If Derek Jeter can win a Gold Glove while playing mediocre defense at short, then all awards are pure bullshit.
The fact that he won a Gold Glove leads me to answer this question: Why should I care?
These awards give agents leverage. Nothing more. Pockets of White Sox fans are pissed Joe Crede didn't win one. Why? So Scott Boras can jack up the price when he's a free agent? Awards and postseason heroics lead to overinflated values. The significance and sample size, respectively, should not mean as much as they do.
As for college football...
Eric Crouch won the Heisman Trophy. Tony Romo won the I-AA equivalent of the Heisman known as the Walter Payton Award. One is QB of the Cowboys. The other won the Heisman Trophy.
Former Chicago Bear Rashaan Salaam won the Heisman Trophy. He was the 5th or 6th back taken in the draft that year and was a Half Baked Bust. Current Chicago Bear Adrian Peterson won the Walter Payton Award and has kept a steady job in the League. He could be a one or two back on some other NFL teams.
Hmmmm...Come on, who's learning yet?!?!
If and when Troy Smith and Brady Quinn win out their seasons this year and Smith wins the Heisman, those who bitch should get bitch slapped. Quinn is no doubt deserving. There just happens to be one guy that might be a bit more deserving this year.
IF his team goes undefeated. Now if they lose to Michigan, or anyone else before the voting, then we have a gripe. Right now, we gripe in one hand and crap in the other until Smith loses a game. One hand fills up first.