Buckeye Blogger NetworkAnother week has gone by and we are yet another week closer to August and “fall” football camp opening up at The Ohio State University. We’ve hit the “dull” period, basically just waiting for camp to open. And (God willingly) the players stay out of the news. But that doesn’t mean we can’t have fun here at the BBC! So, without further ado: It’s Wednesday, let’s rumble!
Improvements:
Perfection… almost
I’ve been thinking a bit about a few minor improvements I’d like to see regarding the game day experience and football aesthetics in general. Would you like to know what they are? Of course you would or you wouldn’t still be reading this paragraph. Here’s 3 things:
1. I still want it, but I know that going back to grass in Ohio Stadium is essentially out of the question until one of the countries largest agriculture schools figures out a way to maintain, care for and regrow grass during the weeks off from games (you wouldn’t think this would be that hard of a process). It’s a shame that the 2006 season (a season when it rained more than human thought can process) has totally ruined the idea of having natural grass.
They really didn’t have a turf problem until The Game that year, the epic 1 vs 2 showdown won the Buckeyes 42-39. The issue became an issue after it rained during the season opener against Northern Illinois and then it rained like mad during the Penn State game (the one where Joe Pa lost his luggage in his drawers and had to run into the locker room.) Even with that said, they had two weeks to work on it after the PSU downpour before the next home game. They then had two weeks prior to TSUN to get it in order again and made the call to re-sod, which we all saw was a disaster.
The Leaders and the Legends will sing their swan song in 2013. The NFL draft has come and gone: Where did the Buckeyes end up? How stupid or smart were the Cleveland Browns? It’s Wednesday, let’s rumble!
Don’t go away mad, just go away…
“It’s good for the fans, it’s good for the players. It strengthens our schedule from the perspective of the postseason and binds the conference together in a powerful way.”
And with those Jim Delaney comments, the Big Ten has realigned for the 2014 season. The first year to include Maryland and Rutgers will also include the newly realigned Big Ten East and Big Ten West.
Those eyebrows look like a bunch of spiders in a wrestling match!
Let me say it, Hallelujah!
Last week I mentioned in Quick Hitters that the BCS had tapped the strongest of their think tanks to come up with the name of the college football playoff and appropriately named it The College Football Playoff. Kudos to Delaney, Gene Smith and the guy who ruined Domino’s Pizza (can you really ruin something already terrible?) and is now AD at TTUN for bringing in some world class nerds to do major research and realize that the fans of the Big Ten were almost unanimously in favor of one thing: Michigan sucks. What I meant to say is they were in favor of the divisions being called anything other than Leader and Legends and preferred a more simple approach like North/South or East/West. Thanks to Jim Delaney and those crazy eyebrows for finally giving the people what they want.
Side note: I remember being in favor of Lakes and Plains over what they chose.
The Buckeyes are in the East division with Penn State, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan State, Rutgers and TTUN.
Meanwhile the West will be home to Wisconsin, Nebraska, Illinois, Purdue, Northwestern, Iowa and Minnesota. Read More
Tomorrow is the NFL Draft and the Browns are set to be on the clock. Their owner, however, may be in some serious hot water. When will this year’s crop of Buckeyes come off the board? It’s Wednesday, let’s rumble!
Nightmare on Lou Groza Blvd.
Compliments of an outstanding 2012, the Browns find themselves once again not only picking in the top half of the draft but in the top 10 at number 6. Obviously the team has plenty of needs to fill and they did a solid job this offseason in the free agent market to help sure up some of the more glaring weaknesses.
New Brown Paul Kruger sacking QB Brandon Weeden in 2012
According to experts, the addition of former Baltimore Raven Paul Kruger was one the off-season’s biggest moves not just in Cleveland but the NFL in general. Putting him at rush end in the 3-4 (as he played with the Ravens) opposite Jabaal Sheard is supposed to give the Browns (Along with Phil Taylor inside) a formidable front 3. I’m not sold.
I love Phil Taylor and the possibilities of him sliding out into the gaps off the nose and being paired with Aytahba Rubin at the same time. I like the thought of Sheard as a hybrid DE/OLB with his wheels giving him an ability to play standing up or in a 3-point stance. Now, from what I am led to believe, Paul Kruger is the “missing link” to bring the defensive line from good to great. I just can’t help thinking: This is a guy who in his entire career has been strictly a third down pass rusher, literally, almost exclusively. Don’t believe me? I’ll bet you didn’t know that in 2011 he played 373 total plays. That number nearly tripled in 2012 when with Terrell Suggs nursing an Achilles tear. Read More
Sexier than the swimsuit issue
Today’s soundtrack is brought to you by 70 degrees and sunny skies in Los Angeles. Oh, and a little bit of EW&F.
Buckeye 411
The Buckeye basketball teams backs are against the wall. A big time football player is rumored to be contemplating sitting out a season to his protect draft status and financial future. It’s Wednesday night, let’s rumble!
Hoops getting interesting
As you’re reading this, or maybe after you read this or a little before you read this, the Buckeye basketball team will be on the court facing the Minnesota Golden Gophers at The Schottenstein Center. This is a huge week for the Buckeyes after being slapped in the face with a backhand in Wisconsin on Sunday to the tune of a 71-49 beat-down.
Backs against the wall after the Wisconsin meltdown
At 18-7 the Buckeyes see their backs against the wall but home turf on their side as they face a must win situation against the Gophers. This would set up a huge showdown/rematch, again at home, against Michigan State. Win both games and watch the swagger return to set up the final push before the tournaments begin. A split has to be what the Buckeyes consider a worst case scenario as losing both would be catastrophic.
Michigan State took on the Indiana Hoosiers last night in a #1 vs #4 matchup. In a tight game that was actually pretty exciting to watch, it was the Hoosiers holding on to win 72-68 and keep their #1 ranking at the Breslin Center in East Lansing. Sparty will now come to Columbus facing the possibility of a two game losing streak and certainly a little grumpy. Tom Izzo will have his team ready for what should be a war at 4pm on Sunday. (CBS tv) Read More
The offseason brings us another variation from the format of your midweek news and notes, as a couple of big stories have dominated the college sports landscape. That being said, it’s not like I’m going to deprive you of your Wednesday motivational tunes.
Might As Well Get Comfy
Lack Of Institutional Control
For those of you waiting for the other shoe to drop in the Hurricane Situation, you can breathe a bit now. Kinda.
On Tuesday, the NCAA finally sent their Notice of Allegations to the Hurricanes, after a week that saw the folks from Indianapolis as the well focused center of national ridicule. We’d be wondering what was taking so long in this process, given that the NCAA had been “involved” in the investigation for over two years- turns out that the time in question had been spent violating the NCAA’s own principals and going against the advice of their legal counsel in their conversations with Nevin Shapiro.
In addition to paying the attorney who was questioning Shapiro as a part of his financial issues, the folks at the NCAA also provided him with a “burner” cell phone to contact them and financial resources to his prison account. Again, not the best idea for an organization who prides themselves on holding people accountable because the “should have known” what to do and dings them for not doing it.
The fallout was immediate- NCAA folks terminated or “resigned”, and folks calling for NCAA president Mark Emmert’s head, which, given the recent friends that he’s made across the nation, completely seems within reason.
The news of the “injustice” done by the NCAA to the fine folks in Miami ended up finding many fans in an interesting place- turning to Da’ U as their white knight in the fight against the evils of Emmert’s staff. Tuesday’s official response by University President Donna Shalala continued to create the dissonance- she is right that the NCAA has overstepped themselves extensively, but seems to forget that the University’s representatives were involved things that led them to receiving what many say is the “lack of institutional control” label in their Notice. Read More
No, it’s not time for the IlliBuck trophy again… Tuesday’s “news” was full of terrapin conversation, so we go where it leads. As such, here’s this morning’s soundtrack… I’m sure my folks will recognize it.
You want me to hang that WHERE?
Buckeye 411
We’re one week away from National Letter Of Intent Day, and the excitement (and chaos) is building. We’ll talk a bit this week about the idea of “verbals” and visits, but let’s dig through the news bucket a bit first, shall we? Oh, and Mark Titus’ favorite band brings us our musical inspiration for the morning. Happy Wednesday.
Buckeye 411
Commentary- Commitment Read More
