Post by Agent Kev on Sept 28, 2006 20:30:35 GMT -5
Wrestling with success
Laurinaitis making a name for himself at Ohio State
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Normal for James Laurinaitis is having his dad dress up in face paint, tights and spiked shoulder pads.
It's also hearing people such as The Undertaker, Kurt Angle and Smash of Demolition tell him they saw him play on national television.
James' father, Joe "Animal" Laurinaitis, was one half of the WWF tag team Road Warriors, a.k.a. Legion of Doom. The 6-foot-2 325-pounder could do a flip off the top rope and had a collection of action figures made in his image.
But to James, he is simply Dad.
"Everyone asks, 'Is it any different for you to have your dad as an action figure?' That's just all I know," the 6-3, 244-pound Ohio State sophomore said after last Saturday's 28-6 win over Penn State. "I think it's weird to not have a dad as an action figure."
These days, Joe is in semi-retirement and can be seen at Buckeyes games wearing his son's number 33 jersey. He makes it a point to put the limelight squarely on James.
"When I go to those games, I'm very much incognito with a baseball hat on, and I take myself out of the spotlight, because that's his time," Joe said. "I won't sign any autographs at games unless I'm alone afterward. This isn't my spotlight. This is James' spotlight."
"Son of Animal" has had little trouble making a name for himself, spearheading a defense that hasn't lost any bite from last season, despite losing nine starters. Laurinaitis has team highs in tackles (36), interceptions (three) and forced fumbles (two).
"He's smart, he studies [the game], he's committed physically, he's very instinctive, and I think he'll do nothing but keep getting better," Buckeyes coach Jim Tressel said.
Laurinaitis appeared in all 12 games last season but started in only five, totaling nine tackles. His big break came against Michigan last season, when Bobby Carpenter, now a rookie with the Dallas Cowboys, broke an ankle on the first play.
"It was mixed emotions," Laurinaitis said. "I was excited because I was getting thrown into the game, kind of surprised. But I was also devastated because Bobby, a kid who's mentored me and taught me a lot that I know about the game right now, went down with injury. It was more devastation than anything."
Laurinaitis played the entire game, making one tackle, on the final play of the game, and went on to start the Fiesta Bowl against Notre Dame.
Entering 2006, there were questions about how effectively the Buckeyes could replace the dynamic linebacking trio of Carpenter, A.J. Hawk and Anthony Schlegel with Laurinaitis and a group that includes freshman Ross Homan, redshirt sophomore Marcus Freeman, redshirt senior John Kerr (whose longest stint since transferring to Ohio State from Indiana had been 10 minutes before this season), junior Curtis Terry and juco transfer Larry Grant.
"You have to [use that as motivation]," Laurinaitis said. "Look at the way they played last year, and to try and keep that up, you definitely have to keep going."
Laurinaitis said he learned a lot from Carpenter, Hawk (which was also the name of his father's former tag-team partner) and Schlegel.
"They were so dedicated," Laurinaitis said. "You learn about how to handle stuff off the field, how to handle stuff on the field and how to prepare for a game."
Laurinaitis says Hawk has sent him text messages wishing him luck before each game, while Carpenter and Schlegel have called to offer their support.
The Buckeyes' defense has allowed one touchdown in its last 10 quarters, hasn't given up a rushing TD and already has more interceptions (eight) than a year ago (six), but Laurinaitis says there's still much to prove heading into Saturday's clash at No. 13 Iowa.
"I feel like we haven't arrived yet," he said. "We're nowhere near as good as those three guys were last year, and that's not saying we're bad or anything, it's just saying that those guys were on a whole other level."
Against Texas, Laurinaitis took a step toward that level. During a 13-tackle performance in which James forced two fumbles and had an interception, his dad says there was a noticeable change in his son.
"Coming up at halftime, my wife hits me on the arm, she goes, 'Look at him. Look at his walk,'" Joe said. "I could see the same walk he had when he was in high school when he owned the high school his senior year. He was like a man amongst boys in high school. He had that same swagger in his step."
And that swagger hasn't left. He followed the win over Texas with nine tackles and an interception against Cincinnati, then added 10 tackles and another pick in the win over Penn State.
So far, football seems to be working out for Laurinaitis, but he has a future in the ring -- if he wants it. WWE head honcho Vince McMahon extended an offer to James while he was visiting his father's locker room after a match.
"We always talked about [that] as a last-resort kind of thing," Laurinaitis said. "I'm not focusing on wrestling right now."
But if he does decide to climb through the ropes, Dad says James would have no trouble following in his footsteps.
"He's definitely a natural at it," Joe said. "He's been like that since he was about six years old. He's natural at talking to people. He's natural at doing interviews. He's natural at kicks and punching guys, stuff that we do in our business. He could do it if he wants."
Playing in front of tens of thousands of college football fans, all while being alternately cheered and vilified? It has little effect on the Son of Animal. His dad says he has already seen it all.
"I think he's been around so many events that he's seen me appear, I think that helps him," Joe said. "He's been there in front and he's heard the cheers."
Just like his dad, James is making a name for himself in shoulder pads, although "LORE-A-NITE-US" doesn't roll off the tongue as easily as "Animal."
"I've been getting my name pronounced wrong my whole life," he said. "I used to go to hockey tournaments and they wouldn't even pronounce my last name. They would just say 'James' and my number. It's one of those things. I'm used to it, but hopefully before the year is out, people will know how to say my name."
Laurinaitis making a name for himself at Ohio State
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Normal for James Laurinaitis is having his dad dress up in face paint, tights and spiked shoulder pads.
It's also hearing people such as The Undertaker, Kurt Angle and Smash of Demolition tell him they saw him play on national television.
James' father, Joe "Animal" Laurinaitis, was one half of the WWF tag team Road Warriors, a.k.a. Legion of Doom. The 6-foot-2 325-pounder could do a flip off the top rope and had a collection of action figures made in his image.
But to James, he is simply Dad.
"Everyone asks, 'Is it any different for you to have your dad as an action figure?' That's just all I know," the 6-3, 244-pound Ohio State sophomore said after last Saturday's 28-6 win over Penn State. "I think it's weird to not have a dad as an action figure."
These days, Joe is in semi-retirement and can be seen at Buckeyes games wearing his son's number 33 jersey. He makes it a point to put the limelight squarely on James.
"When I go to those games, I'm very much incognito with a baseball hat on, and I take myself out of the spotlight, because that's his time," Joe said. "I won't sign any autographs at games unless I'm alone afterward. This isn't my spotlight. This is James' spotlight."
"Son of Animal" has had little trouble making a name for himself, spearheading a defense that hasn't lost any bite from last season, despite losing nine starters. Laurinaitis has team highs in tackles (36), interceptions (three) and forced fumbles (two).
"He's smart, he studies [the game], he's committed physically, he's very instinctive, and I think he'll do nothing but keep getting better," Buckeyes coach Jim Tressel said.
Laurinaitis appeared in all 12 games last season but started in only five, totaling nine tackles. His big break came against Michigan last season, when Bobby Carpenter, now a rookie with the Dallas Cowboys, broke an ankle on the first play.
"It was mixed emotions," Laurinaitis said. "I was excited because I was getting thrown into the game, kind of surprised. But I was also devastated because Bobby, a kid who's mentored me and taught me a lot that I know about the game right now, went down with injury. It was more devastation than anything."
Laurinaitis played the entire game, making one tackle, on the final play of the game, and went on to start the Fiesta Bowl against Notre Dame.
Entering 2006, there were questions about how effectively the Buckeyes could replace the dynamic linebacking trio of Carpenter, A.J. Hawk and Anthony Schlegel with Laurinaitis and a group that includes freshman Ross Homan, redshirt sophomore Marcus Freeman, redshirt senior John Kerr (whose longest stint since transferring to Ohio State from Indiana had been 10 minutes before this season), junior Curtis Terry and juco transfer Larry Grant.
"You have to [use that as motivation]," Laurinaitis said. "Look at the way they played last year, and to try and keep that up, you definitely have to keep going."
Laurinaitis said he learned a lot from Carpenter, Hawk (which was also the name of his father's former tag-team partner) and Schlegel.
"They were so dedicated," Laurinaitis said. "You learn about how to handle stuff off the field, how to handle stuff on the field and how to prepare for a game."
Laurinaitis says Hawk has sent him text messages wishing him luck before each game, while Carpenter and Schlegel have called to offer their support.
The Buckeyes' defense has allowed one touchdown in its last 10 quarters, hasn't given up a rushing TD and already has more interceptions (eight) than a year ago (six), but Laurinaitis says there's still much to prove heading into Saturday's clash at No. 13 Iowa.
"I feel like we haven't arrived yet," he said. "We're nowhere near as good as those three guys were last year, and that's not saying we're bad or anything, it's just saying that those guys were on a whole other level."
Against Texas, Laurinaitis took a step toward that level. During a 13-tackle performance in which James forced two fumbles and had an interception, his dad says there was a noticeable change in his son.
"Coming up at halftime, my wife hits me on the arm, she goes, 'Look at him. Look at his walk,'" Joe said. "I could see the same walk he had when he was in high school when he owned the high school his senior year. He was like a man amongst boys in high school. He had that same swagger in his step."
And that swagger hasn't left. He followed the win over Texas with nine tackles and an interception against Cincinnati, then added 10 tackles and another pick in the win over Penn State.
So far, football seems to be working out for Laurinaitis, but he has a future in the ring -- if he wants it. WWE head honcho Vince McMahon extended an offer to James while he was visiting his father's locker room after a match.
"We always talked about [that] as a last-resort kind of thing," Laurinaitis said. "I'm not focusing on wrestling right now."
But if he does decide to climb through the ropes, Dad says James would have no trouble following in his footsteps.
"He's definitely a natural at it," Joe said. "He's been like that since he was about six years old. He's natural at talking to people. He's natural at doing interviews. He's natural at kicks and punching guys, stuff that we do in our business. He could do it if he wants."
Playing in front of tens of thousands of college football fans, all while being alternately cheered and vilified? It has little effect on the Son of Animal. His dad says he has already seen it all.
"I think he's been around so many events that he's seen me appear, I think that helps him," Joe said. "He's been there in front and he's heard the cheers."
Just like his dad, James is making a name for himself in shoulder pads, although "LORE-A-NITE-US" doesn't roll off the tongue as easily as "Animal."
"I've been getting my name pronounced wrong my whole life," he said. "I used to go to hockey tournaments and they wouldn't even pronounce my last name. They would just say 'James' and my number. It's one of those things. I'm used to it, but hopefully before the year is out, people will know how to say my name."
