It's an honor to win the "Best Series" in the 11W Readers' Choice Awards (presented by Remy), but to everybody who didn't vote for me and mines: I'll see you in Hell.
SILVERMAN GETS SOME SHINE. I mentioned Ohio State football's chief graphics guru earlier this week, AND BECAUSE I HAVE MY FINGER ON THE PULSE OF THE MEDIA, Sammy Silverman got profiled (along with a host of lesser collegiate football graphics guys) by Allen Trieu of Scout.com:
Imagine you are an Ohio State fan and alum and you have been tasked with the exciting job of creating graphics for the team, and finally, you get to meet head coach Urban Meyer for the first time, and upon making his acquaintance, you commit a party foul.
That's what happened to Samuel Silverman.
"The football staff was celebrating National Signing Day at Mike Vrabel's house," Silverman said. "All the coaches were there and I was still pretty behind the scenes in the workplace, but they were all aware of my work, including Coach Meyer. I told my friend that I had yet to actually meet him face to face, so we walked over to him and his wife, Shelley Meyer.
"I introduced myself and congratulated him on the most recent recruit class and he was telling me how he admires my work and loves how much it helps with recruiting. As we wrapped up the quick conversation, I was shaking his hand.. and as I began to retract my hand, I ended up knocking my drink completely off the table.. smashing to the ground and spilling all over the floor as I snuck away in embarrassment. And that's how I made my first impression on Coach Meyer."
I would've thought any story involving a spilled drink at Mike Vrabel's house would end with a front-yard beheading. Then again, the Vrabels have probably dealt with a Skoal stain or fifty in their carpets, so maybe a stain isn't that big of a deal.
PRYOR MAKES HIS MOVE. I'll always wonder what Pryor's career could've been had he spent his prep years at a place like IMG Academy, instead of shitting on scrubs in the lower tiers of Western Pennsylvanian high school football.
From Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com:
Hue Jackson can see him, too. He has seen him for the last week at the Bengals voluntary workouts and the man who rescued Pryor four years ago amid scandal and purgatory has seen vast change.
“At some point in time,’ Jackson says, “life rewards you for the hard times and hopefully some day he’ll find his reward. He’s responded. He’s here early. He stays late. He does everything you would want someone to do…He’s more mature. He’s come here from three different places and after a while when you’re getting your butt kicked, you want it to end, and you’re doing everything you can to put yourself in the best possible light with your teammates.”
Urban Meyer preaches a system where a blue-chip QB comes into college and sits behind a "grinder" to learn what it takes to succeed at the next level. (He's lamented the fact this didn't happen for Braxton.)
Where would be if Pryor wasn't thrown into the fires his freshman year? Or if he had his senior campaign with Jim Tressel tutoring him? I'd suspect he'd be able to beat out Andy Dalton, who despite what Bengal fundamentalists will tell you, isn't good.
Pryor also claims to be a mere three credits from graduation:
“I follow them very strictly” Pryor says. “I cheer for Urban a lot. I cheer for any quarterback there. I have so much info now, I wish I could talk to those guys, and get them to really understand. I understand the quarterback position. I watch a lot of film. I haven’t had a whole lot of experience in the NFL yet. But it’s coming.”
He says he's got three credits left for a degree. One day he would like to get his OSU degree.
Did Pryor's dissociation mean he can't attend classes? Because that'd be shameful to keep a father from a college degree over some free tattoos and traded trinkets. (UPDATE: As noted by @DrPattiJones, this is, thankfully, not the case. Yet it does beg the question: What the hell is Terrelle Pryor waiting on?)
BOYCOTT THE STONES. In my dream world... nobody shows up to the Rolling Stones concert in the Horseshoe.
People will show up, however, despite the fact they know the show is going to be terrible. It's one thing to fall for the okie dokie, but it's another to spend $100 for the experience.
From Kevin Joy of Dispatch.com:
A fleet of 35 tour trucks will begin arriving at the stadium today to commence nine days of preparations, including the installation of a 193-by-75-foot steel stage; multistory video screens; and sound-delay speaker towers to ensure that listeners seated both near and far hear the music simultaneously.
An on-site crew of about 500 (a mix of stadium staff members, tour employees and contract workers) will be involved throughout.
And, of course, a plush dressing room and backstage area will be erected for Jagger & Co. — a “homey atmosphere to make them feel comfortable,” said Colin Thompson, who as assistant director for Value City is overseeing the production.
So Mick Jagger gets to snort cocaine and fraternize with prostitutes in the bowels of Ohio Stadium? But me, the guy who sold himself into indentured servitude to attend the university, can't get the same luxury?
They told me life wouldn't be fair, but they never told me it'd be like this.
DOORS ARE HARD. This got emailed to me. We've all been there. Thankfully we weren't representing Ohio State on national TV.
If Ramzy hadn't tombstoned M MAN back into the 12th Circle of Hell, I'm sure he'd write an 2,000-word opus tying this all back to the "persecution" of Brandon Gibbons.
TOM HERMAN: STILL BALLIN'. Tom Herman netted his first five-star fish on Thursday night. Yesterday, he added another Top 50 prospect in four-star DT Jordan Elliott.
Just got off the phone with coach Herman and now I am officially Committed to the University of Houston #HTownTakeover this real be a cool
— Jordan (@JAE__95) May 22, 2015
For comparison's sake, Jim Harbaugh has yet to land a Top 50 commitment at Michigan.
Herman didn't stop there though:
@CoachTomHerman on the phone with @paulwallbaby "Mouth looking something like a disco ball" #HTownTakeover #GoCoogs pic.twitter.com/ubKUp5aprG
— Coach Blacklock (@dalblac99) May 22, 2015
Just another Friday in The H with @Drake. #HTownTakeover Special thanks to @OVOREPSUPCHUBBS. Dinner at Nobu is on me! pic.twitter.com/GcEI32pArO
— Tom Herman (@CoachTomHerman) May 22, 2015
Drake the "human being" may be insufferable, but some of his music isn't bad, and Tom Herman is just trying to floss in a state with four five power conference teams.
Week 2: Houston at Louisville. Take Herman and the points and bet the rent.
THOSE WMDs. At Liberty's Media Day, Isiah Thomas as annoying as ever... The Story Behind a Viral Great White Shark Photo... "Amazing Grace" played by airhorns... Badazz Rides Again... The long-term rise of the urban American west... Pickerington Vet reunites with Vietnam Turtle.
