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Anyone who watched last Saturday's Heisman ceremony on ESPN or ESPN's highlights of that event would have heard winner Troy Smith begin his acceptance with remarks that included this:

"...First off I want everybody that's able to be here with us today to understand how much I'm thankful and I have to thank God first because without him none of this is possible. I sit in front of all you great people today and without God we wouldn't have the blessings that we have before all of us."

Such unabashed tribute to God always makes for a great media disconnect. A Troy Smith will invoke him, but so far as media reaction is concerned it's as if he never said those words. The Sunday writeups of Smith's prize quoted other things he said at the podium, but not his opening. TV might have covered the moment, but pretended it didn't hear the G-word. The other day I caught Suzy Kolber interviewing Chicago Bear kickoff return star Devin Hester, doing the usual "what did it feel like" to score two return touchdowns and break the single season record for return TDs. He replied by thanking God first of all and his mother. His reply washed right over Suzy. Religious feelings don't count when you're asked to explain what you felt!