Tako Tuesdays: A Lesson Not Learned
by Takimoto on Jun 7, 2011 9:00 AM PDT
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PrintTerrelle Pryor led the Ohio State Buckeyes to a 31-4 record as a starter, including a 2-0 record in BCS bowl games. He currently stands fifth all-time in passing yards amongst Ohio State quarterbacks. He is at least partially responsible for 76 Buckeye touchdowns. Perhaps his best game as a collegian was the 2010 Rose Bowl, in which he picked apart the Oregon defense en route to a 26-17 win. Thank Jiji Bryce Brown didn't take three years to screw his career up, or he would've run for 200 yards last year, and we wouldn't have gotten out of Knoxville with a win.
I bring this up up front to make a point: this will not be one of those "What if Player X had come to School Y" articles. If you want to read something like that, I'm sure you can find dozens on Bleacher Report. This isn't about football. I'm not here to prognosticate on whether Terrelle Pryor would have won us a Rose Bowl or a national title (though he wouldn't have - I don't think anybody but Jeremiah Masoli beats Stanford in 2008, or Oregon State in 2009, and I don't think anybody but Darron Thomas beats Stanford in 2010.). This is about more than football. Jim Tressel ran an Ohio State program that was negligent and unsupportive. He failed to provide his players with the necessary tools to succeed off the field, and it ultimately led to his downfall. I'm not here to say that Oregon would have been better off with Terrelle Pryor. But Terrelle Pryor definitely would have been better off with Oregon.
Both Chip Kelly and Jim Tressel have been described by many in the media to be a "player's coach". This, to me, says less about the coaching styles of both men, and more that the media has no idea what the term "player's coach" actually means. It has become a buzzword, synonymous with "guru" and "master strategist". Does "player's coach" mean that the players like their coach? If so, I can safely say that every coach in the FBS can be considered a "player's coach" by a majority of their players. But for someone to really be considered a "player's coach", they need to act in the best interest of their players, by being a teacher and a role model, in addition to being a football coach. By helming an unethical program, Jim Tressel failed to fulfill that job requirement; in particular, he failed to show his players that there are consequences for your actions, no matter how big of a star you are.
Terrelle Pryor has lived by a different set of rules his whole life. He has been a freak athlete since birth; a two-sport star at Jeanette HS in Pennsylvania, he led his teams to state championships in both football and basketball. He has been given the star treatment since he was a kid; can anyone really say the best thing for him in college is more of the same? According to Buckeye alum and ESPN college football analyst Chris Spielman, Pryor received preferential treatment from the Ohio State program; showing up late to practices or meetings, and missing workouts were not uncommon occurrences. In Chip Kelly's program, you are not anointed; you must earn your place as a team leader. While it may seem counterintuitive to hand one player the starting job, and another player a captaincy, Coach Kelly knew that Darron Thomas hadn't yet grown into his role as team leader, while Nate Costa garnered the respect of his teammates through his demeanor and work ethic. There aren't stars on a Chip Kelly team; there are just young men, working together to achieve a unified goal. Could Pryor buy into that? He'd have to if he wanted to succeed in Eugene. And if he had, it would've had a positive effect on who he is, both as an athlete and as a man.
Ultimately, Terrelle Pryor never took Oregon seriously. He never took a visit, and dismissed the Ducks as being "too far away" from his home in Pennsylvania. But maybe, through their interactions on the recruiting trail, he got a glimpse into who Chip Kelly is as a coach and a mentor. And maybe he didn't want to earn respect, to grow into a leader. Maybe he wanted to take the easy road, to have everything handed to him. Upon choosing to spend his college career in Columbus, media outlets praised the decision one that will give him the best chance at an NFL career; today, Pryor is projected as a mid-to-late round draft choice, and when he arrives at camp, he will be greeted with a reception unlike any he has ever seen. He will be hazed, abused, pressured, and expected to show up everyday and carry himself like an adult. For the first time in his life, he will have to fight for playing time.
Prior to the 2010 Rose Bowl, Brandon Bair was asked about Terrelle Pryor's decision to attend Ohio State over Oregon. He said,
"That was his mistake, going to Ohio. We don't hold that against him. I hope he's happy there, I really do. He would have been a great fit for our offense, there's no doubt about that. What he's doing now, I don't know if that fits him or not."
For Pryor's sake, I hope this flippant attitude is not what fits him. I hope he can redefine who he is as a person, and restart what has become an uncertain football future.
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Bla bla bla bla
Personally, I don’t give two armpit farts whether Pryor rehabilitates himself and becomes a better person or not.
A much more interesting question: Would tOSU have been better off with Mike Bellotti? And what would Oregon’s program look like now if he’d gone? The mind boggles.
"Dispatch yourself with the utmost precision, and proceed as far as your individual excellency will permit." - John McEwan
Well, Tedford prolly would've ended up as HC rather than heading to Cal.
Which may have meant several more years of Ludwig as OC.
Fuck you, Juju. We'll do it ourselves.
by BigGreenWreckingMachine on Jun 7, 2011 10:48 AM PDT up reply actions
Tell him yourself.
"Dispatch yourself with the utmost precision, and proceed as far as your individual excellency will permit." - John McEwan
Looking forward
to watching the train wreck that is his “car dealership” agreement. If he skips his last year and jumps to the draft, I won’t blame him, but I’ll be looking for any news about who he gets drafted by, and whether or not that team regrets their decision. Both Cam Newton and Pryor show issues with maturity, whether it’s not taking an investigation seriously or expecting success to be served on a silver platter.
Personally, I hope they both flame out, and big time. It’s not even about beating Oregon. Character counts, and these two are severely lacking in it.
Dear Pit Crew,
If my ears aren't ringing, YOU'RE DOING IT WRONG.
I’m crediting you, Takimoto, for the reason why Pryor quit football today.
It's spelled "S-H-U-F-E-L-T-L-I-K-E-A-B-O-O-B-J-O-B"
So, due to Pryor the Buckeye's Rose Bowl win is nil
And I think it’s very likely that due to Cam Newton, Auburn’s National title will be nil as well. So that means we could very well have lost in consecutive BCS Bowls where the results will be vacated. Wonder what would have happened if we faced teams that didn’t have ineligible players as stars.
I dispense B.S. and facts. It is up to you to figure out which is which.
We don't deal in hypotheticals.
"I'll give any teller who gives me a lollipop 4 stars."-Chip Kelly
by TennesseeQuackAttack8 on Jun 7, 2011 5:09 PM PDT up reply actions 3 recs
.
THAT'S RIGHT, Kenny Wheaton you did. You cut back into GREATNESS.
by HoodRiverDuck on Jun 7, 2011 6:33 PM PDT up reply actions 6 recs
Spectacular.
Breathtaking, just… I am without words.
Everybody was kung foo fighting, now it's all ho hum.
by Bill Musgrave on Jun 7, 2011 6:47 PM PDT up reply actions
This needs to frequent every GDT in the fall.
We need variations with Beavers, Bears, Huskies, and Broncos.
I dispense B.S. and facts. It is up to you to figure out which is which.
Does “player’s coach” mean that the players like their coach? If so, I can safely say that every coach in the FBS can be considered a “player’s coach” by a majority of their players.
I’ve heard otherwise of Saban.
Fan of the cheese on the nachos, the Oreo of Explosion, Cool Brees, CP3, the J-Hey Kid, Pizza, and the real Matty Ice.
"ESPN - the worldwide leader in kissing Phillie ass" ~ kimrob1
LSU Freek strikes again!
"What the hell was that?"
"Spaceball One, they've gone to plaid!"
by QuackinAK on Jun 8, 2011 2:17 PM PDT reply actions 4 recs
Aren't stars on a Chip Kelly - not unless you punch someone in the face
As corrupt as Tressel has turned out to be, there is a weird dichotomy between these off field issues, and on field behavior of Tressels teams. On the field, his teams were disciplined, selfless, and very good representatives for the University. There were no cheap shots, and very little trash talk. They worked, acted, celebrated, and suffered as team. They knew their goals and really stuck to them. Additionally there was respect for the opponent. I don’t think you get to that place with a team unless you enforce a certain set of standards. With players selling signatures and memorabilia, there clearly there was a disconnect. And its this personality break that makes this so hard for OSU fans to take right now. We can accept that people and the institution as a whole needs to be punished for wrong doing. This is whats hardest to reconcile: if a person so clearly enforce one set of rules and routinely displays the character that comes from those tenets, how can they so thoroughly fail in enforcing or following another set of rules and so totally bankrupt and jeopardize the character they worked so hard to demonstrate? I mean, that it never happened is a testament to Tressels influence, but if one of his players had punched an opponent in defeat, he would not have seen the field again that season, not even for a bowl game. While if he sells stuff to get Tats, clearly the staff can work with him to get him on the field.
Its freaking nuts.
"NCAA/BCS is about cash money, and Boise can't afford the buy in" - president of "the" Ohio State University.
Eye hear you, Bobo, we can relate. The Oregon QB tOSU played against was Jeremiah Masoli.
"What you are entrusted to do as a coach is to create an environment where your players have a chance to be successful." CHIP KELLY
I'm not sure comparing one on field issue with
one player who was punished mightily for it is the same as comparing all the stuff that has gone on under Tressell.
I do understand what you’re saying though. Kelly has been rather harsh with his players for their transgressions throughout his tenure. The backlash he would receive for willfully disregarding the rules like Tressell did would be severe and justified. There could be no clever quip or deathly stare that would allow him to avoid answering for that type of hypocrisy. He’s painted himself into a very small corner; follow the rules yourself, or else.
"the putz from that UO blog, Matt Daddy" - Steve Tannen
The Daily Faberian
I was not trying to equivocate...
I was not trying to equivocate between OSUs problems and one minor incident where a player lost control in defeat. OSU’s problems are of their own making, their punishment belongs to them, and they earned it. I was speaking to comments make by Tako in a his sour grapes comparison between Tressel and Kelly, OSU and Oregon. Clearly he is looking at Kelly through rose colored glasses, and ignoring the parts of his career that demonstrate it was not all about earning your place, and how its a team with no stars. When Kelly needed a power back in a big game, he simply reversed himself, which does not really reconcile with suffering consequences for your actions.
I’ll go on to say that Tako made some comments that imply Pryor would have grown differently as a man at Oregon as opposed to Ohio State, as if Oregon as system automatically weeds out bad seeds and cures superstars who want to take the easy way out, which totally ignores the off-field problems of other players who went to Oregon.
And since I came back to elaborate, I’ll point point out that Tako throws a lot of things at Tressels feet that belong to the AD and entire athletic department as well. Sure Tressel is flawed and damaged, and deserves at least what he has gotten up until now, but when the dust settles and everything finally comes out, it will be very interesting to see who was pushing who. For example did you see the report that came out about OSU’s internal audit that their compliance department was not doing its job? Whose fault was that?
"NCAA/BCS is about cash money, and Boise can't afford the buy in" - president of "the" Ohio State University.
by Buckeye Bobo on Jun 9, 2011 10:22 AM PDT up reply actions
When Kelly needed a power back in a big game, he simply reversed himself, which does not really reconcile with suffering consequences for your actions.
This isn’t true at all. If you’re going to criticize Tako’s piece effectively, at least have your basic facts right.
--AddictedToQuack, SBNation's Oregon Ducks blog
OK, so the Kelly had to make a few calls..blah blah blah
Look I was cynical about sports before the tat5 thing, and I’m not getting any more light hearted with age. You’ll never convince me this was about meeting his to do list over the teams need heading into the Stanford game, and anticipating a good bowl opponent.
"NCAA/BCS is about cash money, and Boise can't afford the buy in" - president of "the" Ohio State University.
You’ll never convince me this was about meeting his to do list over the teams need heading into the Stanford game, and anticipating a good bowl opponent.
Huh? Blount didn’t play against Stanford that year as he had not yet been cleared to play again by Kelly. He was cleared to play again before the next game, against ASU, yet he did not see the field again until the last game of the year (two games after he was cleared to pay again) and even then he didn’t get into the game until late in the game and he only had 9 carries. Kelly didn’t play him because we needed a big, powerful back all of a sudden, he played him because Blount earned Kelly’s trust.
He’s un-convincible! It’s like his superpower!
Dear Pit Crew,
If my ears aren't ringing, YOU'RE DOING IT WRONG.
by Brass-billed on Jun 10, 2011 7:50 AM PDT up reply actions
Exactly...
They tried to clear him in anticipation of strong Stanford, but the Pac10 did not sign off on it until it was too late.
How very altruistic of them.
"NCAA/BCS is about cash money, and Boise can't afford the buy in" - president of "the" Ohio State University.
by Buckeye Bobo on Jun 10, 2011 9:59 AM PDT up reply actions
but what do I care
Maybe it was becuase they lost to Stanford they requested him. I’m sure their motives were all about turning boys into men and sportsmanship.
"NCAA/BCS is about cash money, and Boise can't afford the buy in" - president of "the" Ohio State University.
by Buckeye Bobo on Jun 10, 2011 10:05 AM PDT up reply actions
Once again… that’s not what happened.
I’m very open to hear an argument that Chip Kelly reinstated Blount for selfish reasons. But get the freaking facts straight. Ignorance is no way to build an argument.
--AddictedToQuack, SBNation's Oregon Ducks blog
At least 1/2 of Tako's article is predicated on a the MAYBE...
Pryor saw or heard about Kelly’s Mightiness and was scared away. With the other half dedicated to the assumption that the Mightiness of Kelly’s Oregon purifies the hearts of the evil and minds of the weak.
In that context, the details are suddenly important? I mean, I said all thats really necessary to challenge assumptions that shallow.
But I forget you are the Dr. Bunsen Honeydew of NCAA college football in a world where we need not play the game because you are the secretary general off all weights and measures, and can prove before, during, and after a game that Oregon actually has the advantage and will win. Seriously, JT, I’ve come to expect this from you, its why I love you, and you complete me, and why I can’t stay way from the Quack.
"NCAA/BCS is about cash money, and Boise can't afford the buy in" - president of "the" Ohio State University.
by Buckeye Bobo on Jun 10, 2011 10:40 AM PDT up reply actions
Ooooh, oooh, can I be the Beaker then?
THAT'S RIGHT, Kenny Wheaton you did. You cut back into GREATNESS.
by HoodRiverDuck on Jun 10, 2011 12:05 PM PDT up reply actions
hahahah
They tried to clear him in anticipation of strong Stanford
It’s impossible to take you serious when you can’t get basic facts right.
"the putz from that UO blog, Matt Daddy" - Steve Tannen
The Daily Faberian
I have the anti venom to your cool aide...
..and you hate me for it. Tako’s piece is a chest thumping exultation of pure being of what the Oregon program represents. It is my understanding that by calling your pure being into question, there is nothing I can say that would make you happy.
The precise details of getting Blount on the field are not important, only that they got him on the field. As Oregon faithful you want to see his return to one your best seasons ever as an epic story worthy of the a children’s illustrated bible compete with pop-up special effects. The black sheep gone good! I could get the timing of how they got him back on the field wrong, but still stand by notion that his presence on the field combined with your off field issues after that season as enough to suggest that Kelly’s system is not necessarily the medicine that would cure Pryor. Cause clearly his system was not medicine enough for some of the people who chose Oregon.
"NCAA/BCS is about cash money, and Boise can't afford the buy in" - president of "the" Ohio State University.
by Buckeye Bobo on Jun 10, 2011 1:15 PM PDT up reply actions
could get the timing of how they got him back on the field wrong, but still stand by notion that his presence on the field combined with your off field issues after that season as enough to suggest that Kelly’s system is not necessarily the medicine that would cure Pryor.
I can agree that Kelly’s system may not have been the “cure” for Pryor. It might have, but it might not have. But that isn’t the fault of Kelly or any precedence he has set.
It's spelled "S-H-U-F-E-L-T-L-I-K-E-A-B-O-O-B-J-O-B"
It would mean more if...
..Tako said that, but that would more or less be a retraction of his original work.
"NCAA/BCS is about cash money, and Boise can't afford the buy in" - president of "the" Ohio State University.
by Buckeye Bobo on Jun 10, 2011 1:43 PM PDT up reply actions
I've fallen and I can't get up
I thought you said I was a waste of time, or that was somone else. You guys need larger avatars or a darker shade of green for when the username is displayed by a comment my eyes are too old for your site.
"NCAA/BCS is about cash money, and Boise can't afford the buy in" - president of "the" Ohio State University.
by Buckeye Bobo on Jun 10, 2011 2:49 PM PDT up reply actions
He did mention the eye issues.
Everybody was kung foo fighting, now it's all ho hum.
by Bill Musgrave on Jun 10, 2011 6:22 PM PDT up reply actions
It could be the eye, or the issue could be between chair and keyboard.
It's spelled "S-H-U-F-E-L-T-L-I-K-E-A-B-O-O-B-J-O-B"
Now why would a chair have any argument with a perfectly good keyboard?
Everybody was kung foo fighting, now it's all ho hum.
by Bill Musgrave on Jun 11, 2011 4:56 AM PDT up reply actions
For someone that can't get basic facts right
you sure think highly of yourself. And it does matter. You see, I may want to use the Blount situation as an example of how I think Kelly would have been a better coach for Pryor, but I can’t. Because you don’t even understand the basic facts of what happened there, so instead I’m actually arguing facts with you not, interpretation of those facts. And that’s a losing proposition.
I don’t have the time or energy to waste educating you on something a simple google search could turn up, and I’m sure as hell not going to try arguing something even deeper than that. So go ahead and live in your dream world that you’re telling me all these things about Kelly I don’t want to hear when in my first response I agreed with a lot of what you were saying in the first place.
Just like Pryor was to tOSU you are a waste of my time.
"the putz from that UO blog, Matt Daddy" - Steve Tannen
The Daily Faberian
by Matt Daddy on Jun 10, 2011 1:52 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Did you order the code red?
I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom I provide, then questions the manner in which I provide it! I’d rather you just said thank you and went on your way. Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a weapon and stand a post. Either way, I don’t give a damn what you think you’re entitled to!
Everybody was kung foo fighting, now it's all ho hum.
by Bill Musgrave on Jun 10, 2011 6:25 PM PDT up reply actions
They tried to clear him in anticipation of strong Stanford, but the Pac10 did not sign off on it until it was too late.
I can’t find ANYTHING to support this claim. I can find something that mentions November 9th that they requested Blount got reinstated, and the Pac-10 signed off on it right away – which happens to be 2 days after the Stanford game…
It's spelled "S-H-U-F-E-L-T-L-I-K-E-A-B-O-O-B-J-O-B"
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