Casey Therriault?…No problem.  Frank Warren?…Finally! Raymond Webber?…Raymond Webber?…Raymond Webber?…not so fast.  TSN is now giving Raymond Webber the proverbial middle finger.

We are now 9 weeks into the 2010 football season and UAPB’s Raymond Webber still isn’t on TSN’s Payton Watch List. The question one has to ask is why.

How is it that Webber, who is among the nation’s leaders in receptions per game, receiving yards per game, and total receiving yards can’t be mentioned on the list?  J-State’s Therriault, who is among the nation’s leaders in passing, is on the Payton Watch List.  Grambling’s Frank Warren is among the nations leaders in rushing and just made the Payton Watch List last week.

In a disappointing 35-25 loss to Grambling, Webber had a record breaking performance in becoming UAPB’s all-time leader in receptions.  He finished the game with a jarring stat line of 9 receptions for 243 yards and one touchdown.  It’s important to note that Webber’s stellar performance on Saturday was against a Grambling team that TSN has ranked at 23rd in the nation.

One shouldn’t have to make a case for Webber to be on TSN’s list.  It is a no-brainer.  Webber’s performance on the field and the numbers he’s produced all year long speak volumes, but the people at TSN ain’t hearing it. You see, putting Webber on the Payton Watch List would be too much like right.  Putting Webber on the list would only strengthen the SWAC’s chances of having a Payton Award winner.  Putting Webber on the list would mean the SWAC would have not one, not two, but three candidates in the running for the Walter Payton Award.  Scary isn’t it?

To the folks at TSN: At some point you’ve got to make the decision to want to do the right thing instead of people having to call you out on it.  You brought it upon yourselves to come up with these awards (Walter Payton, Buck Buchanan, and Eddie Robinson) that recognize these kids and coaches for work they put in on the gridiron.  Nobody is asking you to give these kids anything they don’t deserve, but if you are going to award a kid or coach for being the best of the best the least you can do is to recognize the best of the best.  UAPB’s Raymond Webber is without question among the nation’s best offensive players at the FCS level.  If you can’t do right in the process of honoring these players then maybe you shouldn’t do it at all.