Paying the price for a Heisman
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I never realized how much money was spent on the campaign trail in quest for the Heisman trophy. Just like everything else in the world of athletics, money plays an important role.
Or does it?
Last year, the University of Oregon spent $250,000 for a humongous poster of Joey Harrington to hang on the side of a building in New York. The poster was paid for by boosters, who then spent another $50,000 on his Heisman campaign.
Well, this year, Washington State spent $2,500 to hang a banner on a grain elevator in tiny Dusty, Washington for their Heisman hopeful Jason Gesser. Washington State did this to make a point, and to give Oregon a little slap in the face for last year’s spending spree.
The 25-foot high banner reads “Guess Who 4 Heisman” and should get at least as much publicity as Oregon’s overdone, overpriced attempt last year in New York.
On an average, schools — or, more accurately, booster clubs — spend $50,000 to $75,000 per year to promote their Heisman hopeful.
If you’re clever enough, a Heisman campaign pays for itself with free advertising. Nebraska did virtually nothing for last year’s winner Eric Crouch, hoping his exposure on television would be all it would take.
Florida and Miami have Heisman hopefuls, as well, and are willing to let their players do their on advertising on the field when they play on television.
Mr. Nunley and Mr. Wright have their own Heisman candidate in Middle Tennessee State’s Dwone Hicks. MTSU has poured a few dollars into the Hicks campaign, and since Mr. Nunley and Mr. Wright are Middle Tennessee grads, I just wonder how much they have contributed to the boosters for Hicks Heisman ads.
It was just a few years ago when a brilliant idea was used to help Ryan Leaf’s campaign. Students assistants were sent out to collect leaves off the ground outside the students office. The leaves were then stuffed in envelopes and mailed to Heisman voters. The “Leaves for Leaf” campaign just might have been the cheapest Heisman campaign in college football history.
Gesser, a Hawaii native, has continued the Washington State quarterback legacy that includes Leaf, Drew Bledsoe, Jack Thompson and Tim Rosenbach. And if Gesser wins the Heisman, it all started with a 100-foot grain elevator, $2,500 and a 25-foot poster.
Tennessee has their own Heisman candidate in Casey Clausen. Very little is being said or done for the Clausen campaign. A few years ago a man named Payton Manning was Tennessee’s Heisman hopeful. A big campaign was put into effect and several thousands of dollars were spent without any success.
Maybe Tennessee is taking a few lessons from Washington, and deciding bigger is not always better.
Whoever wins the Heisman this year, a lot of money is going to be spent one way or another. We have four months to watch all the ads and read all the hype.
But when it comes down to it, shouldn’t it be the best player in the country? Doesn’t the one who leads his team and plays to the best of his potential each and every week best deserve this honor?
Let’s just hope Mr. Nunley and Mr. Wright haven’t pumped thousands of dollars into the Hick’s campaign, or all we’ll be hearing around here is “Dwone! Dwone! Dwone!”