NEW ORLEANS — There was reason to believe Terrelle Pryor might not show for his mandatory news conference Saturday morning.
The word “fine” had even been used by Sugar Bowl officials regarding possible repercussions if the Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback was a no-show.
It has been well documented that Pryor and four teammates have been suspended by the NCAA for five games next season for receiving extra benefits.
The extra benefits came from selling memorabilia, and there is a tattoo parlor involved, too.
Well, a very tatted-up Pryor showed up Saturday, and he was anything but quiet.
Give the 6-6, 233-pound athlete a little credit. He faced some tough questions and never gave any ground, and he really didn’t seem all that sorry for what he had done. Unrepentant came to mind.
He used the opportunity to try and regain some of the respect of the Ohio State Nation by talking about the program and its fans as family. How when something bad happens, guys are there to pick you up.
It was a good spiel from a guy who sold his legacy to the highest bidder.
For comparison, consider that Arkansas tight end D.J. Williams once gave his MVP trophy to a boy in a wheelchair.
The picture is clear. Pryor felt he was entitled to do whatever he wanted.
Yes, it seems wrong that schools can sell jerseys and make money but the players can’t. But those are the rules, and what hurt Pryor with the public was not a jersey, but selling his championship ring, sportsmanship trophy and gold pants charm that is awarded for a victory over much despised Michigan.
Michigan is so much a part of the Ohio State mindset that the Ohio media peppered Ryan Mallett about his year in Michigan to the point the Razorbacks quarterback finally said, “I play for Arkansas now.”
Pryor was considered a Heisman Trophy favorite going into this season. His athletic background is almost legendary. He orally committed to play basketball at Pittsburgh, and when he signed with Ohio State - where he hoped to play football and basketball - Sports Illustrated labeled his decision as the most anticipated in history.
It is no small wonder Pryor is cocky. Arrogant came to mind.
He said he intended to honor the oral commitment he made to Coach Jim Tressel to return next season and sit out his suspension, but he double talked about the other four doing the same.
He claimed everyone else had gotten negative comments on their Twitter accounts but that he didn’t read his tweets, and he said he knew there had been some negative backlash but he felt he mostly received support.
There was little doubt, too, that he fully expects to have a big game Tuesday. That’s partly because it is allegedly his last game until midway through next season, plus he’s not worried about the Razorbacks’ defense.
“They don’t really disguise their defense and stuff like that,” he said. “I don’t know if they’re exactly 100 percent experienced.”
One thing the dual threat didn’t do when asked to compare himself to Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton was fall for that. He refused to make a comparison, saying the Buckeyes don’t run the same offense.
Weeks ago, Pryor said he’d be unstoppable in a different offense than what the Buckeyes run.
When pushed on whether he was coming back, he said it’s important to keep your word, but then said the pledge was basically the players’ way of saying they were sorry.
He has shown up once this week when it was rumored that he wouldn’t be there, but it is a long time until next season.
Gone came to mind.
Sports, Pages 23 on 01/02/2011