Bust Usually Comes With Trophy

To the losers of this year’s Heisman Trophy balloting, hearty congratulations! Research says you’re well on your way to more productive NFL careers than the unfortunate sap now left with half an oversized bookend set.

Since 1990, the Heisman has been more millstone than milestone for young football players hopeful for success in the pros. Nine times out of 11, in fact, the winner has been eclipsed in the NFL by one or more of his closest challengers.

The top four Heisman Trophy finishers from 1990-2000 and how they have fared, or how they project, in the NFL:

1990

1. Rocket Ismail, Notre Dame (finished second in the voting): His kingdom for a Cowboy quarterback.

2. Eric Bieniemy, Colorado (third): Played in a Super Bowl with the Chargers. Not many can say that.

3. Ty Detmer, Brigham Young (won): For a week there, Lion Coach Marty Mornhinweg liked him better than Charlie Batch.

4. Shawn Moore, Virginia (fourth): Appeared in only three games for the Denver Broncos.

*

1991

1. Steve Emtman, Washington (fourth): If not for bad knees ...

2. Desmond Howard, Michigan (won): Had a nice game for the Packers in Super Bowl I.

3. Detmer (third): Still the stat of 2001: Seven interceptions against Cleveland.

4. Casey Weldon, Florida State (second): But his FSU backup, Brad Johnson, has gone on to have a decent career.

*

1992

1. Marshall Faulk, San Diego State (second): Today, the best player in football.

2. Garrison Hearst, Georgia (third): NFL 2001 comeback player of the year.

3. Marvin Jones, Florida State (fourth): Now in his sixth season as a starting linebacker for the Jets.

4. Gino Toretta, Miami (won): Held clipboards in Minnesota, Detroit, San Francisco and Seattle.

*

1993

1. Faulk (fourth): Heisman resume fatally flawed. “School: San Diego State.”

2. David Palmer, Alabama (third): Averaged 9.9 yards per punt return in seven seasons with Minnesota.

3. Heath Shuler, Tennessee (second): Now a trivia question: “Who was Vols’ quarterback before Peyton Manning?”

4. Charlie Ward, Florida State (won): And once in a while, winning the Heisman can serve as a useful steppingstone to a career in pro basketball.

*

1994

1. Steve McNair, Alcorn State (third): Has played in a Super Bowl.

2. Kerry Collins, Penn State (fourth): Amazingly, so has he.

3. Rashaan Salaam, Colorado (won): Rushed for 1,074 yards as a rookie, then came the injuries.

4. Ki-Jana Carter, Penn State (second): Good to see him back in the league again.

*

1995

1. Eddie George, Ohio State (won): Carried the Oilers-Titans for years. See what happens after so much heavy lifting?

2. Danny Wuerffel, Florida (third): No. 3 on the Bears’ depth chart behind Shane Matthews, who finished fifth in the ’91 Heisman voting.

3. Darnell Autry, Northwestern (fourth): An out-of-work actor in 1998 and 1999, paid the bills by rushing for 334 yards with the Eagles in 2000. Now an out-of-work football player.

4. Tommie Frazier, Nebraska (second): Never played a down in the NFL.

*

1996

1. Orlando Pace, Ohio State (fourth): Two-time Pro Bowl tackle for St. Louis.

2. Jake Plummer, Arizona State (third): In 1998, became first Cardinal playoff quarterback since Jim Hart.

3. Wuerffel (won): Bears preferred him to Cade McNown.

4. Troy Davis, Iowa State (second): Never rushed for more than 271 yards in three seasons with New Orleans.

*

1997

1. Peyton Manning, Tennessee (second): Colts’ best quarterback since Johnny U.

2. Randy Moss, Marshall (fourth): Most talented pass catcher in football. Docked a slot for going postal, mailing in every other game.

3. Charles Woodson, Michigan (won): Three-time Pro Bowl cornerback for Raiders.

4. Ryan Leaf, Washington State (third): You know the deal.

*

1998

1. Ricky Williams, Texas (won): First Saint running back with consecutive 1,000-yard seasons.

2. Tim Couch, Kentucky (fourth): Now he has a defense in Cleveland. Still waiting for receivers, running backs.

3. Cade McNown, UCLA (third): Since he left Chicago for Dolphins’ bench, Bears are 9-2.

4. Michael Bishop, Kansas State (second): Went from Patriots’ quarterback of the future to the past once Tom Brady became the present.

*

1999

1. Michael Vick, Virginia Tech (third): “The Michael Jordan of quarterbacks.” Or so we’ve been told.

2. Drew Brees, Purdue (second): The heir apparent to Doug Flutie (39, 0-5 since October) in San Diego.

3. Ron Dayne, Wisconsin (won): Nicknamed “Dayne No Gain” by the New York press corps.

4. Joe Hamilton, Georgia Tech (second): Beat out Leaf for third string in Tampa Bay.

*

2000

1. LaDainian Tomlinson, TCU (fourth): Probable NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.

2. Brees (third): Brees to Tomlinson by when, November 2002?

3. Chris Weinke, Florida State (won): Starting at quarterback for the Panthers because there’s no one else.

4. Josh Heupel, Oklahoma (second): News bulletin: Sooner quarterback doesn’t cut it in pros.

DETROIT LIONS: CHASING HISTORY

The quest: To become the first NFL team to finish a season 0-16.

Credentials to date: 0-11, equaling the franchise record set in 1942, when the Lions scored 38 points in their first 11 games.

Next defeat: Today at Tampa.

Chance for success: Still hanging in there. Jason Hanson missed a 40-yard field-goal attempt with 21 seconds left last Sunday, preserving a 13-10 loss to Chicago and extending the streak, in all likelihood, to next Sunday, when the Lions host Minnesota.

Potential obstacles: The Minnesota game will be a big one. Lose that and the Lions will have the chance to tie the 1980 New Orleans Saints for worst start by a team since the adoption of the 16-game schedule--0-14--on Dec. 23 in Pittsburgh.

Historical footnote: It could have been worse for Detroit in 1942, but the Lions played only 11 games that season.