The Adobe Flash Player is required to view this multimedia interactive. Get it here.

Penn St. student group pulls shirts mocking Pryor

Strong 2nd half propels RedHawks
Updated 2 min. ago
Reds set 40-man roster, lose Nix
Updated 22 min. ago
OSU's Coleman soaks in victory
10:38 a.m.
Turner leads No. 15 Ohio State over No. 13 Cal
10:37 a.m.
Pro golfer, prep star part of class
11/22/09
> More sports headlines

The Associated Press Updated 11:20 PM Thursday, November 5, 2009

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor is a "cryer" no more to a Penn State student group.

The Penn State Marketing Association has pulled T-shirts mocking the dual-threat sophomore that were to be sold for this weekend's game between the No. 15 Buckeyes (7-2, 4-1 Big Ten) and the No. 11 Nittany Lions (8-1, 4-1).

The white shirt depicted the Nittany Lion mascot with one arm around Pryor and the other holding a box of tissues. Pryor is drawn in uniform reaching for a tissue.

Below the drawing was the phrase, "The Nutcracker — a Terrelle Cryer Story."

Penn State's student newspaper, The Daily Collegian, wrote about the shirt on Tuesday. The design was apparently based on a photograph of a dejected-looking Pryor sitting on the bench with his head in his hands during the Nittany Lions' 13-6 win last year at Columbus. Pryor's fourth-quarter fumble had set up Penn State's go-ahead score.

Asked about the shirt this week in Columbus, Pryor took the mocking in stride.

"They made a T-shirt. It's not a big deal. It's all fun," he said.

But the marketing group has had a change of heart.

"We did not intend for this shirt to offend Terrelle Pryor, The Ohio State University, or Penn State Athletics, and we apologize for any offense it caused," Daniel Sturman, the marketing association's chief executive officer said in a statement e-mailed Thursday announcing that the shirts were being recalled.

He declined additional comment Thursday to The Associated Press. Sturman told other media outlets Wednesday his group had received criticism about the shirts.

"We share in Penn State's commitment to a strong tradition of sportsmanship, honor, and integrity, and understand that this shirt design does not align with these values," he said in the statement.

___

November 05, 2009 10:06 PM EST

Share this article

ADD COMMENT

Comments feed

To Marty, Wait a min, as a collegiate football fan, I can tell you that OSU and its "FANS" are NOT decent fans! I've seen OSU fans go beyond the line of boundaries and do/say stupid things. OSU isn't just the only university that does it. There are other universities that does the same thing too. But to have an OSU fan to say that they're "clean, innocent, well liked, yada, yada," is so wrong! OSU bullies WEAK teams by beating them to a pulp. When it comes to BIG GAMES, OSU chokes BIG TIME!

Cameron
6:42 PM, 11/6/2009

REPORT ABUSE

tj, you are an a$$. ud idiot?

OSU Joe
6:10 PM, 11/6/2009

REPORT ABUSE

Yeah - "Penn State's commitment to a strong tradition of sportsmanship, honor, and integrity" - where does the urine filled balloons thrown at TBDBITL & our team fit in with that code???

marty
1:42 PM, 11/6/2009

REPORT ABUSE

Go Buckeyes!

David
9:13 AM, 11/6/2009

REPORT ABUSE

Big deal. Hopefully Pryor can actually complete a pass or two.

Shane
7:53 AM, 11/6/2009

REPORT ABUSE

There is 1 additional comment

SHOW ALL

We welcome your comments. Please remember this is a public forum and behave appropriately. Your comments must conform to our visitor's agreement.