Tuesday, December 10, 2013

The Braxton Miller Snub

      Three dollars and forty two cents and my name will get you a small breakfast at McD's. Even $1.59 and my name will get you a coffee at the Pilot station. I would guess my comments about omitting Ohio State QB Braxton Miller from the final six Heisman candidates would mean very little to the voters. For me, the slight was questionable.
      First, as most know and I will tell you - I am a Braxton Miller fan. From my dealings with him, he has been really good to me. In his Wayne High School days, he was fun to talk with. Although I have not made a chance to talk with him since his arrival at Ohio State University, I still value him as a person and someone who can handle the "stage."
      When he first arrived at Ohio State, I do not feel that he understood what the real game of quarterbacking was all about. Urban Meyer quickly made him aware of the work involved. Braxton was "so-gifted" growing up, that he took awhile making himself really better. He always played and, still does, to the level of the competition. But he has done that. For some reason the "media experts" and "sports talk whatever?" want more.
      Now, I do not wear my Rex Kern jersey-#10 jersey to McD's, nor do I make excuses for every Buckeye loss (which has not been often with Miller), nor do I lose sleep when the Buckeyes lose(which has not be often with Miller).The national perception of the Buckeyes and the rest of the Big Ten is not really good. Believe it or not, Urban Meyer may annoy some media voters with his self-confidence. I make these points, not to be controversial, but because, I hope the voting media did not use this against what Braxton Miller is all about. His performance on the field should be what it is all about. Hopefully, character off the field does not play a part in the voting. If that plays a part, then we have some hypocritical voters.
      I realize this is a narrow minded thought from a 65, old school guy, but I believe that you could put Braxton Miller on ANY team in the country and he would win. He would make any team better, and he would win. The cat (modern day terminology) missed some time with an injury, but O-State has won some games the last two years. Chances are he would probably not have been in court recently, or made a fool of himself last summer, by "big timing " the Manning Brothers QB Camp.
      Football for Braxton Miller will not stop because he is not a Heisman candidate. And I will not get out my Rex Kern jersey and wear it to McD's on a football Saturday. But he is as valuable to the Buckeyes as any of the six candidates are to their teams. If memory serves me, the Buckeyes have won some games the last two years and lost one. Strength of schedule? maybe. But one loss in two years, that ain't bad!!
   

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