I find it amazing how often we talk about letting kids-be-kids, only to turn around and bash the kids for doing their thing.
Argue semantics about Ezekeil Elliott all you want, but Cardale Jones led the Buckeyes to a National Championship because he made all the big throws, and he didn’t blow it when Ohio State most needed him.
Better quarterbacks have cost strong title contending programs a shot a national championship. Cardale Jones could have lost the Big-Ten championship, or Sugar Bowl as well.
The sound decision by Jones to return to school today was openly questioned because of the platform he chose to make the announcement on.
Jones quickly went from relative obscurity to the national spotlight after winning his first three college starts at quarterback.
He made a name for himself before Ohio State, at Glenville High School in Cleveland, Ohio, where he played football for Ted Ginn, Sr and led the Tarblooders to the OHSAA D-I Championship game in 2009. If you learned anything about Jones in the last month or so, it’s that he had a brutal upbringing– one that serves as a constant motivation for him .
Jones made his announcement at Glenville High, with everyone– including me– expecting the big armed quarterback to take his talents to the NFL. And why not? Jones is hot right now, and Matt Barkley can attest to the consequences of not striking while you’re hot.
Jones trolled and made a fool out of a lot of media types today when he made the decision to return to Columbus. Jones in turn caught heat from all sides for deciding to hold a press conference declaring his intentions to do what everyone felt he should do anyway.
Most of the comments took the form of asking why hold a press conference to announce such a simple decision.
Mike Florio of PFT labeled Jones’ presser a “goofy publicity stunt when all he had to do to stay in school was to do nothing.”
Cardale Jones just won a national title. Why does such a moment have to be goofy?
. Former NFL GM Mark Dominik had this to say on ESPN regarding Jones.
“Be a pro, act like a pro and just say ‘Hey I’m coming back’ in a tweet”
Even if they had a point, it was Jones decision, and doesn’t make him unprofessional, or a non pro, it makes him excited.
Another hyped quarterback– who experts predicted would bolt for NFL riches– once held a press conference to announce his return to college.
It was met with a roar from the fans, and a gigantic Heisman campaign that started the next day.
Cardale Jones’ press conference won’t have any effect on his future in football. It doesn’t make him unprofessional or a diva.
It just makes him a young adult basking in the glory of the biggest month of his life. If he truly sticks to his word to go about his business with a new purpose and direction, then announcing his new outlook on life at the place where it all started feels more like giving back to his community, and less about being a pro on a Thursday.