Shake your Booty! - July 24, 2007
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It is 38 days, roughly 23 hours and some minutes until USC kicks off their season against Idaho. So let’s talk Heisman trophy, shall we?
Now I know y’all are at least as football obsessed as I am and so talking Heisman in JULY makes perfect sense to you, as well. And by the way TRAINING CAMP IS HERE! TRAINING CAMP IS HERE! And the Pittsburgh Steelers have made my fellow Trojan alumnus Troy Polamalu the richest Steeler in history with a 4 year, $30.9 million contract. WAY TO GO STEELERS! Locking him in before free agency next year is the smartest move by any NFL organization so far this year.
But back to that venerable old trophy, the Heisman.
Oddsmakers both in the blogosphere, offshore online type betting sites and in my hometown of Las Vegas have USC QB John David Booty as the 2007 Heisman trophy winner. I can live with this. hee. Just as I was thrilled to live with the fact that we won in 2002 with Carson Palmer, 2004 with Matt Leinart and 2005 with Reggie Bush. All in all, USC has 7 Heisman trophies–1965’s Mike Garrett (SC’s current Athletic Director), 1968’s OJ Simpson, 1979’s Charles White, and 1981’s Marcus Allen round out the seven. Only one other university has as many as we do — Notre Dame. Together USC and Notre Dame lead the pack. For the record- UCLA has one. Back in the 1960s. hee.
I think Booty has a great shot at winning the Heisman this year. His chances, however, more so than other candidates, ARE tied to USC’s record. Lose a game (or two) and his chances plummet. This is not so much the case for a candidate such as the University of Hawaii’s Colt Brennan. Heisman voters will expect more out of a candidate from USC, that is just a fact. It would be the same for Notre Dame.
Booty has 303 career completions (8th all time at USC). He has 3,764 career passing yards (10th all time at USC). He has 3,690 total yards of offense (14th all time at USC). He has 32 career touchdown passes, has thrown a TD pass in 15 games; including 9 times with at least 2 TD throws and 7 with at least 3 TDs. He has thrown for at least 200 yards in 11 career games. He wears the number 10 and is 6′3.
I’m going to do a little predicting here my friends and fans. My picks for the five players who will be invited to NYC in December for the presentation of the Heisman Trophy are: John David Booty, QB USC; Brian Brohm, QB Univ. of Louisville; Steve Slaton, RB University of West Virginia; Darren McFadden, TB University of Arkansas; and Colt Brennan, QB University of Hawaii.
I think I’ve got a pretty good shot of all five making it. But definitely at least three of my picks will be sitting on the stage at the Downtown Athletic Club in December. And hopefully USC will be adding an 8th Heisman trophy to the display in Heritage Hall.
-Your Gridion Goddess
