This is not too shabby:

(Unless it’s a prequel to a horrible uniform announcement, that is)

UPDATE: From the twitters-

@BCastOZone: Russ Hoeflich from OSU video dept made this for Nike, it is his production, not something Nike made!

Tags: Nike
Categories: Ohio State Football

#Swish #Swoon

A bit of a different look at things this Wednesday, as I was fortunate to join Jim, JoeL, and Janelle in attending Ohio State’s win against Iowa in the hoops of shootyness.  So, here’s your musical interlude for this festive event.

Buckeye Hoops Thoughts

• Great Value- This was my first trip to Value City Arena, and it was more than fantastic. Great seats (thanks, Joe!) and a good, if ugly win
• All About Timing- Not for the Buckeyes (yet), but just a comment on the 6:30 start… tons of empty seats for a Tuesday night game. I know it’s not a weekend match against Michigan, but c’mon, people!!
• Nuts. Housed.- Couldn’t have been more impressed with the Student Section, some of whom had queued up around 10 or so. Who needs classes, right? While the game was low on energy overall, the Nuthouse certainly didn’t reflect that… well done!
• He’s Crafty- Aaron broke the steals record (and our hearts… #Swoon) right in front of us. Congrats, #4!
• Reinforcements- Thomas went out and the Buckeyes went cold… although it could be argued that they were cold before this (for a couple of reasons). That being said, Matta and others have talked about how this year will need to be a “second option by committee”… and we didn’t see someone step up when Thomas was getting his injury looked at.
• On The Other Hand- Four Buckeyes were in double digits, so the wealth was spread around pretty well. Sad to see DT not get another consecutive 20 point game, though.
• This Week In Slam Thompson- I wish I had a highlight to point to, but somehow some one managed to overthrow him. How do you get the ball outside of his range??  That being said, it’s probably better that he didn’t throw one home- I was sitting to a nice lady who didn’t need to hear what exclamations would have come out of my mouth should the awesomeness have manifested itself. Read More

Tags: Aaron Craft, Costumes, Deshaun Thomas, ESPN, Iowa, Manti Te'o, Miami, Nevin Shapiro, Nike, Sam Thompson, SBP, Shots from the Schott, Thad Matta, Virginia Cavaliers
Categories: Conference Expansion, NCAA Investigations, Ohio State Basketball

This week, there’s only one song that will suffice for Buckeye Nation. Enjoy!

Shiny

Buckeye 411

• “One time”-  Monday was the reveal of the fourth edition of Nike’s “special” uniforms, and the third time it’s been unleashed for The Game. This year’s a bit different than the past- the jersey won’t be made available to the public, but a number of other “rivalry” shirts and accoutrements are out there for public consumption- be sure to check out The Buckeye Room, where they’ve informed us that they’re also getting in a limited number of the gloves that will get your favorite player flagged on Saturday. Woot!

The “reveal” was a part of the Beat Blue rally in the Student Union on Monday night, and saw former Ohio State running back Raymont Harris taking the catwalk at the party.  The biggest question is about the Buckeye leafs awards on the helmet- the jersey will have seven of them to commemorate the seven national titles, but it’s unlikely that the awards the players have won this season will make the helmet. That being said, the official Nike blog has a Buckeye sticker on the helmet, so there may be something in the works.

My take: I like these the most of the ones we’ve seen, although I wish they’d stop screwing around with the gear for Mich1gAAn week. But, the students like them, as do all of the recruits who will be in attendance... and that’s the target demographic.

• Meyer’s Musings- In this week’s B1G Conference Call, Coach Meyer talked anew about how growing up in Ohio makes him understand The Game as the most important thing that matters.

“You’re taught at a very young age who the enemy is, but you have a lot respect for the enemy.”

He spoke fondly about this year’s senior class, and how he’s been impressed that they stuck around once the bowl ban was announced.  He talked about the need to be ready for both Denard and Devin at quarterback on Saturday, and that there was more than likely a chance for something “interesting” to happen. On his own quarterback, Coach Meyer talks to him daily and reminds him that the goal is to be a QB that can run rather than a running back who throws the ball. “It’s a big week in Columbus Ohio”

• Oh, Davey!!-  Braxton is one of three finalists for the Davey O’Brian Award this year, and there’s a chance for fans to vote as well. Personally, I hope that the fan votes are taken with a huge grain of salt- NCAA accolades should not be like an American Idol competition, plus Texas A&M fans are notorious for their online balloting prowess.
• That Coach Up North- was also on the B1G conference call, and clarified his position on calling OSU “Ohio”, saying that he didn’t mean it to be disrespectful, but that it was something he’d done since he was a kid.  He also talked about Braxton, and said his decision making has improved greatly from last year and throughout the season… something they will be focusing on.
• Show Urb The Money- While I still don’t give a flying fig for the AP rankings until AFTER the season is over, Coach Meyer has at least a nominal reason to pay a little more attention to where his team ends up- his contract was reworked to reward him for a high AP position this year, in lieu of the BCS ban the Buckeyes are facing.
• Might As Well Jump! Huge thanks to our own Janelle for this great photo of this year’s Mirror Lake Jump!

• Past And Future- Wanna’ know more about The Game? The Plain Dealer has got you covered… forever.  Oh, and there’ll be a little history created on Saturday as well… Awesome!

Read More

Tags: Brady Hoke, Braxton Miller, Davey O'Brien Award, Gene Smith, Jae'Sean Tate, Jeff Tedford, Keita Bates-Diop, LSUFreek, Maryland, Mirror Lake, Nike, Raymont Harris, Rutgers, SBP, The Game, Uniforms, Urban Meyer
Categories: Basketball Recruiting, College Football, Conference Expansion, Humor, Michigan Football, Ohio State Basketball, Ohio State Football

It’s the bye week, and there’s only one song for the occasion. Well, two… something for everyone.

Nice...

Buckeye 411

•  Injury Update- Tuesday, Coach Meyer said that it was better than 50/50 for Etienne Sabino to return for the Wisconsin game, something that will add a much needed boost to the Ohio State linebacker corps. No other injury news was given, so it’s safe to assume that Reid Fragel and Orhian Johnson are both OK following their leaving the Illinois game.
• Freaking Flyer Miles- There’s no rest for the Buckeye coaching staff, who are traveling the nation reconnecting with current verbal commitments and starting to reach out to some new names.  Joe will have an update later this afternoon, but we do know that the coaches are hitting Ohio harder than the presidential candidates as well as canvassing Texas, the DC area, and renewing connections in the south (Carolinas, Louisiana, Florida). They’re doing some bye week fishing, and with a much wider net than we’ve seen in the past… we’ve even got 2015 and 2016 offers starting to go out.
• Stiffarm Trophy? In spite of the fact that his coach has been a bit closed mouth about it until recently, Braxton Miller has emerged as a candidate for the Heisman.  He talked briefly with the media about this opportunity yesterday- check out The Sporting News’ coverage of the conversation.
• Other Awards- Monday also saw Bri’onte Dunn named the B1G Freshman Of The Week for his work in the fourth quarter of the Illinois game.  Defensively, Ryan Shazier was named B1G Player Of The Week for the second straight game… see Sammy Silverman’s tribute after the jump.
• Yeah, But… Urban Meyer in the B1G teleconference on Tuesday said that the Illinois game wasn’t Ryan’s best as a Buckeye, and he left a lot of opportunities on the field.  Remember, folks- he’s only a sophomore…
• Meyer’s Musings- Coach also mentioned that there’s a two edged sword in dealing with bye weeks; it gives you the chance to get healthy, but it can also lead to a lack of focus and momentum. He spoke briefly about Reid Fragel as well, and said that it was the senior’s work that was evident in how well that he was playing- that when he didn’t apply and push himself, he was only “average”.
• Rumblin’, Bumblin’, Fumbling? The fumbles were not an issue for Rod and Bri’onte, in Coach Meyer’s mind; they are something to work on, but not something to take away from their playing time.  Additionally, much to the nightmares of B1G defensive coordinators, Coach Meyer said that the two back look that Ohio State thrived from on Saturday would be something that Ohio State would continue to utilize, given the production and development of all of his running back corps.
• Help Us Help You?  Hey- if you’re on the ol’ Twitter, your favorite bunch of miscreants is trying to get to 2002 followers by the November 24 game against That Team Up North. Yup, the one where they’re paying tribute to the 2002 national championship team… see what we’re doing there? Oh, and if you’re the Fake Jim Mora, nevermind. Read More

Tags: 2012 Season, Arkansas, Basketball, Braxton Miller, Brionte Dunn, Danny Hope, Etienne Sabino, Hawaii, Heisman Trophy, Indiana Hoosiers, Marquette, Michigan, NCAA penalties, Nebraska, Nike, Oklahoma, Orhian Johnson, Reid Fragel, Rod Smith, Ryan Mallett, SBP, Sports Illustrated, Sugar Bowl, Twitter, Uniforms, Women's Basketball
Categories: Humor, Michigan Football, NCAA Investigations, Ohio State Basketball, Ohio State Football

In spite of the huge win in Happy Valley on Saturday, I’m feeling a bit of the blues are in order for this week’s recap. So, enjoy some Collins, Cray, and Copeland.

It’d be easy to say that this week was “spook-tacular”, and “scary” for a lot of top teams, but that would be way to easy. So, let’s just admit that Saturday once again proved that we’re fans of the greatest sport in the world; because anything can happen once the ball is kicked.

Whoops

As a promise to a “friend” that’s a Notre Dame fan who I’ve been justifiably ripping for the last ten years, we’re leading off this week with the Irish’s huge win in Norman over the Sooners.  Like most of America who pays attention to the sport, I imagined that Oklahoma would stomp a mud hole into Brian Kelley’s team- Stoop’s defense, high powered offense… not exactly playing Air Force here. So, because the Irish emerged victorious, undefeated, and “relevant” enough to bump up to the third ranking spot in the BCS, I tip my journalistic cap to them- particularly their defense, which is playing lights out this season.  Although they gave up their first* (non-official assisted) rushing touchdown to Oklahoma, they were able to keep Sooner QB Landry Jones guessing all night long. That’s not to say that we’re not without some controversy, as the “luck of the Irish” continued when Heisman Candidate Manti Te’o intercepted the Sooners late in the game to seal away the victory. Your perspective of the play will depend on your hopes prior to the game- Irish fans were elated, others thought that the initial play was a case of pass interference resulting in a ball that clearly touched the ground. At any rate, complaining about the officiating is better left to other fan bases; the Irish are undefeated, and have overcome all but one of the games that had people pointing to theirs as the toughest schedule in college football. Congrats indeed.

Although… How much of this gets pinned on Bob Stoops? “Big Game Bob”, as we’ve discussed before, has built a reputation on an early BCS championship and his ability to beat his rival. However, given the state of his rival over the past few years, is it really fair to continue to give him a pass for his team’s coming up short in these types of games? The loss to Notre Dame is the second at home this year… although, to be fair, both teams are undefeated currently. So, Sooner fans- enjoy that BCS win over Connecticut a few years back, and hope that things can get turned around in the B12 for your squadron in the near future.

Since we alluded to them, let’s talk Texas, shall we? It took some late game heroics by a McCoy (no, not that one) to keep from being beaten by Kansas.  You read that correctly… the Jayhawks and their “Coach by weight” strategy were within seconds of beating the Longhorns and turning the heat even higher up on coach Mack Brown. I’m not one to jump on a dead bandwagon- check out the great “post a picture of our defense” thread on Shaggy Bevo- but I still can’t figure out how the flagship school in one of the most talent rich states in the nation continues to struggle on the field. Granted, it may be the competition in the conference and adjacent conferences, but you’ve got to think they’d be able to be successful whether or not there’s a prodigy at quarterback.

Also in the B12, Kansas State, the new #3 in the BCS continues to roll, playing even with Texas Tech for a half and then making the adjustment necessary to blow out the Raiders in Lubbock. Read More

Tags: Alabama, Arizona, Bob Stoops, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Kent State, Mack Brown, Marcus Lattimore, Maryland, Miami of Ohio, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi State, Mount Union, Nike, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Oregon State, Purdue, Rich Rodriguez, Rutgers, South Carolina, Southern Cal, Tennessee, Texas, TWTW, Uniforms, Washington
Categories: College Football, Humor

Oooooh! A Summit!

If you think the “Final Verdict” segments of College Gameday are amazing places for rhetoric and logic, you’re probably excited for the beginning of the Presidential Debates tonight.  Me? I’d rather argue about college sports… compared to politics, the BCS makes sense.

Buckeye 411

• Clothing, Part One- Never ones to miss the obvious, the Athletic Department has declared that this week’s game will be a “Scarlet Out”, similar to last year’s homecoming event.  Although it’s nice to do one of these “all color events” on nights where the opposing fanbase will unwillingly be assisting (looking at you, Indiana), I’ve got to wonder if this might take a bit of the “home field” advantage away and inadvertently help a team known as “Big Red”.
• “And So Forth”- I wonder if I can get WKYC on my cable provider, just so I can enjoy the wisdom and wit that will be the “Off The Vest Show” starring former Ohio State coach Jim Tressel.  As someone who was regularly lauded for his ability to say nothing for twenty minutes, it will be interesting to see what he comes up with as a part of this opportunity. Seriously, though- I’m really looking forward to seeing these segments, even if it’s only on the YouTubes.
• Clothing, Part Two- An article in this week’s Dispatch pointed out that sales of Ohio State jerseys were again on the rise, after faltering last season.  The article talks specifically about certain numbers being more popular than others… but it’s not about the “amateur” players who won’t see a penny of that revenue, right?

Courtesy SammySilv Designs

• Getting Ready For Nebraska- In the B1G presser today, Coach Meyer talked a little about what they might see against the Huskers, particularly from the Blackshirt Defense.  He spoke about Coach Pelini’s “pattern match” secondary philosophy, and how that will create problems for the still developing Ohio State passing game.  Coach Pelini addressed the obvious, and said that Braxton will get his yardage, but they’ve got to minimize the scoring opportunities.
• Important Reminder- If you’re looking for a way to get involved in Jason Winrow’s memorial, more details were made public about the fund that has been established by Raymont Harris to help his wife and children.
• Brotherhood- Former Buckeye Santonio Holmes is likely done for the season, but a touching moment from his injury was captured in photography this weekend. After getting hurt and fumbling, the 49ers recovered the loose ball and were in the process of taking it back for a TD… all of them, that is, except for Donte Whitner, who stayed behind to make sure his former teammate in Columbus was OK.
• Clothing, Part Three- Buckeye Nation was abuzz this morning with rumors of the 2012 “Pro Combat” design, which was soon debunked as a mock-up from 2009 and a helmet idea that had been on the internet for the entire summer.
• Little Sister, Hits The Stage- The real news today was the announcement that Ohio State and Texas Christian have agreed to a home and away series beginning in 2018.  The initial game is scheduled for Ft. Worth, but don’t be surprised to see it moved to Dallas and “Jerryworld”- TCU’s stadium holds about 45k in it’s current configuration.  Of course, President Gee’s “Little Sisters Of The Poor” comments were dredged up by lots of lazy journalists, who fail to realize that TCU will have been in the B12 for 5 seasons by the time this series begins. If you didn’t think that Gene Smith’s comments about bolstering the schedule were serious, here’s what you can look forward to in the near future: 2013- Vanderbilt, Cal; 2014- Navy, VaTech, Cincy; 2015- VaTech, North Carolina; 2016- Tulsa, Oklahoma; 2017-  North Carolina, Oklahoma; 2018- TCU, Cincy; 2019- TCU Read More

Tags: 'Da U, Academics, Alabama, Bo Pelini, BYU, Donte Whitner, Jason Winrow, Jim Tressel, Mark Dantonio, Mike McQueary, Nebraska, Nike, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Penn State, Santonio Holmes, SBP, SEC, TCT, Texas Christian, The Horseshoe, Uniforms, Urban Meyer, William Gholston
Categories: College Football, Humor, NCAA Investigations, Ohio State Football

Sure, there’s games on Monday, but the weekend has been so amazing that we just couldn’t wait to get back in the saddle for our reflections on the games of note.  Plus, are we really all that excited about a game that’s all technical and stuff?  I thought not.  Obvious choice for this week’s soundtrack… happy Labor Day.

Whew… I’ve got to admit, I should have been working out with Coach Mick during the offseason. Saturday found me trying to knock the rust off of my college football regimen, although I can definitely say that I was well hydrated.  I’m guessing that’s what happened during the livechat- I hadn’t prepared enough, and brought the jinxation.  You can breathe a sigh of relief, though- when I caught the replay on Sunday, my presence made no difference in the outcome…  Baby steps, right?

That Isht's Cray, Bray

From the looks of things, a number of teams were still in “preseason” form, and didn’t have their moves down pat just yet.  For instance, while I’m sure that Dabo Swinney’s mom is sure proud of him for leading his fellers to victory over North Carolina State, she certainly couldn’t have been too excited that his first steps leading the team onto the turf ended up in a faceplant.  That, combined with this excellent display of exuberance are enough to remind Volunteer fans that their team still has some work to do.  Which is good… no one likes to peak during the first weekend of games- well, no one outside of the B1G, that is (more later).

Some of the butterflies were even  evident in the Southern Idaho State University trip to East Lansing.  Sure, the B1G represented well, as Michigan State showed many why they are a favorite for the conference title… but the game turned out to be “off-script” for both teams.  For instance, no matter how hard they tried, Rob Harley’s new squadron couldn’t “Sparty” the game away.  Shocker.  Oh, and SISU broke their streak of beating out of conference teams when they have a ridiculously long time to prepare… effectively ending their bid at a BCS bowl until they join a legitimate BCS conference in the Big Eas…. I’m sorry.  I just couldn’t bring myself to type that. The game also gave us a pretty amazing interception- as always, Tim Burke has ALL the great screencaps and stuff from the weekend’s events.

Saturday’s festivities kicked off with Notre Dame pounding the living stuffing out of Navy in their game in the Emerald Isle… Brian Kelly, why you no like America? And then, your boys let this happen?

Man, back in my day, we fought revolutions for less  <adjusts tricorner cap>. Read More

Tags: Alabama, Auburn, Bowling Green, Cal, Costumes, Denard Robinson, Florida, Iowa, Joe Paterno, Kentucky, Louisville, Mark May, Michigan, Michigan State, MSU, Navy, Nebraska, Nike, Northern Illinois, Notre Dame, Ohio Bobcats, Oregon, Penn State, Rich Rodriguez, SEC, SISU, Southern Cal, Taylor Martinez, TBPU, Tennessee, Toledo, TWTW, Uniforms, WVA, Youngstown State
Categories: College Football, Humor, Michigan Football

It’s your regularly scheduled look around the world of college sports- a bit more in depth than the tidbits we’ve got after practice. Following Tuesday’s notes, be sure to check the latest on “reform” from the NCAA and thoughts on Penn State’s constant appeals processes.

Buckeye 411

• 

  Always. Forever.

  Not So Fast…  Any speculation about Roby playing offense and defense was shut down by the coaches today. He made a spectacular play on an overthrow today, though- he’s going to be special. However, Corey Brown said that Roby wasn’t the fastest guy on the team, and called him out saying that he (Corey) wasn’t able to run during testing but that he could beat Roby in a race.

• Dunn Update- Brionte spent much of the day with the second team offense. He will be a part of this year’s successes offensively.
• Granted- Curtis Grant was back at practice after spending time in Virginia with his ill grandfather Josh Perry was back as well.
• That’s Nate!  Also out today in helmets and shoulder pads was Nathan Williams, who did some contact drills without a brace on his leg. It should be noted that the contact was only 3/4 speed, working technique with tackling sleds and dummies.
• Abandon Hope, B1G QBs- Shazier is now up 25 pounds and is actually faster than last year, although he’s honest that he played too fast last season. He talked about being able to let the play happen rather than rushing past it.
• On The Blocks- Orhian Johnson blocked a field goal attempt in today’s competition.
• Tackle Football- Reid Fragel and Taylor Decker split time at tackle today, with Decker working with the #1s during the final segment. This may be due to hydration issues from the heat today.
• And So, It Begins-  The “We still love you, can we be besties?” between the Buckeyes and ESPN kicks off with this coverage from ESPN The Magazine Read More

Tags: Academics, Adidas, APR, BCS, Bradly Roby, Brionte Dunn, BTN, Corey Brown, Curtis Grant, ESPN, Joe Paterno, Louis Freeh Report, Maryland, Nathan Williams, NCAA failures, Nike, Orhian Johnson, Penn State, Reid Fragel, Ryan Shazier, SBP, Taylor Decker, Television Revenue, Uniforms, Urban Meyer
Categories: College Football, Conference Expansion, Humor, NCAA Investigations, Ohio State Football