Idiots Write About Sports

Wonder why Jason and I team up to write this blog? Because mediocre minds think alike. Here’s what my compatriot had to say in the comments section of this thread:

Actually, Plaschke’s column from yesterday (11/23) was priceless. It was basically about how Reggie Bush will win the Heisman because Heisman voters were impressed with stories about Bush, even though they don’t actually watch college football games.

This amuses me because I was planning on writing a blistering blog entry on this very column. Here’s the money quote:

In that North Dakota town lives Mike McFeely, a respected sports columnist who is also a Heisman Trophy voter. I phoned him Tuesday and asked for his pick.

“Reggie Bush,” McFeely said. “He is the premier player in the country, and Saturday’s game solidified it.”

He paused.

“Even though I never saw one second of it.”

What? He is going to vote for Bush to win arguably the most prestigious individual award in U.S. sports, yet his deciding factor was a game he never saw?

“I haven’t seen Reggie Bush play at all this year,” he said. “I haven’t seen Vince Young either. I haven’t seen any Division I-A games, either on television or in person.”

It turns out, McFeely writes about Division I-AA North Dakota State, so his Saturdays are consumed with the Bison, allowing him little time to be buffaloed by the big guys. For the last five years, his Heisman opinion has been formed by Internet reports and video clips.

He votes on the buzz. And Saturday night, with runs that will be replayed forever in chat rooms and on cable, Reggie Bush stole the Heisman buzz.

“Yeah, that’s how it works for me,” McFeely said. “Pretty comical, isn’t it?”

Pretty perfect, if you ask me.

Or to summarize: Bill Plaschke is perfectly happy that college football’s most prestigious — if most over-rated — honor for individual achievement is decided by people who never actually witness the exploits of the players they’re feting.

Over at 6-4-2, Dodger Thoughts proprietor Jon Weisman nails it cold:

“Of all the incredible digits accrued by the nation’s all-purpose yardage leader, the most amazing is this:

Reggie Bush averages 10 yards every time he touches the ball.”

Hmm … a numbers argument. And you don’t even have to have observed the player to know he’s the best? Well played …

Indeed.

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