Pool

by Tom Campbell and Glynn Wilson

NEW YORK — Running back Mark Ingram became the University of Alabama’s first Heisman Trophy winner Saturday night in the closest vote in the history of college football’s most prestigious award. Ingram becomes the 75th winner of the stiff-arm statue and puts the university into the record books with the only major prize in big time college football to elude Alabama in its storied history.

Toby Gerhart of Stanford placed second just 28 votes behind Ingram. He was followed by Colt McCoy of Texas, Ndamukong Suh of Nebraska and Tim Tebow of Florida, according to coverage by the host network, ESPN.

Tom Campbell

Ingram holds Alabama’s first Heisman [More Photos...]

Ingram received 1,304 total votes. Gerhart placed second with 1,276, followed by McCoy with 1,145, Suh 815 and Tebow 390. Ingram won by dominating votes in the North and Midwest regions as well as the South. Ingram got 254 votes to Tebow’s 106 in the Southeast.

Ingram, originally from Michael Moore’s hometown of Flint Michigan and the 10th Alabama player to finish in the top five of the balloting and the ninth SEC player to win the Heisman, became emotional when the award was announced.

“I’m just so excited to bring Alabama their first Heisman,” he said.

When asked at the press conference after the trophy presentation if he was surprised by the award, Ingram said, “Yes, I was surprised, but it’s a dream come true. It’s something I’ll carry for the rest of my life.”

On TV before the award presentation and in the press conference, he urged other young people to pursue their dreams.

“Don’t let anybody stop you,” he said. “You can do it if you have the inner drive and determination.”

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NEW YORK — Could running back Mark Ingram become the first Heisman Trophy winner in the history of the University of Alabama? He appears to be the favorite, according to a number of sports writers and commentators who handicap these things. We will find out shortly.

Our correspondent Tom Campbell is at the Marriott Marquis in New York and will provide live coverage of the event in this space. The ceremony is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. Central Time on ESPN.

Four of the five Heisman Trophy finalists met the media in New York Friday, the day before college football’s most coveted award is handed out. Commenting on the Heisman experience are Tim Tebow, Toby Gerhart, Mark Ingram and Ndamukong Suh.

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Engineer Trey Glenn Quits Department of Environmental Management

Video by John L. Wathen, Hurricane Creekkeeper

There’s no clear indication from environmental non-profit groups in the state why Glenn resigned at this time, although is it rumored that he has been the subject of ethics charges, negligence of duty, creating total confusion and dissent at the agency and for leading the approval of a permit for millions of tons of toxic TVA coal ash to be deposited in a landfill in Alabama’s Black Belt.

According to a recent report in the New Orleans Times-Picayune, the Environmental Protection Agency under President Barack Obama is going to do far more than the agency under President George W. Bush — when science was undermined for big business — to monitor the regulatory activities of states on enforcement of the Clean Air and Water Acts. There is an indication the federal agency may be more willing than ever to step in when states aren’t adequately enforcing the law, according to the new EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, a New Orleans native.

“Many of these state programs are 20, 30 years old, and we might even need to hit the reset button and say, ‘OK, we’re going to hold you to a standard. If you’re doing your job, great, but if you’re not, we’re going to be here going inside until you are,” Jackson said in an interview with reporters and editors back in November.

“It’s EPA’s job to oversee,” Jackson said. “We often say we’re partners, but we’re also delegating our authority to a state, and of course, ultimately that means your ultimate answer would be to take it back.”

Hurricane Creekkeeper John L. Wathen said environmentalists are glad to see him go, but remain anxious about the direction of ADEM.

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