James on Award Banquet Circuit
December 07, 2004 | Football
Badger defensive end Erasmus James is continuing on his travels along the postseason football awards circuit as he attends the Nagurski and Lombardi Award events before traveling to Orlando, Fla., for the ESPN College Football Awards Show.
James was in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday and Monday as one of five finalists for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, which is presented annually to the nation 's top defensive player. James was joined as a finalist by Georgia's David Pollack, Texas's Derrick Johnson, Marshall's Johnathan Goddard and Auburn's Carlos Rogers. Johnson won the award.
The Nagurski Trophy is voted upon by the Football Writers Association of America and is presented by the FWAA and the Charlotte Touchdown Club. The two days in Charlotte included a visit by the players to Presbyterian Hemby Children's Center.
James then continued on to Houston Tuesday morning. The 35th annual Rotary Lombardi Award will be presented Wednesday night. James is a finalist with Johnson, Pollack and USC's Shaun Cody. The award is, of course, named after NFL coaching legend Vince Lombardi, who died of cancer. All proceeds from the Rotary Lombardi Award event go to the American Cancer Society.
James and the other players visited the Burnett Bayland Home for juveniles on Tuesday and will visit the children's unit of M.D. Anderson Hospital and Texas Children's Hospital on Wednesday.
James will travel to Orlando, Fla., on Thursday for the ESPN Awards Show, which takes place Thursday night. The Bednarik Award, which goes to the nation 's top defensive player, will be among the honors presented in Orlando.
