OHIO STATE FOOTBALL
Smith: Mmmm...In-N-Out Burger
Thursday, January 04, 2007
Doug Lesmerises
Plain Dealer Reporter
Scottsdale, Ariz.- Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith has a favorite burger in Arizona and some new best friends on the West Coast after he publicly professed that love Wednesday.
Asked about his familiarity with the Phoenix area on his fourth bowl trip here in the last five years, the Heisman Trophy winner launched into a passionate description of his appreciation of In-N-Out Burger, a chain of 203 fast-food restaurants located only in Arizona, Nevada and primarily California.
"For the folks back in Ohio, they need to understand first and foremost, it is a fresh burger," Smith said, breaking down the burger like he breaks down a defense. "The lettuce and tomatoes are extremely fresh. And they toast the buns. That's huge. That's key. They use a special kind of sauce, too. The sandwich is incredible after a long night."
Word of Smith's praise at the national title game podium, with cameras rolling, was big news at company headquarters in Southern California.
"It doesn't get much better than that for us," said In-N-Out Executive Vice President Carl Van Fleet. "We're kind of a small company, and we don't have any celebrity endorsers. But I think we just got the best one we could have. Not just a college football player, but the best one in America. I'd say he's a very observant and excellent food critic."
All Ohio State had to do was lose to Michigan and Smith could have had all the burgers he wanted. In-N-Out helps cater food each year for the players in the Rose Bowl. Maybe it's good Smith didn't know that before Nov. 18. |
