Beanie for Heisman? He thinks so…
This past January I got onboard our plane in Atlanta headed toward New Orleans and noticed the window seat next to me was empty. Just a few moments before the cabin door closed a burly, backward-hatted guy laughingly said to me “what up?“
Beanie Wells and I had a nice plane ride together to the BCS Title Game. We had met when he was a high school senior and had always been friendly—-he has a fantastic personality, smiles all the time and is easily approachable. We chatted about his dislike for plane rides, good pregame meals and my family. He even read through all my media guides. As far as flights go, it was a good ride.
So when I sat down beside him for an interview during spring football I think he felt comfortable. I asked if winning the Heisman Trophy was important to him. He said, “Yah, I want to win it!“ It was the first time I’d ever heard him say it—even though it’s obvious, I mean I’d want to win it—it was refreshing to hear him say that was a goal of his.
As his Buckeye teammates have learned, when Beanie sets his mind on something, he gets there. Take last season… playing while miserable with a broken hand, severe ankle problems and other ailments Beanie rushed for more than 1600 yards. During the 2nd half of the Big Ten season, Beanie quite simply carried the Bucks on his strong back. And when he torched Michigan for 222 rushing yards on national television, this year’s stage was set.
Winning the Heisman will not come easy. Florida’s Tim Tebow may be as tough to beat as any returning Heisman winner since Archie. He’s not only a spectacular player, he’s the posterchild for all that’s right with college football. But Beanie has enough national showcase games to impress voters, including a spotlight game for west coast voters against USC. He has a catchy nickname, and he plays at THE Ohio State University. With some good fortune and health permitting, 2008 could be Beanie’s campaign.
