Archie Griffin - 1974 & 1975 Heisman Winner (Official Thread)

['BusNative]

Mr. & Mrs. Griffin (and son) were at my grandmother's church this weekend (randomly, I don't believe they're members). It just needs to be said again - Archie is always the most gracious person in public. He obviously received alot of attention, and he handles it all very well - nice to everyone, but was church appropriate. Its a great thing that someone like Archie is the face (or one of a few faces) of the program.

[OSUsushichic]

I have a question about the Heisman vote: Does Archie get to vote twice?

[Padraig]

Originally Posted by OSUsushichic

I have a question about the Heisman vote: Does Archie get to vote twice?

Doesn't sound like it according to how it reads (to me at least) at Heisman.com.


"Additionally, every former Heisman winner...has a vote as well."

I would say that Archie is a (singular) former winner, even though he won it twice; Therefore he has a vote.

I guess it could be read differently, but that's how I took it.


link: Heisman.com - Heisman Trophy


edit:

That link also breaks down that as of 2005 there were 870 media members who would recieve a vote, 52 living Heisman Winners (at the time), and 1 fan vote...then at the end of the page saying that 923 ballots would be sent out and tabulated by Deloitte Accounting Firm. If Archie got 2 votes wouldn't they have 924 ballots to tabulate?

[Zurp]

Originally Posted by Padraig

"Additionally, every former Heisman winner...has a vote as well."

I would say that Archie is a (singular) former winner, even though he won it twice; Therefore he has a vote.

I've heard that question before. I wish I could remember the answer, but I'm about 95% sure that he gets 1 vote.

Originally Posted by 'BusNative

It just needs to be said again - Archie is always the most gracious person in public. He obviously received alot of attention, and he handles it all very well - nice to everyone, but was church appropriate. Its a great thing that someone like Archie is the face (or one of a few faces) of the program.

I agree. I met Archie before the Michigan game last year. He was getting hounded with people wanting pictures and autographs. I almost felt sorry to ask him for one. But then, I decided to be a jerk and ask him, anyway. What's one more person? He seemed to not mind at all, which I felt to be odd. He greeted me with a smile and a handshake. He did seem to be in a little hurry, which is understandable. so he excused himself right away. But he wasn't rude in the least, and I wouldn't have blamed him at all if he was.

[osugrad21]

Pretty good interview with a number of Heisman winners...Archie's responses are below

Star-Telegram

Where do you keep your Heisman Trophy?

Archie Griffin, Ohio State, '74 and '75, lone two-time winner (now living in Columbus, Ohio): "I keep one at my house, in the den, and the other is at a friend's restaurant called the Buckeye Hall of Fame Cafe. Or as Campbell says: 'Archie is the only man in our group who can be cocky -- he has two Heismans.'"

What is the location of your worst ache or pain left over from your football days?

Griffin ('74, '75): "My neck bothers me quite a bit, like every time I turn my head either way."

If you could, what would you change about college football?

Griffin ('74, '75): "I'd like to see coaches play tougher nonconference schedules... like Ohio State and Texas."

What is your handicap or your best golf score ever?

Griffin ('74, '75): "I'm a 16 handicap. My best round was an 80 at Wedgewood Country Club in Columbus, Ohio, about four years ago.

[OregonBuckeye]

Archie Griffin only the 21st greatest cfb player of all-time? That list can say bye-bye to any credibility it was hoping to have.

FYI, this was that ESPN list they're doing. The greatest 25 players of all-time.

[SanAntonioBuck]

Originally Posted by OregonBuckeye

Archie Griffin only the 21st greatest cfb player of all-time? That list can say bye-bye to any credibility it was hoping to have.

FYI, this was that ESPN list they're doing. The greatest 25 players of all-time.

WTF ESPiN

[Buckin Crazy]

I hear all the announcers were laughing at it as well...

[Wingate1217]

The only two time Heisman Trophy winner and when he left the all-time yardage leader plus the record of consecutive 100 yard rushing games and he is only 21st?

What next ESPN Charles Woodson at #1????

[23Skidoo]

Originally Posted by #10Troy Smith Fan

I hear all the announcers were laughing at it as well...

One announcer quipped that he's dying to see the rest of the list if there's really 20 people better than Archie.

[BuckeyeTillIDie]

Originally Posted by Wingate1217

What next ESPN Charles Woodson at #1????

They were probably going to put the 2007 USC Trojans in the #1 slot until last weekend

I can't believe Archie is #21. What a bunch of f'ing fools at ESPN/ABC.

[sandgk]

I agree that #21 is poor treatment for the only 2-time Heisman Trophy winner.

One thing though, that doesn't mean I feel he should be automatically the number 1, or number 2 college football player of ALL time.

For example, there were plenty of legendary players who pre-dated the Heisman award - by definition, as John Heisman was himself once a CFB player. It might be argued by some that Archie won in a light year for candidates (though a glance at the Heisman voting discounts that theory, Anthony Davis and Chuck Munice were surely solid runners up).

So, perhaps a better response to this idiocy is to think, who would you list OVER Archie as better CFB players of ALL time?

[sandgk]

The other thing I recall about these lists is that they are often heavily influenced by flavor of the month - and commonly colored by perceptions of the player's career post college football.

Case in point . SI's All Century College Football Player list (1999) - this is how the voting went down for that one ..



Ricky Williams - best of the century? What was everyone smoking?

[Buckskin86]

Article published Sunday, October 21, 2007
IN THEIR WORDS: ARCHIE GRIFFIN
Born a Buckeye: no doubt about it

In Their Words appears Sundays in The Blade's sports section. Ohio State football icon Archie Griffin shared some of his thoughts with Blade sports writer Matt Markey.

Archie Griffin has long been the most-prized ambassador for Ohio State's prolific football program. Legendary Buckeyes coach Wood Hayes simply called Griffin "the greatest player I ever coached."

Not only was Griffin the sole two-time winner of the Heisman Trophy (1974, 1975), college football's most prestigious award, but he also helped Ohio State win four Big Ten Conference championships, and is the only player ever to start in four Rose Bowl games. He was also a very durable combination of power, balance and speed, which allowed Griffin to put together a streak of 31 straight 100-yard rushing games.

Griffin's 5,589 rushing yards and 924 carries make him the Ohio State career leader in both categories by a wide margin. He averaged 121.5 yards rushing a game in his 46 career games with the Buckeyes.

Griffin, 53, signed with the Cincinnati Bengals of the NFL as a first-round draft pick after graduating a quarter early with a degree in industrial relations. Griffin served as a co-captain and played with the Bengals for eight seasons.

He returned to Ohio State in 1984, and worked at several positions in the upper hierarchy of the athletic department before taking on his current role as president and CEO of the Ohio State University Alumni Association in January, 2004.

toledoblade.com -- Born a Buckeye: no doubt about it

[sandgk]

Interesting article in a Blog from the Big Ten Network site.

Relates the story of how Archie was originally something of a Northwestern lean - till Woody talked up education and family during a dinner visit with the young Griffin.

It was interesting to hear him recall his first meeting with Woody Hayes. Hayes took Griffin out for dinner during Archie's senior year of high school. At the time, Archie was leaning towards going to Northwestern - he liked the small school atmosphere, the emphasis on academics, and the fact that the 'Cats were good (they were coming off a second place Big Ten finish).

So Archie goes to dinner with Hayes, and Woody never once talked about football. He spoke the entire time about education and family - two things that were incredibly important to Archie.

Anyway, Archie told me that he went home afterwards and told his dad that he didn't think Woody was going to offer him a scholarship because they hadn't actually spoken about the game of football. So, Archie's father looked at him and said, "Well - did it ever occur to you that he's interested in you as more than just a football player?"