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While everyone is paying attention to a certain spectacular high-school athlete, there's a small ceremony this weekend at the Yale Club in Manhattan for a couple of college football players. Why is the Heisman Trophy ceremony hot this year? In a word: suspense.
Everyone's got a favorite among the five finalists, but there's no clear-cut choice. Each has a different hook: Miami QB Ken Dorsey, Mr. Lifetime Achievement? His teammate, RB Willis McGahee, just a sophomore? Will they split the votes from their region, opening the door for USC QB Carson Palmer, who started this season as a punchline, or Penn State RB Larry Johnson, who started the season as an afterthought but earned more than 2,000 yards? The guy who really deserves it, Iowa QB Brad Banks, is out-of-sight-out-of-mind from not playing in a month.
It's not about NFL potential -- the guy with the most, Marshall QB Byron Leftwich, didn't even make the finalist cut. Regardless, uncertainty makes for a compelling story -- and brings the Trophy a cachet it hasn't had in years. For more on what's hot and what's not for the Heisman -- and the rest of the sports world – check out the list below:
What's Hot, What's Not this week
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Category |
Hot |
Not |
Rose, Part I |
Hall of Fame candidate |
Appealing bowl game |
Rose, Part II |
Acknowledge it! |
Mere apologies |
College football look-back |
 "The Junction Boys" |
 Gino Torretta's Heisman campaign |
Must-have running back |
Ricky Williams |
Priest Holmes |
Bad team getting better |
Grizzlies |
Heat |
Exit strategy for college FB coach |
 Get fired (like Toledo) |
 Bandwagon-jump (like Franchione) |
Best big man in college hoops |
Mario Austin |
Nick Collison |
Chicago Bears problem |
 Too many wins to get Leftwich |
 Jim Miller's gone |
Division I men's soccer powerhouse |
Maryland |
UCLA |
College football game to watch |
Division III semis: John Carroll vs. Mt. Union |
Division 1-A playoff first round (oh, wait a sec ...) |
Kyle Turley's big problem |
 "But he did it, too!" |
 Recognizing what he did was wrong in the first place |
Advice for Marvin Lewis |
Hold out for an NFL job |
Go to East Lansing, Michigan |
Criteria |
This season's accomplishments |
Lifetime achievement |
Voting blocs |
West Coast for C. Palmer |
Southeast splits vote between Dorsey.McGahee |
What about sophs? |
 McGahee deservers consideration |
 Watchutakinbout, Willis? |
QB |
Brad Banks |
Ken Dorsey |
Premature 2003 front-runner |
 Injury-free Maurice Clarett |
 Dorsey replacement Brock Berlin |
Way-too-premature 2004 front-runner |
Brad Smith, Missouri |
Marcus Vick, Virginia Tech |
And this year's winner will be ... |
Brad Banks (voters want to show how smart they are) |
Larry Johnson (team not that good) |
Post-"Sopranos" escape |
"Oz" |
Non-prison shows |
Gift |
Trivial Pursuit, 20th Anniv. Edition |
Striped anything |
Weekend flick |
 "Drumline" (My girlfriend says "Maid in Manhattan". Not on my watch.) |
 "The Hot Chick" (My girlfriend agrees.)
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Dan Shanoff is a columnist for Page 2. His "What's Hot, What's Not" trend-spotting list appears Thursdays. Got inside scoop on an up-and-coming trend? Want to declare something passé? Send this glimpse of your hipness to hotnotlist@yahoo.com.
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|  THE HOT LIST |  |
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