The Heisman Trophy: I love that award. It has fascinated me since I was a child. I remember being very pleased when UCLA’s Gary Beban won it in 1967. And when USC’s Mike Garrett won it in 1965. Almost every time I was in Heritage Hall, at USC, I found myself standing on front of one of those seven Heisman displays, looking at that iconic trophy.

So, I was excited to take over the San Bernardino Sun’s single Heisman vote, back around 1983, when Claude Anderson retired.

I have paid close attention to college football my entire life. It was my favorite sport (except on Friday nights) year in and year out. And most of the years that I had a ballot, I had little trouble deciding for whom to vote.

And I know who deserves my vote in 2009, too.

But there’s just one major handicap here …

First, my No.1 choice:

Toby Gerhart, running back, Stanford.

Love this guy. A good kid and a great football player. Gerhart represents probably the greatest combination of power and speed at the position since Bo Jackson in 1985. He just punishes people. He beats up defenses to the point that they just don’t want to deal with him anymore. Incredibly strong, but also capable of breaking a big one.

If you’re not sure about that, check out the video highlights Stanford University has assembled from Gerhart’s 2009 season. View it here. It’s nine minutes and seven seconds of Toby Gerhart running over, through and past people.

So, yes, my ballot?

1. Toby Gerhart, Stanford

2. Tim Tebow, Florida

3. Mark Ingram, Alabama

I didn’t even need the two e-mails I’ve gotten in recent days from Stanford people encouraging me to vote for Gerhart. Ballots are due Monday, and Gerhart would be my guy, except …

Except that I don’t have a ballot.

And it’s my fault.

Here is what happened. I was in Hong Kong working for the International Herald Tribune,  a year ago, and the Heisman people couldn’t find me because I had moved twice in two years — and wasn’t at either of those places, last December. I was in the Wan Chai district of Hong Kong. No land line. And the Heisman people like to confirm all their voters via phone calls. Kind of Old School, but that is always how they did it. And they couldn’t reach me.

Also, the Heisman can sneak up on you. It’s always due in early December, and you’re trucking along in November, with games every Saturday, and then … bang, the ballot is due in a couple of days. I’ve barely made the deadline several times.

So, a year ago,  I eventually realized I didn’t have a ballot, but by the time I got around to thinking about it, it was too late … and then the Heisman people called the office in San Bernardino a few days after the 2008 announcement, asking about me, asking me to call, and a friend of mine took the call, and forwarded a name and phone number in New York …

And I never got around to calling back. I was in Hong Kong. I was living in a shoe box amid 1 million Hongkongers. I was distracted. Those are my excuses.

And now I am in Abu Dhabi working for The National. If the Heisman people haven’t already given up on me, they would have had the same problems they did a year ago. Impossible to find via land line.

You could make a case I don’t deserve a vote, being out of the country for two falls in a row. Being out of sports journalism (in terms of full-time employ) since March of 2008.

Thing is, I would have let the Heisman people decide that. Tell them my situation, let them make the call.

I spend more time following college football on the web than any other sport. I have strong opinions about the game. I have been credentialed to cover college games both this season and last. And I have worked full time in print for six of the past 13 months. And there is nothing, nothing I miss watching more than college football.

But I didn’t call, and they didn’t send me a ballot, if they were inclined to do so …

And so I can’t vote for Toby Gerhart, if I had the chance.

I am convinced the guy is deserving. I was thinking “Tebow” right up here till the end, and then he seemed to sag a little just as Gerhart turned it up. Tebow had a very good season, and a great, great career, but he also has won before. And Florida still would have been pretty good without him; I’m not sure Stanford wins four games without Toby Gerhart.

So, Stanford people, Toby Gerhart, my apologies. Can’t say I would have had a ballot, but if I did … I would have voted for you.

But you’ve still got a shot. A good one. Good luck.