The Harrington Family Foundation

Joey Harrington was never really comfortable about the idea of plastering his image on a 100-foot-tall banner in downtown Manhattan. But he's very happy with his plan to cut it into little bits.

That's because Harrington, arguably the greatest quarterback in University of Oregon history, is selling each bit and using the proceeds to establish a scholarship fund for the UO's Lundquist College of Business, where he earned a bachelor's degree in business administration.

Now quarterbacking for the Detroit Lions, Harrington returned to his alma mater Monday to kick off the fund drive and publicly thank football coach Mike Bellotti and Nike co-founder Phil Knight, a major contributor to UO athletics and academics.

"A lot of this would not be possible without the help from coach Bellotti and Mr. Knight," he said in presenting each with a large, framed poster bearing the now-famous "Joey Heisman" image that graced the banner. A chunk of the banner itself, shaped like a Nike swoosh, was mounted on each one.

Knight, making a rare public appearance, and Bellotti thanked Harrington. "It is a good day," Knight said.

The fund-raising goal is $250,000, although Harrington said his personal goal is $500,000.

Interest from the fund would provide three scholarships a year to business majors.

Reaching Harrington's personal goal would bring in twice as much as the UO athletic department paid for the national advertising package that included the banner near Madison Square Garden in 2001 and some high-profile billboards near the homes of Pac-10 rivals in California.

That would be a sweet ending for something that put the university in national headlines, not all of them favorable. A New York Times editorial cited the giant Joey banner as further evidence of the "skewed priorities of high-powered college athletic programs" and said it was "hard to believe there was no more constructive way for the University of Oregon to spend $250,000."

UO President Dave Frohnmayer recalled that editorial at Monday's press conference, taking a humorous jab at the Times for failing to take into account what he called two great Oregon passions: recycling and philanthropy.

That Harrington is doing both just two years after graduating from the university "is extraordinarily heartwarming and sets an example for people around the world," Frohnmayer said.

The fund drive is being run through the Harrington Family Foundation, the charity established by the Duck legend last summer using part of the $36.5 million he received after signing with the Lions. Harrington is acting as fund-raiser rather than donor this time around, but said he plans future donations to the UO.

Harrington already has given $250,000 to his old high school, Central Catholic in Portland, to help install artificial turf on the football and soccer fields. And he's organizing a benefit concert June 26 at Portland's Crystal Ballroom, featuring Jason Mraz and the group Blues Traveler, to aid the Portland Shriner's Hospital for Children.

For the UO fund-raising drive, Athletic Director Bill Moos officially gave the banner to Harrington. Its original cost - part of the $250,000 advertising package - was paid by private donors.

Rectangular pieces of the banner - not swooshes - are available as memorabilia, mounted next to a reproduction of the "Joey Heisman" banner and complete with a statement of authenticity. Seen up close, it's almost impossible to tell where pieces of the banner came from; most are just mixed dots of color that only created a picture when seen from a distance.

Harrington said he's still passionate about the UO and said the business education he received was a big help when it was time to negotiate a multi-million-dollar NFL contract. And he said just walking through the tunnel onto the field at the expanded Autzen Stadium on Monday brought back all the thrills, and even the butterflies, of his playing days.

"I don't ever want to lose touch with this university," he said.

"The experiences I had here were life-changing."

SCORING SOME HISTORY

Buy a piece of the famous Joey Heisman banner

What: Memorabilia with a piece of the banner come in a playing-card size for $19.93, an 11-by-14-inch lithograph for $49.93 or a framed lithograph for $99.93

To get them: Order online at joeyharrington3.com