ESPN

• Your Heisman Watch: Where is Colt McCoy on your ballot?
• Chat: Check out what Pat Forde thinks of the Heisman race and more.

We already know the Heisman doesn't necessarily reward the best player in college football as much as the best quarterback, running back or (occasionally) wide receiver on a top team. But should it be limited to rewarding that player for the work of one season?

Alabama running back Mark Ingram has held down the top spot on SportsNation's ballot since the middle of October and may control his own fate with high-profile games remaining against Auburn and Florida. But as the time to turn in a ballot comes closer, will some voters start to think about rewarding Colt McCoy for both his numbers this season and those the NCAA all-time wins leader has put up over his entire career?

Andrew (Spring, TX)

Should Colt McCoy's over-all resume be taken into consideration concerning the Heisman? Winning-est QB of all-time .... highest completion % of all time .... holds every passing record at Texas, etc ....

Mark Schlabach

Might be. I'm sure some voters will lean to him as a "career award," but I think his numbers this season speak for themselves, too. Full transcript.

Dan (NYC)

Is Ingram a virtual lock for the Heisman if Bama beats both Auburn and Florida?

Chris Low

I wouldn't call him a lock. A lot will depend on how he plays in those games. But I do believe him to be the guy to beat at this point. Gerhart is coming on strong. Spiller is one to watch and either McCoy or Tebow could get back in if they roll it up these next two weeks. Full transcript.

Family, friends, health. Sure, we're all thankful for the standards. But as SportsNation blogger MoAz2213 suggests, it's sports that really keeps most of us sane over the course of a year. And since it seems roughly 45 percent of SportsNation won't be working beyond Tuesday (with a curiously high rate of early vacations in Big 12 and SEC country), we're pausing to collect your list of sporting thanks. Among MoAz2213's lengthy list:

"The World Cup 2010: OH. MY. GOSH. I don't know if there are words to describe my excitement about the upcoming World Cup. I'm unsure if most people understand how amazing this tournament is. It only comes every 4 years ... its the greatest sport in the world ... the greatest teams on the planet ... its national pride ... its blood, sweat, and tears ... its underdogs and powerhouses ... its ... its just amazing. I cannot wait to be awake and glued to my tv at all odd hours of the day and night to catch every game ... cannot wait.

"June Jones: I've always wanted to go to a big sports school, but I went to SMU instead. And while not without its great sports teams and athletes, it never had that big gametime atmosphere. And maybe it still doesn't, but I know -- and other sportsfans in the area know -- that June Jones has breeded that big sports excitement on the football team. I mean, I was there when you woke up, not to see IF the football team won, but just to see by HOW much we lost. Just to be in the talks of a bowl appearance, for the first time in over 20 years, is exciting." -- Read the full post.

Sometimes we all need a little extra space to vent. ESPN profiles give fans space to post their own blog entries and go toe-to-toe with commenters.

• randomdude21: Taking a few days to let passions cool and collect thoughts (who does that?), a blogger reflects on Thierry Henry and how soccer can avoid a repeat.
• Feldman9000: The Chargers crack one fan's top five in the NFL, and the Patriots are compared to Michael Jordan's first comeback. Presumably without the conspiracy theories.

• pigtailedtigerpiccolo: A Clemson fan gives thanks (foreshadowing alert) for football coach Dabo Swinney being himself and not being Tommy Bowden.
• spiritsunami: Looking at college football rivalry games beyond Alabama, Florida and Texas, including a big game between Kentucky and Tennessee.
• nunyabiz81: Wrapping up a Michigan season before Thanksgiving seems to say it all, but a Wolverines fan sorts through the mess and comes away with some hope for Tate Forcier.



Read more fan posts. Or respond by signing in or creating a profile, and start blogging.

Johnson coached Oklahoma State and Miami in college and Dallas and Miami in the NFL.

Welcome to SportsNation! On Tuesday, Fox NFL analyst Jimmy Johnson will stop by to chat about Week 12 in the NFL.

Before taking on duties in Fox's Sunday NFL studio show, Johnson was an NFL and college head coach. He is the only person to win a college national title both as a player and coach, as well as coach a Super Bowl win. In nine years as a NFL head coach, Johnson had a 80-64 record, including 9-4 in the playoffs.

This holiday season, Johnson is working with Crown Royal and its "Safe Rides Home" designated driver program, which will provide free and safe rides home to Dallas adults on Thanksgiving eve. Johnson is also a part of Crown Royal's programs to create awareness of responsible drinking.

Send your questions now and join Johnson Tuesday at noon ET!

More Special Guests: Previous chats | SportsNation

• Vote: What has been the biggest stumbling block for Greg Oden?
• Chats: NBA Insider Chad Ford takes your questions, 1 p.m. ET.

All right, so more than 70 percent of SportsNation thinks Vince Young has a brighter future than Greg Oden, but could Portland's big man be the next to start living up to expectations? Oden went for 24 points and 12 rebounds Monday night against the Bulls, and while that's merely a good scoring half for Kevin Durant, it was a career high for Oden, the guy picked ahead of him. Speaking of Durant, it can't help Oden to have him around for such comparisons. Consider how SportsNation felt about the two on the eve of the 2007 draft.

• 59 percent said take Oden over Durant with the No. 1 pick.
• 68 percent thought Oden was right leaving Ohio State after his freshman season.
• 69 percent believed Oden's talent was on par with Shaq, Hakeem and Duncan.

To this point, it's not even clear Oden is better than Hakim Warrick, but he is just 21 years old. So putting Durant aside for at least a few years, how about a more reasonable comparison. Would you rather have Oden or Andrew Bynum as a young post?

martell webster (portland)

What do you think the best starting lineup is for us in the long run? Do you think Oden will ever be an All-Star?

J.A. Adande

It could happen for Oden just by attrition. Once Yao Ming's gone, for example. There are so few quality big men in the league right now. But at the moment Oden couldn't even crack the Bynum and Gasol lineup. Channing Frye's having a better season ... Full transcript

• Vote: Would you rather have Vince Young or Jay Cutler?
• Week 12 Pick 'Em: Will the Titans keep rolling against the Cardinals?
• NFL Blog Chats: NFC East, 12 p.m. ET | NFC North, 2 p.m. ET | AFC North, 4 p.m. ET

Tennessee Titans owner Bud Adams cost himself a cool $250,000 by giving the Bills the literal finger a few weeks ago (Bill Cowher was more suavely figurative in doing it when the Bills inquired about his availability). But Adams may have saved himself millions in future signing-bonus money for Sam Bradford by forcing Jeff Fisher to play Vince Young. All of a sudden, the Titans have their quarterback of the future and a playoff run in the present.

Young is now 4-0 as a starter for the Titans and looked downright Texas-like against the Texans, throwing a touchdown, running for 73 yards and successfully handing the ball to Chris Johnson. But how convinced are you that a guy who seemed on the verge of bust status is really the quarterback to lead the Titans into the future?

• Your Power Rankings: Where do the Bucks rank this week? | Jennings for real?
• Monday Chat: ESPN.com's Chris Sheridan answers your NBA queries.

Short being a teenage vampire (although he is almost still a teenager and he did play suspiciously close to Transylvania last season -- at least relative to any other current NBA player), it's tough to think of someone generating more buzz than Brandon Jennings. And there's a reason Stephenie Meyer didn't set her "Twilight" series in Milwaukee.

Kevin Durant could be headed for Team USA and an NBA scoring title. Derrick Rose is the reigning rookie of the year. But more SportsNation residents would pause the clicker to watch Jennings than either of the biggest stars to emerge from the 2007 and 2008 drafts. But give thanks; Jennings and Durant go head-to-head on ESPN on Friday night.

Have you caught the Jennings fever?

Jimmy (Seattle)

Adand"ay" - i saw your Around the Horn episode yesterday. Anyway, i had questions on the OKC Thunder. How much more improved to they seem to be, and where, in your mind, have they really improved the most? Is Kevin Durant a bona-fide star in the NBA yet, or does he have more to prove?

Greg (Portland)

Jennings point production gets most of the pub for Milwaukee's quick start. But it's his basketball IQ and work with Bogut that has been truly eye opening. With Bogut shelved for several weeks and Milwaukee going on the road, isn't this where we'll really see just how good Jennings is?

J.A. Adande

I'm throwing both of those questions in together because the same thing applies: in order to truly have cred in this league you have to carry your team to victories, then do it again in the playoffs. As dazzling as Jennings and Durant have looked, they have yet to do that so far. People forget, there were even questions about MJ before he started getting it done in the playoffs. Full transcript

• GameDay Pick 'Em: Get an early start on your Thanksgiving week picks.
• Vote: Can any coach make Notre Dame an annual contender again?
• Chat: What's the scoop on all the hot seats? Ask Mark Schlabach, 2 ET.

Notre Dame's loss at home against Connecticut has people throwing dirt on Charlie Weis and speculating on successors in South Bend. But Weis is far from the only coach under fire after a week in which both Ole Miss and the clock seemed to befuddle Les Miles and Rich Rodriguez clinched another losing season with a defeat at home against Ohio State. Nearly 60 percent of SportsNation thinks coaches are more spoiled than the players they coach, but how much cash would you want to get called out like this on a weekly basis?

• "Les Miles is too lax, too "creative" and too much of a magician when he's with Gary Crowton. They attempt to look risky and [ingenious] and in the end, they cost the team victories now. Miles is soft, the exact opposite of Saban. That's why now, with all of Saban's former recruits gone(except 6th year DE Charles Alexander), Miles is struggling. Miles has his own guys, and they are a reflection of him, mentally and physically weak." -- Read jdebose004's full post.

Tim (Concord, N.H.)

If Weis is fired at ND, do you think Clausen, Tate and/or Rudolph leave early for the NFL? What impact would it have if they all stood up the morning after the Stanford game and said publicly that if ND keeps Weis they will come back next year?

Bruce Feldman

I could see Clausen leaving and that in effect would impact Tate, although so would the potential prospects in the 2011 WR draft (Julio Jones, A.J. Green, DeAndre Brown and Jonathan Baldwin). All of them are huge and fast. Full transcript

Sometimes we all need a little extra space to vent. ESPN profiles give fans space to post their own blog entries and go toe-to-toe with commenters.

• rjagz10: It's all over but the crying for the Jets. Oh wait, that's been taken care of. Looking ahead to Jordan Shipley as a draft target.
• pittsburghfan31: While giving props to Jimmie Johnson for making history, a blogger also points out the championship would have been much more exciting under the old system.

• Machiavelli83: Three things to note from the 49ers-Packers game, including the stunning revelation that Alex Smith might be a little inconsistent but also reasons for optimism.
• JoeRevs300: Steelers Nation, it's time to panic! The injuries were mounting even before Ben Roethlisberger went down and now the team has to win the next three games.
• I am Ron Burgandy: Scratch all that; the Steelers are just fine. Kansas City is a tough place to play and the pieces are still in place to win.



Read more fan posts. Or respond by signing in or creating a profile, and start blogging.

A week that AAA estimates will see more than 33 million Americans hit the road seems like a good time to celebrate the best presser of accelerators in all the land. Then again, Jimmie Johnson has to put up with only Kyle Busch. The rest of us get the guy driving a mile on the shoulder to jump everyone waiting to merge.

As we've discussed before, Johnson's dominance in Sprint Cup seems curiously unloved compared to someone like Tiger Woods, but it is dominance all the same. Nobody on his own circuit can catch him, but where does Johnson rank against other athletes who go it alone? Is he more dominant than an aging Roger Federer or a majorless Woods?

• Your Rankings: Is Johnson the top individual-sport athlete in the world?
• Jimmie Johnson chat: The champion stops by to take your questions, 12:30 ET.

Isaac (Indy)

Do you think since NOBODY can seem to beat J.J. it hurts the sport ala people get bored with the same result time after time

David Newton

Did people get bored watching Michael Jordan and the Bulls win NBA titles? Did people get bored watching the New England Patriots win three out of four Super Bowls? Did people get tired of the New York Yankees when they were on a World Series roll? Hey, as I've said all season, enjoy the history. Full transcript