Is there anyone out there who can tell me what exactly Oklahoma State wide receiver Dez Bryant is being suspended for?  I have read the articles and at the end of every single one of them I am left asking myself, “What did he do wrong?”

"C'mon guys...what's the big deal if the kid has lunch with me?"

I understand he lied to NCAA officials about his meeting with former NFL defensive back Deion Sanders; my other question is why would he even have to lie about that?  Unless this kid met up with Deion, ran routes against him and some current NFL players, accepted a paycheck for it, and then talked to an agent…there is nothing wrong here.

One of the stories I read said that Sanders is associated with sports agent Eugene Parker, and because Bryant foolishly lied about the meeting, officials are worried that this meeting might have had certain illegal intentions (money, promises, talking about being a pro before he is one).   I get all that, but I just don’t understand what the big deal is.

There are rules and regulations, I get that, and I am one of the few people who appreciate these rules (especially when these kids accept money prior to becoming a pro), but this is a little ridiculous.  Unless I find out more details, I am on Dez Bryant’s side.

Now, Bryant would have been a Heisman candidate had this not happened.  Since then, talks of Notre Dame’s Jimmy Clausen winning the Heisman have crept up.  This is another head-scratcher.  Clausen has done nothing Heisman-worthy, and yet somehow he is being talked up as a candidate…and possible winner.

I know Clausen has demonstrated late-game heroics, but look at who these wins were against.  A big come-back win against Michigan State? An overtime win against Washington (that his defense won)? Another big win over Purdue (that Purdue’s head coach handed him)? Squeaking by Boston College? And a loss to Michigan and now USC (the USC game ended with him throwing the ball to a receiver that was on the ground)?

Clausen avoiding the rush like we should be avoiding using his name in Heisman talks. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

That resume doesn’t scream Heisman Trophy to me.  He has thrown for 2,050 yards and 16 TDs against just two interceptions, so he has been playing well…just not well enough to be in the top five for the Heisman.  I know everyone is impressed because he is the only Clausen that has witnessed anything close to success, but his older brothers didn’t set the bar very high.

Let me read off some stats from a QB who did win the Heisman (and should have went to the NFL right after it).  Oklahoma’s Sam Bradford won the Heisman after throwing for 4,720 yards, 50 TDs and just 8 picks – those are impressive numbers.  Clausen has six regular season games plus a bowl game left to try and beef up his stats, but it is highly unlikely.

Sometimes I think voters just don’t know who else to include, so they pick a kid from a big-name, marketable school and throw him in there for no reason.  I will give Clausen all the credit in the world if he can turn it around, but from where I am sitting right now, he won’t be winning it and shouldn’t be involved in talks.