Perception is a powerful force in the world of sports. An athlete’s entire career can come down to a single play or game. The great irony of team sports will always be that the legacy of a single player can ultimately be defined by the success or failure of a teammate. Winning is often seen as the common denominator of all great athletes, and while it has become a successful measuring stick to gauge careers, it still has left many deserving ones unrecognized.

Tim Frazier in many ways is a perfect example of this.

Leading a 10-14 Penn State team isn’t the greatest resume booster, but last minute losses to Indiana and Wisconsin after victories over Illinois and Purdue showed that if anything the Nittany Lions were within reach of the upper half of the Big Ten conference. Considering the inexperience that plagues Penn State’s roster, Tim Frazier’s leadership and performance shouldn’t be overlooked. Here are just a few of the accomplishments he has achieved so far this season.

Consistency:

Frazier is one of three players in NCAA Div. I who has posted at least 17 points and 6 assists per game.

Frazier leads the Big Ten and ranks third nationally with 12 20-point or better outings on the year.

Rankings:

1st in Big Ten in total points: 215

1st in the Big Ten assists per game: 5.3

2nd in the Big Ten in steals per game: 2.1

2nd in Big Ten in points per game: 19.5

4th in Big Ten in minutes played per game: 38

11th in nation: assists per game: 6.3

32nd in nation: steals per game: 2.1

35th in nation: points per game: 18.3

The question becomes as the 2011-12 season winds in to March and finally ends, what is truly the deciding factor in terms of the All-American status of a player?

North Carolina's Ty Lawson was recognized in 2009 as a second team All-American while averaging only 16 points, 3 rebounds, and 6 assists a game. Even though Lawson's role on a talented UNC squad made him the valuable player that he was, Frazier's numbers are as good if not better against equally talented opponents. The question again becomes the role of winning in the assessment of a player's value or talent. Is Tim Frazier overlooked because he isn't as good, or because Penn State hasn't won as many games? Are All-American's awarded for being a key player on an elite team, or are they being recognized for superior talent? Often times these two aspects are found within eachother, but the absence of victory shouldn't automatically exclude a player from consideration.

Wins should play a role in the decision but at some point a player should cease to be penalized for something that he has only been a part of. That isn’t to suggest that Frazier shouldn’t be held responsible for Penn State’s losses, but rather that there should be an adequate balance between a player’s individual performance and a team’s record when the conversation for national awards is taking place.

In the end, picking the ten best players in the country is almost an impossible task, but given the opportunity to award Frazier for truly outstanding play on a national level and within an elite conference, Penn State’s record shouldn’t be the deciding factor.

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