Rodgerses earn every penny, yard

[tlongII]

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/7139955.html

Jacquizz Rodgers says he and older brother James tend to argue about "dumb stuff."

Like what?

"A penny."

Come again?

"A penny," Jacquizz said. "We're going at it about a penny right now."

And then, following a grueling workout inside the gym at Swee er Country Club Wednesday afternoon, the two Oregon State football stars went at it. Again. Over a penny.

James, a senior wide receiver for the Beavers, said this isn't a petty argument over a meaningless amount of money. It is about principle.

The brothers, who starred at Lamar Consolidated and were both first-team All-Pac 10 picks last year, are roommates in Corvallis. James, the oldest by 13 months, handles the bill-paying. Jacquizz, a junior tailback, gives him half the total of each bill. Almost half.

Apparently, Jacquizz isn't the rounding-up sort. For instance, if a bill is $84.62, Jacquizz has a habit of giving $42 to cover his share. Recently, Jacquizz paid his tab for a bill — this time actually including some change - but the shifty tailback who can stop on a dime forked over a total that was a penny shy of a perfect 50-50 split.

The two have been arguing about it ever since.

"He's been short-changing me on the change for the longest," James said. "That's why I demanded that penny."

"That's why I didn't give him the penny," Jacquizz whispered, "because he's been trippin' over a little change for the longest."

Don't expect either to cave. These two have been going at it in a variety of compe ions for as long as they can remember, and neither is known for giving any quarter. Or a penny.

Their uncle, Rodney Williams, had to stop putting them on opposite teams in AAU basketball practice because the compe ion was too fierce.

Interestingly, their compe ive natures aren't as apparent when they are working out. In those sessions, they push each other. It's impressive.

The brothers, who return to Oregon on Friday just before the opening of fall camp on Monday, have been home in Richmond for two weeks. But they didn't come here to party or to rest. They have been going through intense workouts under the guidance of strength and conditioning specialist LeRoy Franklin, the director of fitness at Swee er.

From sprinting with parachutes to pulling bungee cords to improve takeoff and drive strength, James' and Jacquizz's homecoming has been anything but a vacation. Muscles bulging, sweat dripping, dreadlocks flailing, they were hard at it Wednesday, doing core work with 20-pound medicine balls.

Sizable effort

People like to say the brothers are small. They are short (5-7), not small. Even in full pads, Texans' rookie receiver Trindon Holliday (5-5, 165 pounds) seems significantly smaller than these two.

"We're football players," said James, an All-American candidate who had 91 receptions for 1,034 yards and nine touchdowns as a junior. "People always say we're small, but we put in that hard work in the weight room, so we work big, look big and try to play big. That's all that matters.

"That extra work helps us get over the hump against guys who don't put it in, guys who try to get over on talent alone."

The two have been working out together since high school. Back then it was lifting weights and running with no set schedule. Now it is more structured, with the brothers looking to be among the most well-conditioned football players in the country.

"Once you get to college, you can almost lose your love for the game because there is so much time you have to put into it, especially in the offseason," said Jacquizz, who totaled 1,962 rushing and receiving yards and 22 touchdowns in 2009. "But you know you have to build up to get to the fun of the games. You can tell who does the work."

Size matters to them. Size of heart.

Jacquizz (191 pounds) likes seeing Jacksonville's Maurice Jones-Drew (5-7) and the Ravens' Ray Rice (5-8), both Pro Bowlers last season, producing in the NFL.

"Those guys' success makes it better for other shorter running backs," he said. "But I have a lot of work to do to get where they are. I have put a lot of marbles in this, so I have to keep working."

Class acts

Wisely, the Rodgerses haven't put all of their marbles into the NFL basket.

James is scheduled to graduate this December - in just 3½ years, mind you - with a degree in speech communication. Jacquizz is on pace to do the same next year.

There aren't a lot of young men who grew up in the 1990s in the same rough part of Richmond they did who are close to earning college degrees.

See them play (OSU plays at TCU on Sept. 4.) and you should become a fan. Get to know them a little, an admirer you'll be.

The superstar brothers get around campus on foot because neither owns a car - though James is hoping one could be in the offing as a graduation present from his uncle, Michael Lewis, a defensive back for the San Francisco 49ers entering his ninth season and the brothers' regular partner.

Right now, though, James is more concerned about that penny.

"I'll buy him a soda and never mention it again," Jacquizz said. "He buys me one and says, 'I'll add $1.69 to your bills.'

"He's not getting that penny."

[tlongII]

Move to College Sports forum please...

[4>0rings]

Worry about not sucking in your bowl games instead of a penny.

[HighLowLobForBig-50]

pretty gay
just my $.01