Oller: How times have changed, from Ohio State Tattoogate to now tattoos are great
The human gag reflex is an involuntary muscular contraction of the throat caused by touching the roof of the mouth, back of the tongue, or for Ohio State football fans, mentioning Buckeyes and tattoos in the same breath.
As in, remember when five OSU players were suspended for the first five games of the 2011 season for trading their memorabilia for cash and tattoos?
Ack. ACK. ACCCKK!
Tattoogate feels almost antiquated today. These days, college athletes get paid to endorse products, make appearances and sign autographs; former Marines allegedly don high-tech Groucho glasses to steal opponents’ sideline signals.
But back then? If we’re being honest, what bothered a lot of Ohio State fans, more than players selling merch for money, was trading jerseys, championship rings and gold pants charms for …. tattoos. The disgust was cultural – “normal” folks did not ink their bodies – and in some cases bigoted. Buckeyes fans didn’t want their starting quarterback (Terrelle Pryor) looking like a thug.
Certainly, 13 years ago tattoos were not as socially acceptable as they are today, when skin art is not only tolerated but embraced.
“It used to be you were a criminal, but now it’s mainstream,” said T King, who owns and operates the Tattoo Kings ink business and barbershop, where he has worked on more than 50 Ohio State athletes, mostly football players, over his 4 ½ years at the Morse Road location. “Everybody has them. Doctors. Lawyers. Even Journalists.”
Whoa, hold on. Not this one. Not yet. But just being open to getting a tattoo – my daughter has pushed the idea of the entire family “connecting” through identical artwork – shows how far some greybeards have come.
Make no mistake, not every 20- and 30-something wants to turn his or her body into a living mural – inkless Buckeyes defensive lineman J.T. Tuimoloau admitted “I like my skin.” – but enough do that Tattoo Kings employs six artists who stay busy every day. And if you want an appointment with the man himself, King is booked through May.
This isn’t your grandfather’s body art anymore, considering Gramps might have had a Navy anchor tattooed onto his forearm or a heart pierced by an arrow.
“We’ve changed it up. It’s 2023,” King said, laughing.
Much of King’s work deserves to be viewed in art galleries, not just along arms and across chests. But the 38-year-old King enjoys helping athletes tell their stories. In fact, storytelling is a big reason so many Buckeyes get tatted in the first place.
“Putting pictures and portraits on your body, if they don’t know you, is a way for people to get an idea of what kind of person you are,” OSU cornerback Denzel Burke said.
“I’m not getting a bunch of crazy stuff,” OSU tight end Gee Scott said, explaining how the art on his right arm testifies to his Christian faith, while his right leg is a walking billboard for his family – “Scott Legacy” – and African heritage. Elsewhere are portraits of Martin Luther King Jr, Malcolm X and Muhammad Ali, his mouth taped shut in protest against the “shut up and dribble” attitude of the public toward athletes so prevalent 60 years ago.
“It’s symbolic for me, sort of reverse psychology, to not be silent and always stand up for what you believe in,” said Scott, who plans to add a portrait of Jackie Robinson to his portfolio.
Burke’s body, like that of many inked Buckeyes, is a work of religious art. Crosses, depictions of Jesus and Bible verses appear etched into the skin.
“My dad didn’t want me to get them, but I told him I would only get meaningful stuff on my body,” Burke said.
But it’s not all about religious faith. Burke also believes in his football ability so much he has a King-designed picture of an attack dog on his left pectoral muscle with an accompanying inscription: Dog Mentality.
“Every time I step on the field I want my dog mentality just to dominate,” he said.
What kind of dog was left up to King, who after 14 years on the job has built enough trust among clients to not have to run every artistic idea past them.
“I said I wanted something to do with “Dog Mentality” and he came up with it. I saw the pic and loved it,” Burke said.
“It’s a privilege to do this, whether it’s for soccer moms or people who work at Kroger,” said King, who grew up in Columbus, too often getting into trouble before discovering his passion and talent for inking. “Whether they spend $50 or $500, every tattoo matters.”
King’s rate for a quarter sleeve tattoo is between $300 and $600, depending on the amount of detail, and typically takes between three and six hours to ink.
With players sitting all day in the parlor chair, you can imagine what kind of topics come up with King, who hears things about players’ families and Ohio State coaches that he will never share.
“Sometimes they like to vent,” King said. “But a lot of times I’ll see them come in once they commit to the school, and then they come in later and it’s like, ‘What are they feeding you guys?’ Their training regimen is crazy.”
So which Ohio State player has the best tattoos? King refuses to say – Miyan Williams and Xavier Johnson rank high among player picks – but he sees a general theme with most.
“I’ve probably done more types of tattoos for guys where they’re young and they’re dreaming of this moment, so there’s a child figure holding a basketball, football or whatever it may be,” King said. “It could be them looking up at the stars, or now surrounded by fame and fortune, or of their history and where they’re from, so they can always remember where they came from.”
King is proud of the work he did on Sean Moore, the Reynoldsburg graduate who scored a career-high 19 points for Fairleigh Dickinson in the Knights’ 63-58 win against Purdue in last year’s NCAA Tournament at Nationwide Arena, only the second time a No. 16 seed defeated a No. 1 seed.
“He’s from here, played basketball here and now he’s at college (in New Jersey),” King said. “It was a moment he’ll never forget, so I try to take that and incorporate it … so no matter where he goes, he can remember where it all started.”
The detailed drawing of the Dispatch masthead on Moore’s right shoulder is outstanding, if I do say so.
“It’s a way for you to represent where you’re from, who you are,” King said of including area codes and street signs into his art. “It’s like wearing clothes all the time. Styles change, but this is who I am.”
Of course, getting tattooed is not only about honoring home.
As Burke put it, “I just like having something on your skin, that little extra glow.”
Even if the pain can be excruciating, especially when the numbing cream wears off, at least athletes no longer must hide their inked hide.
Funny how culture shifts. From Tattoogate hate to tattoos are great. Cool stuff.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State football players by the dozens getting bodies tattooed
