Did anyone ever consider that Pryor sold his beat-Michigan gold pants charms because he's already got three of them and it's not fashion conscious to crowd your jewelry box with similarly colored pieces?
Terrelle Pryor's actions lead me to believe that he is not a bad guy at all, just a self-absorbed young man, much like 75% of the 20somethings in the world. You know when they go back and do interviews about especially important Big Ten games and certain players still have that same fire, that same hate for the opposing team, the same "I was so proud to be representing my school and the fans and my coach"? Pryor will never be confused with that player. He will work tremendously hard in the gym. He will study the playbook and lead the team with gusto. That's great. But he will never do it for a fanbase or for a school. Team and individual success will lead TP to some ultimate goal (winning more, an NFL career, taking care of his family), but he so obviously does not burn with Buckeye passion. Which is fine, it's just not the way most of us picture our collegiate football heroes. Just remember that highly recruited players are at the games typically for different reasons than you the fan. So don't judge them too harshly.
Apparently the Buckeye players sold their stuff for money because many of their families were in tough financial situations. Again this will lead to discussion over players being paid more for their athletic services, which won't happen, but the better discussion is over the rule that disallows selling athletic memorabilia. It's an odd rule that won't affect that many football players, but here's an interesting way to frame the question: How much money could Tim Tebow have sold his red paint/blood encrusted jersey for (you know the one when he's yelling on the sidelines against FSU)? The answer is - a lot of money. Is that right or wrong? What's the logic behind this NCAA rule?
Pryor might leave for the NFL thanks to this suspension and everyone has something different to say about that. I firmly believe he should leave, grab an agent, and push to make a team as a 4th or 5th round pick. One thing we know about TP - he's got some ugly mechanics and has not proven he can scan through multiple routes. I don't think he improves those qualities over the next year and a half enough to shoot a couple rounds higher up the draft board. Right now, I'm guessing he's probably a fifth rounder who in a pinch can play wide receiver, kick returner, or quarterback (the next Josh Cribbs?). If TP sticks around Columbus, he's going to spend a lot of time in the gym (good) and a lot of time in the same Buckeye offense (bad). If he leaves, he instantly switches into a Pro mindset, which will involve a focus on changing up his mechanics and learning to read defenses.
