The idea is so simple that it’s amazing how cocky it is, especially when others have skyscraper billboards or movie packages. Shortly after the QB arrived in South Bend in 1967, Notre Dame SID Roger Valdiserri came up with the simple idea to change the pronunciation of Theismann’s last name from “Thees-man” to “Thighs-man” just to rhyme it with Heisman. Talk about forward thinking. It turned out to be pure marketing gold, more for Theismann’s career after college football than for actually winning the Heisman.
In fact, Theismann believes it cost him: “In hindsight, it probably hurt me more than it helped me. I think that the voters looked at it and said, ‘If he wins, that means public relations plays a bigger part than performance.” Theismann finished second in the 1970 Heisman voting to Jim Plunkett.
But before any of us get on his case for keeping the pronunciation change long after his college career, let him tell the interesting story of how he sought permission from his grandma to change his name.
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“Our last name was pronounced TICE-man because it is German by its heritage. So I went to my grandmother and I said, ‘Granny, look, I’m thinking about changing my name from THEEZE-man to THIZE-man,’ and she said, ‘THIZE-man is closer to TICE-man than what we have had, so it is fine with me.’ So I got my grandmother’s blessing.” And if grandma Theismann says it’s OK, who else can complain?
My father-in-law was 5th in the voting for the Heisman in 1939. He was at the Naval Academy at the time. They didn’t need the kind of hype these minor-league players are using. It should be illegal. Are the Athletic Departments using money better spent for scholarships for other athletes? The only “extra” the 1939 my guy got was a ride in a bus from the train station to the Sportsman Club. He went on to become an Admiral. What have these guys done?
perma, congrats on your pop-in-law, thats an awesome feat. but dont use your idiotic thinking with todays players. by the way im the biggest option fan.
uncle beas
I grew up in Sayreville,NJ, bordering the town of South River. This is were Joe Theisman and Drew Pearson
of the Dallas Cowboys grew up and played football at South River High School.
Theisman later on claimed he was from a more prominent Township of East Brunswick.
Then he changed the pronunciation of his name from Theesman to Theisman so it sounded like the Heisman Trophy.At any rate Theisman was embarrassed to be from a Borough of blue collar workers of Polish, Russian and German immigrants. So he lied about his name and his hometown.
Drew Pearson though regularly come into South River and gives back to his Hometown.
Theisman couldn’t less.