Willie Ray Smith Award Finalists Named

[BadMedicine]

[quote name="Gabe" post="951869" timestamp="1295558444"]
I simply don't get these awards. I am in the media so maybe I shouldn't say this but I have never liked the voting and ceremony being done in February. What takes so long? The Heisman doesn't even take that long and no pro sport does their MVPs two or three months after their season is over and HUNDREDS of people vote for some of those awards. I simply don't get it.
[/quote]

Gabe,

When would you suggest the banquet is held?  Before the season is over? During the Christmas holidays? 

[rykerx144]

[quote name="BadMedicine" post="954285" timestamp="1295982021"]
[quote author=Gabe link=topic=78996.msg951869#msg951869 date=1295558444]
I simply don't get these awards. I am in the media so maybe I shouldn't say this but I have never liked the voting and ceremony being done in February. What takes so long? The Heisman doesn't even take that long and no pro sport does their MVPs two or three months after their season is over and HUNDREDS of people vote for some of those awards. I simply don't get it.
[/quote]

Gabe,

When would you suggest the banquet is held?  Before the season is over? During the Christmas holidays? 
[/quote]whats wrong with first part of January? 

[SgtRey]

[quote name="rykerx144" post="954319" timestamp="1295985530"]
[quote author=BadMedicine link=topic=78996.msg954285#msg954285 date=1295982021]
[quote author=Gabe link=topic=78996.msg951869#msg951869 date=1295558444]
I simply don't get these awards. I am in the media so maybe I shouldn't say this but I have never liked the voting and ceremony being done in February. What takes so long? The Heisman doesn't even take that long and no pro sport does their MVPs two or three months after their season is over and HUNDREDS of people vote for some of those awards. I simply don't get it.
[/quote]

Gabe,

When would you suggest the banquet is held?  Before the season is over? During the Christmas holidays? 
[/quote]whats wrong with first part of January? 
[/quote]What's wrong with it being held during two a days?

[BadMedicine]

[quote name="rykerx144" post="954319" timestamp="1295985530"]
[quote author=BadMedicine link=topic=78996.msg954285#msg954285 date=1295982021]
[quote author=Gabe link=topic=78996.msg951869#msg951869 date=1295558444]
I simply don't get these awards. I am in the media so maybe I shouldn't say this but I have never liked the voting and ceremony being done in February. What takes so long? The Heisman doesn't even take that long and no pro sport does their MVPs two or three months after their season is over and HUNDREDS of people vote for some of those awards. I simply don't get it.
[/quote]

Gabe,

When would you suggest the banquet is held?  Before the season is over? During the Christmas holidays? 
[/quote]whats wrong with first part of January? 
[/quote]

I suppose the Willie Ray Smith banquet could be held in early January.  High school coaches would need to submit their nominees in early December even though some teams are still playing into December and the state championships are played in mid December.  Then the selection committee would determine the finalists  in mid December.  The news media voters would need to vote during the Christmas/ New Year holidays.  The Lions Club members would forego their holiday hunting or ski trips to tally the votes.

Those are all likely occurrences.

[Gabe]

So this couldn't be pulled off because what? It is done across the board in professional and college sports and I promise you those guys are busier than I am and it took me a total of ooohhhh four minutes to vote. Yes it can be done in early January.

[BadMedicine]

[quote name="Gabe" post="955153" timestamp="1296067349"]
So this couldn't be pulled off because what? It is done across the board in professional and college sports and I promise you those guys are busier than I am and it took me a total of ooohhhh four minutes to vote. Yes it can be done in early January.
[/quote]

I don't think the NFL has a big banquet to name MVP's or rookie of the year, don't they just announce the winners to the media?  I suppose if there was not a Willie Ray Smith banquet, where tickets are sold to parents, players, and coaches, they could announce the winners in December.

[Gabe]

Sooooo the staff starts planning the banquet a month earlier lol. You are making it out like this compares to putting a man on the moon

[AggiesAreWe]

I have yet to see the negative of the banquet being held in February.

[SgtRey]

I think we should have an SETXSPORTS FOOTBALL BANQUET....to announce the SETXSPORTS teams/awards.....

:o

[Gabe]

Let's hold it on April 20th!

[SgtRey]

[quote name="Gabe" post="955547" timestamp="1296103577"]
Let's hold it on April 20th!
[/quote]
the 15th....the last day of the signing period.

[BadMedicine]

[quote name="Gabe" post="955406" timestamp="1296093374"]
Sooooo the staff starts planning the banquet a month earlier lol. You are making it out like this compares to putting a man on the moon
[/quote]

Gabe, are you really this clueless or is it just a slow news day in Orange County?

The "staff" you refer is made up of volunteer members of the Beaumont Lions Club.  Some of these guys are 70 or 80 years old.  Not only did many of them know Willie Ray Smith, they attended games he coached.

The "staff" has to wait for 30+ head coaches to submit their nominees.  You think that’s done in a timely manner?  Coaches won't call in game results to the newspapers.  So how high a priority do you think Willie Ray Smith nominations are?

Then a committee (you may be a part of this) go through 60+ players to determine the 4 offensive and 4 defensive finalists.  I hope this committee spends more than the couple of minutes it takes you to vote.

The Lions Club holds a press conference in January to announce the finalists and once the finalists are named start selling tickets for the banquet.  Most people don't buy tickets until the finalists are known.

Finally, they have a speaker, usually a college coach, so they have to coordinate the date of the banquet with the speaker’s schedule.

Gabe, since you are a part of the voting process, I am very surprised that you would publicly criticize the scheduling of the Willie Ray Smith Awards that’s put on by a volunteer organization.

[Gabe]

Actually I get paid to have an opinion on things, so I don't feel bad for that at all.
I am not the only one who feels this way, sorry for being the only one who asked the question. And by not the only one, I mean in the media.
I salute the volunteers for their work and its a great banquet, but all I asked at first was why it was done so long after the season.
I will end with that. Did not mean in any way to criticize anyone.
BTW, it took only four minutes to vote because I knew who I wanted on offensive before I ever got the ballot. I thought it was kind of obvious.

[Gabe]

And its far from a slow news day. Auto-pedestrian fatal, gas leak in BC, stabbing in Orange and I still have time to give my opinion  ;)

[Gabe]

I will let this go. Congrats to all nominees and the committee on a great award. I did not mean to bring down anyone, just was asking a question.

[AIW]

1st Congrats to all nominees

Don't worry, Gabe, I too think and ALWAYS have thought it was at a strange time....We will be well into soccer season, why think football :P

[dav-joel]

[quote name="BadMedicine" post="955336" timestamp="1296085920"]
[quote author=Gabe link=topic=78996.msg955153#msg955153 date=1296067349]
So this couldn't be pulled off because what? It is done across the board in professional and college sports and I promise you those guys are busier than I am and it took me a total of ooohhhh four minutes to vote. Yes it can be done in early January.
[/quote]

I don't think the NFL has a big banquet to name MVP's or rookie of the year, don't they just announce the winners to the media? [b] I suppose if there was not a Willie Ray Smith banquet, where tickets are sold to parents, players, and coaches, they could announce the winners in December.[/b][/quote]

I also questioned the timing of the Willie Ray Smith Banquet in the past, but when you consider that the Football season doesn't end until sometime around the 3rd weekend of December it makes more sense to really do it right.
Nominations from the coaches, naming finalists, allowing the voters to properly analyse the nominees and cast ballots (except Gabe who already made up his mind during 2 a days), the difference between late January and early February is insignificant.
I would hate to see the Award disappear the way the Babe Zaharias did because of a few weeks. 

[vidort-bone42I]

I know the reason the WRS award is in February.  Its so all the football coaches can take their wives out to eat for Valentine's Day at a football banquet. 

SE Texas has three seasons -- football season, spring football season and Willie Ray Smith season.

Never too much football.

[Gabe]

Yep. I voted in August. Because even then I could have told you who the best offensive player in the area would be and he ended up being it.

[AggiesAreWe]

[quote name="Gabe" post="955964" timestamp="1296163799"]
Yep. I voted in August. Because even then I could have told you who the best offensive player in the area would be and he ended up being it.
[/quote]


I thought you were letting this go? ;D

[Gabe]

Starting today, still think it's late to do th.....crap. Try again tomorrow

[WOSgrad]

Actually, the answer is pretty easy....exposure.  By waiting till February, the award is not overshadowed by the BCS, the NFL playoffs, Super Bowl, college recruiting, coaching changes, all this teams, all that teams, etc.  It has it's own day in the sun, not overshadowed by any other football story.

[AggiesAreWe]

[quote name="WOSgrad" post="956422" timestamp="1296234533"]
Actually, the answer is pretty easy....exposure.  By waiting till February, the award is not overshadowed by the BCS, the NFL playoffs, Super Bowl, college recruiting, coaching changes, all this teams, all that teams, etc.  It has it's own day in the sun, not overshadowed by any other football story.
[/quote]


Good enough for me.