The Buzz: Heisman News and Views
Time for our traditional feature where we round up the latest news and updates from around the media world to help keep you posted on what’s happening with current contenders and past winners.
The Buzz
On June 2, 1943 — almost 73 years to the date of this writing — Iowa’s 1939 Heisman winner Nile Kinnick gave his life in the service of his country. Kinnick was lost while on a routine training flight from the aircraft carrier USS Lexington, which was operating off the coast of Venezuela. An oil leak disabled Kinnick’s aircraft, which he was forced to land in the water. The impact was too much for his plane to take and his body was never recovered. He was a little over a month away from his 25th birthday, the first Heisman winner to pass away. This Memorial Day, the Heisman Trust honors Kinnick and all those who died defending our freedoms.
Desmond Howard was the keynote speaker at the 27th annual Winged Foot Scholar-Athlete Award banquet last week.
Howard on his past exploits:
“I try not to (reflect) because that’s what you do when you get old. I try to keep it moving forward. What happens is, during the Super Bowl, the two weeks leading up to it, you start seeing your highlights, and that’s when it really starts hitting me. Or in late November, early December, when all the hype is building up about the Heisman front-runners, you start to see those highlights. But it’s not like I’m at home, on the couch, thinking about it too much.”
Howard was also recently a hit at career day at his son’s school.
ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg wrote about the Pac-12 and the challenges it faces in attempting to win a Heisman.
The Orlando Sentinel highlighted 10 players to watch in this year’s Heisman race.
Tim Tebow think DeShaun Watson, who placed third in last year’s Heisman vote, is a good bet to become Clemson’s first Heisman winner.
Tebow was especially impressed with how he played against Alabama in the College Football semifinal.
“The way he played against Alabama in the national championship, I was just so proud of the way he played – the heart that he played with, the poise that he played with,” Tebow said. “He never got frustrated, never got discouraged.”
Derrick Henry will take part in an autograph signing in Huntsville, Ala., on June 11. Check out this oil painting of the reigning Heisman winner.
A football signed by 19 Heisman winners will be auctioned off to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Kentucky and Southern Indiana. You can make your bid here.
Ty Detmer‘s Austin, Texas, home is up for sale. The 4,673-foot home at 18449 Flagler Dr. west of downtown Austin features a two-story office.
Sports Illustrated’s Zac Ellis broke down the Heisman race following the conclusion of spring practice.
Ricky Williams was in Houston to discuss mental health and football.
This op-ed piece by Herschel Walker for Education Week magazine said that physical fitness saved his life.
I was a chubby kid with no confidence. I was bullied, called names, and beaten up. I barely spoke because of my stutter. Teachers would put me in a corner and tell me I was “special.” I was scared to death of everybody.
My saving grace was physical education.
Physical activity became my refuge. Being active was a healthy way to channel my frustration and insecurities.
Billy Sims opened up his latest BBQ restaurant in Burlington, IA.
Cam Newton is hyping his younger brother’s Caylin’s talents.
