Guy Toph vote controversy may lead to second award

After a Tampa Tribune reporter was fired, school officials are considering what their next step should be.

By SCOTT PURKS
Published February 4, 2006

TAMPA - Hillsborough county athletic director Vernon Korhn said Friday that a second award for the county's top 2005 high school football player may be handed out in the wake of questions surrounding the voting.

Tampa Tribune reporter Rozel A. Lee was fired Thursday because of her involvement in the choice of the Guy Toph Award, won by Robinson quarterback Marcello Trigg.

Lee, 51, a Tribune staff writer for 10 years, gave Trigg the top spot on her ballot and listed Hillsborough quarterback Jarred Fayson last.

Trigg finished with 135 points in the vote of 19 coaches and media members (The St. Petersburg Times does not participate in the voting.), with Fayson two points behind in second. Lee was the only voter to list Fayson, a University of Florida signee who was one of the most highly recruited players in the country,, lower than fifth. A fifth-place vote or better would have given him the award. Lee said Friday that she had "absolutely no problem" with the way she voted.

"I've voted that way every year for 10 years at the Tribune because I wanted to give the person I thought should win the best chance to win," Lee said. "On the day Marcello was given the trophy I jokingly told (Tribune sports editor) Nick Pugliese, "Hey, my system worked!'

"I still say I didn't do anything wrong. I can vote however I want. It's my vote."

Tribune Executive Editor Janet Weaver said she saw plenty wrong with Lee's actions and comments.

"(Lee) tried to make an event turn out a certain way and that is unacceptable for any reporter," Weaver said. "She did not participate in the spirit of the competition. The way she conducted herself was unethical."

Weaver, who is researching the possibility of eliminating the voting practices for Tribune sports reporters (Heisman, Hall of Fames, et cetera), said the Tribune will at the least no longer vote for The Guy Toph award.

"What concerns me most about this award is that we're dealing with kids," Weaver said. "It's a local award and (newspapers) are close to the subjects. We have to remain objective."

Then Weaver expressed concern for the young men caught in the middle, Trigg and Fayson.

"We briefly discussed not running the story so the kids wouldn't have this told to hundreds of thousands of readers, but we felt we had a journalistic obligation to explain what happened," said Weaver, who said the newspaper was contacted about it by a member of the community. "We had to come clean."

Robinson coach Mike DePue said he wished it was kept under wraps.

"I think the powers that be at the Tampa Tribune handled this in an unprofessional manner," DePue said. "I think the Tribune should have handled this in-house because this only affects a few people.

"Now they've hung out their dirty laundry and that dirty laundry has hurt a couple of fine young men, both of whom are deserving of this award."

Trigg, who has committed to play for Bucknell after setting a Tampa Bay area record with 82 career touchdown passes and more than 7,000 passing yards, could not be reached Friday for comment.

Fayson, who was named the Times Hillsborough county player of the year after leading the Terriers through a 10-0 regular season and rushing and passing for more than 2,000 combined yards, said Trigg is deserving of the award.

"Sure, I wanted to win the award but Marcello won it and he should keep it," Fayson said. "I think what (Lee) did was wrong and it's unfortunate that this has put us in this bad situation, a situation that we had nothing to do with."

When told a second award might be presented to him, Fayson said he would be honored.

"That would be cool to have my name alongside all those great names who have won it before," Fayson said. Korhn said discussions with the Toph family and Hillsborough superintendent Mary Ellen Elia are under way as to the possibility of presenting a second Guy Toph award to Fayson.

"Nothing has been determined," Korhn said. "But it is something that we feel needs to be taken under serious consideration."

[Last modified February 4, 2006, 00:33:08]