Ohrnberger impersonates Shipley, pulls fast one on media

Center A.Q. Shipley was scheduled to be on a conference call with reporters Wednesday morning, and when a player came on the phone, the media asked him questions thinking it was Shipley.

It was not.

No, it was guard Rich Ohrnberger, who must have worked out some kind of arrangement with Shipley to take his place on the conference call as an impersonator. Ohrnberger never let on about his true identity, and at one point he even answered a question about himself, still posing as Shipley.

Ah, those crazy college kids.

There are two ways to view the prank. Most seem to be saying it was funny and shows the players are loose rather than tight heading into this week's big game against Wisconsin. The other component is it shows a little disrespect for the media and the job we have to do.

In all honesty, I think it's kind of funny and an intriguing way to build team chemistry. You know the players are all talking about it, laughing and having a good time because they pulled a fast one on the reporters (note: I was not on the conference call). We in the media are often so intrusive of their time, so this time they got us back and now have a funny story to share in the locker room or the practice field.

That's the kind of small, quirky thing that can bring a team closer together, even if Shipley and Ohrnberger didn't intend for that to be the purpose.