This is one of those traits, those tics, those little habits of the "powerful herd instinct" in any peer group, as aptly described by Michael Lewis...so aptly, in fact, our herd honors his insight with a nomination in its most visible postseason tic: The College Football Blogger Awards, presented by Rocky Top Talk and MGoBlog.
SMQ hasn't given a lot of pub to the awards as such, but fruit baskets and Ceres-Snow gift certificates are scheduled to arrive soon via relay show ponies (or, in one case, bicycle-powered balloon) to everyone who nominated Sunday Morning Quarterback or any of the individual posts therein from the last year (gift certificates good only for first edition "Calvin and Hobbes" collections and autographed Phil Steele manuals). He appreciates also the many new blogs he's discovered both in the nomination process and in reading other voters' favorites. By some ill fate, Ronald Bellamy's Underachieving All-Stars was an unknown quantity where SMQ was concerned a month ago, but that oversight and others is remedied as a direct result of the awards. Which was the point.
Right, the other point was only slightly fallacious recognition-in-kind for the best of our herd. SMQ again thanks but in no way endorses the taste or sanity of individuals responsible for nominating his efforts in the pursuit of:
SMQ is decidedly Boise State against bigger, more talented fish in the final category. Accordingly, he'll be out of gas, emptying the playbook of all hook-and-ladders, halfback passes, tight end screens and statues of liberty any second now.
Today is the last day to vote, which any interested parties may do at officially-designated locations here. SMQ's own selections will come as soon as this post is up, the only promises being that he won't let ignorance stand in his way and won't vote for himself in any category. Though he may not necessarily place himself last every time, either. Happy voting.