JimBob
12-29-2007, 09:22 AM
Unselfish ways put Sanders' record at risk
By JIMMIE TRAMEL World Sports Writer
12/29/2007
HEARD ABOUT the big fuss? Central Florida running back Kevin Smith could (gasp!) break Barry Sanders' NCAA single-season record for rushing yards.
If Sanders was as passionate about records as Rickey Henderson or Don Shula, perhaps the former Oklahoma State running back might enlist someone from Tonya Harding's old posse to whack Smith on the kneecap.
But Sanders has a long history of not caring about records. He set more records than the vampire from "Sesame Street" can count and he reacted like none of them is going to make his next meal taste any better or worse.
Sanders is the guy who, after scoring touchdowns, handed the ball immediately to officials instead of doing the macarena in the end zone, so he's never been into celebration of self. He's a narcissist's evil twin.
Sure, Sanders could have lobbied for more playing time during his sophomore season at OSU and told coaches he should tote the rock as many times as that Thurman Thomas guy. Instead, Sanders happily deferred to the senior.
And Sanders could have played in the fourth quarters of lopsided games during his 1988 Heisman Trophy season, but chose to rest and let backups get a little action.
After Sanders won the Heisman, he shrugged it off as no big deal and his coach, Pat Jones, had to engage in damage control. Jones explained that the Heisman really is a big deal and Sanders really is that modest.
Example? Sanders was in Tokyo for a game against Texas Tech on the day the Heisman was presented and a TV network wanted him to wake up in the wee hours for an acceptance speech.
Jones knew Sanders had zero interest in crawling out of bed to talk about himself, so he and OSU publicist Steve Buzzard sort of tricked Sanders. They invited all of Sanders' offensive linemen (alias the War Pigs) to the TV station and gave them partial responsibility in persuading Sanders to accept the gig.
The War Pigs -- Mike Wolfe, Chris Stanley, John Boisvert, Jason Kidder and Byron Woodard -- were more fired up about Sanders' records than he was, so they made sure Sanders was in a limo bound for the station. (It was a win-win deal. The War Pigs got breakfast.)
Sanders' aversion to records and accomplishments continued when he began playing for pay.
Sanders could have become the NFL's single-season rushing leader in '89 just by finishing an outcome-is-decided game, but declined an opportunity to go back on the field and gift-wrapped a rushing title to Christian Okoye.
Sanders could have put the NCAA single-season rushing record out of reach, too. Jones and Buzzard did some hindsight calculating and figured that Sanders was on the field for only two-thirds of the '88 season because the Cowboys blew out so many foes. Are you kidding? Sanders rushed for 2,628 yards in two-thirds of a season? It bumfuzzles the mind to consider that Sanders could have flirted with a 4,000-yard season.
Kevin Smith will eclipse Sanders' record if he rushes for 181 yards Saturday against Mississippi State. Keep in mind that bowl stats didn't count when Sanders had the best season in college football history. He set the NCAA single-season record in 11 games. Kevin Smith is playing a 14-game season. Sound the asterisk siren.
William Sanders, who is far more outspoken than his famous son, said it will be "a bunch of B.S." if the NCAA recognizes Kevin Smith as the record-holder over a superior player whose only fault is he played in fewer games.
"I've been watching football for 55 years and Barry is the greatest running back I have ever seen in college football," William Sanders said. "That's my opinion. I have seen some great running backs in college and it seems like Barry was playing like a man against boys and he wasn't even trying to set records."
Let's trumpet the message that Barry Sanders deserves to keep the record no matter what because -- plain and simple -- he and Kevin Smith played different golf courses, one with fewer holes.
By JIMMIE TRAMEL World Sports Writer
12/29/2007
HEARD ABOUT the big fuss? Central Florida running back Kevin Smith could (gasp!) break Barry Sanders' NCAA single-season record for rushing yards.
If Sanders was as passionate about records as Rickey Henderson or Don Shula, perhaps the former Oklahoma State running back might enlist someone from Tonya Harding's old posse to whack Smith on the kneecap.
But Sanders has a long history of not caring about records. He set more records than the vampire from "Sesame Street" can count and he reacted like none of them is going to make his next meal taste any better or worse.
Sanders is the guy who, after scoring touchdowns, handed the ball immediately to officials instead of doing the macarena in the end zone, so he's never been into celebration of self. He's a narcissist's evil twin.
Sure, Sanders could have lobbied for more playing time during his sophomore season at OSU and told coaches he should tote the rock as many times as that Thurman Thomas guy. Instead, Sanders happily deferred to the senior.
And Sanders could have played in the fourth quarters of lopsided games during his 1988 Heisman Trophy season, but chose to rest and let backups get a little action.
After Sanders won the Heisman, he shrugged it off as no big deal and his coach, Pat Jones, had to engage in damage control. Jones explained that the Heisman really is a big deal and Sanders really is that modest.
Example? Sanders was in Tokyo for a game against Texas Tech on the day the Heisman was presented and a TV network wanted him to wake up in the wee hours for an acceptance speech.
Jones knew Sanders had zero interest in crawling out of bed to talk about himself, so he and OSU publicist Steve Buzzard sort of tricked Sanders. They invited all of Sanders' offensive linemen (alias the War Pigs) to the TV station and gave them partial responsibility in persuading Sanders to accept the gig.
The War Pigs -- Mike Wolfe, Chris Stanley, John Boisvert, Jason Kidder and Byron Woodard -- were more fired up about Sanders' records than he was, so they made sure Sanders was in a limo bound for the station. (It was a win-win deal. The War Pigs got breakfast.)
Sanders' aversion to records and accomplishments continued when he began playing for pay.
Sanders could have become the NFL's single-season rushing leader in '89 just by finishing an outcome-is-decided game, but declined an opportunity to go back on the field and gift-wrapped a rushing title to Christian Okoye.
Sanders could have put the NCAA single-season rushing record out of reach, too. Jones and Buzzard did some hindsight calculating and figured that Sanders was on the field for only two-thirds of the '88 season because the Cowboys blew out so many foes. Are you kidding? Sanders rushed for 2,628 yards in two-thirds of a season? It bumfuzzles the mind to consider that Sanders could have flirted with a 4,000-yard season.
Kevin Smith will eclipse Sanders' record if he rushes for 181 yards Saturday against Mississippi State. Keep in mind that bowl stats didn't count when Sanders had the best season in college football history. He set the NCAA single-season record in 11 games. Kevin Smith is playing a 14-game season. Sound the asterisk siren.
William Sanders, who is far more outspoken than his famous son, said it will be "a bunch of B.S." if the NCAA recognizes Kevin Smith as the record-holder over a superior player whose only fault is he played in fewer games.
"I've been watching football for 55 years and Barry is the greatest running back I have ever seen in college football," William Sanders said. "That's my opinion. I have seen some great running backs in college and it seems like Barry was playing like a man against boys and he wasn't even trying to set records."
Let's trumpet the message that Barry Sanders deserves to keep the record no matter what because -- plain and simple -- he and Kevin Smith played different golf courses, one with fewer holes.