10/21/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 21, 2006
By Emily Meyer
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Making a 6-foot-1 inch, 200-pound, Ohio State strong safety cry might be easier than the average onlooker may think. With precise timing and a smooth delivery, a well-told joke can tickle sophomore Jamario O’Neal to tears like the first time he watched Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson in “The Weddings Crashers.” Forget the image of the fine-tuned athlete seen making tackles at Ohio Stadium, and have a laugh with the avid movie watcher.
Since their inception, motion pictures have been known to stir emotional reactions from audiences. Ironically, each week O’Neal suits up in scarlet and gray, he plays a part in a dramatic short feature, know as “Football Saturday” in Columbus, which garners an array of viewer reactions ranging from beams of elation to pangs of sorrow.
As a diversion, a love of cinema gives the Cleveland, Ohio-native time to relax and take his mind off of things, if only for two hours. In addition, an extensive knowledge of film trivia helps O’Neal bond with his teammates as they traditionally watch a Friday night movie before home games.
“My interest in movies started because my father has a large DVD collection,” O’Neal said. “He owns so many movies it upsets him he doesn’t have time to watch all of them and still have a life; not that it stops him from buying more.”
As a junior in high school, O’Neal started borrowing DVDs from his father and watching them during his free time. Eventually, he decided it was time to start his own library of movies. While O’Neal enjoys comedies the most, his taste varies and crosses all genres. From his favorite film, “Coming to America,” a 1988 romantic comedy, to recent epic films like “Gladiator” from 2000 and “Troy” from 2004, the sophomore likes to always have something to watch. Unlike some people, O’Neal will view movies more than once.
“I use to watch Eminem’s movie “8 Mile” a lot because it is more than just a movie,” O’Neal said. “It isn’t a true documentary, but it tells the story of his life and shows the way he grew into the star he is now. I follow rap, so “8 Mile” grabbed my attention.”
The good-humored, 20-year-old said he loves to crack jokes with his friends. Following suit with his character, O’Neal tends to select comedies rather than dramatic features when he is ready to unwind from a full day of classes, film study and practice.
“I’ll go to see a movie at the theater, but it is hard to find time in my schedule, and then there are so many I want to see it’s usually hard to decide what to watch,” O’Neal said. “Having the DVD is easier because I watch it on my time.”
O’Neal’s large archive of DVDs provides the student-athlete with ample choices when he is ready to take a breather. Currently, the safety keeps himself laughing by watching one of his many “Saturday Night Live” and “Dave Chappelle’s Show” DVDs at his leisure to strike a balance between his light-humored nature and the serious role he fills as an athlete and student at Ohio State. After hours of constant concentration, O’Neal has come to rely on comedies like “Napoleon Dynamite” to help forgot about the stresses of the day.
