Hockey’s back. Will the fans follow?
Thunder’s secret not weird science, but chemistry
“Blind Side” opens eyes about linemen
Offensive linemen get no love.
Until now.
With last year’s release of the movie “The Blind Side,” offensive linemen everywhere can rejoice that their position is finally in the limelight. Charlie Johnson sure has. The former Oklahoma State standout turned Indianapolis Colts starting left tackle is preparing for the Super Bowl this week, but I talked to him last week for The Q&A. Here’s more from our conversation:
Jenni Carlson: I feel like I have to ask every offensive lineman this now — what do you think of “The Blind Side”?
Charlie Johnson: You know what? I have not seen it yet, but from just talking to people who have seen it, it’s a great story, especially for that kid coming from where he did to where he is now. It’s a great story, and I think kind of shines a light on offensive linemen in general. Just the work it takes. Just the stuff that we go through and deal with. Just a common person may think, “Oh, they’re just a bunch of big guys who can’t move.” But it really shows that we do have some athletic ability.
JC: Finally, it’s not a quarterback that’s the star of the movie.
CJ: Yeah, it’s not the quarterback or the receiver or something like that.
JC: With your story — from OSU tight end to Super Bowl left tackle starter — there may need a movie made about you.
CJ: You know, I don’t need a movie. I’m not that guy. I’m just the kind of person that I let the work speak for itself. I know how hard I work. I let the numbers and I let the product show.
Lake not going to OU? Surprise to everyone
Signing Day 2010 brought more surprises and drama than anyone expected as several local players committed to state schools went off script and signed elsewhere.
None was more out-of-leftfield than Jarrett Lake.
While Calvin Barnett’s switch from Oklahoma State to Arkansas had emerged as a possibility, no one thought Lake would sign with anyone other than Oklahoma. That’s what the recruiting gurus thought. That’s what the recruitniks thought. That’s even what the interim football coach at Lake’s high school thought. He told me so when I talked to him earlier this week for a column that appeared Wednesday talking about Lake returning to football after being ruled ineligible for his senior season by the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association.
(There were questions of residency after Lake transferred to Jenks High School a couple years back.)
But then on Wednesday, of course, Lake signed with Arkansas.
The reasons behind the switch aren’t exactly clear. OU coach Bob Stoops said Wednesday afternoon that the school and the recruit parted ways amicably after Christmas. He indicated that there were questions about Lake’s eligibility, paperwork that was missing and holes that were gaping. And yet, Tyrone Lynn, the man who’s been Lake’s guardian since he moved to Oklahoma, said earlier on Wednesday that there was no question that Lake would be eligible.
So, what really happened? We may never know.
This is about the only thing we do know — the whole thing took everyone by surprise.
I know some people had a good time treating me like a punching bag because I wrote about Lake going to OU the morning that he committed to Arkansas, but I didn’t have any reason to believe he wouldn’t sign with OU. In addition to all the information that was out there linking him to the Sooners, there was his Facebook page. On it was a picture of Lake wearing an OU jersey, standing next to Sooner defensive coordinator Brent Venables and flashing the down Hook ‘Em Horns sign. Facebook pictures aren’t a tell-all, but that seemed to be a pretty good sign of his allegiance.
Lake and I were supposed to talk on Monday evening, but he sent me a text saying that he was in a tutoring session. No problem, I told him. I expected he’d call when he was finished.
He never did.
I just figured it was a teenage boy being squirrelly. Never in a million years would I think that not getting a call back from a high school athlete is reason to believe that he was wavering on his college commitment. Never in a million years would anyone think that.
So, if folks want to take punches at me for not knowing Lake was going to Arkansas instead of OU, that’s fine. I wasn’t the only one who didn’t know. I had company. This was a signing-day surprise that no one saw coming.
Former Cowboy on fine line in Indy
Charlie Johnson is part of one of the best offensive lines in football.
Heading into this weekend’s Super Bowl, the former Oklahoma State standout and his Indianapolis teammates have allowed fewer sacks and fewer knockdowns than any other line in the NFL this season. They are stout. They are solid.
But they are a little wacky, too.
The Colts linemen have been known to dole out fines to each other for a variety of grievances, including using the word “I” too many times. Johnson talked about that and more when we chatted for The Q&A. Here’s some more from that conversation.
Jenni Carlson: I’ve read and heard that you guys on the offensive line are close bunch but have some quirkiness. True?
Charlie Johnson: We do. (Laughs.) We’re unique.
JC: And you’re OK with that?
CJ: I am. The different things we do, the games and little things that we have, it keeps us loose. In a 16-game season and in the playoffs, it can become a grind. Basically, you’re doing the same thing every week for four or five months straight. It can become quite redundant. Just the stuff that we do as far as the group, it helps lighten the mood, it helps get our minds off football for a little while but at the same time keep us close-knit and keep us able to do our jobs.
JC: I have to ask — have you been hit by any of these fines than you guys as offensive line dish out to each other?
CJ: We all have. We don’t take sides. We’re equal opportunity finers, so any chance that we get to get one of us, we do it.
JC: So it’s every man for himself?
CJ: Yes. (Laughs.)
Coming Friday: Charlie Johnson talks about offensive linemen finally getting some Hollywood love with “The Blind Side.”
The Rowdy is Gone at Gallagher-Iba
So, Oklahoma State wants to bring the rowdy back to Gallagher-Iba Arena.
Former Cowboy goes from ? to !
Charlie Johnson heard the questions and the doubts.
Was he good enough to start at left tackle for the Indianapolis Colts?
Could he be trusted to protect Peyton Manning’s backside?
Would he survive the season?
The former Oklahoma State standout was arguably the biggest question mark for the Colts when the season began. But with the exception of a couple games missed late in the regular season because of nagging injuries, Johnson has been rock solid all season for Indianapolis. Now preparing for a Super Bowl showdown with New Orleans, Johnson is ready to prove himself one last time.
Part of the reason he’s thrived: he fed off those questions and those doubts.
Here’s more from my conversation with Johnson for The Q&A.
Jenni Carlson: Your first three years, you played a decent amount, but you played so many different positions. Was your versatility a blessing and a curse in that you never got to settle into a single position? Now, you’re at left tackle. Has that been different for you?
Charlie Johnson: It has been, just in the sense that I know where I’m going to play every week. I can really focus on the techniques and the different things that go along with one position. When we’re studying film during the week, I can really focus on one guy, on who I’m going to be blocking most of the game. I think that’s the biggest part, being able to just practice and play at one spot and get comfortable at one place.
JC: There were questions about you and how you would do holding down that left tackle position. I read somewhere that you didn’t have any I’ll-show-you, I’ll-be-fine attitude. Did you not feel that way, or did you just hide it well?
CJ: I kept it to myself. I read the same things that you read and everybody else reads. People kind of wanted to label me as the weak link or whatever, but a lot of times people didn’t realize how much I’d played the three years before. I always had the confidence that I could go and be a starter and play well for a whole year. I kept it to myself, but I had that chip on my shoulder to show that I can play on this level and start for a whole year.
JC: Seems to have worked out — you guys have allowed the fewest sacks, 13, and the fewest knockdowns, 44, in the league.
CJ: It just kind of gives you reassurance that you’re doing a good job. The numbers don’t lie. People can say this guy or that guy is not a good player, but when you look at the numbers, it shows. That’s not only for me. That’s for our entire offensive line. Peyton does a lot to help us out, but at the same time, we have a job to do and we’ve done it pretty well this whole year.
Coming Wednesday: Johnson talks about the close-knit but quirky group of which he’s a part — the Colts’ offensive line.
