The following is an excerpt from an article on TheLantern.com:
Although four months remain until the NFL season will officially be under way, former Buckeye and current St. Louis Rams linebacker James Laurinaitis is ready for the NFL and the NFL Players Association to reach an agreement so he can get back to doing what he loves.
“I don’t find anything good from being locked out from what we love to do,” Laurinaitis said. “I’m a football junkie. I’d rather be there, doing OTAs (Organized Team Activities) and all that stuff.”
The lockout has lasted more than a month, but for football fans who fear a fall without the sport, the former Ohio State three-time All-American had some encouraging words.
“I think football will happen,” Laurinaitis said. “If I had to put a percent on it, I’d probably say 95 percent.”
But if that 5 percent doubt prevails and the NFL doesn’t play in 2011, fans of another contact sport might be happy to know he would consider joining their business.
“I should take up pro wrestling. It’d be a natural transition,” Laurinaitis said. “I might have to try to get in the ring a little bit, take on John Cena or Randy Orton.”
His father, Joe, better known as “The Animal” to World Wrestling Entertainment fans, is a professional-wrestling legend and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in early April.
The younger Laurinaitis might not live up to his father’s in-ring legacy, but says it’s not out of the question that he would follow in his father’s footsteps for a short time if he can’t play football.
“I’d consider it,” Laurinaitis said. “You don’t want to mess around and get hurt. But if it’s just a few run-downs here and there or something, I’d maybe at least get some of the training done.”
Check out the complete article online at TheLantern.com.
