What’s really important

Continued thoughts and prayers to our friends in Cowboy and Sooner land… soundtrack should be obvious for today.

Buckeye 411

• Watchful Eye- Monday saw a couple more “watch lists” for post-season accolades. Corey Linsley is on the Rimington list; an award first won by Buckeye great LeCharles Bentley. Juniors Ryan Shazier and Bradly Roby are on the list for the Lott Award, named for the second greatest safety to play the game.
• Also Awarded- While the Men’s Baseball team is headed for the B1G tournament, a couple of Buckeyes were honored by the conference today. Pellant and Dempsey were both named to the B1G First Team for their work this season; Dempsey’s nomination was unanimous. Now that’s a closer…
• Bigger Things- Our man-crush and all around great guy John Simon signed a four year contract today with the Baltimore Ravens, which I’m sure will be able to buy more free weights for him to lift and stuff-

Simon’s contract has a total value of $2.545 million, including a $385,652 signing bonus. The deal includes base salaries of $405,000, $495,000, $585,000 and $675,000.

• Real Ain’t Real- We had a lot of fun with Lennay Kekua, and “her” ability to pull the wool over the eyes of at least one Notre Dame student athlete (and the national media). However, a bit closer to home, the folks at Buckeye Planet have been instrumental in fleshing out the story of an imposter posing as an Ohio State All-American… you seriously need to read the thread, it’s got twists and turns and intrigue and things that make me wonder what in the holy hell is wrong with people.
• In Case You Missed It- Our brothers from another mother over at Buckeye Empire are breaking down the Ohio State roster so you can choose a new favorite now that Simon has graduated.  Also, we’ve launched our “Buckeye Hall Of Fame” series this week… neither set of coverage will include Giovanni Strassini.
• Future Is Bright- If you’re not Loving our incoming hoops recruiting class, perhaps a Parade of acknowledgement will help bring you up to speed.
• Mmmm… Barbecue- In  California, they call everything held near a flame “barbecue”… even ‘smores. Seriously. In Tennessee, they know the truth, and even have an amazing sense of humor about it. Good thing they’ve got that disclaimer- can you imagine Craft’s steals numbers if he had sticky stuff on his fingers?
• Motivation: If you didn’t have a reason to get your butt to the gym, Sammy Silverman reminds you the bigger purpose: Read More

Tags: Aaron Craft, B1G Conference, Bradley Roby, Buckeye Planet, Corey Linsley, ESPN, John Simon, Marc Loving, Pay It Forward, Ryan Shazier, Sammy Silverman, SBP
Categories: Ohio State Basketball, Ohio State Football

It’s not summer yet, no matter how many days of 90+ degree weather that we have in Los Angeles… but the summer blockbuster season is upon us. With that in mind, let’s revisit an SBP favorite for this week’s soundtrack.

Buckeye 411

It’s Disney? Rats…

• Brick Wall Not Included- which is too bad, because you’re going to want to run through one once you’ve checked out the latest hype video from the Ohio State staff.  We’ll embed it once that option is available, but for now, take two minutes away from the TPS reports and watch it at the official site.
• And The Good News? Coach Meyer is planning on being here for quite some time.
• Still Making A Difference- Great article in Inside Higher Education about Jim Tressel’s new career, including something that this higher education professional can certainly relate to,

The beauty of it is, kids are kids and people are people, and if they first and foremost feel that you care about them and that you really are there to serve them, it’s easy. I’ve had the chance to hone those skills for many, many, many years, and to me it’s second nature to want to see what I can do for someone.

This also sounds familiar,

That marketing and television and all of the funds that are involved in major college athletics have certainly taken a little bit of control, not just for the institution, but I think it’s affected the experience for the youngsters. It’s not necessarily what I believe in, and I worry a little bit that there’s so much time invested into that singular passion, that — are we giving them the experiences that they are going to need through the rest of their lives?

Akron students… I hope you know how fortunate you are.

• Yeah, We Know- The team at Everyday Should Be Saturday has a bit of fun at Ohio State’s schedule for 2013; it’s a fair and hilarious critique, amplified by an SEC school dodging a trip to Columbus (go figure). Oh well… we can’t all play Georgia Southern, Chattanooga, and Furman.

Buckeye Hoops

• Like Mike- We received some well deserved criticism last week that we hadn’t given former Buckeye and current Grizzle fo shizzle Mike Conley any love for his amazing play throughout this year’s NBA playoffs.  Well, never fear dear reader- Sports Illustrated gave junior their cover, and Bill Simmons’ Blog Of Wonders identified his prowess against more heralded opposition. Read More

Tags: Auburn, B1G Conference, Brady Hoke, Jim Tressel, Kentucky, Michigan State, Mike Conley, Mississippi, Notre Dame, Pay It Forward, Penn State, SBP, SEC, TTUN, Urban Meyer
Categories: College Basketball, College Football, Humor, Michigan Football, Ohio State Basketball, Ohio State Football, Outreach

While the details are still coming out, I can’t stop thinking about how amazing the situation in Cleveland was yesterday. We need more folks like Charles Ramsey who would be willing to get involved when it’s easier to just mind their own business. Only one soundtrack possibility today, then.

Silver Dollar Pancakes- Exquisite!

Buckeye 411

• Mmmmm… Pancakes. Ken broke the news yesterday, but here’s the official word on the best offensive lineman to ever play the game’s induction into the College Football Hall Of Fame. It’s the first time that anyone can remember that Eddie George led Orlando over the goal line…Here’s a video clinic on how to play the left tackle position, and a very very very long afternoon for Penn State’s defenders.
• Speaking Of Greatness- Another Buckeye was honored on Tuesday, as Cris Carter was the toast of Middletown as they celebrated his induction into the Pro Football Hall Of Fame in Canton this upcoming August.  Also of note, Cris has still got wheels.
• Somewhat Related- Attn: Duron. Alas.
• More Honors-  Coach Meyer was received yet another accolade on Tuesday at the Northeast Ohio Football Foundation as the college coach of the year (shared with Mount Union’s Larry Kehres).  Coach Meyer again accepted it on behalf of this year’s senior class, who Coach Tressel recruited. I can’t decide what the best part of this video package is, but “Tress goofing with Urban” has the lead coming down the stretch.
• Divine Intervention- We all heard the rumors regarding Urban and Sharif Floyd; seems like Tebow’s Dad wanted to stay involved in Coach Meyer’s programs, since Vonn Bell received a sign that he should matriculate to Columbus. Me? I just get the Daily Show or Kimmel late at night… Perhaps I need to upgrade my provider.
• Good Good Byes- The OZone has great interviews with some of the Buckeyes who are headed to “the Show” from a media event at the WHAC on Tuesday- check out what John Simon, Jake Stoneburner, and Zach Boren had to say as they prepared for the next step in their careers.
• Good Byes? For what it’s worth, there are reports that Ohio State sophomore David Perkins may be transferring out of Columbus. If true, I fully believe that it may have something to do with an assault earlier this spring (totally kidding, people).
• Lucrative Business, That- In addition to some amazing moments, the Dayton Regional brought in the cash. Good to know.
• This Week In Sammy Silv- Ready for The Chase? Read More

Tags: 'Da U, Arizona, Bob Stoops, College Football Hall Of Fame, David Perkins, Duron Carter, Eleven Warriors, ESPN, Finances, Higher Education, Jake Stoneburner, Jim Tressel, John Simon, Kaleb Ringer, Kansas Basketball, Larry Kehres, Miami, Money, Nevin Shapiro, Orlando Pace, Pro Football Hall Of Fame, Sammy Silverman, SBP, SEC, Tommie Frazier, Uniforms, Urban Meyer, Vonn Bell, Will Hagerup, Wyoming, Zach Boren
Categories: Michigan Football, Ohio State Football

Welcome to Wednesday, the first of May… it’s officially grilling season (unless you live in California, where it’s always that time). Here’s today’s soundtrack; if you don’t know why, then… well… keep reading.

Archie’d

Buckeye 411

• Is The Right Time- The ABC/ESPN/Disney schedule for college football came out on Monday, the the Buckeyes will get to show their stuff in prime time on at least three occasions this upcoming season: Against Wisconsin, at Northwestern, and again when Penn State comes to town. Some interesting history with those teams- Obviously, the Badgers and Buckeyes have loads of fun under the lights, and I think Jim Tressel is still trying to run up the score for the last night game in Evanston. The Lions were gracious hosts last year for a late game, certainly a payback for the darkness in the ‘Shoe back in 2008. While it hasn’t been announced as of yet, there’s also the possibility that the Cal game could end up as a 7:30 or so kick off on the East Coast.
• Why? Recruiting. Urban Meyer loves the big game atmosphere, and having the Buckeyes on TV with the eyes of the nation’s top recruits on them cannot be a bad thing. Also- With Ohio State’s “questionable” schedule strength next season, the more exposure they can build will certainly help toward addressing any rankings situations for the end of the season.  C’mon, Pasadena…
• Congrats- To all the 2013 graduates from THE Ohio State University, particularly the bros who got Heisman Bombed above.
• The Future- With top QB recruit Deshaun Watson sticking with his commitment to Clemson, it seems that Ohio State has started to look more closely at Louisiana’s Brandon Harris.  Worth keeping an eye on.
• Hoops Updates- Our friends over at The Buckeye Room are hosting Evan Ravenel for autograph sessions; and your Aaron Craft adorable meter needs recalibration.
• Also? Evan Turner doesn’t like geese. So there’s that.
• Design Du Jour- From the mind and computer of Ohio State’s graphics guru: Read More

Tags: 21013 Season, Archie Griffin, B1G, Brandon Harris, Duke, ESPN, Evan Turner, Mark Emmert, Mike Krzyzewski, NCAA, Northwestern, Oregon State, Penn State, Sammy Silverman, SBP, The Buckeye Room, Wisconsin
Categories: NCAA Investigations, Ohio State Basketball, Ohio State Football, Recruiting

Lucrative? Well…

After a weekend in the land of authentic pizza and corrupt government, there’s really only one choice for this week’s soundtrack, particularly with all of the news coming out of B1G headquarters.

Buckeye 411

Gonna’ be honest- not much in the way of news in Columbus these days, Thank Woody. Here’s some tidbits, though:

• Hockey Bucks- Whispers on Tuesday were that Ohio State will make current interim coach Steve Rholik the permanent leader for the upcoming season.  Not a “slam dunk”, but certainly a solid hire nonetheless.
• Getting Drafty- The NFL Draft starts on Thursday, and there’s a good possibility that the entire B1G will be shut out of the first round for the first time in forever.  For OSU Draft prospectus, be sure to check out the earlier take from our NFL Expert.
• iTBDBITL- Interesting article in The Lantern today regarding the OSU Marching Band’s efforts to save paper and procure iPads for everyone involved in the program. There are a ton of advantages to this idea,

Using certain applications available on the iPads, members of the band would be able to read music, send out videos of rehearsals and also read field charts. Normally, only the band director is able to see the bigger picture in motion while the band members look at papers.

“Instead of one person getting to see the bigger picture, now everyone gets to see the actual animation,” Barta said.

King and Barta said they are not aware of any other university band using this type of technology, which they hope will also help them recruit future Buckeyes.

“We are similar to sports teams in terms of recruiting,” King said. “We are trying to get the best high school student musicians to come play our band.”

The funds that TBDBITL need to raise are around $120K… meanwhile, all of the student athletes have been provided iPads for a while now.  This has been your weekly “athletes and students are not the same” reminder.

• More Silver, Man- From the work of Ohio State’s graphics expert: Read More

Tags: ACC, B1G Expansion, BTN, Jim Delany, NCAA, Playoffs, Rose Bowl, SBP, SEC
Categories: College Football

Lotta stuff rattling around the ol’ brainpan the last couple of days… sometimes it’s good to have a bit of distraction from the harshness of our realities. Here’s the song that’s been stuck in my subconscious…

Buckeye 411

• Our Long National Nightmare Is Over, Part One- Braxton’s hair is back to normal. Whew.
• Making Friends Money- The four letter network was in Columbus on Tuesday, as a part of their spring football trip. As a homer, I’m fully aware that they were in Ann Arbor while spring practice was in session and waited until after Saturday’s game to visit the WHAC. Nonetheless, Coach Meyer met with Rece and Spiels to talk about the expectations that lay before the team for 2013. Good to see that they could take time away from their usual narrative regarding Buckeye football, no?
• Graphic Du Jour- Sammy Silverman knows no off season:

• Our Long National Nightmare Is Over, Part Two- Ohio State has got a new women’s basketball coach.  Now, we need a home run for our hockey program.
• Hoops. There It Is- Congrats to Tayler Hill, who went fourth in Monday’s WNBA draft!
• Smack Talk- Vrabel has it.

Read More

Tags: Boston Marathon, Braxton Miller, Chip Kelly, Concussions, Ed O'Bannon, ESPN, Kevin McGuff, Mike Vrabel, Oregon, Pat Summerall, Ridell, Sammy Silverman, SBP, SEC, Southern Cal, Tayler Hill, TTUN, Urban Meyer, Willie Lyles, Women's Basketball
Categories: College Football, NCAA Investigations, Ohio State Basketball, Ohio State Football

In Process

Spring has finally arrived in Columbus, it seems- time to enjoy Oval Beach and discover all of the kids’ toys that were buried under the snow.  Being Ohio, though, it only means that there’s another storm on the horizon… so, there’s but one choice for today’s soundtrack.

Buckeye 411

• Spring Forward- Lots and lots of news this week in preparation for the Spring Game in Cincinnati. Again, the “move” is due to a) Renovations in The Shoe and b) Wanting to increase the Buckeye presence in the southeast corner of the state. Kerry Coombs can only do so much, you guys.
• Tickets And Stuff- Sounds like there are a number of seats still available… you can get all of the information you need at the University site. Oh, and did we mention that they’d be selling/serving “BEvERages” at the event?
• Difference Makers- In the comments, we want your opinion: Who will be the “surprise” of this year’s Spring Game? Anyone primed for a breakout?
• Chasin’ A Dream- Jeff Svoboda over at Buckeye Sports Bulletin ($) has a great article on “The Chase” for Ohio State, both for the team as a whole, and for the players’ individual goals and expectations. Well worth the read, if only for a better understanding of the focus for a team coming off of an undefeated, yet incomplete, season.
• This Week In Sammy Silverman: Seriously, I’m convinced that Ohio State has the best graphics team in the country… Read More

Tags: Air Force, Army, Cincinnati, Denard Robinson, ESPN, Finances, Louisville, Mark May, Navy, NCAA failures, Penn State, Sammy Silverman, SBP, Spring Game, Title IX
Categories: Humor, Michigan Football, Ohio State Football

After a weekend filled with excitement and disappointment, it’s a bit of a quiet mood at tBBC headquarters. We like baseball, and know that OSU sports are amazing even if not the “got to be on television” variety, but I’d be lying if I didn’t confess that there’s a bit of a let down these days.  Ah well… only two songs possible for today’s soundtrack. Onward.

Buckeye 411

• Injury Update- As you may have read, Ohio State offensive lineman Antonio Underwood will miss up to 6 months with a torn ACL that he experienced in Spring Practice this week.  There’s significant speculation that he’s going to red-shirt.
• Fired Up- The other “injury” news from Tuesday was Braxton getting blasted as a part of a scrimmage drill, in spite of the fact that he was wearing a black “no contact” jersey. He spent some time on the turf, but then got up and returned to drills later in the practice. There are reports that he tried to lower his shoulder on a run following his return, and that he approached the defense very heated about being knocked to the ground. After practice, Urban talked about the need to have a competitive spirit and to be the kind of quarter back that “want to go get in a street fight and get after it”.
• The Stable- Carlos Hyde sat most of the “team” portion of Tuesday’s scrimmage to get the Young Bucks more opportunities. Rod Smith and Brionte Dunn continue to impress, but Warren Ball seems to have not missed a beat by missing last season with a foot injury, and was a highlight for the second straight week.
• Make Them Pay- Linebacker Armani Reeves took an interception 71 yards in the team portion of practice, but was leveled at the end of his run by Chase Farris.
• Diamonds In The Rough- The Buckeyes showed a bit of the “diamond” formation that the 49ers have made popular since last season (and that Nebraska gashed OSU with in Lincoln two years ago). Today, Hyde was joined by Smith and Dunn in the backfield in a “broken wishbone” look. Woody would be so proud.
• Wither The Slot- Jordan Hall is still recovering this spring, so the “slot” position has fallen to Chris Fields.
• Jonesing- Saturday, Cardale Jones had one of his best practices; enough to make Coach Meyer say that he was confident that Cardale could play Quarterback at Ohio State.  While his accuracy continues to be an adventure, those who saw him in practice said that his running reminded them of a current Raiders QB (No, not Matt Flynn).
• Manning Up- Coach Meyer had good things to say about Patrick Elflein, who saw time at several positions on the offensive line.
• Sparing No XSpence- Noah continues to be the defensive lineman that stands out… man, we need to come up with a nickname for him.
• ‘Preciate It- As you can tell by today’s graphic, something special is in the air for Ohio State Students this week. Here- let Urban tell you about it: Read More

Tags: 'Da U, Antonio Underwood, Armani Reeves, Braxton Miller, Brionte Dunn, Cardale Jones, Chase Farris, Chris Fields, Deshaun Thomas, Ed O'Bannon, Mark Emmert, Noah Spence, Officially Awful, Patrick Elflein, Rod Smith, Rutgers, SBP, Spring Practice, Urban Meyer, Warren Ball
Categories: Humor, Ohio State Basketball, Ohio State Football