Feb. 20, 2004, 7:59AM
Clarett starts off on wrong foot
RB won't work out at NFL combine
By JOHN McCLAIN
Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle
INDIANAPOLIS -- An overweight, overpublicized and perhaps overrated Maurice Clarett reported to the Indianapolis scouting combine Thursday and did not make a good first impression on general managers, coaches and scouts.
Clarett, a running back who helped Ohio State win a national championship and won a lawsuit to enter the April draft after only one year of college, will not work out at the combine or at Ohio State's pro day March 10.
Because Clarett weighed 242 pounds Monday and 237 Thursday -- still about seven more than his playing weight -- and isn't in top physical condition, he will wait until the first week of April to have an individual workout day for NFL scouts.
"That's a farce. That's ridiculous," Buffalo general manager Tom Donahoe said. "I think there's a lot of issues with the kid, and coming here and not working out, it doesn't get him started the right way in the whole process."
Clarett, 20, was suspended for his sophomore season because of NCAA rules violations.
"Because he didn't play last season, you have immediate questions about what kind of shape he's in and why he's not prepared to work out," Donahoe said. "I don't see how that's good for him."
Asked if he has any sympathy for Clarett, considering the pressure he's experiencing, Donahoe said, "He created the situation. I don't know that it's a situation that warrants our sympathy. It'll be interesting a couple years from now."
When Clarett was introduced to 195 members of the media Thursday, at times he came off as defiant, immature and irresponsible. He refused to accept blame for any of his transgressions at Ohio State.
"Now I can kick it in with another four weeks of high intensity, get my body a little more fine-tuned and put myself in the best possible position," Clarett said about not working out at the combine.
Asked why he didn't show up in better shape, considering all the time he had to get ready, Clarett said, "It was just normal training -- lifting weights and conditioning.
"It wasn't like I was getting ready to jump right into the league. That level is a whole different level. The intensity of the training has to increase. I'm going to take these next four weeks and get back to eating right and training right and try to take my training up a notch."
Clarett, who measured 5-11 1/2, spent much of Thursday being interviewed by teams. When they asked personal questions, especially those about his off-the-field problems, he blamed the media.
"A lot of things I thought they'd know about me they had no idea about," he said. "Eighty percent of them said they don't even look at the press or read the press clippings or pay attention to y'all (media).
"I'm a lot cooler than what you all think. A lot of people thought I talk more than I do. I don't really talk too much. The way it's painted on TV like I'm arrogant and cocky. I'm a quiet individual. I lead by example, work hard day in and day out and go 200 percent every practice.
"At first, a lot of things in the paper used to affect me and affected the way I worked out or something like that. But once I learned how to stop turning on the TV and reading the papers, I was cool. Half the stuff people said, `Did you see this?' or `Did you read that?,' I really wasn't reading it. It didn't bother me."
Because of shoulder injuries at Ohio State, team doctors want to examine Clarett thoroughly.
"They (doctors) have looked at me, but I haven't had any MRIs (magnetic resonance imaging tests) yet," he said.
Clarett wants to get through this stage of the process so he can be drafted and return to the playing field.
"I feel like I made a transition, and it's truly a profession now," he said." I get to wake up and think about football and go to sleep thinking about football. I get to be myself. It's a comfort zone knowing I'm inside the draft now, and everything falls upon my shoulders.
"It's cool. You get out what you put in. As much as I put in is what I'm going to get out of the draft. It's all football to me. Once I get the pads back on, a couple months into it, I think I'll be all right.
"I don't know where I'll be drafted, but I'd like to go in the first round. Teams draft what they feel they need. If they feel there's another person at my position that's better than me and they need that person, then God bless the other individual."
Other underclassmen have until March 1 to declare for the April draft. Clarett doesn't consider himself a pioneer.
"I'm not thinking like I'm a groundbreaker of any type," he said. "I'm in a normal place like everybody else and just hoping some club gives me the same opportunity they give somebody else.
"I think it's going to be a huge challenge. At this next level, everybody has the same skill. I'm sure I'll be marked just like every other rookie. But I think I'll be tested a little bit more during training camp and during the games, mentally and physically, to see where my head's at. Once I can get over the first-year hump, I think I'll have a normal career."
Despite his off-the-field problems at Ohio State, Clarett insisted he has no regrets.
"No, no regrets," he said. "I haven't had any off-the-field problems before. Just all NCAA regulations and loopholes and things like that. Anything outside of NCAA regulations, as far as nightclubs and anything like that, getting into fights, it was never me. I'm a homebody.
"I'm a younger individual, and I think I've got to keep my mouth shut at this level. Things can come back to haunt you."
When asked if the money he'll make in the NFL will change him, Clarett smiled and said, "It'll change my address."
Clarett starts off on wrong foot
RB won't work out at NFL combine
By JOHN McCLAIN
Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle
INDIANAPOLIS -- An overweight, overpublicized and perhaps overrated Maurice Clarett reported to the Indianapolis scouting combine Thursday and did not make a good first impression on general managers, coaches and scouts.
Clarett, a running back who helped Ohio State win a national championship and won a lawsuit to enter the April draft after only one year of college, will not work out at the combine or at Ohio State's pro day March 10.
Because Clarett weighed 242 pounds Monday and 237 Thursday -- still about seven more than his playing weight -- and isn't in top physical condition, he will wait until the first week of April to have an individual workout day for NFL scouts.
"That's a farce. That's ridiculous," Buffalo general manager Tom Donahoe said. "I think there's a lot of issues with the kid, and coming here and not working out, it doesn't get him started the right way in the whole process."
Clarett, 20, was suspended for his sophomore season because of NCAA rules violations.
"Because he didn't play last season, you have immediate questions about what kind of shape he's in and why he's not prepared to work out," Donahoe said. "I don't see how that's good for him."
Asked if he has any sympathy for Clarett, considering the pressure he's experiencing, Donahoe said, "He created the situation. I don't know that it's a situation that warrants our sympathy. It'll be interesting a couple years from now."
When Clarett was introduced to 195 members of the media Thursday, at times he came off as defiant, immature and irresponsible. He refused to accept blame for any of his transgressions at Ohio State.
"Now I can kick it in with another four weeks of high intensity, get my body a little more fine-tuned and put myself in the best possible position," Clarett said about not working out at the combine.
Asked why he didn't show up in better shape, considering all the time he had to get ready, Clarett said, "It was just normal training -- lifting weights and conditioning.
"It wasn't like I was getting ready to jump right into the league. That level is a whole different level. The intensity of the training has to increase. I'm going to take these next four weeks and get back to eating right and training right and try to take my training up a notch."
Clarett, who measured 5-11 1/2, spent much of Thursday being interviewed by teams. When they asked personal questions, especially those about his off-the-field problems, he blamed the media.
"A lot of things I thought they'd know about me they had no idea about," he said. "Eighty percent of them said they don't even look at the press or read the press clippings or pay attention to y'all (media).
"I'm a lot cooler than what you all think. A lot of people thought I talk more than I do. I don't really talk too much. The way it's painted on TV like I'm arrogant and cocky. I'm a quiet individual. I lead by example, work hard day in and day out and go 200 percent every practice.
"At first, a lot of things in the paper used to affect me and affected the way I worked out or something like that. But once I learned how to stop turning on the TV and reading the papers, I was cool. Half the stuff people said, `Did you see this?' or `Did you read that?,' I really wasn't reading it. It didn't bother me."
Because of shoulder injuries at Ohio State, team doctors want to examine Clarett thoroughly.
"They (doctors) have looked at me, but I haven't had any MRIs (magnetic resonance imaging tests) yet," he said.
Clarett wants to get through this stage of the process so he can be drafted and return to the playing field.
"I feel like I made a transition, and it's truly a profession now," he said." I get to wake up and think about football and go to sleep thinking about football. I get to be myself. It's a comfort zone knowing I'm inside the draft now, and everything falls upon my shoulders.
"It's cool. You get out what you put in. As much as I put in is what I'm going to get out of the draft. It's all football to me. Once I get the pads back on, a couple months into it, I think I'll be all right.
"I don't know where I'll be drafted, but I'd like to go in the first round. Teams draft what they feel they need. If they feel there's another person at my position that's better than me and they need that person, then God bless the other individual."
Other underclassmen have until March 1 to declare for the April draft. Clarett doesn't consider himself a pioneer.
"I'm not thinking like I'm a groundbreaker of any type," he said. "I'm in a normal place like everybody else and just hoping some club gives me the same opportunity they give somebody else.
"I think it's going to be a huge challenge. At this next level, everybody has the same skill. I'm sure I'll be marked just like every other rookie. But I think I'll be tested a little bit more during training camp and during the games, mentally and physically, to see where my head's at. Once I can get over the first-year hump, I think I'll have a normal career."
Despite his off-the-field problems at Ohio State, Clarett insisted he has no regrets.
"No, no regrets," he said. "I haven't had any off-the-field problems before. Just all NCAA regulations and loopholes and things like that. Anything outside of NCAA regulations, as far as nightclubs and anything like that, getting into fights, it was never me. I'm a homebody.
"I'm a younger individual, and I think I've got to keep my mouth shut at this level. Things can come back to haunt you."
When asked if the money he'll make in the NFL will change him, Clarett smiled and said, "It'll change my address."
