DaytonDailyNews.com

James Laurinaitis didn't mince words:

"I'm being dead serious. He's a tough guy. He's strong as heck. I wouldn't like getting around him in some situations. When he's serious and wants to throw you down, he's gonna do it, period."

So, as the Ohio State linebacker stood there on the Superdome field a couple of days ago — the same field on which his Buckeyes meet Louisiana State tonight in the Bowl Championship Series title game — which LSU Tiger was he talking about?

Massive Herman Johnson, the 6-foot-7, 351-pound guard? Ciron Black, the 6-5, 320-pound offensive tackle? Or was he assessing his defensive counterpart, LSU tackle Glenn Dorsey, winner of both the Lombardi and Outland trophies?

Nope, nope and nope.

He was talking about his brother, Joe, a policeman in a small town just outside of Dayton and a security cop at a hospital in the city.

"When you're the little brother like I am, you always look up to your older — you follow his lead — because you still have that mentality he can beat the crap out of you," James said. "Joe's just 5-foot-8, but let me tell you he's a tough little guy. He could take me down — and out — pretty easily. Don't let his size fool you. He's in good shape and he has that military training."

An Iraq war vet whose Army unit was stationed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Joe married a girl from Centerville and nearly a year ago began his police work, though he didn't want the town or hospital he works in made public. Nor would he talk in detail about his job.

James, on the other hand, had no qualms:

"He called me, saying he had a tough Christmas night fighting somebody at the hospital. He has to deal with coke addicts who come in and cause trouble for everybody and this time he had to take the guy down."

As he recounted the story, you sensed a little awe in James' tone even though the 6-foot-3, 244-pound junior is the best player on the No. 1 defense in the nation, this year's Dick Butkus Award winner, last year's Bronko Nagurski Award winner and a guy already mentioned in the same breath as other OSU linebacker greats like Randy Grandishar, A.J. Hawk, Tom Cousineau and Chris Spielman.

"When you're the little brother, you feel your big brother can do anything," James said.

When they were kids — sons of a professional body builder mom and a famous wrestling dad, Joe Laurinaitis Sr., the spiked and painted Animal of the Road Warriors and later The Legion of Doom — James used to have mock wrestling matches with his friends.

Sometimes they would practice his dad's fabled move, The Doomsday Device. James would put someone up on his shoulders, then have Joe — five years his senior — jump off the diving board and clothesline that person off of him.

"It wasn't until my later years in high school that I really grasped what all my brother was about," James said. "We really got close when he was in Iraq. You realize he's in a war and then he writes to you and says he goes to bed hearing mortars explode over his tent and the reality hits home."

About the time Joe returned to Wright-Pat, James began to shine at OSU. He's been the Bucks' leading tackler the past two years, the heart and soul of the defense and the guy OSU will rely on heavily tonight to help staunch a favored LSU team whose offense is ranked third in the nation.

"I think LSU is a great team, but I really think this is going to be different for Ohio State than it was last year," said Joe, who has to work Tuesday and won't make the trip to New Orleans. "This (Bucks') team has a different attitude than last year. And of course watching my bother is amazing. It gets me so worked up that part of me feels like I'm out there, too."

And that's just how it needs to be. James needs to follow his big brother's lead one more time.

Maybe tonight he can treat the Tigers the way Joe did that crackpot Christmas Day in Dayton.

Who: No. 1 Ohio State (11-1) vs. No. 2 LSU (11-2)

When: 8 p.m. today | TV: Fox | Radio: WING-AM (1410)