Football Buckeyes stand tall in raising funds to help combat CMT

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Football Buckeyes stand tall in raising funds to help combat neurological

illness CMT

http://www.cleveland.com/osu/index.ssf/2009/08/football_buckeyes_stand_tall_i.ht\

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by Doug Lesmerises/Plain Dealer Reporter

During the pursuit of the nation's No. 1 football recruit two years ago, the

family of quarterback Terrelle Pryor had a connection with Penn State coach Joe

Paterno.

Pryor's father, Craig, has Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease, also called CMT, a

neurological disease that affects the arms, hands, legs and feet and forces

Craig Pryor to use a wheelchair at times. Paterno has a family friend affected

by CMT and serves as a spokesman for its national organization, and Craig

Pryor's strong relationship with the Penn State staff was a main reason his son

famously delayed his college decision.

Terrelle Pryor wound up in Columbus. Wednesday afternoon, Pryor's Ohio State

teammates strengthened their connection with him, choosing the CMT Association

as the beneficiary of what has become an annual video-game fundraiser.

" Anything can help, " Pryor said at the event, held at restaurant near campus,

where fans paid to mingle with the players and watch them compete in a college

football video tournament. " It's nothing big that's raising a lot of money, but

just the thought and all that matters. "

A year ago, the event raised $2,500 for kidney cancer, a charity chosen because

quarterbacks coach Joe s had been diagnosed with the disease. Organized

through the national group Uplifting Athletes, teams can choose to raise money

for any rare disease, defined as one that affects fewer than 200,000 Americans,

that is close to their hearts.

The Ohio State chapter was once again spearheaded this year by safety Kurt

, who was making final calls Wednesday morning to get everything in

place. He thought about raising money for breast cancer, which his father, Ron,

has battled, but instead said he wanted to do something " outside myself " and

went to Pryor with his CMT idea.

" He just had a big smile on his face, " said.

About 60 Ohio State players turned out for the event as fans mingled, with

freshman receiver Duron emerging as the winner of the 16-player bracketed

showdown. Pryor, who said he had a migraine headache, was obviously into the

game early on but eventually dropped out because he wasn't feeling well. He

answered only one question related to football or the start of preseason camp on

Sunday.

, an expert now in dealing with red tape, hopes the event can continue to

expand, but Hall, the executive director of the CMT Association, wasn't

concerned with the fund raising and was just thankful for the exposure.

He said CMT affects about one in 2,500 Americans, and is typically genetically

inherited. Pryor said his father was diagnosed around age 21.

" It skips a generation, so maybe my kids or my brother's kids or sister's kids

[will be affected], " Pryor said.

By then, Hall hopes treatment will come in the form of a pill. Maybe Wednesday

helped that goal, even just a little bit.