Smith will win the heisman. He will win because he deserves it. And he will win easily w/ out your vote. Your vote will make no impact. I'm sure you would have voted for Adrian Peterson though. Oklahoma has not had any funny business lately. We can see right through your weak kneed stand.

You are amazing. I'm glad you are so principled.

Moron.

you are certainly entitled to your opinion, but unfortunately you should not be entitled to vote for the Heisman. I say this mostly because you do not have any of the facts correct surrounding the $500 Smith incident.

1. He was given $500 as an advance for an off-season job. Smith's stated intention was for it to be deducted out of his pay check, but as we know that's not how it works. The gentleman who gave him the money had no intention of making him repay it. However, that is on the booster (who has since been banned from campus and any relation with the school) not Troy Smith.

2. you make light of what troy needed the money for. He needed the money to give to his mother who was being harassed by collections agents over an unpaid cell phone bill of $600+. It was a phone bought for Smith by his mother. Troy made the mistake of letting Maurice Clarrett use the phone and $600+ in calls later, left Mrs. Smtih holding the bag.

3. he paid the money back and paid the appropriate penalty according to the NCAA.

Now this may not change your mind, but it certainly clears the air about why and how a little better than your story.

You are certainly entitled to your opinion, and someone obviously values it seeing as you have a vote for the Heisman, but I'm not sure I believe what you are saying in your story. I don't think you believe it either. It must just be a way to sell papers. I do not believe that you are so cold hearted that you can not see the great story that is Troy Smith. I can not believe that you would be so calloused that you can not see the story of redemption here. I feel sad for you if you really do feel this way. You must live a very miserable life. Try to see the good in people sometimes. You'll be a happier person in the long run.

I would probably vote for TS because he had a Heisman season. Further, I am impressed that a kid from a rough inner city upbringing has, in fact, finally turned his life around, graduated a few months ago, been punished for his mistakes, and has been a leader and role model for his teammates since his "second chance". What a positive story for many kids to relate too. Interesting that you would let the negative dominate your thinking instead of seeing the positive in this story. That says something to me about you.

Interestingly enough, you would choose not to vote for Colt Brennan due to Hawaii's weak schedule, not the fact that Brennan was accused of drunkenly entering a dorm room and fondling a woman -- charges that got him kicked off the team. He pleaded not guilty and was acquitted of sexual assault and indecent exposure but convicted of criminal trespass and burglary. Brennan spent seven days in jail and received four years' probation, which won't expire for another two years.

Now, I don't want to throw anyone under the bus here, but maybe you should know your facts before you try your hand at journalism.

The young man made a mistake and paid for that mistake. Since then he has been nothing short of a role model as an athlete and student, both on and off the field. You sir strike me as nothing more than a pompus windbag with a vote.

A couple of questions, Mr. Hoover:

1. It is disturbing that a journalist is unable to delineate between something that is "cheating" and something that is an "infraction". Cheating is intentionally gaining an unfair competitive advantage to assist a team or player. How did accepting $500 from a booster several years ago help Troy's on-the-field accomplishments? Was it an infraction, yes - and he suffered the penalty for it. Was it cheating, no. Assuming you are of reasonable intellect, why can't you discern the difference?

2. What was the incident that occurred several years ago in your life where you said "I tried cheating once"? First off, it may not actually have been cheating since you are unaware of the definition of the word. Secondly, if it really was cheating, let the rest of us judge you for all the favorable events that transpired afterwards in your life to determine if you are actually worthy of them. Also, let us determine whether you, a self-admitted cheater, should sit so piously in judgment of others.

Dude you have lost it , you are a joke, would you have voted for me??

I thought a Heisman was won the year it was played, not for what he did two years ago. Hell, lets include all of his performances over the last few years in and make his clutch performances look even better.

you need to get your facts straight. not only is your logic extremely flawed, but you dont even have the right facts on the story: 1. ohio state played iowa, not iowa state. 2. troy smith was supsended for 2 games by the university = the alamo bowl and the miami of ohio game (suspension carried over into the next season) 3. troy smith used the money to pay off a cell phone bill (clarett had been using his mom's phone) that was causing her to be harassed. if you are going to be so irresponsible as to post ludicrous stories like this on the internet, at least get your facts straight, furthermore... you deserve to lose your heisman vote. you, my friend, need to look at troy smith and learn to be a man.

Journalism is a trade that has suffered greatly because of hacks like you. The article you wrote is more likely to grace a gossip rag than anything resembling a newspaper. Did you do one ounce of research? By the errors in your piece I would say not.

Troy did not take the money during the 2004 season, The transaction actually took place late in the spring of 2004. The reason you should learn to respect Mr. Smith is because he actually admitted to the deed. Unlike a recent Heisman winner that will unnamed. He could easily denied it and would had it brushed under the rug.

When Coach Tressel found out and asked Troy about the situation, Troy did not lie. He took his punishment and faced the music. When a kid from his circumstances is tempted. It is sometimes hard to resist. It is harder though to fess up to it.

Perhaps you should fess up to this piece of crap article you have written.

Mr. Hoover -

Undoubtably, the reason you wrote this artricle is because you knew the reaction it would draw from Buckeyes fans and those that disagree with you.

To that I say congratulations!! You must be lonely and wanted some funny reading over the next few days.

But to your point about not giving Troy your vote because of his mis-givings almost 3 years ago, I say shame on you. This type of stance points out a larger issue currently plaguing our society, that is to try and discard or discredit those to do not live up to my personal lofty standards. Whatever, happen to the parables that "those who live in glass houses" or "until you walk a mile in a man's shoes". Apparantly they have been replaced by "I give no man a second chance". I only hope that you do not raise your children with this lack of compasion or understanding for if you do they are in store for some serious therapy.

As a Buckeye fan and a Troy Smith supporter I look forward to TS taking home the tropy but more importantly I look forward to encouraging my children to be like TS. It is imporatnt that we understand that we are all going to make mistakes but it is more important to learn from those mistakes, build upon those lessons and become better people AND THERE IS NO BETTER EXAMPLE OF THIS THAN TROY SMITH. It's just unfortunate Mr. Hoover that you have no understanding of this concept.