Football - CJ an Award Finalist

Calvin Johnson was named one of three finalists for the Biletnikoff Award, which goes to the nation's top receiver. The other two finalists are Jarrett Dillard of Rice and Jeff Samardzija of Notre Dame. This should be interesting because everyone knows that Calvin Johnson is the nation's best receiver. Everyone knows that he's a once in a generation type player. Everyone knows he's going to be the first receiver taken in the draft. However, he doesn't have pretty boy Brady Quinn throwing him the rock all the time, so is this award about stats, is it about popularity, or is it about talent? If it's about anything other than talent, the we just may not see 'the truth'........


Speaking of awards, each the media on Thursday was given their ballots for the all-ACC team. Those ballots are based on a list of players that each school submitted to the league office. It containined the players each school wanted nominated for All-ACC consideration.


Now, here's the thing. The media doesn't typically talk a lot about those ballots and who's on them. However, I'm guessing that after this post, you'll see something in the AJC - just a guess. There's nowhere on the web that you can see the ballots, but I have been able to pick up a few things. Some interesting numbers.


How many players each team submitted:
16........ Miami
16........ Clemson
15........ FSU
15........ Maryland
13........ VaTech
12........ Georgia Tech
11........ Wake Forest
11....... Boston College
11....... NC ST
10....... North Carolina
8......... Virginia
2......... Duke


First of all, WHY do schools submit a list of players they want considered? Why don't the writers just pick up their brains and act like they've watched a couple of these games themselves and can figure out something on their own? Why don't their write in THEIR list of standouts and submit that to the league office and somebody who can count tally up the results?


Second, why did Miami submit 16 players and FSU 15? Folks, Miami put Kyle Wright on the ballot. Folks, Will Proctor was on the ballot. FSU nominated Drew Weatherford. But guess what - Wake Forest did not submit Riley Skinner, their QB, who leads the ACC in completion percentage and passing efficiency. What's up with that? Was Reggie Ball on GT's list? I don't know, but I suspect yes.


My pure guess as to Tech's 12 - Calvin Johnson, Reggie Ball, Tashard Choice, Mike Cox, Andrew Gardnew, Philip Wheeler, KaMichael Hall, Kenny Scott, Joe Anaoi, Adamm Oliver, Matt Rhodes, Durant Brooks....................... Still leaves off good guys like James Johnson, Kevin Tuminello and others, but we submitted 12, so that's my guess as to who they were.