TAMPA, Fla. -- Over the years, I've been called an idiot a million times and even threatened on occasion because of an opinion on these pages, but never more than when I wrote in 2001 that the reaction to Dale Earnhardt's death at Daytona was a bit over the top considering he at least contributed to his demise by being a "reckless fool" on the track.

Who knew NASCAR fans could be so vicious?

No. 2 on the hate list was caused by my Heisman Trophy vote for Oklahoma quarterback Jason White over Pitt wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald in '03. The e-mails were angry then and are angry now, having started to come again last week soon after Larry Fitz caught three touchdown passes against the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC championship game to lift his Arizona Cardinals into Super Bowl XLIII against the Steelers.

"Hope you feel good about that Jason White vote now, moron!"

"It's a shame a Pittsburgh writer can't vote for a Pitt kid, jerk!"

And those were the e-mails that were fit to publish.

A confession: I wouldn't change my vote even if I had a do-over. And I fully agree with the assessment of wise Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau, who has 50 years in the NFL and opined last week, "[Fitzgerald] is the best. He has the best hand-eye coordination and ball skills that I've ever seen."

It's fair to ask: Who is Jason White by comparison?

I'm here to tell you: He was the best college player in '03.

Isn't that who is supposed to win the Heisman? It shouldn't go necessarily to the guy who's going to be the best NFL player. If that were the case, there would be no need for voting. They could just give the darn thing to the No. 1 draft pick each April.

Thankfully, that's not how it works.

That's why Florida quarterback Tim Tebow can win the Heisman in '07 and Boston College quarterback Matt Ryan finishes seventh. It's why Nebraska quarterback Eric Crouch can win in '01 and Oklahoma safety Roy Williams, Miami offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie, Syracuse defensive end Dwight Freeney and North Carolina defensive end Julius Peppers finish 7-10. It's why Florida State quarterback Chris Weinke can win in 2000 and Purdue quarterback Drew Brees and Texas Christian running back LaDainian Tomlinson finish 3 and 4. It's why Florida quarterback Danny Wuerffel can win in '96 and Tennessee quarterback Peyton Manning finishes eighth.

And it's why White, who wasn't drafted by an NFL team and never made it in the league, can win over the great Larry Fitzgerald.

White had the best passer rating (167.99) in the country, threw 40 touchdown passes and just eight interceptions for an Oklahoma team that played for the national championship. Fitzgerald touched the ball seven times a game for a Pitt team that started the season ranked No. 10 and badly underachieved with losses to Toledo, Notre Dame, West Virginia and Miami.

"He deserves it," Fitzgerald -- classy, as always -- said after White's name was called as the Heisman winner.

"I think the losses probably hurt me the most."

Fitzgerald already was up against tough odds for a couple of reasons. Only three receivers -- Johnny Rodgers, Tim Brown and Desmond Howard -- had won the Heisman and they also returned kicks. And no sophomore would win it until Tebow.

But the losses definitely hurt Fitzgerald in the voting. No one had won the Heisman on a team with more than three defeats since Notre Dame's Brown in '87.

The 28-14 loss to Miami in the final home game especially sabotaged Fitzgerald. In a nationally televised game, he was held without a catch in the first half and finished with three catches for 26 yards. That loss sent Pitt to the third-tier Continental Tire Bowl, where the Panthers lost yet another game -- this one to a mediocre Virginia team -- in large part because of a great Virginia pass-catching tight end named Heath Miller and the fact that Fitzgerald wasn't on the field for four consecutive plays after Pitt had a first-and-goal at the Virginia 1 early in the game.

I'm guessing I wasn't the only one to receive mean-spirited e-mails that December.

Then-Pitt coach Walt Harris must have had his share, too.

White came back to Oklahoma for the '04 season and had another strong year, finishing third in the Heisman voting behind Southern California quarterback Matt Leinart and Oklahoma running back Adrian Peterson. Fitzgerald left Pitt after the '03 season and was drafted No. 3 overall by the Cardinals. It didn't take him long to become the NFL's best receiver.

All of us who saw Fitzgerald at Pitt could have predicted his pro success. He was and is an extraordinary talent. LeBeau really is right on. What's fascinating is that the rest of America just now seems to be catching on to Fitzgerald. Because the Cardinals stunk before this season, they didn't receive much national attention. That's why his postseason production -- 23 catches for a record 419 yards and five touchdowns in three games -- has come as such a revelation.

Don't be too surprised if Fitzgerald wins the Super Bowl MVP award if the Cardinals beat the Steelers.

I know he'll get my vote if it's the right thing to do.

It wasn't the right thing in '03.