Our Honor Defend

Considering the worst case scenarios regarding the offensive line that are unfolding in my brain, no one enjoys fluff and relentless optimism more than I do.  However, even I found myself raising a curious eyebrow at Andy Staples’ latest article for SI.

I have no doubt Terrelle Pryor is making leaps and bounds in improvement on his awareness of defensive alignments, his knowledge of the playbook and, I’m sure, his touch on his passes.  We saw some of it in the Spring Game and I like knowing there’s four more months for Pryor to improve more.

But get a load of these superlatives:

He’s almost as thick as Florida’s Tim Tebow, but faster. Pryor can make the same throws as Oklahoma’s Sam Bradford, but remains a threat to run.

That’s high praise considering those two are the most recent post-Troy era Heisman winners.  I guess “like Superman, but even FASTER than a speeding bullet”, “like OJ Simpson, but a better actor (and probably not a violent sociopath)” and “almost as holy as the Pope, but more consistent with the intermediate pass” didn’t survive the review process.  I’ll have to ask around, but that Tebow comment probably isn’t playing well down here.  I’ll have to see if the locals are hopping on their tractors and F-950s and driving down to the tea parties to protest it.

On a related note, Staples even allowed Pryor to cap off the article with a comment regarding the prevalence of criticism surrounding the football program and skepticism about Pryor’s abilities.

So go ahead. Tell Pryor he can’t throw. Tell him he’s overrated. The Buckeyes will probably thank you for it.

“We’re going to get touchdowns all year,” Pryor said. “We’re going to keep working hard. We don’t care about the critics.”

I should hope, young man.  Our offensive line may say otherwise, though.

Elsewhere

• Native Ohioan and Buckeye football/basketball enthusiast Lebron James won the NBA MVP.  Kudos.  He opted to return to Akron and collect the trophy at his alma mater: Saint Vincent-Saint Mary HS in Akron, Ohio.  It’s the same high school that our own Lawrence Wilson attended.
• Troy Smith went from being surefire starter last year to now having to compete to remain a backup with the Ravens.  It’s unfortunate considering that he appears to have no agency over any of this.  The stomach virus he contracted last summer cost him a starting job he had lined up and his height means no one will take him seriously.  I’m inclined to agree with my mom on this: come back to Ohio State and help our offense score more than 17 points a game.  He has a career in coaching if he wants it.
• Lamarr Woodley is unimpressed with Terrelle Pryor’s tattoo.
• Alex Wimmers tossed the first nine-inning no-hitter in Ohio State baseball history.  Better yet, it came against Michigan.  Rock.
• Nader Abdallah was signed by the Jags.  I’m pulling for him hard.