Last night at the end of media day, most of the crowd was at midfield, where the writers surrounded Terrelle Pryor or Coach T. I looked to the south stands and there was James Laurinaitis, about the 20-yard line, all by himself. I headed down. About the time I got there a small child walked up with a football. James obviously enjoyed signing it. When he was done I asked, "Got a minute?" "Sure", he replied. It was just him, the recorder, and me. There we stood in the 'Shoe.

He talked about what it meant to be a Buckeye, to play in the Horseshoe... why he came there, why he came back... paying forward, paying back... his faith and more. The recorder running, I listened spellbound as Jenny snapped pictures. You may have heard James on television, but to be in his presence is just an amazing thing. Polite. Articulate. Kind. Honest. Intelligent. Religious. Grateful. Humble. Intense. Gentile. Genuine. Jenny was mesmerized and later agreed that all these words described the James Laurinaitis we had listened to.

I had him to myself for maybe 8 minutes, but eventually the other writers saw I had him cornered. Soon there was one, two, and then a dozen or more microphones joining mine. He went on another 10 or 15 minutes until everyone's questions were satisfied.

I am not one to wear a numbered jersey to a game. That's not me. But if I did the number would be 33. Anyone who knows him cannot but help be proud of James Laurinaitis the person, proud that he is one of ours, and proud of the way he represents The Ohio State Buckeyes.