After a couple weeks away, a new edition of Odds & Ends is here!

The voters got it wrong, Manti Te’ o should have been this year’s Heisman winner.

Te’ o may be the best college defensive player since Charles Woodson (the only defensive player to win the Heisman in 1997) and he loses to a redshirt freshman. Don’t get me wrong, Johnny Manziel was worthy of being a finalist for the award, but let’s be honest, he won it because he beat Alabama. Had Texas A&M not won that game we still might not have even heard of him yet. Not only that but Manziel has more time to win this award. Te’ o is a senior.

I feel like we’re going back to giving this award to the quarterback with the best numbers every year and not who it is intended for, college football’s most outstanding player which I feel Te’ o was this season. If that’s the case, the award is losing its purpose. Some might argue it already has and is continuing to.

More defensive players need to be considered more for this award. The last time I checked, they’re also football players and should have more consideration as finalists and winners of it. If not, then change the meaning of it to give it to the best offensive player with the best statistics. This award will get its credibility back when it is given to a defensive player.

The NFL is considering getting rid of one of the most exciting things about its game in years to come: kickoffs. Instead of kicking off,the team who would do that would get the ball at the 30 and have a 4th and 15 situation.

Does anyone truly think this is a good idea? I don’t.

Look,I understand the league’s efforts to make the game safer, but is this the price to do it? To eliminate an intrical part of the game? I don’t think so. Wasn’t moving the spot of kickoffs from the 30-yard line to the 35-yard line enough?

Not only that,but think of the players whose jobs would be far from safe if this went into place. Devin Hester,Josh Cribbs, and Eric Weems of the Bears would be out of jobs. Also,teams would lose an advantage by not having someone to return kicks anymore.

I understand the league’s intent, but this is probably not going to happen. If it does, get ready to see this league eventually go to flag football.

Everyone by now knows the story of the death of Cowboys practice squad player Jerry Brown. Brown was riding with teammate Josh Brent saturday morning when the car they were riding in crashed. Brent was arrested on charges of intoxication manslaughter.

This is another weekend where an NFL player is involved in tragic circumstances. The previous week saw Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher slay his girlfriend and mother of his three month old daughter and then take his own life in front of his coach and general manager.

Regarding Brent, he could’ve made a much better choice than to risk the life of Brown, himself,and others while impaired behind the wheel of a car. The player’s union (and many teams) does have a program set up where players can make one phone call and somebody can pick them up and take them home. That was all Brent had to do.

Following Dallas’ 20-19 win against Cincinnati, teammates held up Brown’s No. 53 jersey in his honor.

If anyone learns anything from this, whether it be another player in the league or someone like you and me, it’s that you have to make better decisions in certain situations. It’s something you hate to see happen to anybody.

The New Orleans Hornets will be changing their name next season to the New Orleans Pelicans. New owner Tom Benson had previously said that the team might undergo a name change and he owns the rights to the Pelicans name. The pelican is the state bird of Louisiana and the state itself is nicknamed The Pelican State. The team’s colors also may change from teal,gold,and purple to red,gold,and navy blue.

Though I’m not a fan of teams changing their names while still in the same city, I actually think this isn’t that bad of a change. A lot of folks are going to laugh at the name and some will say the name isn’t very fear provoking, but there are team names with low intimidation. Miami Dolphins anyone? How about Chicago Cubs?

As for the fate of the Hornets’ nickname, Bobcats owner Michael Jordan said he would like to bring that nickname to his team once it becomes available.

As soon as the Pelicans unveils a new logo and uniforms, stay tuned to the T.J. the Sports Geek blog for the respective review (s).

By the way, you can catch me and my friend DJ Mappquest on Sports Madness, this Tuesday from 6-7pm Pacific Time on kssu.com, Sacramento State Student Radio.