GAMBLERS

MIAMI — The minutes flew by and questions were asked and then answered by a polite Peyton Manning.

So, what was missing after the better part of an hour sitting around a table?

The H-word. For the first time in, well, probably years, Manning wasn’t asked about the Heisman Trophy. Not about wanting to win it, being expected to win it or watching someone else, Charles Woodson, win it and then watching the state of Tennessee turn into a state of anger.

A right knee swollen to the size of a grapefruit was responsible for this curious development, the lifting of the Heisman burden.

The injury has removed the Heisman insult. Of more pressing concern was whether the South’s favorite son and Archie Manning’s real son would be able to rise to the occasion here Friday, a potential national championship game against Nebraska in the Orange Bowl.

Manning’s status has improved from a pessimistic questionable after he practiced three times with his Tennessee teammates in Miami. He suffered a knee injury in the Southeastern Conference championship game Dec. 6 and complications arose when it became infected.

Previously, back home in Knoxville, rumors and theories were mixed with snippets of truth as Manning spent six days in an area hospital, temporarily assuming the name of Fred Gleason (Jackie’s long-lost relative?).

“I don’t know why the doctor chose it,” Manning said. “A pretty safe name.”

One wild rumor was the whole thing was a ruse. Manning didn’t hear that one but picked up others once he was released.

“Tennessee fans are very knowledgeable,” he said. “Sure, there were a lot of rumors. The fans are just like the players, they want to win this game. When I was in the hospital, I was kind of away from everything, I didn’t get to hear much of what was going on.

“I did drive home from Knoxville on Monday [last week], listening to a radio show and there were quite a few calls about it, telling me what they’ve heard about my knee and I’m sitting there. I wanted to call in.”

Especially when he listened to the one about the Orange Bowl halftime plan.

“I heard, ‘He’s going to wait and come out at halftime,’ ” Manning said, laughing. “I wouldn’t wait six days in the hospital for the spotlight.”

The spotlight is one thing Manning can’t escape. If Manning was once bothered in church for an autograph, it is no surprise that “Fred Gleason” was asked for his signature in the hospital.

“I do remember one woman--it was like 7 in the morning--I slept a lot,” Manning said. “She said, ‘Do you need anything? Would you sign this SI [Sports Illustrated]?’ I had one eye half closed and said, ‘No, I’m fine.’

“I rarely ever deny an autograph. Sometimes on game days I will, but besides that, everything is fair game to me. That one particular time, I said, “Ma’am, I’m just trying to sleep. Why don’t you come back later.’ ”

His fame has spread beyond the South. Manning discovered that after he made his highly publicized decision to stay at Tennessee for his final season. On a break from school, he went to Cancun and ran into the “entire state of New York booing me for not going to the Jets.”

Conversely, Manning was embraced in Tennessee for rejecting Bill Parcells and staying around. Since then, his popularity has grown, and he seems to be running a close second to Elvis.

“I’ve sort of gotten used to it--a high-profile program and people are going to know who you are,” he said. “I’ve been around it my entire life. People would say, ‘There’s Archie’s kid, let’s see what he’s doing.’ It’s always made me a better person. A lot of people want you to mess up.”

For some, the long-held role of Heisman favorite may have hurt Manning with the voters. Before the season, GQ magazine wrote that Manning was a shoo-in unless he got injured or “General Grant comes back through Tennessee.”

ABC commentator Bob Griese voted for Manning and had Michigan’s Woodson second on his Heisman ballot, speaking highly of Woodson’s accomplishments.

“But I don’t think Peyton Manning should not win it,” Griese said. “As much as I like Charles Woodson, I don’t think that this year that Peyton Manning did anything wrong to lose the Heisman. Other than being the guy everybody takes a shot at all year long. He was the No. 1 guy going in, he threw over--I don’t know--33, 34 touchdown passes and had 10 intercepted. He had better numbers than [Danny] Wuerffel last year.

“The only thing he did wrong is he didn’t beat Florida and not many teams and quarterbacks do, and everybody made a big case about that. He was the No. 1 guy and everybody’s taking potshots at him.”

In 12 games, Manning threw for 3,819 yards and 36 touchdowns and was intercepted only 11 times. Even with the loss to Florida, Manning seemed destined for the Heisman before the late-season surge by Woodson.

After the Heisman announcement, Manning was the first to congratulate Woodson, shaking his hand. But his face couldn’t hide the disappointment.

Disappointment quickly turned to anger from Nashville to Knoxville in the aftermath of the Heisman vote. A barrage of faxes hit the New York Athletic Club, home of the Heisman ceremony. Angered fans left irate messages at ABC and ESPN.

Tennessee Gov. Don Sundquist signed a petition and declared that the vote “stinks.” One Tennessee newspaper called the media voters “Heistmen.”

The hue and cry grew louder when Tennessee Oiler running back Eddie George, a previous Heisman winner, had the courage--or is that audacity?--to admit he voted for Woodson, not Manning.

ESPN’s Chris Fowler reignited the fury when he described the anger as a “Tennessee Trailer-Park Frenzy.” He later said it was not a good selection of words. (It was probably a good thing Fowler wasn’t around late Saturday night to see the orange-clad Tennessee fan wandering around the marble lobby of the Miami Beach Westin barefooted).

Tennessee Coach Phillip Fulmer urged the populace not to dwell on the slight when he appeared at a ceremony to name a block-long street near Neyland Stadium on campus Peyton Manning Pass.

Manning was in the hospital during all the post-Heisman fuss.

“We felt bad for him,” defensive end Jonathan Brown said. “Peyton is not the type of guy to walk around and be like, ‘I’m deserving this and I’m deserving that.’ You could tell when you see the guy that he was hurting.

“He was well deserving. He’s had a great career. It’s something you can’t control. Peyton is a competitor and he’s going to try to prove to the nation that he is the real Heisman Trophy winner.”

Even before Manning returned to practice, his teammates didn’t think he would miss the Orange Bowl.

“We’re not worried about Peyton not playing,” receiver Peerless Price said. “We know he’d give his life to play with us, especially in the Orange Bowl, his final game.”

Said Manning: “I want to play just like anybody else. I want to be in the game, the Orange Bowl. Tennessee vs. Nebraska, the national championship. That’s the game you want to be in.”

*

ORANGE BOWL

Nebraska vs. Tennessee

When: Friday

Time: 5 p.m., Ch. 2

* MAKING WAY

Former quarterback classmate of Manning’s at Tennessee now at controls for Texas A&M.;