I asked Jordy Nelson, the nation’s No. 2 (in receptions per game) or No. 5 (in receiving yards per game) wide receiver, about the nickname he’s picked up recently, “The People’s Champ.”
He bristled at first, but then he explained.
“It’s a little something the players are enjoying, something Coach Prince enjoys,” he said. “I think it has a lot to do with that I’m 15 minutes from Manhattan. … I don’t know. I think I read a Coach Prince quote the other day that he’s trying to help me with my image because I’m kind of boring.
“He’s trying to help me out, bring out a little more style than boring ol’ me.”
That worked, but I decided to ask Ian Campbell, who knows a little about everything.
“He’s ‘The People’s Champ’ because everybody loves Jordy,” he said. “I think if the other teams came and met Jordy, they couldn’t hate him, either.”
And then this is where I had to chuckle.
“He’s the type of guy who wouldn’t have a problem with him dating your sister,” said Campbell, who does, in fact, have a sister.
But, as Campbell quickly pointed out, Nelson is married.
“I wouldn’t let anybody else on the team date my sister,” Campbell added.