Don't Get it Twisted

Fox Sports' Gonzalo Batista weighed in on the Heisman race this morning. What really jumped out to me was the following quote:

"Tebow is a great college football player. Every television talking head said as much over the weekend. But how can you give him the Heisman a year ago in large part for his statistical achievements — the first I-A player to finish with more than 20 passing touchdowns and 20 rushing touchdowns in a season — and then turn around a year later and twist the criteria? Now it's about who is most valuable to his team?"

"How can we?" I'll tell you how. It's the intangibles. There was no one last year who showed the presence and dynamic leadership that Tebow has this season. No one's "twisting the criteria" here, Gonzalo. We're just including the spectacular and special exhibition of these intangibles that Tebow has brought to the fore the back half of the season. Stats are a huge part of the decision, but McCoy nor Bradford showed the passion or intensity that Tebow did. Combine that with his more than comparable stats, and I think he's a clear winner.

Batista went on:

"How can anyone say with certainty Tebow is more valuable to the Gators than Bradford is to the Sooners or McCoy is to the Longhorns? By the eyeball test? That's absurd, and that's why Tebow was third on my ballot."

It's not a matter of who's more valuable, GB. I'd say they're all within comparable range of each other in that respect. Tim Tebow has just catapulted himself above everyone else because of the emotion with which he plays the game. This emotion is new, and it is rare. We have not seen anything like it in a long time and probably won't for seasons to come.

It's the entire package that I think delivers the Heisman to Florida's #15. Statistically and in overall team value, he's the same as the other two. But his character and the caliber of his leadership are unique . I'm not taking anything away from McCoy or Bradford, I'm just acknowledging the greatness inside a spectacularly competitive and supremely talented young man. All 3 of these guys are good. So, what do you use to tell them apart? Intangibles.

And that's why Tebow wins.

P.S. - Sorry, Graham Harrell, inflated system stats need not apply.