paul, was in tears.

A few days removed from his 20th birthday, Manziel spent Saturday night in New York and celebrated proudly with his family. What’s most important to Manziel, however, is winning games, but as gifted and sound as he was this season, he was worthy of individual accolades as well. He’s proven to the world that he’s the best athlete in college football and he’s marveled by many, specifically to those at College Station, where folks gave him the generic nickname Johnny “Football,” which he’s grown attached to over a period of time. But he is exactly what college sports should embody, and is what the game needs amid an age of greed and financial robbery that has sabotaged the significance of college athletics.

He grew up in Texas, hurling passes to his father, working hard each day to emerge into a high school star and an eventual star quarterback at a university, where he’s transcended to greatness as a freshman sensation. The hard work and imitation of idol Doug Flutie has paid off, a clear understanding to the effort he’s put in to reach a pinnacle in his lustrous career. The story of the season is Manziel, and ever since Texas A&M upset No. 1 Alabama on Nov. 10, he’s been the candidate for Heisman, captivating voters’ eyes following a victory that determined the welfare of his candidacy.

The national chatter came when he pleaded his case for the award, becoming a primary factor for the Aggies’ impressive season, in a year when it might have been the toughest decision. Heisman winners are commonplace at the quarterback position, so it’s not surprising that he won the trophy. It’s not the first time we’ve been embroiled in Heisman controversy, and certainly not the first time a quarterback has been bestowed the award. If we’ve seen Carson Palmer hoist the stiff-armed prize, Matt Leinart raise the bronze statuette, Tim Tebow lift the piece of hardware, Sam Bradford hold up the trophy, Cam Newton and Robert Griffin III take indelible pictures while holding football’s most monumental award, we now can see Manziel with the trophy as well.

He’s the kind of guy everybody wants on their team and in their conference, and Manziel represents the ethics of the SEC, a conference with arguably the top players in the country. And realistically, after throwing for 24 touchdowns and running for 19, he was the most outstanding player in the nation, regardless of Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te’o finishing the season ranked second in the country with seven interceptions, and regardless of him leading the unbeaten Irish in tackles (103), passes broken up (11) and fumble recoveries (2). My guy all along, because he was most important to Notre Dame’s monstrous defensive front, was no one other than Te’o.

It could be we simply felt for him, a man who overcame so much adversity with faith and a spiritual background. Te’o helped direct the Irish to the BCS national title game on Jan. 7, while playing with a heavy heart due to the loss of his grandmother and girlfriend to illnesses on the same day. But by the same token, we saw one of the most dramatic seasons, including a mammoth upset that centered Manziel, which makes perfect sense as to why he won the Heisman by a landslide. Even though some felt Te’o would take the stiff-armed trophy home easily, Manziel was anointed and appreciated all over the college football world.

We know it’s true because he has been by virtue a team leader for a Texas A&M program that has returned to prominence, and he piloted the year’s biggest, massive upset, maybe one of the best in ages. Granted, he’s on pace to become the game’s most dangerous dual-threat quarterback ever, throwing for 3,419 yards and 24 touchdowns while rushing for 1,181 yards and 19 touchdowns. The numbers speak volumes, he’s a humble kid, very mature for his age, very charismatic and conducts himself as a well-behaved man who is passionate and finesse. He’s versatile, knowledgeable and fun to watch, bringing excitement and intensity to the game, with fans all over alarmed and hypnotized by the star of football these days.

The truth is, he had the best chance of winning the Heisman than Te’o and Kansas State quarterback Collin Klein. One can argue that Manziel was good enough to win and lock up the Heisman when the Aggies defeated the Crimson Tide. The truth is, college football is an offensive-driven sport, and with a dual-threat repertoire, it was a no-brainer that he was worthy of stepping onto the stage to accept an award for such success this season. In his role as quarterback, he was consistently spectacular and unstoppable. Dominating in the SEC, where every football program rules and builds a legitimate powerhouse to likely contend for a national title, was primarily another reason he prevailed on the biggest night of his life.

When he showed he could stand his ground against SEC competition, with magnificent numbers he tallied, Manziel right then and there proved to everyone that he was the nation’s frontrunner for the Heisman. Its no wonder the last-minute talk surrounded Manziel. Impressing everyone largely at Texas A&M, a school that has its hopes high for football each season, was Manziel’s keys to the trophy. As a freshman, with the presence of A&M coach Kevin Sumlin who is all about philosophies and tremendous effort, Manziel excelled with a new coach, a new system.

There’s plenty of potential, plenty of promise for Manziel. Nobody saw it coming. It’s not every day we witness a freshman master greatness, especially when he’s still adjusting to a new system, especially when he’s making the transition from high school to college. But something different transpired in football this year. These days, great athletes grow fast and emerge over night, just like Johnny, becoming the first freshman and fifth player ever to record a 3,000-yard passing and 1,000-yard rushing season.

More impressively, Manziel amassed 4,600 of the Aggies’ 6,628 yards of total offense — to be more specific 69.4 percent. He’s had more of a stronger impact on the game than Te’o. There’s no doubt in our minds that he is the paradigm of the modern-era, versatile quarterback. He can run, he can throw, he’s mobile and fearless, a typical quarterback in today’s game. All season long, he was durable and potent in Sumlin’s high-octane offense. All season long, he was a surefire Heisman winner, when nobody ever came close to snatching it away. He was not, however, perfect early in the season, and like everybody else he struggled against Florida and LSU elite defenses, which were understandable when the Gators led the nation in pass efficiency defense and when the Tigers ranked in the Top 10.

That still wasn’t stopping Manziel from becoming the first freshman to win the Heisman, not when he manhandled and steamrolled No. 1 ‘Bama for 345 yards of offense and threw two touchdowns with no interceptions, in what was the best game of his football career. For the record, he received 474 first-place votes, 153 more than Te’o. As for the Notre Dame senior, he finished runner up.

Johnny Football was remarkable. He was at the top of my Heisman Trophy ballot. If he weren’t the best story of college football this season, then I don’t know what was the feel-good story.

College Football Playoff: BCS Finally Adopts New Formula

You might have been bored by it all, unwilling to watch the one college sport that has fallen to its lowest, at a time thousands of fans have turned away from the chaos of a pedestrian and unpopular game for its latest hypocrisy.

In a sport of no structure but intense drama, in a sport of no legitimate playoff system but an unsound formula that defer schools hopes of fulfillment, implementing an eight-team playoff could rid the dysfunction as schools are entirely devoid of merit to rightly so vie for BCS bowl bids. The state of college football is disarray, with an epidemic of sullied computers and formulas mathematically deciding whether a program is worthy of playing on the national stage for a crystal football trophy.

In the creative world of innovation and technology, you can almost feel the BCS manipulating the more popular sport folks have grown attached to and immersed themselves in football, a far more appreciated game in the American culture — the primary sporting of pop culture. The 12-member BCS Presidential Oversight Committee, meeting some time on Tuesday, is likely going to approve a four-team playoff format. This is progress, a step closer toward a much-improved game with very little politics and more of a competitive balance. And so, reportedly, we notice the BCS commissioners and Notre Dame’s athletic director endorsed a four-team postseason arrangement a week ago.

“We’re very unified,” Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany told ESPN. “There are issues that have yet to be finalized. There’s always devil in the detail, from the model to the selection process, but clearly we’ve made a lot of progress.”

If it goes as plan, under a proposed plan, there will be two national semifinals games and a national championship game. The four teams would be selected by a special committee and would take effect after the 2014 season, once the current BCS deal expires. The semifinals would be played at existing bowl sites and rotate every season, and the championship would be held at a neutral site. A bidding process would determine where the game is played each year.

The BCS is dead. It’s a flawed system that can soon rest peacefully, and every PC involved in college athletics can crash for that matter, as we are eager to welcome a playoff. Now we all wait to find out when a consensus decision could be reached to institute a new system that should satisfy schools, students, alumni, fans and student-athletes across the nation. In a seemingly contrasted move, the sport is aiming for a change, a new direction, ways to mend the game and jettison blemishes that have slightly damaged tradition, honesty and integrity.

It’s too often that schools, such as small programs with no prestige, no television audiences and financial deficits, are snubbed and rarely earn national regards. And so, it’s no real surprise that establishing a potential playoff can resolve the confusion and allow every team a fair advantage, putting aside bigotry and bias, which has weakened the sport after a number of universities have been devoid of top-tier bowl games and victimized by BCS fraud. It’s all happening because, over the years as we all know by now, college football’s broken formula and polls has dictated what schools played in what specific bowl game. This is where the NCAA withstood an outcry and a drumbeat of criticism — especially from programs like Boise State, Utah and TCU. The little guys could finally earn a fair share of respect if the proposed plan is approved no later than Tuesday.

It’s not exactly the first thing that comes to mind on his agenda, but President Obama insisted a long time ago there should be a playoff system to determine a legitimate champion. It’s not only going to increasingly modify the brand and target a new audience but a TV deal may be worth $3 billion. The bidding networks are prepared to make a run at a television contract that caters to the four-team playoff system. Right now, Walt Disney holds the rights to every BCS bowl game and the national championship game.

The current deal is $155 million combined from Disney for its ESPN and ABC networks, but with the new playoff system — which includes three games and two semifinals and a championship game — it should demand a TV rights contract greater than the current deal. The value of the football is growing and more games are televised nationally, considering the popularity, especially if the playoff system is approved. And beyond everything, with negotiations beginning in fall, the BCS could extend a relationship with ESPN, a major sports broadcasting company that could pocket $3.2 billion from an expected eight-year deal. If ESPN wants rights, it will have to outbid Comcast, a company owning the largest TV network in the country.

This is a day folks can’t wait to see for themselves, confident a playoff would change the way they view the game. This is a day fans can’t wait to be a part of for themselves, optimistic a four-team seeded playoff would settle the argument by rescinding bowl games, which could come to an end sooner than later. That’s a day college football will change for the better and forever, calling forth a committee to determine a team’s fate. It’s a new era of college football, and a playoff system may arrive in a matter of days, even though the Bowl Chaotic System should have been shot down a long time ago in favor of the long overdue playoffs.

This means there’d be no more outrageous polls, schools getting snubbed, computer standings and automatic qualifications. All of this is history with a playoff system, but it must be ratified before anything else. Just think of all the money that would be generated. Just think of the vast majority of fans, many of whom would keep a close eye on football as the average fan is fueled by a playoff atmosphere from all the excitement and thrills.

There won’t be much controversy from the BCS. It can’t please everyone one. It shows favoritism toward the SEC Conference — whether it was Alabama or LSU — and fails to acknowledge those worthy of BCS merit. It is deeply in love with Ohio State and Big Ten schools, um, yes, a conference with its own television network. Those are Pac 12 schools left behind. The wavering status of the Bowl Championship Series is anything but well balanced and instead is prejudice. Always biased and never to be trusted, the BCS credibility has withered as fans are hysterical and requesting a playoff system.

That’s not to say the playoff system would be completely fair, but it would be more credible than the BCS nonsense. Controversy will always be — particularly in college sports — where a program can whine and moan about No. 1 and 2 seeding. It’s about time they implement a new system not so disoriented and jaundiced. It’s likely nobody wants to see UConn get hammered by Texas. Logic is, SEC and Big 12 schools would dominate and play for a number of national titles. And Pac 12 and Big 10 schools will have a fair advantage, too.

It’s time for a legitimate winner. Put aside the BCS fraud and play fair.

Oklahoma State Unappreciated by Unsound BCS: Until Then, No Legit Winner

Wasn’t it so disrespectful, so unfair? We can whine and swing our arms disappointed, gripe over the unsound PCs that generate a debate each year and complain all night that Oklahoma State was devoid of earning the right to meet LSU in the BCS title game. So they’ll meet again, LSU and Alabama in New Orleans on the national stage.

It’s the equivalent of discounting the sexiest women for a beauty pageant and perhaps giving the honors to the ugliest woman in the contest. It may shock you to discern that Alabama, the second-ranked team in the nation finishing second in both the Harris and coaches’ poll by a large enough margin, qualifies for the national title to contend for the crystal football. We, the people, are disgruntled by the BCS formula, a chaotic situation unless there is an eight-game playoff system instituted to crown the true champ. So it should surprise no one that the formula is a testament to the madness and hysteria this season, as there are heated debates over the second-best team in the country, the one worthy in meeting LSU for the title.

If you were to make an argument, a reasonable argument, you as the voter might have craved LSU-Oklahoma State. The point is, maybe the vast majority wasn’t so fascinated with the notion that an overhyped SEC rematch is scheduled to alter the texture of college football. Like it or not, the current formula determines the BCS, a system not created to choose the honest championship and, no matter what we say, it’s not our call to establish a playoff but the committee’s responsibility to culminate the tumult.

The dysfunction, I’m afraid, is doomed to rise before the selection committee has a remedy to inevitably erase the flaws in the current computer formula from manipulating the teams’ fate and stopping all the political absurdity that has drawn more publicity than the game itself. The victims, of all people, is the self-righteous Oklahoma State after pleading their case with a towering 44-10 beatdown of No. 10 ranked Oklahoma Saturday night.

This time, in fairness, the Oklahoma State had proven that it was the nation’s second-best team, but the SEC monopoly continues to manipulate the formula and there’s a sense the best conference in football for years will dominate the BCS until one’s principle is fairly to orchestrate a playoff. The composition of fixing the unbalanced BCS is clearly to design an unbiased and nonpartisan scheme that chooses a championship matchup.

The rest of the nation can dissect any numbers – computer rankings and try to distinguish the nonsense. The rest of the nation can analyze the schedules and margins of victory, but no matter what the BCS are winners every time, until a playoff is inaugurated. There is not a trace of doubt that a playoff would be the right way to crown the winner, a quick fix to please the vast majority of the nation and even fraudulent voters that would end any prejudice and idiocy in a disoriented college football season.

The rationale is that we don’t have a playoff, as we all know, and until we get one, the BCS fraud will continue to insult the team most deserved to play for the national title. The guess is here that the Cowboys were screwed by the system which is a fraud and insult to the third-ranked team in the nation, neglecting them for the national title bid. The voters omitted the Cowboys, arguably the second-best team in the nation, brainwashed by the overexposed and far more superior conference and overwhelmed by the television ratings. It is what it is, unfortunately, a damn rematch that some desired to see again, while others were longing to witness LSU-Oklahoma State, two national powerhouses in the country.

Given the system, LSU-Alabama is the correct call. This is something we have to deal with, until changes are made to improve the system after Oklahoma State was denied of a trip to the BCS title game, even though it had the body of work and could’ve competed against LSU. The masses say that Oklahoma State deserved a shot, and it would have had it won their final two games. The shocker to Iowa State, at the time the Cowboys were only two wins away from securing a spot in the title game, smeared their national title hopes – stunned by a 29-point underdog.

Since then, the Cowboys were automatically ineligible to win the national title, one game that determined their season. The thing is, Alabama lost by three to the undeniable No. 1 team in the country, when Oklahoma State shockingly dropped a loss to the unranked Cyclones, a team that finished 6-6. That’s what the committee saw, if nothing else. That’s where the committee was incorrect. Just because a team loses to one of the mediocre teams in the nation, doesn’t mean they are unworthy of qualifying for the national stage.

It could be a convenient excuse to keep Oklahoma State out of the national title game, just as it’s another way to praise Alabama and observe the rematch over again. We can assume, by now, that the Big 12 was as superb as the SEC, probably even better had it not been for LSU. At least, the large range of computer rankings says the Big 12 was the best conference in the nation, but sadly blinded by the obsession with the SEC. In the end, four-one loss teams weren’t eligible for a shot at the national title. This is, though the Cowboys may have been the second-best team in the land, the society of college football – a system that is mired in much disarray.

It never makes any sense but as we’ve always said, you have to deal with it, live with it. The fact that Oklahoma State defeated seven teams with winning records and five teams that were ranked in last week’s BCS Top 25 wasn’t good enough. The fact that Alabama had beaten only three winning teams was good enough. It’s the time we live in, a period in college football that the SEC is adored and evidently claimed to be better than most leagues. To us, though, well, to most of us anyway, the Big 12 deserves the nod rightfully so.

There’s nothing in it for Oklahoma State, now that it is ranked No. 3 in the nation but deservedly so it was worthy of the No. 2. And, in this case of college football, we can now suggest perhaps it’s all about politics with evidence that the SEC is overly appreciated and has a top-dollar TV deal with ESPN. And then, just in recent years, the Southeastern Conference had more star power and appreicated athletes from the South, where folks care about football and has been an integral part in the Southern culture, much like a Saturday ritual for the folks in the dirty South.

The presence of Alabama in the BCS title game creates a controversy, but it’s not an absolute travesty either. If that sounds incorrect, you probably haven’t seen Alabama’s defensive dominance, you probably haven’t seen their old-school style defense. This can actually make for a watchable BCS title game, although I’d have preferred LSU vs. Oklahoma State. The Crimson Tide and the Tigers play the best defense in the nation, ranked 1-2 in scoring defense and total defense. As I say so often, defense wins games, whether you like it or not.

By now, you know that each team is fast and physical and had no flaws defensively. If that’s pretty damn good, then why are we startled? It’s because there’s no playoff, there’s no actual proof that Alabama earned the nod over Oklahoma State, yes, maybe on paper but we don’t know if they legitimized that they are better than the Cowboys. This season alone, LSU averaged 41 points per game, while Alabama amassed 39. And then, when they faced each other in “The Game of the Century,” a campaign that was hyped and brainwashed our senses to become infatuated by a rematch, they scored two field goals apiece in regulation.

Still, because Oklahoma State thrashed Oklahoma, there is a sense it was not taken into consideration as the Sooners are the Big 12, not the SEC. Believe it or not, Georgia is an SEC school, and with further evidence, the Bulldogs even played in the SEC title game on Saturday ranked ahead of Oklahoma in the Top 25, albeit that they hadn’t won anybody in the Top 25. What’s a true honor for the Bulldogs, not the fact that they played in the SEC championship game, but the fact that they are in the SEC, which may explain why Georgia was ranked No. 12 entering Saturday’s game.

Being in the wrong conference doomed Oklahoma State, and as a result, they had fallen short of stepping onto the national stage. It’s admittedly good to state that the Cowboys have trounced almost everybody this season, and unfortunately lost once, a heartbreaking loss in overtime that came hours after a plane crash killed two OSU women’s basketball coaches. The Crimson Tide already once lost 9-6 to LSU back on Nov. 5. I recall that night, because I covered it.

Why see it happen again?? It has been a season of controversy, from the BCS fraud to the damn expansions and realignment in conferences. The computer formulas are mathematically incorrect and make the average person cringe. The formulas aren’t honest — the formulas are deceiving, and with plenty of debate about how inaccurate a treacherous system really is when trying to award the real winner. Each season, it seems, the BCS is politically incorrect.

The wise thing is to eliminate the BCS. Until then, we’ll never know the legit winner.

Aggies' Non-Invite Isn't Such a Bad Idea

There has been much dialogue all week in regards of Texas A&M potentially moving to the SEC that has added to the everlasting rumors of realignment in college sports. As this convoluted turmoil of disoriented mergers possibly materialize, rather than realizing the trouble the Aggies could encounter in a tougher conference, we are often stuck in a confused state of mind when college football teeters on the fringe of tumult.

But in this realm of upheaval, where it has become a rite in college football and where the people are accustomed to the nonsense of the conference commissioners playing musical chairs, many believe this merger could spell trouble for the Aggies. For now, anyway, the SEC has chosen not to invite Texas A&M into the conference, and fortunately for Aggies' fans, the conference is remaining at 12 teams.

After a meeting of SEC presidents and chancellors, Florida President Bernie Machen, the chair of the SEC presidents, said the league confirmed its gratification with its current 12-team alignment.

“We recognize, however, that future conditions may make it advantageous to expand the number of institutions in the league,” the statement said. “We discussed criteria and process associated with expansion. No action was taken with respect to any institution, including Texas A&M.”

The easiest path is for Texas A&M to stay in the Big 12 with all the pressure in the Southeastern Conference, a conference that arguably have the deepest football programs in the nation and claims the national spotlight. It appears that Texas A&M, a program which is unhappy by Texas' Longhorn Network, is staying home in the Big 12 conference and won't be leaving for another conference at this very moment.

The people in the Lone Star State really don't want the Aggies to leave for the SEC, though the program can rise into the national spotlight but also fade within the conference of much talent and where the deepest competition exist in the sphere of college football.

For all the hyperbole by the Southeastern Conference official who announced Sunday that the SEC will remain a 12-team conference and that they have no intentions of inviting the Aggies to join the conference -- at least as it stands for now -- in what inarguably is the biggest chaotic debate ever with the likings of Utah and Colorado among them -- the realignment is a hassle with too much chaos.

It's not such a bad suggestion that the Aggies were snubbed, in fact, it's truly good judgment for A&M to remain in the Big 12. This is the age when college football isn't as amusing as the NFL, deprived of a legitimate eight-game playoff system or even a commissioner to oversee an association in tremendous disarray.

Nor does the NCAA care to institute an eight-game playoff system, but realign conferences to bring more excitement and balance the welfare of competition for bowl games? If the Southeastern Conference dares to venture in the Big 12 and lure a few elite teams from other conferences, then it seems like too much of a struggle to attempt such an anarchic changeover.

Few were actually content with the possibility of Texas A&M joining the SEC and, at one point as earlier of last week, it appeared rational and greater than ever. And so it ends -- let’s only hope -- the flip-flopping of teams, the befuddling and tiring rumors of potential realignment in a sport that really doesn't have to move teams around but needs to focus all its attention on a moderate playoff system.

As much as the Aggies could hate anything of the Longhorns, disgruntled of the notion that the Texas Longhorns have their own network, the university feel the network is a violation of NCAA rules. The aspect of the Longhorns Network broadcasting coverage of two live football games, as one of those games are expected to be a conference showdown, had never been talked about among the Big 12 athletic directors.

Yet the NCAA, as we all know by now, is so chaotic and largely corrupted by all the scandals of improper benefits and the lack of fair punishments handed down to universities for violating NCAA rules. So now, again, we are left to wonder if the restrictive rules of any collegiate representative contacts will ever play a role in why Texas A&M is fine by the move, if the change ever happens.

This probably won't happen real soon when the Aggies are members of the Big 12 as of Sunday, which could be unlawful for the SEC to invite the Aggies at this time. If they ever desired to have the Aggies join, the proper time would have been Sunday as the parties negotiated.

It's almost believable to assume that the SEC is just waiting for A&M to request admission to the SEC, but it all seems implausible. The truth, however, is as clear as those cadets at the Corps of Cadets program at Texas A&M. That could mean the Aggies may not be moving to the SEC, still representing the conference of pointless tension under the guise of college football.

The criticism was even fairly kindly -- Southern hospitality, if you will -- when all the talk circled Texas A&M being sick and tired of Texas, an archrival in Austin, Texas. What swirls around A&M is abnormal and, if the Aggies move to the SEC, it would absolutely be an awful move -- a regrettable decision in truth.

For those who believe it already, with all evidence of course, the Aggies are so tired of Texas, the university no longer wishes to be in the Longhorns' presence, insulting and fighting the University of Hook'em Horns. They are very furious with their biggest rival -- never mind that Texas is the superior university and should be drawing other schools to its prominent conference, but in the meantime, the Longhorns are outlandishly pushing their rivals away from the Big 12.

This is what happens when a preeminent university becomes shamefully egotistic and self-serving, encouraging its foes to leave elsewhere to avoid the nonsense of greediness and aversion. And Texas A&M's flirtation with the SEC is prompted by Texas, an archenemy upsetting the mind of Aggies' fans and even the trustees.

The investment of time and money by joining with ESPN, spending over $300 million to broadcast its own television network, tells us Texas wants to have its cake and eat it, too. The worshippers of college football believe Texas A&M wants to emotionally leave for a change of scenery, and more importantly, move far away as possible from the Longhorns. For a long time, the Aggies have deliberated this move -- a new direction that seems impossible and more like an illusion.

The cameras, if the Aggies are ever welcomed to the SEC, will flash often and the pressure could raise and alter the Aggies' personality in one of the toughest conferences where they'll be thrashed by stronger and deeper opponents in the Southeastern Conference.

This is essentially the Aggies asking for trouble and seemingly the university doesn't qualify for the Southeastern Conference and they haven't found their football identity in the Big 12, merely accounting for one conference championship and one BCS bowl game 13 years ago. Even in this new culture of football the Aggies haven't dominated, winning only three division titles in 16 years, prevailing once in 1998 when the school one a division championship.

Sorry, but the Aggies wouldn't survive in the SEC and were better off staying the Big 12. So now, I guess Texas A&M can engage in a battle with the archrivals and take it out on the Longhorns.

If Cam Newton Unleashes Truth, It's a Way To Tone Down Bombshells

If you think the sordid scandal centering Cam Newton is the ugliest, full-blown cataclysm, just as it reflects on his days when he wasn’t perceived as a contemptible jock or even in conversations to feasibly win the most prestigious award, you haven’t realized that he’s imperfect just like the rest of us. Otherwise, we can make excuses or underplay his poor judgment in the past, but now he is facing heavy consequences ever since his latest sins came within view, putting his Heisman status in tremendous jeopardy.

Earlier in the week, he was publicly exposed to horrendous storms off the field when allegations came to light in the recent bombshell that he and his father had a discussion about money. How utterly disgusting to uncover that Newton, considered the frontrunner for the Heisman Trophy is absolutely the most scrutinized candidate in the nation. He’s obviously the epicenter in college football, already drawing negative publicity for an endless saga involving his shocking allegations.

Mind you, if nothing else, he’s the epitome of a spotless athlete who suddenly turns into a sullied individual. For all we know, though, he might not be such a huge burden at Auburn. Most of his tumult dated back to his days at Florida, in which a university source confirmed on Tuesday that Newton opted in leaving the university because of his academic and unlawful troubles. In prior history, he was arrested for purchasing a stolen laptop from a student’s dorm room in November 2008. And reportedly, he recklessly infringed the university’s honor code by writing his name on another student’s paper and turning it in.

What’s more, he was caught after the instructor questioned the writer of the paper, pondering why he had not turned in his paper. That said, after the student lied and informed the instructor that he turned in his paper, he and the instructor searched through all the submissions and noticed Newton had wrote his name on the paper. Not surprisingly, he turned in a second paper, but again he had violated the rules for plagiarizing someone else’s work after he foolishly purchased the paper off the Internet.

As a way to resolve his wrongdoings, he was to appear for a hearing before the Florida Student’s Conduct Committee in the spring semester of 2009 but rapidly ran from his transgressions and transferred to Blinn College. This is exactly what transpires in collegiate sports these days, mainly if the committee or trustees aren’t proactive in putting a halt to all the infractions. This is exactly why the gist of academia is ruptured because of the disingenuous and misleading allegations.

Instead of the committee enforcing a punishment against Newton, he was permitted to hurdle over the yellow tape of a repugnant crime scene. On Tuesday morning, Steve McClain, Florida’s Associate Athletics Director for Communications, declined to address the matter. “We can’t comment on federally protected records,” McClain said.

The mysterious case is spinning us around. The accusations of Newton academically cheating eased its way into the headlines less than a week following reports that former player Kenny Rogers claimed to represent Newton and allegedly sought $180,000 for the stud quarterback to enroll into Mississippi State. So in the meantime, it’s not telling whether Newton cheated at Auburn or anywhere else amongst a dumbfounded saga.

But it seems more than one person is guilty here as bits and pieces of the story still unleashes staggering eye-openers, unfortunately adding to the horror. All of this could lead to distractions and affect the way Auburn performs in the upcoming weeks as the regular-season trickles down. If Newton received money to play for Auburn or anywhere else, he’ll be viewed differently and probably would have to pay for his immutable crimes, even if he’s still beheld as the popular kid on campus after reviving a storied program in the South.

Gazing over the mess at Auburn, earlier in the week, the mirror reflected on Newton. There he is, the star quarterback, denying that he ever had three different instances of academic cheating while enrolled at the University of Florida and faced possible expulsion from the university. For a very long time, the NCAA has constituted rules and demands that prohibit college stars from being lavished with money, but a number of student-athletes are still outsmarting the unsound system by accepting money from slimy agents or cheating on exams, just so they can seek eligibility. Seldom have we gone a season without publicly hearing about illicit payments granted for college athletes, it seems, when it only continues to become worse as the years progress.

“I’m not going to entertain something that took place not three months, not six months, not a year but two years ago,” Newton said. “I’m not going to sit up here and say anything about it, whether I did or did not do it, because I don’t want to beat the dead horse talking about it. It’s not going to affect me any way, shape or fashion.”

Well, guess what? Sometimes you have to beat the dead horse as a way to come clean.

The anonymity of everlasting allegations has expanded into a heinous holocaust and has invited the FBI during a puzzling NCAA investigation with Heisman hopes muddled. All the university needed was the feds to take interest in this dreadful incident. But for now, reportedly, the FBI has asked to meet with John Bonds, a former Mississippi State football player who originally claimed that Rogers, a former football star as well, contacted him to inform him money would influence Newton to sign on a letter of intent.

These days, Auburn coach Gene Chizik, has shown much emotion, but he hasn’t been reserved about the ongoing reports.

“Cam Newton is one of the guys on our football team that has not only excelled as a tremendous athlete…I’m wasting my time addressing allegations that blow my mind that they’re even out there, because there’s federal privacy laws that dictate that these things don’t get out in public.

“I’m standing up here on a very important week trying to defend something that’s garbage.”

Even if we are clueless as of what exactly happened, it remains to be seen whether he’s guilty or immaculate of escaping the torture from the media and pending allegations. But we know that the duplicity of college football has tarnished possibly the meaningful season of Auburn, if not all of college football. Because all of this is staying within the SEC, commissioner Mike Slive has a severe misfortune to be reckoned with. Eight years ago, when he stepped in as the overseer, his intent was to ensure that every school rids probation, but as it turns out, it only has gotten worse. Once again, the SEC is turning into the conference of cheaters, sleazes and dumbasses.

Who is at fault?

Who really knows?

There are allegations all the time in the SEC.

“It’s unfortunate and sad because they seem intent on tearing down the reputation of a young man,” Auburn athletic director Jay Jacobs said Tuesday morning.

Ahem, excuse me, there are no enforcers in this, but enablers.

Apparently, Auburn doesn’t care nor does the SEC. It wasn’t long ago that Slive allowed Lane Kiffin to commit his violations at Tennessee before he fled the university and accepted the coaching job at Southern California. Remember that? This scandal leaves a mark on the conference and the frontrunner for the Heisman, not only bruising his chances to win the award, but also delaying what could be a potential fifth consecutive national championship within the conference.

As for Newton, he is guilty in the public view and has already been paralleled to Reggie Bush, the infamous former USC star. So now, all we want is the truth to avoid another misleading saga, which is why we hear Newton’s name in the media periodically. The sad thing is, his father, Ceil, is a preacher and has been the focal point of the investigation.

Come on, Newton. Deliver the truth.

SEC REFS VS. BIG EAST REFS/ SEC THROWS THE FLAG WHILE BIG EAST PICKS IT UP

Last night’s LSU vs. Georgia game didn’t have a whole of action until the fourth quarter.

After the first half it was just two LSU field goals being the only scores of the game.
In the third, neither team could put any points on the scoreboard.

At the start of the 4th quarter, Joe Cox led his Bulldogs (3-2) on an 18 play 60-yard drive to finally put Georgia on the board. The drive lasted 7:52 and after the extra point, Georgia had the lead 7-6.

Following Georgia’s score, both LSU and Georgia had two three-and-out offensive series before another score.

This time it was LSU’s turn. LSU running back Charles Scott capped off a 13 play 88-yard drive with a touchdown run from the 2-yard line. After failing on the two-point conversion LSU took back the lead at 12-7 with only 2:53 left in the game.

Georgia’s young quarterback Cox, who has been growing up quickly thus far this season, now had to lead his team in the two-minute offense if Georgia wanted to protect their home field.
He got off on the right start by completing a 13-yard pass to running Caleb King on the first play. Following an incomplete pass on the next play and a four yard rush by King, Cox hooked up with Georgia’s other King, Tavarres King, with a 46 yard completion. Georgia was now LSU’s 16-yard line and in striking distance to regain the lead. Just two plays later that is exactly what Cox and the Bulldogs did.

With the LSU (5-0) rush coming after him, Cox looked to the right side of the end-zone where his No. 1 target A.J. Green had single coverage. Cox threw the jump ball and Green leaped up into the air, outstretched his hands over the LSU defender, and came down with the go ahead touchdown pass.

But, what happened after the touchdown was the real story.

The referees flagged the Bulldogs for a 15 yard unsportsmanlike penalty for excessive celebration. But, where was the excessive celebration?

Green’s teammates did give him some shoves after he caught the ball. But, no one did a dance or made a disrespectful gesture towards the crowd. The Georgia bench did not run out onto the field. So, where, where was this excessive celebration?

In any event, the penalty was called and it would have a major impact on the rest of the game. Now, the Bulldogs had to kickoff from 15 yards further, giving LSU a chance to be in great field position.

After LSU’s Trindon Holliday returned the kickoff for 68 yards, they were already at the Georgia 38 yard line. Just two plays later, it was Scott from 33 yards out with the go ahead and game-winning touchdown run.

Not to take anything from LSU because it was a good game, you could not help but wonder how different their final drive would have been if the refs had not called Georgia for penalty which gave LSU their favorable position to start the drive.

Now, switching from this game, we go to the Washington vs. Notre Dame game. This was a much different game than LSU vs. Georgia one. At the start of the fourth, Washington had a 24-19 over the Fighting Irish at Notre Dame Stadium.

Fast-forwarding to the fourth quarter, Notre Dame, trailing 27-22, had 2:52 left in the game to make their comeback.

Quarterback Jimmy Clausen was as cool as the other side of the pillow. He completed all four of his passes, including the go ahead 12-yard touchdown pass to Kyle Rudolph.

Rudolph and his teammates were ecstatic after the catch. In fact, Rudolph jumped into the arms of his teammates twice and was carried around for a few seconds; a real celebration compared to the Bulldogs mild shoving of Green after his go ahead catch.

In fact, the Big East refs did throw a flag and it seemed like the penalty for excessive celebration was about it to called. However, when the ref went to make the announcement to the stadium, he did not announce a penalty for excessive celebration. Instead, he told the stadium that flag had been picked up and that there was no penalty.

While this score did not prove to be the game-winning score, Notre Dame ended up beating Washington in overtime, it still made me furious how the SEC refs had affected the outcome of what ended up being an exciting game between Georgia and LSU.

How could the NCAA have refs that can’t even agree on what excessive celebration is?

Georgia could be 4-1 and the Tigers could have been the latest top 5 team to fall.

Maybe the SEC refs wanted the Tigers to remain unbeaten for their game against No. 1 Florida next week. Who knows, but I always dislike it when referees ruin a great game.

Gators, Meyer Chomps a Bitter Kiffin in Intense Rivalry

He has been very talkative, uttering bitter remarks while threatening, disrespecting, and boldly accusing Florida’s coach Urban Meyer of illegal recruiting.

Common sense, though, informed us that Tennessee’s first-year coach Lane Kiffin was facing a rigid challenge, particularly after upsetting, downgrading, and claiming the defending champs were not on his radar.

Kiffin spoke too lowly of the Gators, forgetting they’re a team with tremendous experience and prominent players who are worthy of advancing to the pro level. For years now, Florida and Tennessee has clashed in bloody wars, but none of them have been quite this fierce or hostile.

The difference in this intriguing matchup is that the Gators were seeking to fiercely bite the Volunteers for revenge in Kiffin’s meeting with the archrivals. In previous seasons, they’ve brutally humiliated, pulverized, and Gator Chomped the kids from Rocky Top, making them long suffer agony and painful failures.

Long-term suffering has reduced spirit in Tennessee, as titles have exhilarated devoted fans at the Swamp, where they embrace the vigorous and energetic powerhouse of the Southern Eastern Conference. But Kiffin, apparently, didn’t think before he made regrettable remarks, inspiring a successful coach and hard-fighting champs.

Remember early in the year at his introduction speech, when he impetuously pronounced the coming end to a four-game losing streak against Florida? Remember when he boldly spoke without reflecting back on their noteworthy season, and saying he honestly sensed he could guide the Vols to a stunning and memorable win for the ages?

Remember when he failed to react in a classy manner, and said he was “looking forward to...singing ‘Rocky Top’ all night after we beat Florida next year. It will be a blast”? He never got enough from being judgmental and outspoken about an athletic team with much experience.

And he added to the silly comments when he informed fans Meyer violated rules by phoning prospect Nukes Richardson, while he was officially visiting Tennessee. That was a huge blunder that Kiffin regrets now, changing his words in a press conference a few days ago, but it was much too late for cleaning up insulting statements.

At Gainesville, fans were motivated for a Saturday matinee and a bitter rivalry that continues developing bad blood. After all, the Gators have fangs and smack talk just propels a powerful team to attack an undefined team.

But in the near future, the Vols might have enough talent for contending against Florida. One thing Kiffin does well is recruit talented classes, but has yet to prove that he can recruit and guide a skillful team within a power conference, or even defeat his archenemy Meyer.

In the biggest game of Kiffin’s coaching career, he paid the consequence, he suffered a loss and he walked off helpless after the Florida’s stingy defense and efficient offense silenced and thwarted the Vols.

There were no joyful celebrations, nor were there any upsets in a hostile environment after a resentful Tim Tebow exposed abnormal characteristics in his personality earlier this week. Can you believe Tebow harshly criticized the Vols? Well, believe it.

Since we are accustomed to Tebow’s generous and religious beliefs, it was a rarity hearing trash talk from the humble senior quarterback. But on a shaky afternoon, he backed up his dirty talk, and as usual, played with tremendous sportsmanship while respecting his archrivals.

Even though, there’s some animosity between two unsettled coaches, Meyer and Kiffin exchanged brief handshakes after Florida coasted to a 23-13 victory.

As a result, the Gators are favorites to win another national title, returning the Heisman quarterback and practically an entire defense. Still, a multitude of the populace is convinced winning glorious titles are over, and that an unknown team will claim possession of the crystal ball. Teams are finally making it clear by challenging the Gators that they're no longer intimidated or invincible.

As most anticipated a Gator Chomping demolition, the Gators beat the Vols by 10. With plenty of games remaining, the Gators are anything but flawless. Instead they’re looking vulnerable and have plenty of deficiencies worth rectifying if they’re expecting to win another national title.

Give Tennessee’s defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin credit for throwing unknown schemes at Tebow, which forced him to commit two critical turnovers as the Vols took advantage, scoring 10 points.

A rare fourth-quarter fumble by Tennessee’s explosive tailback, Montario Hardesty, led to a touchdown. The Vols threw an interception to Dennis Rogan, paying for rushing the pass to avoid a sack.

But it’s enough to make us wonder, if the Gators will defend its title or if some unexpected school upset them later in the season.

Most of all, the Gators are benefiting from Brandon James, who’s arguably the fastest kick-returner in the conference. He returned three kickoffs for a staggering 97 yards.

But more so, their strong and experienced defensive corps presented misery for the third straight year.

Their potent defense harassed Tennessee's quarterback, Jonathan Crompton, who can probably use a few hours in a warm spa. Being pressured, he was limited and forced a devastating pass in the fourth quarter for an interception caught by Florida’s Ahmad Black, smearing an improbable miracle.

After a lackluster performance, Meyers might prefer retooling the offense and making vital adjustments for upcoming games. Receiver Deonte Thompson missed the game with a hamstring injury and running back Jeff Demps played with a 101-degree fever.

Additionally, the Gators are attempting a repeat without Percy Harvin, and his absence has changed Florida’s offensive complexion and chances of retaining a title.

But now the top-ranked Gators have thrown out the hype, ousted their rivals and bitterly extended its streak to 13 consecutive wins over the Vols. In a case of "the lesser of two evils", the stronger stumbling offense survived a bloody afternoon. And it appeared Florida’s talent was too much to handle in the final quarter.

Meanwhile, the Gators don’t chomp as well as they used to, and they don’t attack as well either. One year makes a difference, as they aren’t nearly as powerful. As for the Kiff, next time he might think before he speaks. And if he has nothing nice to say, then he might not say anything.