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Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.
Fox Sports Interview
Conversation with James Laurinaitis
In one of the biggest upsets of the 2008 season, Ohio State linebacker James Laurinaitis decided to come back for his senior year when he could've gone pro. In a weak year for linebackers, he would've been the first one taken and a near-certain top 20 overall pick, but now has a shot to finish up his career as, arguably, one of the five greatest linebackers to ever play college football. Or at least one of the most accomplished.
The winner of the Butkus Award as the nation's best linebacker and the Nagurski Award (in 2006) as the nation's best defensive player, he has made 236 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, nine sacks and seven interceptions in the last two seasons, highlighted by a 19-tackle day last year in the win over Wisconsin. Don't blame him for the loss to LSU, he made 18 stops. But numbers don't begin to show just what he means to the defense. A tough leader and versatile player able to operate inside and out, he'll be the signature star on yet another national-title-caliber team.
CFN spoke with Laurinaitis about all the attention he's received, about being the son of a former professional wrestler and more.
CFN: With all the attention you receive and all the interviews you have to do, are you used to it all yet?
James Laurinaitis: It's just part of the job, really. If you come to Ohio State, and if you become a big-time player, you have to expect that you're going to have to do lots and lots of interviews and that you're always going to be in the spotlight. Sometimes you wish you could just go home, but you know what you're getting into when you come here.
CFN: Considering you weren't exactly a five-star, can't-miss recruit, you couldn't have really prepared for this.
JL: Not at all. I looked at my goal sheet from my freshman year and my hope was to make the All-Big Ten team as a senior. I never expected to do anything more than that before then considering how many great players are here. I wasn't really prepared for this at all, and I wasn't expecting it.
CFN: How much does having a father like yours prepare you for the media, and what's the best thing you've learned from him as it applies to football?
JL: I think I was comfortable with it all right away because of him. He taught me to be extremely grateful for anything that happens and to enjoy the spotlight, but to always be extremely humble. He helped me with always saying the right thing and to spread the spotlight around. Always talk up the other team and whenever someone says something about you, talk about how everyone else helped you out, and that's true. When you make a lot of plays and have a lot of success, it's because the rest of the guys around you are doing their jobs. If I'm making tackles and doing things well, it's because I'm not blocked thanks to my line, and so on. As far as football, I learned from my dad that you always have to work hard every day no matter what. Somewhere, someone is working their butt off to be better than you and will try to work to take your spot.
CFN: So what's the over-under on how fast you say you take it one game at a time?
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Entire article: FOX Sports on MSN - COLLEGE FOOTBALL - Conversation with James Laurinaitis
Conversation with James Laurinaitis
In one of the biggest upsets of the 2008 season, Ohio State linebacker James Laurinaitis decided to come back for his senior year when he could've gone pro. In a weak year for linebackers, he would've been the first one taken and a near-certain top 20 overall pick, but now has a shot to finish up his career as, arguably, one of the five greatest linebackers to ever play college football. Or at least one of the most accomplished.
The winner of the Butkus Award as the nation's best linebacker and the Nagurski Award (in 2006) as the nation's best defensive player, he has made 236 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, nine sacks and seven interceptions in the last two seasons, highlighted by a 19-tackle day last year in the win over Wisconsin. Don't blame him for the loss to LSU, he made 18 stops. But numbers don't begin to show just what he means to the defense. A tough leader and versatile player able to operate inside and out, he'll be the signature star on yet another national-title-caliber team.
CFN spoke with Laurinaitis about all the attention he's received, about being the son of a former professional wrestler and more.
CFN: With all the attention you receive and all the interviews you have to do, are you used to it all yet?
James Laurinaitis: It's just part of the job, really. If you come to Ohio State, and if you become a big-time player, you have to expect that you're going to have to do lots and lots of interviews and that you're always going to be in the spotlight. Sometimes you wish you could just go home, but you know what you're getting into when you come here.
CFN: Considering you weren't exactly a five-star, can't-miss recruit, you couldn't have really prepared for this.
JL: Not at all. I looked at my goal sheet from my freshman year and my hope was to make the All-Big Ten team as a senior. I never expected to do anything more than that before then considering how many great players are here. I wasn't really prepared for this at all, and I wasn't expecting it.
CFN: How much does having a father like yours prepare you for the media, and what's the best thing you've learned from him as it applies to football?
JL: I think I was comfortable with it all right away because of him. He taught me to be extremely grateful for anything that happens and to enjoy the spotlight, but to always be extremely humble. He helped me with always saying the right thing and to spread the spotlight around. Always talk up the other team and whenever someone says something about you, talk about how everyone else helped you out, and that's true. When you make a lot of plays and have a lot of success, it's because the rest of the guys around you are doing their jobs. If I'm making tackles and doing things well, it's because I'm not blocked thanks to my line, and so on. As far as football, I learned from my dad that you always have to work hard every day no matter what. Somewhere, someone is working their butt off to be better than you and will try to work to take your spot.
CFN: So what's the over-under on how fast you say you take it one game at a time?
.
.
.
continued
Entire article: FOX Sports on MSN - COLLEGE FOOTBALL - Conversation with James Laurinaitis
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