Angry Young Runner
 

http://www.timesleader.com/mld/timesleader/16915995.htm

Angry young runner

Former Penn State and NFL star Larry Johnson had his game face on at charity dinner Thursday.

JERRY KELLAR jkellar@timesleader.com

READING – He walked into the historic Abraham Lincoln Wyndham Hotel late Thursday afternoon wearing a spiffy warmup and a menacing scowl. That frown has become as much a Larry Johnson trademark as the former Penn State football star’s fierce rushing style.

With L.J., some things never change. Only, his angry young man act is playing on Sundays these days – and playing quite well at that.

The Kansas City Chiefs’ All-Pro running back was the featured celebrity at the 8th annual Second Mile Kick-Off dinner. Run by former Nittany Lion defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky, the Second Mile helps children who are dealing with “challenging circumstances.”

Johnson, who rushed for more than 1,700 yards the last two seasons for the Chiefs, was accompanied by his parents, Larry and Christine. Mom and dad looked happy to be on hand.

L.J. … well, he was typical L.J.

After changing into an expensive-looking suit, he signed his name to a few dozen items that were to be auctioned off for the charity later in the evening. He chatted with dinner officials and posed for autographs with fans, never once displaying even a hint of a smile.

During a 15-minute interview with newspaper reporters, L.J. appeared disinterested, continually fiddling with his Blackberry and staring at the floor.

He looked up occasionally, especially when asked if he is misunderstood as a human being.

“I really don’t care anymore,” he said. “I play football. That’s what I was born to do and that’s what I’m doing.”

It’s fitting that the 27-year-old Pomfret. Md., native places controversial NFL legend Jim Brown at the top of his football idols list. L.J. can appear every bit as cold and unapproachable.

“I think that’s what makes him who he is,” Larry Johnson Sr. said of his oldest son. “He likes to have a mystique. Larry likes to be intimidating. He likes to walk into a room and get your attention. ‘Wow, should we stay away or should we approach him?’ That’s the way he is.”

L.J. isn’t sure if he’s among the most disliked players in the Chiefs locker room, as was written recently by a Kansas City columnist.

“Guys think what they want to think. Not everybody gets along,” he said. “Like I said, I don’t really care what anybody else thinks. I do what I was born to do. That’s the only thing people expect of me. I show up on Sundays and I play.”

As for the writer’s comparison of Johnson to Terrell Owens and Randy Moss, L.J. responded: “I do what I’m gonna do on a normal basis and he wakes up and dreams to be me on a normal basis. So it doesn’t bother me.”

He has heard other such unflattering comparisons before.

“They also said that Penn State running backs won’t be able to do anything (in the NFL) either. … Basically, the way I look at it, I really wasn’t supposed to do anything.”

Unlike most of his recent Nittany Lion predecessors, L.J.’s career has taken off at the highest level. Last season, he carried the ball an NFL-record 416 times and gained 1,789 yards. That topped his personal-best of 1,750 yards, set in the previous year.

“Every opportunity that came his way, he went running through the door,” said Johnson Sr., Penn State’s veteran defensive line coach. “At Penn State he did it. Kansas City, he’s doing it, too. There’s something in his makeup that makes him who he is. So why change it? I’d like to see him smile all the time and be happy. But that’s not who he is right now.”

Although L.J. was never considered a bad teammate while at Penn State, that perception apparently has changed with the Chiefs, according to reports.

“At Penn State, we didn’t play for money, either,” L.J. explains. “So that’s usually a different situation. Guys get jealous. First year (in the NFL), you weren’t doing anything and (nobody) expected anything and now you’re the talk of the town. There’s a lot of jealously. It’s something that can’t be ignored, something that doesn’t go away. You just gotta accept it for what it is and keep moving.”

His goal is to make a mark on the sport he loves before giving it up.

“I want to win two or three Super Bowls and, hopefully, get into the Hall of Fame,” L.J. said. “I won’t say I can be the best-ever, but I do want to be mentioned as one of the best.”

As for the writer’s comparison of Johnson to Terrell Owens and Randy Moss, L.J. responded: “I do what I’m gonna do on a normal basis and he wakes up and dreams to be me on a normal basis. So it doesn’t bother me.” :spock:

It's true. I dream about being Larry. But I certainly don't say nasty things about him.

The kid needs to grow up, realize he isnt in a gang, and Carl should cut a deal and trade him before his bad attitude and lack of team motivation gets worse.

:rolleyes:

As much as I admire his play is just how much I detest him as a person. This thug crap is completely unnecessary and more then a little embarassing.

Good bye and good riddance LJ when you go east as a FA.

As long as he stays out of trouble and produces on the field. I'll bet there's a lot of Chiefs players who are pricks but just put up a facade. There is something a little phoney about a guy raised in the burbs acting like he's all street. Some people just aren't good at public relations functions. Maybe when he's in his comfortable element he's a totally different person.

LJ doesn't take s*** from anybody, which is the right attitude. He's not self-promotional. Leave him alone, and let him pound the rock.

Well said. just because Larry's not out kissing baby's does not mean he's not a good person.

<i>Some people just aren't good at public relations functions.</i>

It just doesn't take much PR talent to know to put the Blackberry down while doing an interview. Or to at least look halfway pleasant while doing a childrens charity gig. And he obviously cares what people think or he wouldn't go out of his way to put on the street thug show.

The man is pathetic.

The thing is, I don't think you could call LJ an attention whore. He's not out with a bunch of antics that get him noticed. When interviewed, he says some pretty controversial crap, but I honestly get the feeling that if he was never interviewed again, he wouldn't give a crap.

Run LJ Run! He's got the right attitude for the type of running back we are paying him to be. Shit, if he can be half as good as Jim Brown, I'll take the stupid attitude. Just as long as he doens't turn into a big showboat ala TO or Moss.

If Larry was white, this wouldn't be an issue. I am talking about his attitude because obviously white guys don't make good NFL RB's, but if any other player has this attitude and is other than black, it would not be a story. I could name a lot of Chiefs players that are self centered, rude, jerks, that we were more than happy to keep here. Nick Lowery was the biggest jerk I have ever met. Tony G tries to act polite, but when the cameras aren't on him I've seen him act like a jerk.

Larry isn't here to make us smile. He is here to play ball, and that is what he is going to do. Why should he care what the fans think? Trent Green is a perfect example. He came here, played his tail off, played through injuries, and played very well leading this team to the top of many offensive catagories. As soon as his play starts slipping he is getting booed by his home town team, and the fans are calling for him to be traded. I can understand the trade, but booing a man like Trent Green is as reeruned as all of the jerks that constantly boo Mike Sweeney. We, as the fans in general, treat the players as a product, then go all up in arms when they start acting like a product.

Well put

LJ is a Meetpeaker?

I never would have guessed.

I usually shy away from sentiments like this, but in this case, I totally agree.

It has a lot to do with race. But I guarentee ck_IN or anyone else who calls the guy a thug and says he needs to realize he's not in a gang doesn't have the balls to admit it.

Poor black Superman...

Later on in the event the crowd enjoyed a deja vu moment when guest speaker scott fujita walked around larry johnson to get to the microphone.

This is what KC fans do. They used to boo Len Dawson all the time.

Thread over, you win this thread.

I somewhat agree with the race issue.

That being said, I don't think his race has anything to do with the fact that Jason Whitlock reported that the team doesn't like him. I also don't think his race has anything to do with the fact that his teammates went to the coach and asked him to do something about LJ. Whether you're black or white, many fans will be turned off by this sort of thing. He also makes himself an easy target with his gangster thug act as well as the fact that he brought race into the equation in the interview where he talked about relating to a white coach. I guarantee if he was white and throwing out this kind of gangster mentality or saying he had a hard time relating to a black coach, people would be making fun of him too.

It's stupid, because it doesn't have to have anything to do with race.

The guy obviously has terrible social skills, and his public relations skills are even worse. He doesn't know how to handle himself in an interview, or at PR events. He didn't bring up the white/black coach in that interview. Chris Carter did, and LJ answered it poorly, because LJ doesn't have the aforementioned PR skills to side-step it.

You'll have to explain the "ganster-thug act" to me. With my job, I've been around hundreds of athletes a few years now, and aside from the poor PR and social skills, LJ appears to be just like the rest of them --white or black.

Words are bullshit.

Larry isn't getting paid to suck fans dicks, he's here to rush for 1700+ yards, and he's doing fine at it. STFU already about what he does in his free time.

Well said. We've got a bunch of slack-jawed bundle of stickss around here. Man up and support Larry Johnson.

You fail to realize that he's also getting paid to represent the Chiefs organization.

yeah, and no bar fights, DWI's, not talking to the press demanding a new deal, I'd say he represents the Chiefs Organization swimmingly.

This is the best post you've ever made.

I don't disagree. Just pointing out that he gets paid for more than just running for 1,700 yards.

Do I hear sincerity or sarcasm, I can never tell. :p I've talked about the possibilities of trading him, but I don't want him to be traded, I've bought a chief hat every year for the last ten years, this last year was the first time I bought a jersey, number 27.

<i>It has a lot to do with race. But I guarentee ck_IN or anyone else who calls the guy a thug and says he needs to realize he's not in a gang doesn't have the balls to admit it.</i>

What a total load of bullshit. I couldn't care less what the man's race is. He was born and bred in the suburbs, he has a father that's a coach at a Big 10 university and this idiot wants to portray himself as a gangsta, Jay-Z posse member and tell all of us how tough it is for a black man to play in the NFL. <b>Bullshit</b>

As for his social skills/PR abilities/whatever, it just isn't that hard to be civil when the occasion calls for it. Gonzo is a black man and he seems to pull it off. Green is a white man and he does just fine. Priest may or may not have those soft skills but he has the good sense to keep his mouth shut and not portray himself as something he clearly isn't.

Black, white, yellow or purple, LJ is a poser and not a good one at that.

Larry Johnson is a dish best served...angry. :)

I'd like to see the portion of this article where Larry acts like a "thug gangsta".

The only bullshit around here ain't coming from Larry.

I'd be happy if I just didn't hear any more tales of him sleeping or texting Beyonce during meetings.

I didn't know Tony Gonzales was black...?

<i>He walked into the historic Abraham Lincoln Wyndham Hotel late Thursday afternoon wearing a spiffy warmup and a menacing scowl. That frown has become as much a Larry Johnson trademark

During a 15-minute interview with newspaper reporters, L.J. appeared disinterested, continually fiddling with his Blackberry and staring at the floor.</i>

htismaqe that has all the earmarks along with other ancedotal info of someone trying to portray themselves as a thug gangsta. Now granted he's not flagging the Crips colors and shooting anyone but it's pretty clear what he's aiming for, for anyone caring to see it. If you don't agree then we can agree to disagree.

InChiefsHell I've always assumed Gonzo was a black/hispanic mix but I never really cared either. Do you have better information?

Regardless my point about his soft skills while in the public eye stands.

oh look...another Warpaint bandwidth leftover.



Gochiefs posting is like his mom...its all about the sloppy seconds

The only way that behavior has the "earmarks" of acting like a "thug gangsta" is if YOU are LOOKING FOR ANY EXCUSE to label him as such.

Plain and simple.

He's aloof. He's anti-social. Sometimes, he's downright rude. None of those things equal him trying to portray himself as a "thug" or a "gangsta".

If he wasn't black, you wouldn't be calling him that, and you know it.

As for Gonzo being such a better public figure than LJ, tell that to the kids he ignores every year at training camp because he's too good to talk to them or sign their stuff...

I met with the CEO of a Fortune 100 company today.

He acted like a total thug and gangsta, playing with his Blackberry during the entire meeting and not listening to anything anybody said...

ROFL

My wife can act like a thug gangsta too, she ignores me and messes with her blackberry all the time.......

<i>If he wasn't black, you wouldn't be calling him that, and you know it.</i>

If Green were acting like this would you be rushing to his defense? Perhaps <u>I'm</u> not the one concerned about his race.

Nope, I just always assumed he was Mexican. I mean, he doesn't look black at all to me...and like you say, I guess I've never really cared either... :shrug:

I'm not defending LJ. I attacking what appears to be a very biased, unfounded opinion.

Nice try deflecting attention away from the fact that you have no basis for your argument.

Told you you would deny it. What's funny is that you spend the whole second paragraph talking about race. Terrible response on your part.(And, btw, Gonzo isn't a black man).

And since you made it a topic, even though it's clearly not, did you ever think that a black kid growing up in 90-percent white suberbs might be exposed to even more negative racial situations thatn a black kid growing up in a black community?

WTF so if you use a black berry at an unappropriate time and have a serious look on your face your a thug. Based on that, anyone with a black berry can be a gangsta. Completely ridiculous statement. And Gonzo aint black...... I should have stoped reading after I saw that

Larry's a complex individual.

He's not a friendly guy, but he's by no means a destructive guy.

That second part is easily forgotten. Especially in articles like this, where reporters and writers are comparing him to the biggest idiots in the NFL, and asking him questions like "are you misunderstood, homey?"

Give me a break. Larry's no savior, but he's a smart football player, and a fairly sharp guy.

I hope he remains a Chief for a long time, but I don't think it's going to happen because he's not a locker room leader. LJ is going to demand a payday when his time comes, and Herm only forks out big bucks for leaders.

So I think there's going to be a day when LJ and the Chiefs part ways. I only hope he can take us places before he leaves, and that he's remembered as a football player, not a stupid caricature.