[terry]

My son has come up with a theory about why Stanford players keep finishing second in the Heis.man voting -- Stanford is cursed. Here's a text that my son sent me:

[Flashback to 2009]

Pete: What's your deal, Harbaugh?

Jim: What's YOUR deal, Pete?!

Pete: My deal is that your team will get tantalizingly close to the Heis.man but never win for the rest of eternity, bwahaha!

[terry]

My son has come up with a theory about why Stanford players keep finishing second in the Heis.man voting -- Stanford is cursed. Here's a text that my son sent me:

[Flashback to 2009]

Pete: What's your deal, Harbaugh?

Jim: What's YOUR deal, Pete?!

Pete: My deal is that your team will get tantalizingly close to the Heis.man but never win for the rest of eternity, bwahaha!

[Langdude]

Ask him how we break the curse.

-m.

[Langdude]

Ask him how we break the curse.

-m.

[Farm93]

Funny,

I thought this thread was a reference to the curse Voldemort winners suffer.

Impossibly short NFL careers.  Players cut from rosters in the preseason or not drafted at all.  NCAA scandals.  Wrongful death cases.
Etc. etc.

Better for Love, and other Stanford players, to avoid all of that by not winning.

[Farm93]

Funny,

I thought this thread was a reference to the curse Voldemort winners suffer.

Impossibly short NFL careers.  Players cut from rosters in the preseason or not drafted at all.  NCAA scandals.  Wrongful death cases.
Etc. etc.

Better for Love, and other Stanford players, to avoid all of that by not winning.

[winflop]

Ask him how we break the curse.

-m.

New TV contract that doesn't have the conference's best players kicking off after 8pm Eastern more than half the time. Conference needs to have some say in which teams play when in order to better showcase the best players & teams - even if it's not on FOX or ABC/ESPN

[winflop]

Ask him how we break the curse.

-m.

New TV contract that doesn't have the conference's best players kicking off after 8pm Eastern more than half the time. Conference needs to have some say in which teams play when in order to better showcase the best players & teams - even if it's not on FOX or ABC/ESPN

[CowboyIndian]

New TV contract that doesn't have the conference's best players kicking off after 8pm Eastern more than half the time. Conference needs to have some say in which teams play when in order to better showcase the best players & teams - even if it's not on FOX or ABC/ESPN

I think whoever is in charge of the Voldemort needs a sober reassessment of the voters. If you didn't even have Christian McCaffrey on your ballot last year...then 86! That's not the only criterion I'd use but some of these folks are an embarrassment and have got to go!

[CowboyIndian]

New TV contract that doesn't have the conference's best players kicking off after 8pm Eastern more than half the time. Conference needs to have some say in which teams play when in order to better showcase the best players & teams - even if it's not on FOX or ABC/ESPN

I think whoever is in charge of the Voldemort needs a sober reassessment of the voters. If you didn't even have Christian McCaffrey on your ballot last year...then 86! That's not the only criterion I'd use but some of these folks are an embarrassment and have got to go!

[PAsportsfan]

I like they finish second.

I remember when Stanford never had a player make the the ballot. Now they are on the ballot and finish second! These are the good days.

[PAsportsfan]

I like they finish second.

I remember when Stanford never had a player make the the ballot. Now they are on the ballot and finish second! These are the good days.

[81alum]

Guy Benjamin and Darrin Nelson each came in sixth. 
Elway we know came in 2nd. 
Glyn Milburn came in 9th. 

And I think that is it for the pre-Toby and post-Plunkett era. 

Owen Marecic came in 10th during the 1st of Luck's second place finishes.  I'm sure everyone else remembers all the second place finishes vividly.

[81alum]

Guy Benjamin and Darrin Nelson each came in sixth. 
Elway we know came in 2nd. 
Glyn Milburn came in 9th. 

And I think that is it for the pre-Toby and post-Plunkett era. 

Owen Marecic came in 10th during the 1st of Luck's second place finishes.  I'm sure everyone else remembers all the second place finishes vividly.

[FarmBoy]

I like they finish second.

I remember when Stanford never had a player make the the ballot. Now they are on the ballot and finish second! These are the good days.

Of course, it's better to have a H-man finalist than not. Yes, these are the good days. Yes, just having that perenial exposure of having a player in consideration does loads to maintain our football "brand".

But I still wish one of our guys would be recognized as the best of the best.

[FarmBoy]

I like they finish second.

I remember when Stanford never had a player make the the ballot. Now they are on the ballot and finish second! These are the good days.

Of course, it's better to have a H-man finalist than not. Yes, these are the good days. Yes, just having that perenial exposure of having a player in consideration does loads to maintain our football "brand".

But I still wish one of our guys would be recognized as the best of the best.

[washingtonismoney]

If this is a curse, I might convert to witchcraft.

[washingtonismoney]

If this is a curse, I might convert to witchcraft.

[Phogge]

1940 Frankie Albert fourth.

1951 Bill McColl fourth.

1956 John Brodie seventh.

[Phogge]

1940 Frankie Albert fourth.

1951 Bill McColl fourth.

1956 John Brodie seventh.

[terry]

In addition to those already mentioned:

1940 Norm Standlee 8th
1941 Frankie Albert 3rd
1953 Bobby Garrett 5th

[terry]

In addition to those already mentioned:

1940 Norm Standlee 8th
1941 Frankie Albert 3rd
1953 Bobby Garrett 5th

[French Rage]

[quote author=winflop link=topic=18337.msg217822#msg217822 date=1512955265]
New TV contract that doesn't have the conference's best players kicking off after 8pm Eastern more than half the time. Conference needs to have some say in which teams play when in order to better showcase the best players & teams - even if it's not on FOX or ABC/ESPN

I think whoever is in charge of the    needs a sober reassessment of the voters. If you didn't even have Christian McCaffrey on your ballot last year...then 86! That's not the only criterion I'd use but some of these folks are an embarrassment and have got to go!
[/quote]

Last year or two years ago?  He did come in 9th last year.

[French Rage]

[quote author=winflop link=topic=18337.msg217822#msg217822 date=1512955265]
New TV contract that doesn't have the conference's best players kicking off after 8pm Eastern more than half the time. Conference needs to have some say in which teams play when in order to better showcase the best players & teams - even if it's not on FOX or ABC/ESPN

I think whoever is in charge of the    needs a sober reassessment of the voters. If you didn't even have Christian McCaffrey on your ballot last year...then 86! That's not the only criterion I'd use but some of these folks are an embarrassment and have got to go!
[/quote]

Last year or two years ago?  He did come in 9th last year.

[Phogge]

Plunk eighth in 1969. Albert, Plunk, Elway twice in Top Ten Voldemort voting.

[Phogge]

Plunk eighth in 1969. Albert, Plunk, Elway twice in Top Ten Voldemort voting.

[Mick]

I just realize that the only schools who have had six or more finalists since 1982 are Miami (9), Oklahoma (9), Florida (7), Alabama (7), and Stanford (6).

I also didn't realize that Jim Harbaugh was himself a finalist in 1986.  Harbaugh was invited, but did not attend the ceremony.  Same with DJ Dozier of Penn State.  The three who attended that year were Vinny Testaverde (winner), Paul Palmer and Brian Bosworth.

[Mick]

I just realize that the only schools who have had six or more finalists since 1982 are Miami (9), Oklahoma (9), Florida (7), Alabama (7), and Stanford (6).

I also didn't realize that Jim Harbaugh was himself a finalist in 1986.  Harbaugh was invited, but did not attend the ceremony.  Same with DJ Dozier of Penn State.  The three who attended that year were Vinny Testaverde (winner), Paul Palmer and Brian Bosworth.

[FarmBoy]

I just realize that the only schools who have had six or more finalists since 1982 are Miami (9), Oklahoma (9), Florida (7), Alabama (7), and Stanford (6).

I also didn't realize that Jim Harbaugh was himself a finalist in 1986.  Harbaugh was invited, but did not attend the ceremony.  Same with DJ Dozier of Penn State.  The three who attended that year were Vinny Testaverde (winner), Paul Palmer and Brian Bosworth.

Why didn't he attend? Was it to focus on prepping for his bowl game or something? Or because he knew he wasn't going to win?

[FarmBoy]

I just realize that the only schools who have had six or more finalists since 1982 are Miami (9), Oklahoma (9), Florida (7), Alabama (7), and Stanford (6).

I also didn't realize that Jim Harbaugh was himself a finalist in 1986.  Harbaugh was invited, but did not attend the ceremony.  Same with DJ Dozier of Penn State.  The three who attended that year were Vinny Testaverde (winner), Paul Palmer and Brian Bosworth.

Why didn't he attend? Was it to focus on prepping for his bowl game or something? Or because he knew he wasn't going to win?

[Mick]

[quote author=Mick link=topic=18337.msg217848#msg217848 date=1512964324]
I just realize that the only schools who have had six or more finalists since 1982 are Miami (9), Oklahoma (9), Florida (7), Alabama (7), and Stanford (6).

I also didn't realize that Jim Harbaugh was himself a finalist in 1986.  Harbaugh was invited, but did not attend the ceremony.  Same with DJ Dozier of Penn State.  The three who attended that year were Vinny Testaverde (winner), Paul Palmer and Brian Bosworth.

Why didn't he attend? Was it to focus on prepping for his bowl game or something? Or because he knew he wasn't going to win?
[/quote]

He didn't attend because it was a farce.  Testaverde had all but been granted the award, and they invited five others, including Harbaugh, to pretend that it was a horse race.  I suspect that Harbaugh wanted no part of the farce.  At the end, they weren't all that different.  Testaverde had a longer career, Harbaugh's was slightly more successful.

Here's the NY Times story:
http://www.nytimes.com/1986/12/07/sports...emort.html

[Mick]

[quote author=Mick link=topic=18337.msg217848#msg217848 date=1512964324]
I just realize that the only schools who have had six or more finalists since 1982 are Miami (9), Oklahoma (9), Florida (7), Alabama (7), and Stanford (6).

I also didn't realize that Jim Harbaugh was himself a finalist in 1986.  Harbaugh was invited, but did not attend the ceremony.  Same with DJ Dozier of Penn State.  The three who attended that year were Vinny Testaverde (winner), Paul Palmer and Brian Bosworth.

Why didn't he attend? Was it to focus on prepping for his bowl game or something? Or because he knew he wasn't going to win?
[/quote]

He didn't attend because it was a farce.  Testaverde had all but been granted the award, and they invited five others, including Harbaugh, to pretend that it was a horse race.  I suspect that Harbaugh wanted no part of the farce.  At the end, they weren't all that different.  Testaverde had a longer career, Harbaugh's was slightly more successful.

Here's the NY Times story:
http://www.nytimes.com/1986/12/07/sports...emort.html

[DC 86]

[quote author=FarmBoy link=topic=18337.msg217855#msg217855 date=1512966674]
[quote author=Mick link=topic=18337.msg217848#msg217848 date=1512964324]
I just realize that the only schools who have had six or more finalists since 1982 are Miami (9), Oklahoma (9), Florida (7), Alabama (7), and Stanford (6).

I also didn't realize that Jim Harbaugh was himself a finalist in 1986.  Harbaugh was invited, but did not attend the ceremony.  Same with DJ Dozier of Penn State.  The three who attended that year were Vinny Testaverde (winner), Paul Palmer and Brian Bosworth.

Why didn't he attend? Was it to focus on prepping for his bowl game or something? Or because he knew he wasn't going to win?
[/quote]

He didn't attend because it was a farce.  Testaverde had all but been granted the award, and they invited five others, including Harbaugh, to pretend that it was a horse race.  I suspect that Harbaugh wanted no part of the farce.  At the end, they weren't all that different.  Testaverde had a longer career, Harbaugh's was slightly more successful.

Here's the NY Times story:
http://www.nytimes.com/1986/12/07/sports...-  .html
[/quote]

Actually Harbaugh didn't attend because he was playing in a game that day 6,000 miles away. Michigan finished its 1986 regular season vs Hawaii at Aloha stadium on December 6th, the same day as the H-man ceremony.

I think players appreciate the recognition and trip to New York even knowing that they aren't going to win. Bryce Love and Lamar Jackson certainly knew that the trophy was going to Mayfield, but they and their parents and friends were still honored for their standout seasons and seemed to enjoy the experience. I don't recall players and their families turning down the invitation to the ceremony even when it was obvious that they were not going to be the winner.

[DC 86]

[quote author=FarmBoy link=topic=18337.msg217855#msg217855 date=1512966674]
[quote author=Mick link=topic=18337.msg217848#msg217848 date=1512964324]
I just realize that the only schools who have had six or more finalists since 1982 are Miami (9), Oklahoma (9), Florida (7), Alabama (7), and Stanford (6).

I also didn't realize that Jim Harbaugh was himself a finalist in 1986.  Harbaugh was invited, but did not attend the ceremony.  Same with DJ Dozier of Penn State.  The three who attended that year were Vinny Testaverde (winner), Paul Palmer and Brian Bosworth.

Why didn't he attend? Was it to focus on prepping for his bowl game or something? Or because he knew he wasn't going to win?
[/quote]

He didn't attend because it was a farce.  Testaverde had all but been granted the award, and they invited five others, including Harbaugh, to pretend that it was a horse race.  I suspect that Harbaugh wanted no part of the farce.  At the end, they weren't all that different.  Testaverde had a longer career, Harbaugh's was slightly more successful.

Here's the NY Times story:
http://www.nytimes.com/1986/12/07/sports...-  .html
[/quote]

Actually Harbaugh didn't attend because he was playing in a game that day 6,000 miles away. Michigan finished its 1986 regular season vs Hawaii at Aloha stadium on December 6th, the same day as the H-man ceremony.

I think players appreciate the recognition and trip to New York even knowing that they aren't going to win. Bryce Love and Lamar Jackson certainly knew that the trophy was going to Mayfield, but they and their parents and friends were still honored for their standout seasons and seemed to enjoy the experience. I don't recall players and their families turning down the invitation to the ceremony even when it was obvious that they were not going to be the winner.

[FarmBoy]

I knew there was something like that rolling around in the back of my head. I think there's some anecdote of him being told he came in third during half time or something. If Testaverde's award show was a farce, what does that make this year's ceremony? I suspect Love is still glad he attended if only to let his family and full back bask in his reflected glory and enjoy the celebration.

[FarmBoy]

I knew there was something like that rolling around in the back of my head. I think there's some anecdote of him being told he came in third during half time or something. If Testaverde's award show was a farce, what does that make this year's ceremony? I suspect Love is still glad he attended if only to let his family and full back bask in his reflected glory and enjoy the celebration.

[csfoster]

At least he is not Penny.

[csfoster]

At least he is not Penny.