SDSU Not the Type to Hype

Where’s P.T. Barnum when we need him? Or Bill Veeck? Or even Don King?

Surely, this assignment should go to a King of Hype. We need someone who comes to town wearing a striped three-piece suit with a gold chain and pocket watch. He probably ought to have one of those pencil-thin mustaches and patent-leather white shoes. The tie should look like something that needs watering, you know, flowery and bright.

Someone a little like a carnival barker with a wagon filled with Aunt May’s cure-all elixir.

We have this guy in town named Marshall Faulk who is a genuine--pronounce that gen-ewe-wine--candidate for the 1992 Heisman Trophy. We need someone who will barnstorm the country and grab lapels and blow cigar smoke and generally awaken 917 voters to the notion that a sophomore from San Diego--pronounce that San Dee-Aye-Go--State University should win collegiate football’s highest honor.

No problem.

We have John Rosenthal.

Wait a minute, John Rosenthal?

Rosenthal runs more to white shirts with ties like you’d see on a stockbroker. His pants are off-the-rack and his shoes run more to loafers. He’s so clean-cut you almost want to ask him what choir he’s in.

Rosenthal, SDSU’s sports information director, is the man assigned to make the world, at least those who vote for the Heisman, aware of Marshall Faulk. What you hope, indeed, is that maybe the guy is at least a closet lunatic.

I asked Rosenthal what he had in mind. You know, maybe sending out tin stars with “Marshall for Heisman” on them. Get it? Marshall? Tin star?

“We’re going to be very fundamental,” Rosenthal said, stifling a yawn. “We’ll send out press packets in July with photos and clips and a synopsis of preseason honors. We’ll include quotes from coaches and players and maybe a list of his likes and dislikes. Very basic.”

Huh? Shouldn’t this be handled a little bit like cities apparently go about getting the Olympics? Shouldn’t he be researching which Heisman voters take bribes? Which ones like fine wines and which ones would enjoy a week’s vacation on Mission Bay?

“In January or February,” Rosenthal said, “I made calls to dozens of writers in various areas of the country as well as some here in San Diego. I wanted their opinions on what they felt worked as far as gaining attention and whether they thought Marshall was a viable candidate.”

What he learned was that Faulk was, indeed, a viable candidate. After all, he was first team All-American as a freshman and ninth in the 1991 Heisman voting. Only one freshman, Herschel Walker in 1980, has placed higher in the Heisman voting. Only one other returnee, Florida quarterback Shane Matthews, finished ahead of him in the 1991 voting.

Marshall Faulk, it turns out, had gone and made Rosenthal’s job easier.

And John Rosenthal is the right man for this job. You want a solid, conservative, responsible approach to this chore.

“The thing I learned that was consistent,” he said, “was that there seems to be a backlash toward out-and-out hype. They don’t care for cutesy-type promotions. They want the basic facts, not just stats, but personal information as well. They want it straightforward. They don’t want you to insult their intelligence, that they don’t know who’s out there.”

You don’t have to do what Brigham Young did with, or for, Ty Detmer’s candidacy. BYU sent out Ty ties. He won the Heisman anyway.

Of course, SDSU does not even have the resources to get cutesy, if, in fact, that was the best plan. The budget crunch permeates the entire campus. Rosenthal’s budget does not contain a listing for the promotion of one man’s candidacy for the Heisman. He will do the best he can with what he has and Faulk himself will have to do the rest. Faulk did quite well as a freshman, thank you.

Starting the season with consecutive games against the likes of USC, BYU and UCLA won’t hurt, assuming both he and the Aztecs do well. That’s called instant credibility, though 154 rushing yards last year against Miami may already have taken care of credibility.

“One thing I learned,” Rosenthal said, “is that Marshall’s recognition factor is very, very good. People are aware of both Marshall Faulk and San Diego State.”

Leaving nothing to chance, one of Rosenthal’s calls went to Michigan sports information director Bruce Madej.

What had Madej done to promote 1991 Heisman winner Desmond Howard?

“Nothing,” Madej said.

Rosenthal scratched his head.

“That’s all well and good if you’re Michigan,” he said, “but we have to do more than nothing. But we’re not going to send tin stars to 1,000 writers.”

OK, John, but couldn’t you at least wear neon bow ties and maybe a skimmer and twirl a cane? I mean, you don’t even have any pictures in your office of you with Bob Hope or Elvis Presley or even Marshall Faulk. You’re starting to remind me of Tom Day.