Even though Columbus, like Cleveland, Akron and Dayton, are one-newspaper cities, at least where I spend my days during the week, I always have access to each of those daily publications.
While the Columbus Dispatch does an admirable job, the newspaper I always pick up first is the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Bill Livingston, a sports columnist for the PD, who was probably the beat reporter for the Cleveland Indians the last time the Tribe won a World Series, hit one out of the park today. And it involves Terrelle Pryor.
Livingston said this in today’s edition of the Plain Dealer:
Pryor’s upcoming visit to Penn State seemed at first glance to be a courtesy to Paterno, who is a football legend at Linebacker U., not Quarterback U. But apparently, Pryor’s father is being wooed heavily by the Nittany Lions.
Paterno with a space-age quarterback would be like Woody Hayes was with Art Schlichter.
The dinosaur is never going to fly.
It is hard to believe any cutting-edge, multi-threat quarterback who is serious about his pro prospects, absent a fondness for isolation, silos and passing Amish buggies on two-lane roads on the way in and out of State College, Pa., would willingly attend Penn State.
Amen, Billy.
While I have might of called Pryor a prima donna while being someone who obviously enjoys the spotlight of having college coaches trailing and a media entourage, maybe I was a bit harsh. But what it really appears is that this kid is having a hard time making a decision, especially when he has an “inner circle” pulling him in every direction.
Pryor is a Pennsylvanian. So when the 107-year old state icon named Joe Paterno comes calling, you listen. Clearly Pryor’s father did. But in reality, Pryor is just trying to make everyone happy, including his Dad. He knows where he wants to go, and that’s Ohio State.
When Pryor traveled down to the US Army All-American Bowl back in January, a high school all-star game featuring the best players in the nation, Pryor was seen hanging out with all of the Ohio State recruits and their families.
It appears that Pryor’s decision has come down to Ohio State and Penn State, even though Pryor has said previously he doesn’t feel comfortable living in a small-town environment. By the way, State College has a population of 38,420, which is roughly the same as the Columbus’ suburb I live in. Pryor wants the bright lights and the big city Columbus is.
Also, if Pryor wants to play quarterback in the NFL, why would anyone want to go to Penn State? The best quarterback in more than a decade to play for the Nittany Lions, Michael Robinson, is now a backup running back and special teams player for the San Francisco 49ers.
Meanwhile, Ohio State head coach Jim Tressel produced a Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback, who is now listed second on the depth chart as QB for the Baltimore Ravens. And if Troy Smith had Pryor’s height, he just might of been the No. 1-overall pick, last year.
I am also in firm belief that Pryor will decide to come to Ohio State, though he just might not make that decision until the April 1 deadline.
