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QB Troy Smith (2006 Heisman Trophy Winner)

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Dispatch

HEISMAN LANDSLIDE
OSU quarterback wins highest percentage of first-place votes ever

Sunday, December 10, 2006

Ken Gordon
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

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Ohio State fans at Eddie George?s Grille 27 in Columbus celebrate as Troy Smith is named the Heisman Trophy winner.
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After winning the Heisman, Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith thanked God, coach Jim Tressel, his mother and sister, his high-school coach, Ted Ginn Sr., and his teammates. He also named every member of the starting offensive line.


NEW YORK ? As soon as Ohio State University quarterback Troy Smith was announced as the Heisman Trophy winner last night, Tracy and Brittany Smith pumped up the volume. Smith?s mother and sister jumped to their feet, whooping and calling out Troy?s name. "We?re a loud family," Troy said, smiling and shrugging. "The Smith family is a loud family, whether you like it or not. They?re emotional all the time, but I wouldn?t have it any other way."
Tracy and Brittany were just two of many people who shared in Smith?s triumph last night in the Nokia Theatre on Times Square.
On the other end of the noise spectrum was coach Jim Tressel. But as Smith hugged him, it was obvious the normally stoic Tressel was fighting his emotions.
"If you get into a situation where you can shake and rattle him, you?ve done something," Smith said, "because he is the embodiment of being even-keel all the way."
Tressel still sounded emotional 90 minutes after Smith accepted the award.
"That was just, I think, a moment where we could hug one another and love one another," he said. "I know how I feel and how he feels, it was just a moment of celebration.
"It was such a special night, when you think about all that Troy has gone through and what this means to he and his teammates and Ohio State, and it?s just a great reminder how blessed we are to work with him."
Smith won the 72 nd Heisman Trophy in a landslide, besting Arkansas runner-up Darren McFadden by 1,662 points. Smith collected the highest percentage of firstplace votes (86.7) in history and the second-largest margin of victory.
McFadden?s 878 points edged Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn (782), who was third.
In his acceptance speech, Smith thanked dozens of people. For a minute, as he listed the starting offensive line, it seemed he was going to name the entire roster.
"The toughest part of my speech was not being able to thank any and everybody I wanted to thank, because so many people helped me along the way," Smith said.
He wore a dark-gray suit with a scarlet-and-gray tie, scarlet handkerchief and gray shoes.
He said he did not cry, "because all my emotions left my body at our senior banquet, and I wasn?t going to cry again."
Also at the ceremony were Smith?s high-school coach at Cleveland Glenville, Ted Ginn Sr., OSU athletic director Gene Smith and friend Mikal Baker.
It was the seventh Heisman won by an Ohio State player and the first since running back Eddie George in 1995. Ohio State now is tied with Notre Dame and Southern California for most won by a school.
Smith also became the first true Big Ten quarterback to win one. Ohio State?s Les Horvath was called a quarterback when he won in 1944, but he was more of a halfback.
Smith has completed 67 percent of his passes for 2,507 yards, with 30 touchdowns and five interceptions.
He was the third black quarterback to win, after Andre Ware, of Houston, in 1989, and Charlie Ward, of Florida State, in 1993. "You kind of hope or think that you paved the way for the next guy to come through," Ware said. "The wheels are turning, aren?t they? "
Smith, though, downplayed the race factor.
"People like to bring up color, and I don?t understand that," he said. "I see people, I see quarterbacks. I don?t see color."
He was asked where he would keep his trophy.
"My mother is usually in charge of the trophies, but there?s a lot of family members back home who would like to get their quote-unquote grubby fingers on things," Smith said. "But they won?t get this one."
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Dispatch

COMMENTARY
Smith?s winning moment caps an incredible transformation

Sunday, December 10, 2006

BOB HUNTER


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It seems like a warped memory that has been twisted by time, a spring day in 2004 when Troy Smith struggled to keep his irritation in check after being stuck in a competitive situation with Justin Zwick that wasn?t fair.
Smith and Zwick were trying to prove to the Ohio State coaches that they deserved to succeed Craig Krenzel as starting quarterback, and the noscrambling rules devised for the spring game clearly favored Zwick. It looked like a setup designed to give the job to him ? there had long been rumors that Zwick had been promised the job when Ohio State was recruiting him ? and Smith wasn?t happy about it.
"I mean, why should I be?" he said that day.
That was a different Smith than he is now, different than the give-his-teammates-all-the-credit guy who last night won the Heisman Trophy. This was a talented but impudent kid who wasn?t a whole lot different than most of us, a young player who saw the world only as it affected him.
"(Coach Jim Tressel) told me he wanted me to work on just standing in the pocket and releasing the ball, which I can understand," Smith had said that day. "But if you look back at the national championship game that we won, Craig (Krenzel) had 81 yards rushing, all on step-ups."
Zwick had a big day, completing 16 of 26 passes for 165 yards. Smith, or the limited guy wearing his jersey, was a so-so 7 of 15, missed some open receivers and absorbed seven artificial sacks. He knew, we all knew, this wasn?t a fair measure of his talent, and this was a kid who knew what it meant to be cheated in life.
"As a quarterback, you have to stay positive," he said. "You always have to stay positive, even when everything is going against you."
That was Smith before he acquired all the polish, before he gained the maturity necessary to become the nation?s top college football player. It was a Smith who probably never could have become the acknowledged leader of an unbeaten team, one whose youthful hardships had given him reason to be skeptical of the coaches? motives, no matter how honorable they seemed.
When you think about the differences between that brash Smith and this self-effacing Smith, it becomes clear just how much distance he has traveled in 2? years. This is a tale of two Troy Smiths, one who isn?t the same, as a quarterback or a person.
That Smith was an outstanding athlete who just happened to play quarterback, an elusive runner who could throw if there was nowhere to run. He was good enough to be the starting quarterback, but as long as a drop-back passer with Zwick?s credentials was there, the most Smith probably could hope for was something akin to that uncomfortable Joe Germaine-Stanley Jackson platoon.
The fire inside him burned just as hot as it does now, but it could easily be misdirected; his opinion, which he wasn?t reluctant to express publicly, rang just true enough to make his coaches nervous.
Even after he lost the job to Zwick and then won it back, there were still traces of the old Troy in his willingness to accept $500 from a booster, a transgression that earned him a two-game suspension that included the 2004 Alamo Bowl.
The path from there to here has been a little squiggly at times, but there is no denying that the Heisman represented a remarkable triumph, not only for Smith but for Tressel and the other coaches and teammates who believed in him. The kid who thought mostly of himself, the kid who was once more athlete than quarterback has grown into arguably the best quarterback in Ohio State history. He has grown into a consummate leader who can?t go two sentences without saying something nice about one of his teammates, a man who used the team appreciation banquet to tell the world how much he appreciates what Zwick did for him.
If you didn?t know better, you would swear this was a madefor-TV movie, a feel-good story that could never possibly happen in real life.
Only somehow it did.
Bob Hunter is a sports columnist for The Dispatch.
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Dispatch

Heisman winner finds N.Y. suits him
Smith gets taste of city during whirlwind weekend

Sunday, December 10, 2006

Rob Oller
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

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Quarterback Troy Smith answers questions after being awarded the Heisman Trophy. He collected the highest percentage of first-place votes (86.7) in the trophy?s 72-year history.


NEW YORK ? Troy Smith caught a nap not even 12 hours into his first trip to NYC, thereby falling behind early against the city that never sleeps. The Heisman Trophy winner, however, made up ground fast and is headed for the lead.
By the time Smith leaves New York on Tuesday morning ? bronze statue in tow ? the Ohio State senior quarterback will have experienced much of what a city he described as being "four or five Clevelands" has to offer.
His observations through the first two days? The Big Apple offers a nice blend of sweet and sour. He said the people, contrary to popular opinion, are sweet as a red delicious. But the traffic and freezing temperatures are too tart for his tastes.
Smith?s first encounter with a Manhattan subway showed both sides of the forbidden fruit.
"We actually had to stand in the subway to get some heat," he said. "When we got out of the car (Friday), the wind was blowing and hitting the back of our necks. But it was an experience I wouldn?t take back. It helped me have an understanding of how New York can be very cold and bitter for you, or you can try to lighten the situation up and do something simple like go into a subway to catch some heat."
Smith spent last night enjoying the fruits of his labor while also realizing that each passing day makes a life of anonymity less likely.
On Friday, he went pretty much unnoticed in New York. After lunch with former Heisman winner Tony Dorsett, Smith taped an ESPN segment with Stephen A. Smith, then took a late afternoon nap. After dinner at a Smith & Wollensky steakhouse, he stepped out to the 40-40 club with former Buckeyes Mike Doss and Steve Moore and two childhood friends from Cleveland.
"It was a laid-back night. I enjoyed it because I was a regular," he said. "Back home a lot of people recognize my face, but here I?m just a regular guy trying to get into a club."
That?s about to change. Smith spent part of yesterday taping another ESPN show (The Pulse), then went in front of the cameras after winning the Heisman. Today, he is scheduled to appear on the CBS NFL pregame show, then rise and shine early Monday for an interview on Good Morning America. It?s likely he also will go on ESPN?s Cold Pizza from the New York Stock Exchange, where the plan is to have him ring the bell to signal that trading can begin. Finally, there is a black-tie dinner reception at the Hilton, where he actually will receive the 25-pound trophy.
Between the scheduled appointments, Smith will see the city with his mother, Tracy, and sister Brittany. The possibilities include a trip to the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty and as many excellent restaurants as they can find.
"I?ve got to set a whole day apart for (Tracy) because I know she?s going to want to do it all," he said, smiling. "But she deserves it. I just have to tag along with it."
Tracy Smith is a bargain shopper, but her son plans to keep a close eye on the buying spree because New York is a city where haggling over prices is almost expected.
"So I have to really watch her or they?ll take her," he said, pausing. "But my mother has an understanding of when she?s trying to be had, so she?ll be set."
Other than shady street vendors, Smith found New Yorkers to be "a delight." No one was disrespectful, "even though the picture of them is painted that way," he said.
"They?re active people, a lot of people who have dreams ? and they don?t mind sharing it with you and letting you know what they want to do," he said.
As for the weather and traffic ?
"The driving is crazy. Nobody cares about the street lines and lanes," he said. "It?s a free-forall."
But it?s not intimidating, Smith said, adding that he could see himself playing for the New York Jets or Giants next season.
"It?s a city just like the rest," he said. "They?re people, just like everywhere else. There just might be a little more of them. I would definitely survive."
By all indications, he might even thrive.
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ABJ

Smith wins Heisman in a landslide

By Marla Ridenour

Beacon Journal sportswriter

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AP Photo/Julie Jacobson
Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith holds up the Heisman Trophy after winning the award in a landslide over Arkansas' Darren McFadden and Notre Dame's Brady Quinn Saturday, Dec. 9, 2006, in New York.

NEW YORK - All young boys in Glenville want for Christmas this year is a No. 10 jersey.
The dangerous streets of east Cleveland produced their ultimate champion Saturday night, when Buckeyes quarterback Troy Smith captured the 72nd Heisman Trophy at the Nokia Theater.
Asked what he thought was going on back in his neighborhood, Smith said: ``Hopefully, they're celebrating. I feel as passionate about them as they do about me. My passion runs so deep for the mean streets of Cleveland. There's going to be a change eventually. I want to do a lot of things. Who better to start things with than a Glenville guy.''
Tears flowed from nearly everyone in the OSU contingent but Smith. In an inpromptu acceptance speech, Smith thanked a wide range of friends, family and teammates, from his offensive linemen to his foster parents Irvin and Diane White, who took him in for four years starting when he was 9, while his mother, Tracy, battled drug problems.
``All my emotions left my body at our senior banquet,'' Smith said, adding he won a bet for a double cheeseburger with an OSU staffer because he didn't cry.
Tracy Smith and his older sister, Brittany, leaped from their seats and screamed when Smith's name was called.
``The Smith family is a loud family, very emotional all the time,'' Troy Smith said. ``I wouldn't have it any other way.''
Smith hugged them, Ohio State coach Jim Tressel and his wife, Ellen, and bear-hugged Glenville coach and father figure Ted Ginn Sr.
``A man has to teach a man how to be a man and he did just that,'' Smith said of Ginn.
Even Tressel teared up when Smith said, ``He put the ball in my hand and let me know he had trust in me to be his quarterback.''
``If you get in a situation where you can shake and rattle him, you've done something,'' Smith said later of Tressel's reaction. ``He is the embodiment of being even keel all the way through. It's 90 degrees and you've got a sweater vest and tie up to your neck on; that speaks volumes.''
On his way to the airport afterward, Tressel said the hug they shared ``was just a moment where we could hug one another and love one another. I know how I feel and I know how he feels. It was just a celebration.''
Among the others who came to support Smith were foster brother Rod Smith, a three-year starting center at Ohio State, childhood friend Mikal Baker and Glenville's principal. OSU representatives included Tressel, quarterbacks coach Joe Daniels and director of athletics Gene Smith.
As poised as Troy Smith has been in compiling a 25-2 record as a starter and leading undefeated OSU to the BCS National Championship Game, Smith wasn't calm in the moments leading up to the announcement.
``My heart was beating,'' Smith said. ``I'm still in awe over the situation.
``I still remember sitting in the recruiting office and this little short guy named Joe Daniels told me I could be the quarterback for this university.''
Smith totaled 2,540 points, and his 1,662-point margin of victory was the second largest behind O.J. Simpson's 1,750 in 1968. Smith's was also the largest margin by a Buckeye, besting Howard ``Hopalong'' Cassady's 1,477-point edge in 1955.
Smith received the highest percentage of first-place votes with 86.7 and the third-most points behind Simpson and Reggie Bush in 2005.
Arkansas sophomore tailback Darren McFadden finished a surprising second with 878 points and was named on 53 percent of the 924 ballots, and Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn, a Dublin native, was third with 782 points, named on 52 percent of the ballots.
Smith, a 22-year-old senior, became the sixth Buckeye to capture the coveted trophy. He joined Eddie George (1995), Archie Griffin (1974, '75), Cassady, Vic Janowicz (1950) and Les Horvath (1944). Ohio State tied USC and Notre Dame for the most winners with seven (counting Griffin's two).
To the knowledge of the Heisman staff, Smith is the first winner to be sanctioned by the NCAA. He was suspended from the 2004 Alamo Bowl and the 2005 season opener for taking $500 from a booster.
As he capped a rocky journey at Ohio State, Smith confessed he first thought of winning the Heisman after the Buckeyes captured the 2002 national championship. He was a redshirt freshman, but seniors bragged about the youngsters on that team who had yet to see the field.
Smith made it clear that he has a spot for the bronze statue that will change his life.
``My mother's in charge of trophies,'' he said. ``I have some family members who like to put their grubby fingers on trophies. They won't get this one.''
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Canton

Smith's Heisman win touches off celebrations

Sunday, December 10, 2006

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - Troy Smith, the top player on the nation's top team, said his Heisman Trophy belonged to millions of fans back in his home state.


"This win is for everybody in the state of Ohio, not just the Ohio State University," a jubilant Smith said Saturday night in New York after he was selected as the 2006 Heisman Trophy winner.

Smith became Ohio State's sixth winner, joining Les Horvath (1944), Vic Janowicz (1950), Howard "Hopalong" Cassady (1955), Archie Griffin (1974, '75) and Eddie George (1995).

Smith said he recognized that he would forever be judged by a different standard now.

"I am definitely in the microscope now. I am in the fishbowl, whatever you would call it," he said moments after accepting the award given annually to the top player in college football. "But being the quarterback at Ohio State, in itself, you're under the microscope and everybody knows who you are."

His win set off a boisterous celebration at George's eponymous bar and grill near the Ohio State campus, where fans cheered and raised their glasses. A large banner outside featured the names and numbers of all the Ohio State players who have won the trophy and read, "Congratulations Troy. Welcome to the family!"

Griffin and Cassady, among the past winners standing behind Smith when he stepped to the podium, were among the first people to welcome their fellow Buckeye into the elite fraternity.

Before leaving for New York and the Heisman announcement, Griffin was asked if Smith deserved to be mentioned among the premier players ever at Ohio State.

"He should be in that conversation," Griffin said. "At least in my opinion he certainly's the best quarterback that I've seen at Ohio State and we've had some doggone good ones. But the performances I've seen out of Troy, they've really been phenomenal. Especially when you look at how he plays in the big games. The Michigan game in particular, but even the Notre Dame game and big games, he seems to come through. That's just so very, very valuable."

Smith captured a record 87 percent of the votes from Heisman voters across the country. Arkansas running back Darren McFadden was second, with Dublin, Ohio, native Brady Quinn, quarterback at Notre Dame, in third place.

Judge John E. Sprizzo, a Heisman trustee, announced Smith's name at 8:55 p.m. A smile creased the Cleveland native's face as he stood, shook hands with Quinn and then turned to the row behind and hugged his mother, Tracy Smith, and his sister, Brittany.

Dressed in a dark, pinstriped three-piece suit with a scarlet-and-gray tie and scarlet pocket square, Smith also hugged Ohio State coach Jim Tressel, who said, "I'm so proud of you."

Smith then hugged the man he calls his father figure and mentor, Glenville High School football and track coach Ted Ginn Sr.

In Columbus and Cleveland, and at many other places around Ohio, Buckeyes fans and Troy Smith fans were rejoicing at his selection.

At George's restaurant, there was complete silence as a large crowd awaited the announcement. When Smith's name was read, the group erupted in cheers, with people raising their glasses and even banging on beer buckets.

"I think he got what his work deserves," said defensive back Brandon Mitchell, one of several of Smith's teammates who were watching at the restaurant. "Troy worked really hard over the summer and into the fall. He's led us and led us well. For him to get this award is the ultimate accomplishment."

Fullback Dionte Johnson added, "He's such a team player. All year long, he's put the team before himself. It's just good to see him get what he deserves."

After the announcement, Johnson and Mitchell unveiled Smith's name and number on the restaurant's Heisman hall of fame wall as "Carmen Ohio," Ohio State's alma mater, played. The wall features the names and numbers of all the Ohio State players who have won the trophy.

Fans were overjoyed. Mike Box, a fan from Seattle who was in Columbus working with a construction company, said, "He was the top college player bar none. The reason why Troy Smith is the Heisman winner is that he did not have a bad game. He was consistent every time he stepped on the field."

Ohio State has won its last 19 games, matching the second-longest winning streak in school history. Only a 22-game streak from 1967-69 is longer.

The top-ranked Buckeyes (12-0) tackle No. 2 Florida on Jan. 8 in Glendale, Ariz., in the national championship game.

"It feels great to get it (the Heisman Trophy) out of the way and move on to the University of Florida and prepare for the national championship game," Smith said.

Smith was voted the team's MVP on Sunday at the annual team banquet. Smith, who graduated last spring and is working on a master's degree, completed 67 percent of his passes for a school-record 30 touchdowns with just five interceptions.

This week he also won the Walter Camp and Davey O'Brien awards.

Smith was asked if he had dreamed of winning the Heisman as a kid.
"No, I don't think so," he said. "But now that it's here, I know I'll dream about it tonight. It's pretty emotional."
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Canton

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?I?m at a loss for words. I just can?t believe this is happening. ... It means everything. Just to be here in this situation. I love everybody back home in Columbus.?​


OSU?s Smith wins Heisman landslide
Sunday, December 10, 2006
By RALPH D. RUSSO AP Sports Writer


NEW YORK Winning the Heisman Trophy was easy. The hard part for Troy Smith was staying composed.
To the surprise of no one, the Ohio State quarterback was a runaway winner Saturday night of the award that honors college football?s best player.
Seconds after his name was called, he hugged everyone important in his life ? coaches and family ? let out a deep, deep sigh and headed for the podium.
?Normally, I?m pretty cool in pressure situations, but my heart is pounding so fast now,? he said.
?I?m at a loss for words. I just can?t believe this is happening. ... It means everything. Just to be here in this situation. I love everybody back home in Columbus.?
Just two years after nearly derailing his career by taking money from a booster, Smith received 801 first-place votes and won the Heisman by 1,662 points ? both the second-best marks in the 71-year history of the award.
The senior moved to the front of the Heisman race in September with a flawless performance against Texas and finished off a perfect regular season by throwing four touchdown passes against Michigan.
Now, there?s only one thing left for Smith to do: Beat Florida for the national championship on Jan. 8.
RUNAWAY WIN
Like so many of the victories Smith has led the Buckeyes to this season, the Heisman win was a rout.
Arkansas running back Darren McFadden finished second, Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn was third and West Virginia running back Steve Slaton was fourth.
Only O.J. Simpson?s 1,750-point victory in 1968 was more onesided than Smith?s.
A huge smile lit up Smith?s face when the winner was announced. After getting a hug and handshake from Quinn, Smith headed to the row of chairs directly behind him, where his mother, Tracy, and sister, Brittany, were sitting.
They each took turns giving Smith a big squeeze. But Smith wasn?t done with the hugs ? one for Ohio State Coach Jim Tressel and another for his high school coach, Ted Ginn Sr.
Mom wiped away a tear and his sister shouted ?Yeah, Troy!? as Smith ascended the stairs to give his speech and collect his big bronze statue.
Smith also received 86.7 percent of the first-place votes, a record, and his point total of 2,540 places third in Heisman history behind Simpson (2,853) and fellow Southern California tailback Reggie Bush, who had 2,541 last season.
ANOTHER BUCKEYE
The 22-year-old Smith is the sixth player from Ohio State to win the Heisman and first since tailback Eddie George in 1995. And it?s the school?s seventh Heisman ? Archie Griffin won two in 1974-75 ? tying Notre Dame and Southern California for the most.
USC had been on a Heisman run, winning two straight and three of the last four, before Smith stepped in. Just like USC?s Bush and Matt Leinart, and Oklahoma?s Jason White in ?03, Smith will play for the national title as a Heisman winner.
It?s been quite a journey.
Smith came to Ohio State as part of a heralded recruiting class in 2002, but his signing was little more than a footnote. His claim to fame was being Ted Ginn Jr.?s quarterback at Glenville High School.
Smith was labeled an ?athlete? coming out of high school, the type of player who might ultimately find a home at wide receiver or defensive back.
Even Tressel wasn?t sure he?d play quarterback, but he saw potential.
But Smith, a foster child as a teen with a quick temper, also had a penchant for finding trouble. After getting kicked off the basketball team at a private high school for elbowing an opponent, he transferred out of the suburbs of Cleveland to inner-city Glenville High. Smith, who is black, said the white opposing player used a racial slur against him.
At Ohio State, Smith was involved in a fight outside a dorm in the fall of 2003 and found guilty of disorderly conduct.
GREAT FINISH to 2005
On the field, Smith couldn?t beat out Massillon?s Justin Zwick, the highly touted blue-chipper from the ?02 class, at the start of the 2004 season. But when the Buckeyes lost three straight and Zwick got hurt, Smith got his chance and righted the Buckeyes with his running and passing.
Then he tripped himself up again.
An NCAA investigation determined he took $500 from an Ohio State booster in the spring of 2004. He could have been gone from the Buckeyes for good. Ultimately, he had to repay the money and sit out a bowl game and the first game of 2005.
Back from suspension, he finally became a star.
Smith finished the ?05 season with consecutive 300-yard passing games in victories over Michigan and Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl, essentially kicking off his ?06 Heisman campaign.
Once known more his speed and elusiveness, Smith?s become the consummate pocket-passer. Accurate and poised, he?s fourth in the nation in passer rating (167.9) with 2,507 yards passing and 30 TD passes.
He heads into the BCS championship game 25-2 as a starter, and ? Gators beware ? Smith has been at his best when the Buckeyes have needed him most.
The first Ohio State quarterback in 70 years to lead the Buckeyes to three straight victories over Michigan, Smith had 1,051 total yards with three touchdown passes and another TD run against the Wolverines. He?s 11-1 as a starter against ranked opponents, with a chance to improve on that mark in the biggest game of his career in Arizona against Florida.
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CPD

He's Cleveland's man, OSU's man, Heisman


Sunday, December 10, 2006 Doug Lesmerises
Plain Dealer Reporter

New York -- Troy Smith, a child of Cleveland who wasn't even recruited to Ohio State as a quarterback, accepted the 72nd Heisman Trophy on Saturday, winning the most prestigious honor in college football in one of the largest landslides in the history of the award.
What had been a foregone conclusion since Smith led the 12-0 Buckeyes past Michigan on Nov. 18 at last became a reality.
"I haven't spent that much time dreaming about it, but now that it's here, I'll dream about it tonight," Smith said.

When his name was called, Smith lowered his head as his mother, Tracy, and sister, Brittany, leapt to their feet behind him. He hugged fellow finalist Brady Quinn before embracing his family, then Ohio State coach Jim Tressel and his high school coach at Glenville, Ted Ginn Sr.
"That was just, I think, a moment where we could hug one another and love one another," Tressel said. "I know how I feel and know how he feels. It was just a celebration."
Smith then took the six steps to the stage at the Nokia Theatre in Times Square and exhaled before facing a live audience of about 500, which included 25 previous Heisman winners. The senior quarterback who built his reputation playing his best in Ohio State's biggest games then admitted that he'd been overcome by the moment.
"Normally I'm pretty cool in pressure situations, but my heart is pounding so fast right now," Smith said.
Smith received 801 of 886 first-place votes cast, his 86.7 percent of the top votes the highest percentage in Heisman history.
He received 62 second-place votes, 13 third-place votes and was left off 10 ballots. He earned 2,540 total points, 91.6 percent of the maximum total, which was the second-highest ever.
Arkansas running back Darren McFadden finished second, Quinn third and West Virginia running back Steve Slaton fourth.
Smith, 22, joins five previous Ohio State Heisman winners - Les Horvath (1944), Vic Janowicz (1950), Howard Cassady (1955), Archie Griffin (1974 and 1975) and Eddie George (1995). The seven trophies tie Ohio State with Notre Dame and Southern California for the most wins by a university in Heisman history.
Smith didn't prepare an acceptance speech, but spent most of his words offering thank-yous, from his family to his coaches, to his teammates, naming every one of his offensive linemen. Tressel had tears in his eyes before Smith was done.
"It was such a special night, when you think about all that Troy has gone through and what this means to he and his teammates and Ohio State," Tressel said. "It's just a great reminder how blessed we have been to work with him."
Smith threw for 2,507 yards this season, completing 199 of 297 passes for 30 touchdowns, with just five interceptions.
Though he ranked in the top five nationally in touchdown passes and quarterback rating, his victory wasn't a result of individual statistics. He won as the best player on the nation's best team.
He has one game left, a chance to bring the No. 1 Buckeyes a national title with a win over Florida.
Already, he's come so far. Raised on Cleveland's East Side, Smith attended St. Edward High School before playing his senior season at Glenville High. After ESPN told the tale of Smith's often-difficult childhood, which included time in foster care, Brittany Smith was left with tears in her eyes.
Said Ginn Sr., "It was pretty emotional, seeing him and knowing what he went through over the years. But in my heart, I already knew."
A corner of Tracy Smith's living room is filled with her son's trophies, but she's ready to make room for one more.
"I need to get a safe," she said. "But we can leave it out for a couple days."
Said Troy Smith, smiling, "I have a lot of family members back home that like to put their grubby hands on trophies. They won't get this one."
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:
[email protected], 216-999-4479
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CPD

Some Tar-ific news

Glenville glad, loud and proud about Tarblooder grad's trophy grab

Sunday, December 10, 2006 Tim Warsinskey
Plain Dealer Reporter

Whack, thud, tar, Heisman. It was a great day to be a Tarblooder on Saturday.
Troy Smith won the Heisman Trophy, and the Cleveland phenomenon that is Glenville Tarblooders football was etched in college lore. Pride in one of Cleveland's most storied neighborhoods and football teams had another reason to swell.
"It's beautiful. I can't believe he came from the same high school I went to," said Terry Miles, a 1983 graduate, as he left Chillie's Restaurant a couple blocks from the high school. "To see a kid from this neighborhood win the Heisman? That shows a kid like that can accomplish anything. His family has to be so proud of him. I look at him and say, 'I wish that was my son.' "
Down the street at Tarblooders Sports Barbershop, owner Darrell Solomon took great pride in Smith's victory. Smith, his staff and customers intently watched an ESPN broadcast that paid homage to the area with a poem by Clevelander Basheer Jones, footage of Glenville and a profile of Smith growing up in Cleveland.
"We're going to the top, baby!" Solomon yelled a few minutes before the announcement. "This is unbelievable."
When Smith received the Heisman, barbershop staff and customers cheered and pumped fists.
"Glenville! Tarblooders! Glenville in the house. Troy Smith!" screamed barber Herbert Walker, a Glenville grad. "That's our dude, we love him!"
The feeling is mutual.
"Hopefully, they're celebrating," Smith said of the people of Glenville. "Hopefully everyone in that community has an understanding that I feel as passionate about them as they do about me. My passion runs so deep for the mean streets of Cleveland.
"There has to be a change, and there's going to be a change. I want to do a lot of things in the Glenville community, and who better to start that than a Glenville guy?"
The buildup to Smith, a 2002 Glenville graduate, winning the trophy had a grip on the neighborhood, Solomon said.
"It's been a topic of discussion every day here," Solomon said. "Kids from 2 years old, I'm not kidding, on up, they all know about Troy. It gives the kids hope that they can do the same kind of thing if they dig deep."
Solomon has a collage of autographed Smith photos and memorabilia at his Glenville-themed shop, which has developed an OSU feel because of the seven Tarblooders playing for the Buckeyes. Solomon decorated the shop with scarlet-and-gray balloons and stayed open late for the Heisman event. Solomon said he cut Smith's hair "when he was a scrawny little kid."
"It's not only Troy," he said. "It's a group of guys like Troy who are not just athletes, but doing it in academics, too. Troy graduated from Ohio State with a degree in communications."
Smith is the third player with roots in Cleveland to win the trophy named for native Clevelander John Heisman, one of football's earliest innovators. The 1991 winner, University of Michigan receiver Desmond Howard, grew up in Cleveland and graduated from St. Joseph (now Villa Angela-St. Joseph). Les Horvath was raised in Parma and played at Rhodes High in Cleveland. He became the first Ohio State player to win the award in 1944. Smith is the sixth OSU winner.
Aside from the barbershop, there did not appear to be much hoopla around town. That might come later this week. Smith is expected to appear at Glenville High, possibly on Wednesday.
Saturday night, Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson declared Wednesday would be Troy Smith Day.
In the neighborhood where Smith's mother lives near Collinwood, there were no signs in yards or on storefronts Saturday. Most of Smith's family was in New York with him. Other than a long line at the local car wash on Euclid Avenue, the neighborhood was quiet. Across town at the Ohio City house where John Heisman was born in 1869, the house was dark, and no one was home.
A few hours before the ceremony, a brilliant sunset shot lines of pink clouds over Glenville High. Behind the school, a half dozen boys played basketball on patches of open court surrounded by ice and snow. A trio of girls watched.
The girls, huddled on a bench and wearing parkas, said they had heard of Troy Smith, but didn't know who he was. Asked who knew that Troy Smith was about to win the Heisman Trophy, and several boys' hands shot up.
"He's the best there is in college," said Lorenzo Hester, 14. "He's got to win it."
Hester, an eighth-grader, said he can't wait to play for Glenville High and coach Ted Ginn Sr. Hester said he's met Ginn's son, OSU star receiver Ted Ginn Jr., who has played basketball with the boys.
"We haven't met Troy, but we know he's one of the Glenville players you see in college on TV," Hester said. "He's definitely someone to look up to. He's a beast. He can't be stopped on a football field - like me."
There may be more Heisman Trophies yet to be won for Cleveland.
Plain Dealer reporter Doug Lesmerises contributed to this report.
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:
[email protected], 216-999-6177
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Smith stumbled, but never lost his focus


Sunday, December 10, 2006 Bill Livingston
Plain Dealer Columnist
The idea was absurd that a quarterback at Ohio State, a school whose teams geysered dust every 3 yards, could win the Heisman Trophy. Until Saturday night, no Big Ten quarterback at all had ever won the award as college football's best player.
The thought that the winner would be the Buckeyes' Troy Smith reduced the odds of success to the vanishing point.
The Buckeyes had all sorts of quaint, dropkick-and-leather-helmet passing statistics under Woody Hayes. Running backs were the only ones who needed to worry about Heismans in Columbus.
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Football was not as primitive under Earle Bruce or John Cooper as under Hayes. But when current Ohio State coach Jim Tressel snagged Justin Zwick in the recruiting class of 2002, it was big news. It meant the most heralded quarterback at Ohio State since Art Schlichter was about to unlimber his arm. We would see Ohio State pass now, boy. The dinosaur would sprout wings.
Smith, like Zwick, was a member of OSU's 2002 recruiting class. But Smith had the designation "athlete" next to his name on the list of recruits. It was both blessing and curse. Smith might, coaches thought, become one of those "slash" types, like Antwaan Randle El or Kordell Stewart. Like the various implements on a Swiss Army knife, he could be useful in gutting defenses. But he was a novelty act when he was under center.
Zwick was the golden boy. He is 6-4, blond, and blessed with a release that makes "quick" seem like an understatement. Moreover, Zwick is from Massillon, to which he had transferred after winning a state championship as a freshman at Orrville. Massillon is the incubator of greatness in Ohio football. It is where Paul Brown coached and Chris Spielman played, where toy footballs are placed in baby boys' bassinets as tokens of the future that surely will belong to them.
Smith was not from Massillon with its winning tradition. After being excused from St. Edward High because of an elbowing incident in basketball, Smith played for Glenville in inner-city Cleveland. Because of the loose transfer rules in Cleveland, Glenville was more of an all-star team than a team that developed a sense of purpose through continuity. No one expected Smith to emerge from his jumble of promise and problems to become the quarterback at OSU, not with Zwick around. (Well, no one besides Smith, of course).
For his part, Tressel has three criteria his quarterbacks must meet: Avoid turnovers, make big plays, and make good decisions.
Smith got his chance in 2004 after Zwick could not meet the criterion to avoid turnovers and got hurt in the bargain at Iowa.
Make big plays? Smith, it was quickly apparent, could take any play and supersize it. Had Ohio State fans not reacted with such surprised roars, alerting unwary Michigan defenders after Smith burst out of the pocket into the golden slashes of late autumn sunlight in Ohio State's upset in 2004, he might have put up fantasy league numbers. As it was, Smith would become almost as big a problem for that state up north as foreign cars.
His biggest challenge was that "good decisions" thing. He tended to fumble badly there. In the weeks after the 2004 Michigan game, fame was followed by infamy. Smith was guilty of accepting $500 from an OSU booster. This led to his suspension for the Alamo Bowl and the opener of the 2005 season; to Zwick's re-emergence as a viable threat at quarterback; and, indirectly, due to Smith's rustiness, to the loss to Texas that blighted Ohio State's national championship hopes in the bud.
Yet, while Tressel might have made some shaky early choices in his quarterbacks (Scott McMullen got the first chance over Craig Krenzel, Zwick over Smith), he is very, very good with a mulligan. He chose to go with Smith, who soon developed both touch and power with his right arm. In fact, Smith and Tressel became a collaboration on the order of Mick (the Burgess Meredith character) and Rocky Balboa, or maybe Gilbert and Sullivan.
There are reasons why a quarterback must lead, why a quarterback is a coach without a headset, why a quarterback is called a field general. He handles the ball more than anyone else. His fingerprints are all over both victory and defeat. Troy Smith became the very model of a modern major field general.
His teammates believed in him. They blocked longer, ran harder, and caught better for him than for anyone else. Hang in there, they thought, and Troy will find a way to win.
He learned the hardest thing an athlete at quarterback must grasp - when to use his athleticism and when not to. He made teams defend every inch of the field. He "finished" his fakes and made the running game as savage at times as the Buckeyes of old at their finest. He had faith in all his receivers. He ran rarely, but judiciously. He came to have the generous spirit any real leader must possess. He praised the offensive line as dearer to him than anything except his family.
He beat Michigan in 2005 when Ohio State was dead on the field, down nine points with 7 minutes to play.
He put up fever-dream numbers in the Fiesta Bowl against Notre Dame.
He was great, there is no other word for it, in 2006.
Some critics say college football was down this year, because Miami and Florida State fell on hard times, because Smith's putative Heisman challengers either lost badly early (Notre Dame's Brady Quinn) or were lost to injuries early (Oklahoma's Adrian Peterson). It is nonsense.
Smith made plays this year that, in Tressel's nice phrase, little boys jumping in piles of leaves in their backyard could only dream about. He beat Texas, in Austin. He beat Michigan for the third straight time, throwing four touchdown passes, each to a different receiver.
His signature play was the scrambling, fourth-quarter touchdown pass he loosed against Penn State to turn the tide in that game. That play had all of it - the natural gifts, the hard-earned lessons, the ability to seize the moment. Show this play to any naysayer, and the debate about the Heisman ends.
On it, Troy Smith showed the ability to keep a play alive with his legs, as he dodged a Lion who drew a bead on him; the quickness to hot-foot it back the other way, to his left, which is a hard throw for a right-hander to make; the fundamental soundness to set his feet before he let it fly; the spot-perfect touch on the rocket he aimed at the middle of the uprights, so only teammate Brian Robiskie could run under it; the field vision to keep his head up when so much along the way could have lowered it in submission; and the eyes that grew focused and bright, always on the prize.
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:
[email protected], 216-999-4672
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GAME-BY-GAME
A season to remember


Sunday, December 10, 2006


Game 1: Ohio State 35, Northern Illinois 12
Synopsis: 18 for 25 for 297 yards, 3 TDs; 1 rush for minus-1 yard.
Heisman effect: Smith shows the type of quarterback he'll be this year, one who runs only as a last resort and is confident and comfortable in the pocket. He proves he belongs among the three favorites, with Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn and Oklahoma running back Adrian Peterson.
Heisman odds after win: 7-2 (second, while Quinn is first at 3-1)

Game 2: Ohio State 24, Texas 7
Synopsis: 17 of 26 for 269 yards, 2 TDs; 7 rushes for -13 yards. In the first No. 1 vs. No. 2 regular-season matchup in a decade, Smith plays mistake-free and hits Ginn with a perfectly placed 29-yard TD pass late in the first half, a score that will be replayed constantly.
Heisman effect: Smith gets what his candidacy needs most - a win.
Heisman odds after win: 3-1 (first, Quinn is second at 7-2)

Game 3: Ohio State 37, Cincinnati 7
Synopsis: 21 of 30 for 203 yards, 2 TDs; 4 rushes for 0 yards. With OSU trailing 7-6 late in the second quarter, Smith leads an 80-yard TD drive. He extends his streak of throws without an interception to an NCAA-best 151.
Heisman effect: An unspectacular game, but Smith grabs the top spot after ND's Quinn throws three interceptions in a 47-21 loss to Michigan.
Heisman odds after win: 3-2 (West Virginia RB Steve Slaton is second at 6-1)

Game 4: Ohio State 28, Penn State 6
Synopsis: 12 of 22 for 115 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs; 3 rushes for 18 yards. Smith throws multiple INTs for just the second time in his career.
Heisman effect: The overall effort isn't very Heisman-like but the highlight is. Smith offers a single play that defines him as quarterback, turning his back and reversing field on a scramble before heaving the ball 53 yards to complete a 37-yard TD to Brian Robiskie.
Heisman odds after win: 7-2 (Peterson second at 5-1)

Game 5: Ohio State 38, Iowa 17
Synopsis: 16 of 25 for 186 yards, 4 TDs; 7 rushes for 20 yards. What could have been a tough road night game against a ranked opponent never develops that way.
Heisman effect: Smith throws a career-high four TD passes in OSU's second primetime win of the season, and national TV games count double for voters. Elsewhere, upstart Northern Illinois RB Garrett Wolfe posts a 353-yard rushing game.
Heisman odds after win: 7-2 (Wolfe second at 5-1)

Game 6: Ohio State 35, Bowling Green 7
Synopsis: 17 of 20 for 191 yards, 3 TDs; 7 rushes for 54 yards. Smith leads TD drives on OSU's first two possessions, including a 34-yard run on third and 26.
Heisman effect: It's Smith's third straight game with fewer than 200 passing yards, but he shows off his running skills for the first time this year. Yet again, the contenders fall away - Oklahoma RB Adrian Peterson doesn't impress in his biggest game of the year against Texas.
Heisman odds after win: 4-1 (Wolfe, Peterson and Michigan RB Mike Hart second at 5-1)

Game 7: Ohio State 38, Michigan State 7
Synopsis: 15 of 22 for 234 yards, 2 TDs; 3 rushes for 10 yards. Chris Wells fumbles on OSU's first possession, but then the rout is on as OSU clears its last potential hurdle before Michigan.
Heisman effect: Smith shows his strength, shrugging off what looks like a sure sack before firing one of his touchdowns. And Oklahoma's Adrian Peterson breaks his collarbone, eliminating the strongest challenger remaining.
Heisman odds after win: 1-1 (Slaton second at 8-1)

Game 8: Ohio State 44, Indiana 3
Synopsis: 15 of 23 for 220 yards, 4 TDs; 4 rushes for 38 yards. Ginn throws his first career TD, off a reverse. Smith takes as much pleasure from making fun of Ginn as he does from hitting four different receivers for TDs.
Heisman effect: With another mistake-free game, he's on cruise control against the bottom of the Big Ten.
Heisman odds after win: 1-1 (Slaton second at 10-1)

Game 9: Ohio State 44, Minnesota 0
Synopsis: 14 of 21 for 183 yards, 1 TD; 6 rushes for 43 yards, 1 TD. After an early fumble, Smith sheds the gloves he was wearing and includes a slick juke in his first rushing TD of the season, from 21 yards out.
Heisman effect: His ratio of 22 touchdowns to two interceptions is the best in the country, but Quinn, with 10 TDs and no INTs in his last four games, is coming up on the far outside.
Heisman odds after win: 3-2 (Slaton second at 8-1)

Game 10: Ohio State 17, Illinois 10
Synopsis: 13 of 23 for 108 yards, 0 TDs, 1 INT; 11 rushes for 37 yards. The Buckeyes get their biggest scare. Smith's injured right thumb might have bothered him on several off-target throws. He fails to throw a TD for the first time in 12 games.
Heisman effect: OSU's worst game of the season isn't a Heisman-killer, in part because it wasn't a primary national TV game. But it keeps the hopes of others alive, especially Quinn, who on the same day throws for 346 yards and 4 TDs.
Heisman odds after win: 5-2 (Quinn second at 5-1)

Game 11: Ohio State 54, Northwestern 10
Synopsis: 12 of 19 for 185 yards, 4 TDs, 1 INT; 5 rushes for 15 yards. Questions answered. Smith sits out most of the final quarter in Ohio State's highest-scoring game since 2002.
Heisman effect: Smith goes into the Michigan game as the frontrunner with a reputation for playing his best against Michigan. If he does that again, the Heisman is his.
Heisman odds after win: 2-1 (Quinn second at 5-1)

Game 12: Ohio State 42, Michigan 39
Synopsis: 29 of 41 for 316 yards, 4 TDs, 1 INT; 4 rushes for 12 yards. Smith becomes the first Buckeye to throw four TDs against Michigan in the 103 years of the series. In the highest-scoring game in this rivalry since 1902, Smith is, as expected, the difference.
Heisman effect: It's all over. He becomes the second Buckeye QB to go 3-0 against Michigan. Said OSU coach Jim Tressel: "I would think he clinched the Heisman Trophy."
Heisman odds after win: 1-2 (Quinn second at 6-1) - Doug Lesmerises
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Five plays that won Smith the Heisman


Sunday, December 10, 2006


No. 1
Nov. 19, 2005, Ohio State at Michigan
The Setup: Buckeyes trail, 21-19, with 47 seconds to play and face first and 10 at the Michigan 30-yard line.
The Play: Smith takes a shotgun snap and bounces on his toes, looking for a receiver, before taking off up the middle. But before he reaches the line of scrimmage, he retreats, avoiding a diving tackle attempt by Michigan's David Harris, and escapes to the right. On the run, without setting his feet, he fires a pass to the 4-yard line, where Anthony Gonzalez makes a leaping catch.
What it means: Two plays later, Antonio Pittman runs in for the go-ahead touchdown as the Buckeyes complete a 25-21 comeback. The win gives Ohio State a share of the Big Ten title and sends the Buckeyes to the Fiesta Bowl, where Smith puts up 408 yards of total offense against Notre Dame. Every Heisman campaign begins the previous season, and this play not only goes down in Ohio State-Michigan lore, it gives Smith the chance to shine on a major bowl stage and make himself a preseason Heisman favorite in 2006.

No. 2
Sept. 9, 2006, Ohio State at Texas
The Setup: Game tied, 7-7, with 22 seconds to play in the first half, and they face first and 10 at the Texas 29-yard line
The Play: Smith spots Ted Ginn Jr. in single coverage on the left side and taps his helmet, letting his receiver know he sees the matchup. Smith takes a three-step drop from the shotgun and lofts a pass to the end zone. Ginn catches it in stride three steps behind his defender to put Ohio State ahead for good.
What it means: Smith's recognition of the coverage, and the helmet tap, is replayed on the national TV game, a clear illustration of Smith's improvement in reading defenses. The touch on the pass is perfect. In leading the No. 1 Buckeyes over the No. 2 Longhorns, Smith shows he can make big plays with his head and his arm that have nothing to do with his running ability.

No. 3
Sept. 23, 2006, Penn State at Ohio State
The Setup: Buckeyes lead, 7-3, with 13:06 to play. They face second and 9 at the Penn State 37-yard line.
The Play: From the shotgun, Smith is almost immediately pressured and scrambles back and to the right, chased by Penn State's Tim Shaw. Before reaching the far sideline, now 16 yards behind the line of scrimmage, Smith stops and spins back toward the middle of the field, turning his back to the play and escaping Shaw. Setting his feet on the Block O at midfield, Smith squares his shoulders and unleashes a ball that travels more than 50 yards in the air to Brian Robiskie, who grabs it for a 14-3 lead as two defenders arrive late.
What it means: It's a day when the Buckeyes struggle for offense, and Smith throws for just 115 yards, what will end up as his second-lowest total of the season. Yet this 10-second snippet turns what could have been a negative day for his Heisman campaign into a positive by providing a highlight that voters will see endlessly. And, yes, the guy has an arm.

No. 4
Oct. 28, 2006, Minnesota at Ohio State
The Setup: Buckeyes lead, 17-0, with 12:52 to play in the third quarter. They face third and 8 at the Minnesota 21-yard line
The Play: From the shotgun, Smith has time but sees a huge opening to his left. He makes the decision to run, tucks the ball in his left arm at the 20-yard line and jukes Minnesota linebacker Deon Hightower at the 15-yard line, leaving him flat-footed. Smith cuts back inside and reaches the end zone untouched.
What it means: After rushing for 11 touchdowns last season, this is Smith's only rushing touchdown of the year. He had a few other big runs - a 34-yarder against Bowling Green, a 29-yarder against Indiana when he reversed field on an option - but his legs were a much smaller part of his game. Yet for voters who don't follow him every week, sprinkling in a few moves like this gives him the allure of a multi-faceted quarterback. Even if his running was more reputation than reality this year, he did just enough to get credit for having that in his game.

No. 5
Nov. 18, 2006, Michigan at Ohio State
The Setup: Buckeyes lead, 14-7, with 7:08 to play in the first half. They face second and 7 at the Ohio State 13-yard line.
The Play: From the shotgun, Smith feels pressure up the middle and from blitzing linebacker Prescott Burgess, who comes around the corner from the right. Evading Burgess, Smith backs nearly into his own end zone. But just before Burgess gets to him, with his back foot on the 1-yard line, Smith zips a sideline pass to Brian Robiskie at the 32-yard line. Robiskie then takes off toward the middle of the field for a 39-yard gain.
What it means: Smith had the Heisman nearly in hand coming into the game, but his 316 yards passing in Ohio State's 42-39 victory wrap it up. A sack or incompletion on this play may have led to a punt from deep in Buckeye territory that could have given Michigan great field position to start a game-tying drive. Instead, Smith hits Ted Ginn Jr. for a 39-yard score two plays later for a 14-point lead.
- Doug Lesmerises
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NOTEBOOK
Smith wins in a walk, but no red carpet


Sunday, December 10, 2006 Doug Lesmerises
Plain Dealer Reporter

New York- There was no red carpet for Troy Smith to walk when he arrived at the Heisman Trophy ceremony at 6:19 p.m. Saturday night. Just a scarlet welcome.
Sam Wolf, wearing a "Troy for Heisman" T-shirt he bought the first week of the season, and fellow OSU students Katie Salva, Julie Bertke and Mic Ball greeted a stone-faced Smith with shrieks and cheers Saturday evening.
"There was no doubt in mind," Wolf said of his preseason confidence in the Ohio State quarterback's Heisman hopes.
The friends were in New York anyway and made their way to the current home of the ceremony, located in the heart of Times Square. The Heisman's former home, the Downtown Athletic Club, was located in southern Manhattan. The club folded in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks, and the Heisman Trophy Trust took control of the award. The ceremony has been held in various locations the past six years, the last two at the Nokia Theatre, sandwiched on the corner of 44th and Broadway, between the MTV store and the theater home to "The Lion King."
Claire Cowardin, 34, a former resident of Cleveland Heights and Lakewood, went out of her way to join the greeting party, while desperately searching for her favorite Buckeye, 1995 Heisman winner Eddie George. A third-grade teacher on Long Island, she's been converting more Buckeyes faithful.
"They couldn't care less about college football, but I'm working my way across the island," Cowardin said. "We had a pep rally in my class Michigan week, and we'll have another one Jan. 8."
Also in the crowd was Randy Santangelo and his wife Sarah, who are fans of the North Canton Hoover girls basketball team, which played New York's Christ the King in a tournament Saturday afternoon. Then there was John Achevich of Columbus, who planned a weekend in New York just to be in the same city as an OSU Heisman winner.
At least when OSU coach Jim Tressel, quarterbacks coach Joe Daniels and Athletic Director Gene Smith walked in about 10 minutes ahead of Smith, there was a shouted "O-H" on the sidewalks of New York. Wolf is sure Tressel, through a thin smile, gave them back an "I-O."
Looking at the landslide:
Smith received 801 first-place votes, the second-most in Heisman history.
There were 924 ballots sent out, though only 886 were received.
Southern Cal's O.J. Simpson holds the record for first-place votes, gaining 855 in 1968, but there were 1,200 registered voters then. The others in the top five of first-place votes: Southern Cal's Reggie Bush, 784 last year; Florida State's Charlie Ward, 740 in 1993; and Texas' Ricky Williams, 714 in 1998.
Smith earned 2,540 points, the third-most in Heisman history. Players receive three points for first, two for second and one for third. Simpson received the most points in his win, 2,853, followed by Bush with 2,541. Pitt's Tony Dorsett with 2,357 in 1976 is fourth, and Williams, with 2,355 in '98, is fifth.
Smith tied for the second-largest margin of victory, besting second-place finisher Darren McFadden of Arkansas by 1,662 points. Simpson holds the record, beating out Purdue's Leroy Keyes by 1,750 points. Ward won by 1,622 points, ahead of Florida's Heath Shuler in 1993. Others in the top five: Michigan's Desmond Howard, 1,574 points ahead of Florida State's Casey Weldon in 1991; and Williams, 1,563 points ahead of Kansas State's Michael Bishop in 1998.
Loving the lobby:
Parma's Bryan Carlin made his way to New York for the weekend as well, making a nine-hour drive through the night to arrive Friday at 7:30 a.m.
He was staking out the lobby of the New York Hilton, the official Heisman hotel, and some of the greatest college football players in history. Carlin said he saw the Buckeyes' Howard "Hopalong" Cassady, the 1955 Heisman winner, run out to the street for a hot dog.
Carlin opened his blue Cleveland EMS duffel bag to reveal a treasure trove - a photo of the Heisman Trophy signed by winners Cassady, Southern Cal's Charles White, Oklahoma's Billy Sims, Nebraska's Johnny Rodgers and Houston's Andre Ware; a gold helmet signed by Notre Dame's John Lattner, the '53 winner, and mini helmets signed by Smith and Dorsett.
Talking Smith:
Smith said Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn was teasing him during the ceremony about his nervousness. "Earlier in the day, we laughed and joked, and he kept asking me, 'Are you nervous? You're not talking like you were before,' " Smith said. "I explained to him this is the last time we'll go through this, so let's soak it up. And he got right back to joking." . . . Smith said he cried at Sunday's OSU senior banquet and got all his tears out then, so he had none left for Saturday. But he was amazed to bring a tear to the eye of OSU coach Jim Tressel. "If you get into a situation where you can shake and rattle him, you've done something, because he is the embodiment of being even-keeled all the way. Through being in a situation where it's 90 degrees outside and you have a sweater vest and tie up to your neck, that speaks volumes about what kind of person you are." . . . On becoming the third black quarterback to win the Heisman, after Ware (1989) and Ward, "People like to bring up color, and I don't understand that. The third African-American quarterback, I don't buy into that," Smith said. "I'm just another guy on the list of quarterbacks that have won this award."
Heisman numbers:
Smith is the first Heisman winner to wear the No. 10. . . . If the Buckeyes finish 13-0 with a victory over Florida in the national title game on Jan. 8, Smith will be the 16th Heisman winner to play for an undefeated team and the second OSU winner. Les Horvath went 9-0 with the 1944 Buckeyes. . . . Smith is the 15th winner to play in the Big Ten, the most of any conference. . . . Smith is the first true quarterback from the Big Ten to win the Heisman. Horvath was a quarterback and running back.
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:
[email protected], 216-999-4479
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