[Dryden]

ESPN's Bruce Feldman responds to the Hoover/Tulsa World 'Smith is a cheater and I don't vote for cheaters' rant ...

http://insider.espn.go.com/espn/blog...bruce#20061121

Troy Smith will run away with the Heisman, but the Tulsa World's John Hoover won't be voting for him:

"The Ohio State quarterback has gained college football immortality, thanks to a fantastic season, talented teammates and a monumental group effort by ESPN to make sure he wins the Heisman. But I will not vote for Smith, because he is a cheater, and I have no room on my ballot for those who break the rules. I tried cheating once. I won. It felt like kissing a skeleton. Yes, I was getting kissed, but by what?"

I should be the last person to rip anyone for off-the-wall analogies, so I'll let the kissing thing pass, but I disagree about Smith not being deserving. OSU and the NCAA have allowed Smith to play; therefore he is eligible for the award and has handled himself in nothing but an impressive fashion this year, both on and off the field. And, for what it's worth, I never got the company e-mail with the mandate to push Smith for the Heisman. Then again, as Buckeye fans will remind you, ESPN has been shilling for the OSU program ever since Jim Tressel took over.