Could Manti Teo Be Awarded the Heisman Trophy?

[Drinking The Green Koolaid]

There is a story on ESPN that Johnny Manziel took cash payments while he was at TAMU by selling items of autographed memorabilia. Manziel conveniently claims he never took any cash until after he won the Heisman, but who knows whether to believe him. Here is the story: https://www.espn.com/college-footba...exas-never-took-dollar-winning-heisman-trophy

Recall that Manti finished second to Manziel for the 2012 Heisman Trophy. Let's suppose the Downtown Athletic Club decides to investigate Manziel's actions, and after finding evidence that Manziel accepted cash payments before he won the Heisman, they decide to strip him of the award, as they previously did with Reggie Bush. Is the Heisman award merely vacated for 2012, or does it get awarded to Manti? I believe the 2005 Heisman Tropy (the year Bush won it) is officially listed as vacated, but I have also read that the trophy was first offered to Vince Young (the runner-up finisher that year), and he turned it down. If the Heisman was offered to Manti, should he accept it?

I know there are a lot of "what ifs" here, but the message board seems a little slow these days, and just curious what others think. Personally I think Manziel should keep the trophy, even if it is tainted, but maybe others feel differently. I think it is a slippery slope when you start taking trophies away based upon misconduct that is discovered later. Barry Bonds won 7 MVP awards, and there is no doubt he was playing juiced during at least a few of those years. On the other hand, I don't see Bonds getting voted into the HOF anytime soon, so maybe that is the price he pays.

 

[Original_Irish]

No, Vince Young doesn't have a Heisman even though Reggie Bush's was taken away

 

[Drinking The Green Koolaid]

No, Vince Young doesn't have a Heisman even though Reggie Bush's was taken away

I understand that. I've read that the 2005 trophy was offered to Vince Young after the DAC stripped Bush of the trophy, but Young turned it down. I don't know whether that story is true or not. If Manti were offered the Heisman--and I realize that is a very big "what if"--does he accept it or turn it down? Or should the Downtown Athletic Club just turn a blind eye to what Manziel may have done?

 

[Nova859698]

So he’d have an imaginary Heisman to go along with his imaginary friend.

 

[scubastevefl]

Who wants hardware from a decade ago?

 

[Original_Irish]

I understand that. I've read that the 2005 trophy was offered to Vince Young after the DAC stripped Bush of the trophy, but Young turned it down. I don't know whether that story is true or not. If Manti were offered the Heisman--and I realize that is a very big "what if"--does he accept it or turn it down? Or should the Downtown Athletic Club just turn a blind eye to what Manziel may have done?

Gotcha, call me a pessimist but I wouldn't want Manti to take it. Vince Young getting it would at least make sense since after he lost the Heisman, he beat Reggie and USC for the National Championship. After Manti lost, ND got blown out by Bama and the girl friend story broke out.

Just put it this way, the amount of negative publicity on a national stage would be huge if Teo was offered and accepted the Heisman. In this very hypothetical situation, it's better if he would decline.

 

[NDSMC78]

I understand that. I've read that the 2005 trophy was offered to Vince Young after the DAC stripped Bush of the trophy, but Young turned it down. I don't know whether that story is true or not. If Manti were offered the Heisman--and I realize that is a very big "what if"--does he accept it or turn it down? Or should the Downtown Athletic Club just turn a blind eye to what Manziel may have done?

Vince Young was not offered the Heisman Trophy.

Heisman Trust head: No one to hold '05 award vacated by Bush

The official source for NFL news, video highlights, fantasy football, game-day coverage, schedules, stats, scores and more.

www.nfl.com

 

[Drinking The Green Koolaid]

Vince Young was not offered the Heisman Trophy.

Heisman Trust head: No one to hold '05 award vacated by Bush

The official source for NFL news, video highlights, fantasy football, game-day coverage, schedules, stats, scores and more.

www.nfl.com

Here is the story I read that said Vince Young was offered the trophy:

In the linked story Reggie Bush is interviewed and claimed that is indeed what transpired. Bush said that Vince Young even went to Mack Brown and asked him for advice on what to do. It isn't implausible to me that someone connected with the Heisman Trust reached out to Young by unofficial channels to see if he would accept the trophy, and after he said "no" the official position of the Trust became "we never offered Vince Young the trophy." Who knows what really happened.

 

[Drinking The Green Koolaid]

Not sure why my link to the story didn't work, but it was on Bleacher Report on June 23, 2020.

 

[Irishjohn68]

No, Vince Young doesn't have a Heisman even though Reggie Bush's was taken away

I agree but it would be sweet to have an 8 Heisman winner.

 

[NotreDame du Lac]

Of course you take the Heisman.

 

[BGI User 1596]

No

 

[savvyandsassier]

So he’d have an imaginary Heisman to go along with his imaginary friend.

Gotta say, that is one of the best zingers this board has seen in a while. No offense, Manti Teo. You're still the shit....

 

[playfunkymusic]

Who wants hardware from a decade ago?

Cause in another decade, your name will on the Heishman and no one will care that it was vacated. Plus, you get to go on those Toyota commercials as the AAPI representative.

 

[theskibro]

There is a story on ESPN that Johnny Manziel took cash payments while he was at TAMU by selling items of autographed memorabilia. Manziel conveniently claims he never took any cash until after he won the Heisman, but who knows whether to believe him. Here is the story: https://www.espn.com/college-footba...exas-never-took-dollar-winning-heisman-trophy

Recall that Manti finished second to Manziel for the 2012 Heisman Trophy. Let's suppose the Downtown Athletic Club decides to investigate Manziel's actions, and after finding evidence that Manziel accepted cash payments before he won the Heisman, they decide to strip him of the award, as they previously did with Reggie Bush. Is the Heisman award merely vacated for 2012, or does it get awarded to Manti? I believe the 2005 Heisman Tropy (the year Bush won it) is officially listed as vacated, but I have also read that the trophy was first offered to Vince Young (the runner-up finisher that year), and he turned it down. If the Heisman was offered to Manti, should he accept it?

I know there are a lot of "what ifs" here, but the message board seems a little slow these days, and just curious what others think. Personally I think Manziel should keep the trophy, even if it is tainted, but maybe others feel differently. I think it is a slippery slope when you start taking trophies away based upon misconduct that is discovered later. Barry Bonds won 7 MVP awards, and there is no doubt he was playing juiced during at least a few of those years. On the other hand, I don't see Bonds getting voted into the HOF anytime soon, so maybe that is the price he pays.

Downtown athletic club doesn’t know squat. When you give the trophy to a BYU QB instead of Rocket you’ve lost all cred

 

[shabak]

There is a story on ESPN that Johnny Manziel took cash payments while he was at TAMU by selling items of autographed memorabilia. Manziel conveniently claims he never took any cash until after he won the Heisman, but who knows whether to believe him. Here is the story: https://www.espn.com/college-footba...exas-never-took-dollar-winning-heisman-trophy

Recall that Manti finished second to Manziel for the 2012 Heisman Trophy. Let's suppose the Downtown Athletic Club decides to investigate Manziel's actions, and after finding evidence that Manziel accepted cash payments before he won the Heisman, they decide to strip him of the award, as they previously did with Reggie Bush. Is the Heisman award merely vacated for 2012, or does it get awarded to Manti? I believe the 2005 Heisman Tropy (the year Bush won it) is officially listed as vacated, but I have also read that the trophy was first offered to Vince Young (the runner-up finisher that year), and he turned it down. If the Heisman was offered to Manti, should he accept it?

I know there are a lot of "what ifs" here, but the message board seems a little slow these days, and just curious what others think. Personally I think Manziel should keep the trophy, even if it is tainted, but maybe others feel differently. I think it is a slippery slope when you start taking trophies away based upon misconduct that is discovered later. Barry Bonds won 7 MVP awards, and there is no doubt he was playing juiced during at least a few of those years. On the other hand, I don't see Bonds getting voted into the HOF anytime soon, so maybe that is the price he pays.

An interesting thought. In the old days, the Heisman was awarded for the play on the field. But I think they should also look at character. However the incidents described happened 9 or more years ago, and I don't see them stripping Manziel of the Heisman unless the NCAA does an investigation that shows credible evidence. Look, we all know that Alabama cheats Texas A&M cheats, most schools in the SEC do. Maybe Ohio state does? I don't know. But something needs to be done with the schools that basically cheat. Notre Dame does it right, we self report, and look what happens to us. We get dinged and forfeit games. There is no justice for the honest. So if Manziel did get the heist in the strip, and they offer it to T'eo I am not sure he would accept it as he didn't win it outright. Was he deserving, you betcha. But Manti did get caught up in a little catfish incident