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Keep Your Chin Up, Vince

Reggie Bush won the Heisman trophy on Saturday night with the highest percentage of first place votes and the highest percentage of available points in the history of the award. Congratulations Reggie.

I think the race deserved to be a little closer than it turned out. Vince Young, the quarterback of the Texas Longhorns, finished a very distant second. Young had just as stellar a year as Reggie Bush, but the Heisman trophy is specifically bestowed upon the “most outstanding” player in college football. I would surmise in the eyes of the voters that Reggie Bush is a more outstanding player than Vince, but I think very few would argue that Reggie means more to his team than Vince does.

Vince, understandly so, was quite down after hearing the result. From the article,

“I’m just disappointed for my fans, definitely for my teammates, my family back at home, for not representing them in the right way,” Young said in a low monotone. “I just felt like I didn’t represent my team and my family when I didn’t come up with the trophy.”

Nothing could be further from the truth, Vince. You have definitely represented your family and fans in the right way, not to mention the way you have represented the University of Texas Longhorns on the field. College football teams will win some games, and lose some others. The whole point is that it’s fun to play, it’s fun to watch, and one hopes that everyone gets something out of it.

Winning an award here or there is nice, but it shouldn’t be viewed as a validation (or lack thereof) of the way you represent your team, your family, or your fans. The Longhorns play the game the right way, and that is a testament to everyone involved.

So, Vince, keep your chin up, and get ready to play for the national championship on January 4. Win that game, and you’ll have the trophy that really counts.