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DEL.ICIO.USWhat’s in a name? Tai-ler Jones is no ‘everyday Joe’
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Sooner or later, the question comes when a recruiter makes his first call to the home of Gainesville wide receiver Tai-ler Jones, one of the state’s top-rated football prospects for 2010.
“Now, how do you pronounce it?” says father Andre Jones of the most common question regarding the unusual spelling of his son’s first name.
For the record, it’s pronounced TY-ler, though most first-tries pin it as TAY-ler.
“You name it, we’ve heard it,” said Andre Jones, a member of Notre Dame’s 1989 national championship team. “It definitely sets him apart from the everyday Joe. But all in all it’s been a great conversation piece.”
The name was the idea of Andre Jones, who thought the spelling was a fitting way to honor his wife’s Asian heritage. Michele was born in Korea, according to Tai-Ler. Her father is Korean and her mother is from Hawaii.
“I remember doing an interview and he called my Taylor, then asked how to pronounce it,” Tai-Ler said. “Then [he] was like, wow, he’s never seen it spelled that way.
“I like the name because it’s unique. Everyone, once they see my name, because it’s so different they remember it and can put my name with my face. All the recruiters say they like my name and have never seen it spelled the way I spell it.”
Jones hasn’t needed the unusual spelling of his name to get noticed. He caught 81 passes for 1,000 yards and 21 touchdowns. He runs a 4.5 time in the 40. He scored a 25 on the ACT.
His resume has attracted around 30 offers, which he recently narrowed down to the top 15: Ohio State, Oklahoma, North Carolina, UCLA, Alabama, Notre Dame, California, South Carolina, Miami, Auburn, Tennessee, Clemson, Michigan, Michigan State and Vanderbilt. Jones said he is no longer considering the scholarship offer from Georgia Tech, while Georgia has yet to offer.
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Permalink | Comments (6) | Post your comment | Categories: Alabama, Clemson, Other ACC schools, Other SEC schools, South Carolina, Tech, Tennessee, UGA
Comments
By Fiasco007
March 5, 2009 7:05 PM | Link to this
Stupid. You just want to spice it up. So what was his moms name? Asian heritage? Korean and Hawaiin but her name is Michelle? How does that equate? I wish you reporters would tell people that they are full of it.
By Fiasco007
March 5, 2009 7:08 PM | Link to this
Stupid. You just want to spice it up. So what was his moms name? Asian heritage? Korean and Hawaiin but her name is Michelle? How does that equate? I wish you reporters would tell people that they are full of it.
By DieHard Dawgs 7
March 5, 2009 10:07 PM | Link to this
Fiasco007 is obviously a Georgia Tech fan upset that Tailer Jones had a Georgia Tech offer but didn’t even put them in his top 15. You all “whip” Georgia 45-42 yet can’t even get in the top 15 for a kid just an hour away from Atlanta. That’s sad. I bet if Georgia offers later, they will make it into the top 15.
By Say No To Ignorance
March 5, 2009 10:59 PM | Link to this
Fiasco007 - Your comment shows your lack of cultural exposure. Most Americans of Asian desent utilize American names,to assist others with difficult pronunciations related to names not usually heard. I am sure if they told you the correct name, you would prefer Mrs. Jones…
There is always one person with hatred at their origin, shooting others down. Take the story at face value and move on.
By Technique
March 5, 2009 11:04 PM | Link to this
It doesn’t matter if UGA offers or not, he’s going to Notre Dame….
By JW
March 8, 2009 11:01 AM | Link to this
Flaco0007 - a bit ironic, he can sit there in judgement of others when he is lacks knowledge of people’s background or history, yet he clones the name 007 after James Bond. He seems to try to emulate what he lacks. They say a lot of people have fantasy lives in cyber space, I guess it i true..