Bo Jackson says he's voting for Cam Newton for Heisman

[AWK]

For 25 years, Bo Jackson has been looking for a way to cast his Heisman Trophy vote for an Auburn player. He's found his man.

Jackson, who won the Heisman Trophy at Auburn in 1985 and is considered one of the greatest players in SEC history, said Cam Newton has his vote and then some.

"I've looked for a chance for the past 25 years, and it never happened," said Jackson, now a businessman living in suburban Chicago. "So I don't have to tell you who I'm voting for this year. I've already got the ballot marked & with an exclamation point."

Jackson, still the standard in the SEC when it comes to sheer athletic ability, said he hasn't seen a player quite like the 6-6, 250-pound Newton, who's already rushed for 1,077 yards and passed for 13 touchdowns this season for the No. 1 Tigers.

"Cam has woken up the SEC, and I'll say that Auburn has woken up the SEC," Jackson said. "Cam can't do it all by himself. It might seem like he has. But like any other great football player, you have to depend on those other 10 guys out there on the field with you."

Jackson attended the Arkansas game earlier this season at Jordan-Hare Stadium. His two youngest children currently attend Auburn.

Even for a player of Jackson's ilk, he said watching Newton carve apart defenses this season has been something special.

"When he's out on the field, it's almost like he's a man amongst boys," Jackson said. "He's patient. He knows what he's doing, and he's having fun doing it. That's the thing about it. Everybody is having fun. Look at those stands. We haven't seen that in a long time at Auburn."

Jackson said it's obvious that Newton has helped elevate the play of everybody around him, but that one great player can't do it alone.

"Any conversation about Cam Newton should always integrate Auburn and the rest of his teammates," Jackson said. "Like I said, one man can't drive that bus by himself. And even though Cam is the workhorse, and he's definitely a stallion, he needs help like every other great running back or every other great quarterback or every other great player."

Every time he watches Newton, Jackson concedes that he wonders what other black quarterbacks might have done in the SEC had they been given more chances down through the years.

"I'm not trying to sound controversial or anything, but in the past only a minute selection of black quarterbacks have been recruited in the SEC," said Jackson, who finished his career with 4,303 rushing yards and 43 touchdowns.

"I'm not saying there weren't talented white kids. There were, some great white quarterbacks. But I don't think the black high school quarterbacks have been given as many opportunities to come to the SEC to play football until recently."

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=5738341

I find the bolded part kind of interesting.  I figured he was going to vote for Cameron anyway.

[GH2001]

Most sec schools don't mind having a black qb, ie Auburn. But some schools seem to have a real issue with it so I think his argument is halfway valid. Lsu, Aub, miss st, Kent have all done decent with black qbs in the past.

[CCTAU]

I think it is sad that he brings that up. Many black QBs have played in the SEC.  The issue is not color, it's translated talent. Too many athletic high school QBs are not coached up in the ways of a QB. It's easier for the coach to rely on the athletic abilities. So we end up with many like Kodi Burns. As far as Cam goes. Being black is not a factor. Some guys are freaks of nature regardless of race. You can't just go out and get a 6'6" 250lb black kid and say he can play QB because he is black. Bo is well loved at AU. He is seen as an AU man. Not an AU black man. I would prefer to keep things orange and blue, not black and white.

[Saniflush]

Is is alright to keep the opponents black & blue?

[CCTAU]

Is is alright to keep the opponents black & blue?

I don't think so. That would be interspatial colouring. That kind of thing is frowned upon around here.

[Godfather]

If you actually read the quote though, I wouldn't say I disagree with him.  The way I interpreted his meaning was over the years, it is a fairly new (say last 20 years) concept.  However, I wouldn't say it is just the SEC, Quarterbacks in all leagues, from the NFL to College Football have always been predominantly white.

[Ranger12]

Just to add to this...the other day on the Dan Patrick show, Mark Ingram was asked if he would vote for Cam with the vote he has this year. Ingram stated that he thought Cam was the best player in football right now and if stays that way, he has no problem voting for him regardless of the school he goes too.

How many rednecks do you think stopped beating their wives and swallowed their Red Man when they heard that?

[djsimp]

Just to add to this...the other day on the Dan Patrick show, Mark Ingram was asked if he would vote for Cam with the vote he has this year. Ingram stated that he thought Cam was the best player in football right now and if stays that way, he has no problem voting for him regardless of the school he goes too.

How many rednecks do you think stopped beating their wives and swallowed their Red Man when they heard that?

I would venture to say that a bammer would say "the whole universe".

[Townhallsavoy]

What's up with our legends from the 80s making everything about race?

[Tiger Six]

What's up with our legends from the 80s making everything about race?

Actually, Barkley made a statement a couple weeks ago when LeBron said that part of the reason he was getting such heat from Cleveland was because of race.  Barkley said it was like reality TV.   Something along the lines of "You think it can't get any dumber and it gets keeps getting dumber."