I witnessed some remarkable post game restraint and class by one of the OSU players yesterday.

I was outside the OSU locker-room to observe and give a few congratulatory handshakes to some of the player’s parents whom I have come to know through this project. Knowing this is their special time, I was doing my best to just soak up the moment and stay out of their way.

By this time, we all had been penetrated by the cold damp mist we were standing in; I imagined how the players felt after what they had gone through. One by one, they would come out, find their families, and attempt to enjoy some time while hounded by the autograph seekers. Michigan had not provided anywhere that the families could be separate from the fans, we had just won a championship, and the players only had a couple of minutes to see their families before they were off to Columbus.

You can imagine the throng that greeted James Laurinaitis. For many minutes James patiently signed autograph after autograph (as did his father). Finally they started honking the bus horn to load up. James said no more and moved off to hug his mother.

One guy followed and continued to pester him. The fellow, in his early twenties and old enough to know better, was in his face like a two year old.... Please, James, please James he pathetically begged as he shoved a picture in James face... James politely stared ahead and ignored him for a while. Finally, he politely said, “I’m trying to spend time with my family”. I could see the pressure building as the bus was honking, James was trying to talk to his mother and this idiot was being a real pest to a guy that could have taken his head off with his little finger.

James did his best to ignore the person and take the high road. When he headed to the bus the fool was still following him.

I don’t know if he ever got the autograph but I hope not. I couldn’t see what was so important about it to him in the first place unless he was going to sell it. I mean, for gosh sakes, the jerk was wearing a Michigan sweatshirt if you can believe that!