Who da’ Jerk

 We can excuse doddering, effete Jim for fearing for his safety around creepy loner Jarod. But Linda’s name calling is nasty and jarring, though it fits in with the sheer, unbridled contempt shown by all Westview faculty toward the students. It sounds especially callous given that we’re led to believe (from Sunday’s strip) that Jarod comes from a troubled home. “Jerk in progress” smacks of one of those phrases that TB heard or came up with and salted away for use in one of his strips; I wish he’d saved it for use by (or maybe against) the truly jerky Owen and Cody.

21 thoughts on “Who da’ Jerk”

  3. Yes, jarring is exactly what it was. Bull actually reaches the troubled, prematurely balding loner with a bad attitude and tough home life and his wife’s response is to label the kid as a “jerk”. Now maybe she can go to Jarod’s first game and jeer him for good measure. Bet she’s the first one to jump on the “Yay Jared!” bandwagon after he’s wins the big game, too.

    I had to laugh at Bull’s “strategy”, though. A team that’s been winless for thirty-something years starts a complete football novice at QB. Yeah, the opposition must be terrified.

  4. No, Bull, you’re not the only one who sees anything in this kid. Linda just called him a “Jerk in progress”, which instills great promise in his future as an outstanding citizen of Westview. With high praise like that, he might even land a faculty position at his future alma mater one day. Maybe.

    And what’s with that wayward “N” in Panel 2? Was Batiuk attempting to add the word “EVEN” to that wall o’ text before he realized he walled himself right out of the opportunity?

     

  8. Cayla opens the door to Les’ writing room, and finds him sitting with his pants down, surrounded by candles and pictures of Lisa, with soft music on the turntable. “Oh my God!” she says, “I thought you were finishing up your teleplay!”

    Les smirks. “Actually, right now it’s more of a jerk in progress.”

    I found a better way to use your phrase, Mr. Batiuk.

  10. You know, sometimes I feel like a jerk in progress! Nice to know that if I went to school in Westview, my teachers may have felt the same way about me!

    A kId doesn’t go from sporto hater to quarto back overnight just because Fatty McPizza saw him throw a football.

  11. “I thought an unknown quarterback might scare the other team” – that’s not how football works! Just when I think Batick cannot possibly get any stupider, he does.

  12. jerk in progress – well at least he’s moving forward in life rather than waiting for the release of death like everybody else in this strip.

  13. Nice try Linda. Expressing utter disdain for a kid from a bad family and extending your pinky while drinking your coffee were good efforts, but they don’t make you too good for Westview.
    Only Cindy and Barry Balderman were too good for Westview, and you’ve got a long way to go to match either of them.

  14. You know.. if someone rights a biography of Tom Batiuk.. “Jerk in Progress” would be the perfect title.

  15. They are an unsympathetic lot of educators — vicious Linda, the pantywaist science guy, and Bull — a coach who has hit rock bottom and is calling for a shovel. Susan Smith (even with her Lust for Les) was above this.

  16. I take the opposite view. I’m getting sick of the writer constantly trying to make us feel bad for a character by having everyone against them. This isn’t a fanfic.

  17. @Gyre “This isn’t a fanfic.”

    Au contraire, mon frère; any sufficiently self-indulgent canon is indistinguishable from fanfic.

  20. I think the big surprise for the opponents will be when Westview’s offensive line doesn’t block for Jarod Neo and the defense pummels him leave multiple compound fractures and a major concussion.

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