PRYOR FINDS THAT FAME BRINGS SCRUTINY
Saturday, September 12, 2009
By Tim May
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
The walk of a celebrity has its potholes, and Terrelle Pryor stepped into a big one a week ago.
First, the Ohio State quarterback put the name "VICK" on one of the anti-glare strips he wore under his eyes during the season-opening win over Navy. Then, afterward, he tried to explain his "love" for Vick, the multitalented quarterback who recently spent 18 months in federal prison for playing a major role in a dogfighting operation and now is trying to resurrect his NFL career with the Philadelphia Eagles.
The comments Pryor made about Vick -- most notably that "Not everybody is the perfect person in the world. Everyone does -- kills people, murders people, steals from you, steals from me. I just feel that people need to give him a chance" -- shocked and angered many Ohio State fans.
The fact that what a college sophomore says or does can have such a profound effect, well, welcome to Columbus. Pryor is a second-year starting quarterback, a former high-school phenom who last year got his feet wet running the show. For the next couple of seasons, he is expected to take the Buckeyes to bigger and better things, starting with tonight's showdown with Southern California in Ohio Stadium.
For better or worse, he is the brightest star on the Ohio State football team, which makes him the biggest name in town among athletes. But is it fair to heap such celebrity on a 20-year-old?
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"I don't think it's unfair," coach Jim Tressel said. "It's one of the realities that goes with what he was blessed with. And if he doesn't think that's fair to be a part of it, he's going to struggle."
Even before the fallout from a week ago, Pryor said he understood the territory.
"I'd rather have it than not, but that's what comes with it," Pryor said. "This is what I do. I play football, and I love doing it."