100-foot Harrington dominates New York

Emerald After leading Oregon to its first 10-win season, Joey Harrington is campaigning to be the Ducks' first Heisman Trophy winner. [Click to enlarge]

Courtesy photo Donors contributed $250,000 to have a 10-story poster of Joey Harrington hung next to Madison Square Garden. [Click to enlarge]

About 100 feet more visible.

The Ducks' starting quarterback, Joey Harrington, had his Heisman Trophy campaign officially launched in the middle of New York instead of on the football field Sunday. Oregon unveiled a 100-by-80-foot billboard featuring Harrington's picture. The billboard is across from Madison Square Garden in America's biggest city.

The massive billboard has the word "Harrington" slashed out and the word "Heisman" in its place.

The billboard has New Yorkers, reporters and college football fans alike scratching their heads in wonder. That's exactly what Oregon wants.

"The whole concept was to create attention for Joey and the Oregon football program," Oregon director of media services Dave Williford said. "We certainly did that."

Harrington visited the East Coast last weekend to see the billboard unveiled and tour the many media outlets there.

Harrington's visit to Baltimore and New York included interviews with ESPN radio, ESPN The Magazine and Sports Illustrated, along with a visit to the set of NBC's "The Today Show."

"It was a really fun trip," Harrington said. "It was a good opportunity for the University to gain some recognition, and if that means putting up a picture of me in downtown Manhattan, then so be it. I'm willing to do whatever the University asks of me."

Harrington was co-grand marshal of the Portland Starlight Parade Friday night with Oregon State signal-caller Jonathan Smith. By Sunday, Harrington was in Baltimore for an interview with ESPN radio's Mel Kiper Jr. Monday, Harrington posed for photos and video in front of his giant likeness, and Williford said he already has had requests from CNNSI.com, among others, for the footage.

"We'll get a lot of exposure from this," Williford said. "It just accents the success of this program."

But many of the East Coast media didn't buy it. Gene Wojciechowski wrote on ESPNmag.com that "Oregon didn't need to do this" and "it cost a lot of money, but it still looks cheap."

Williford said that Oregon's donors shelled out the $250,000 for the billboard for that exact kind of publicity -- any publicity.

"They don't need to agree with it," Williford said. "But they're still writing about it."

Bruce Feldman, who writes for the same Web site as Wojciechowski, sat down with Harrington during his visit and had kinder words to say about the West Coast quarterback.

"Harrington is legit. He is smart, poised, has good feet and an accurate arm," Feldman wrote. "He also leads one of the top teams in the country, not just on the Left Coast. I got the impression this wasn't a guy who had an inflated sense of himself (mural notwithstanding)."

The billboard was erected, ultimately, to announce Harrington as a legitimate contender for the Heisman Trophy. If he won the award, Harrington would become the first Duck to ever achieve that feat.

But there are still some football games to win, and Harrington said he is well aware of that fact. The senior has a 14-2 record as a starter in green and yellow, and this season he must face the two teams that have already beaten him.

"I realize that all this attention doesn't mean anything unless we perform," Harrington said. "Our main goal has always been in perspective and everyone is very focused. Nothing is going to take away my focus."

The Ducks will now focus on the season opener against Wisconsin, one of two teams Oregon lost to last season, on Sept. 1 at Autzen Stadium.

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