Perhaps you're looking at this from the wrong angle.  Knowing you from this board, I'd say you're never wrong, but maybe...just maybe...this time you are.

Stay at OU and be successful: be a local icon

Go to OSU and be successful: be a national icon

As a Cavs fan, I can't possibly believe you're knocking Lebron for wanting to win a few titles and not waste the prime of his career spinning his wheels in Cleveland.  He had peaked in Cleveland just getting to the finals.  Once.  And getting swept in the process.  He couldn't even reach the finals consistently in Cleveland.  He's going to most likely be in the finals for the 4th straight year in Miami.  I didn't like the way he left, but I can't blame him for leaving. 

And I'd add that you're wrong about players staying local and not winning being an icon.  Great players who never win the big prize are not icons because they stuck it out with a team that never won.  Do we view Dan Marino the same way we view Joe Montana?  Do we view Karl Malone or Charles Barkley the same way we do Michael Jordan?  What has been the knock on Peyton Manning, even though he has won one Super Bowl?  "Great player, just can't win the big one." People don't say that about icons.  Local legend, maybe...but not an icon.

What?

"Icon" - "4-year starter" - "Elite 11" - multiple championships.

Give the kid a break.  He has verbally committed.  He hasn't even made Elite 11 yet (this week perhaps).  And folks are debating that he can be a 4-year starter, win many championships, be an icon.  What? No Heisman?  Why not two.  Senator?  Why not?  He's a good kid, a great leader - I'm talking Tebow materials here!!

Relax.

He may play, he may start a year or more.  He also may not. The "missing" piece to OSU racking up championships?  Yea right.  He got an offer from his dream school - good for him.  I'm sure he feels he can compete/win the job.  They all do.  The other QBs they are looking at/have on roster are not picking up transfer papers today.  

In HS he was not the second coming of "insert OMG QB now in NFL here" -  And for those who think he was "all that"...fine, but remember, more OMG QBs never/rarely see the field in college, than those that do (I'm from Charlotte.  How about the Leaks?  Joe Cox, Christian LeMay, I can go on).  The tough part of QB is there's only one that plays.  All of those at the elite schools were THE MAN on their team and in their state - they were all OMG QBs.  The best their area ever turned out!!. 

Go forward Joe.  Leave the worshipers in Athens behind, the naysayers back home in the rear view mirror.  Enjoy Friday nights because you know that after the last one, they don't mean a thing.  Then go be the best Joe Burrow you can be - whatever that is.

Finally, for those discussing 3 star, 4 star, 5 star.  Yes, playing in Athens (and its competition) makes it tough.  Having your dad in the industry provides some balance - "stars" have more than an ounce of politics involved.

PS - the worshiping is one of the reasons I thought he would try to get a few hundred yards away from home.  He'll need the space.

I'm in no way saying that this is the case re the young man's choice....  But there's pressure in Athens compared to columbus?  How about zero none zero  vs. very much.

I suspect there probably is. I think that is common in most places

Even if the choice was not Ohio, but some school other than OSU, I think there would have been a different reaction from many here because of the obviously hostile feelings some here have to OSU. For example, had Burrow been offered by Nebraska, and accepted there, many would have said, "Oh, he's following in his father's footsteps, That's cool. Good luck to him."

Consider that I have often seen the term "Evil Empire" used on this board to describe OSU. How many people, when watching Star Wars, when Anakin went to the dark side, thought "Well, that choice makes sense. He got a better offer, and he can become more of an icon working for the Empire than he ever could being just some small time Jedi".

Alternately I have seen OSU described as "the enemy". How many, when learning American History, read about Benedict Arnold, and thought, "Well, he was really too good of a general to be playing for a small time outfit like the Colonials, and after all, who wouldn't accept a better offer to be a General for the biggest, most well known outfit of that time, the British? For the British he had a chance to play for world championships, er, domination. Good luck to him, and we wish him great success in his new position".

The above is a bit tongue in cheek. Seriously, I think it's time to lighten up, and move on. He's made his choice, and now Ohio has to focus on finding another good QB recruit. He's not the first 3-4 star QB with local ties to decline to attend Ohio, even in recent years. How many remember Pete Lalich, who went elsewhere and became an icon?

I just feel the need to point out that there is NO "local outrage" regarding Burrow's verbal to Ohio State.

A few whiners is not "local outrage".

I remember Pete Lalich well and it was a good thing he did not enroll at Ohio despite both his father and grandfather playing basketball at Ohio.  Lalich had numerous alcohol incidents at UVA and the administration gave him the boot even though Al Groh wanted to give him a third and fourth chance.  Groh was really counting on Lalich who then transferred to Oregon State where he was booted for a DUI while operating a boat.

By this logic, whenever a BCS-level team offers someone Ohio has offered, Ohio should just roll over and give up. I'm sorry, but I don't believe that. In fact, some 30 different Freshmen have accepted offers from Ohio in the last ten years that that BCS-level offers. This does not count transfers and Jucos who may also have had BCS-level offers.

Well, the term you used was "BCS-level", and that would include Minnesota, Iowa State, and Indiana, as well as Ohio State. Had you said "Top 10-level", I'd agree - Ohio has yet to beat out a Top-10 level program on a direct scholarship offer, though they have beaten out "Top 10-level" teams who made grayshirt offers while Ohio offered an immediate scholarship (example, Jon Lechner had a grayshirt offer from Wisconsin but accepted Ohio). Even then, I'm all for waiting for the fat lady to sing before giving up on any kid, whether they have Top-10 level offers or not.

Ibi Watson to Akron I presume.

It is indeed a bummer that two once-in-a-lifetime local talents may both be heading off elsewhere for college.  But I lack outrage.  Maybe I'm just getting old and the sports-passion is waning.....

I refuse to believe we would have "no chance" at the son of one of our coaches.  I don't care if the kid is the top recruit in the country, chances are still north of 0.