Archives for March 2008

Speaking of chafing…

OSU FootballThat sound you hear is the sound of a million groans as Jason Bourne Justin Boren considers transferring Ohio State.

(On a side note, and not to jinx ourselves, but we Buckeye Fans are setting ourselves up for a major Schadenfreude-laden fall if (and that’s a mighty big freaking IF) things don’t go our way with Michigan this year.

Monday Musings are late again

CavaliersBlog/site newsOSU FootballOSU LogoIndians… For which it apologizes.

Who says the NIT isn’t exciting? I was at the Quaker Steak last night with my bro-in-law, having my way with a basket of chicken wings with the UMass/Syracuse game on in the background. The BIL commented that certainly UMass couldn’t come back from 20 down, right? I mentioned there were ten minutes left, anything can happen, but probably not. We watched in awe as UMass did the pretty much impossible.

It was a lot more enjoyable to watch than Duke embarrass itself last week.

Let’s hope tonight’s game is just as exciting.

Sometimes I wish I could be adopted in the Tressel family. Just kidding mom and dad!

One of my favorite stories about Tressel is when he explained to his kids what it means to take the OSU job, and said, “when dad lost games at Youngstown State, eighty thousand people would say he was an idiot. Once I’m at Ohio State and I lose a game, eight hundred thousand people would say I’m was an idiot.” I think he underestimated.

No one likes the Knicks. And no one likes desperate fans. This is just sad.

For your OSU football fix, Sunday Morning Quarterback preps you for a season of smack talk from fans of teams from other conferences. No matter how irrational or ignorant we all know this kind of talk is, be prepared to listen to it all season long.

It is going to chafe so many people’s hides when the Buckeyes are in the BCS title game yet again. I can’t wait.

I don’t talk much about the Indians here, but I couldn’t pass this up. When The Dugout did their thing with the Indians, I almost died laughing. This is probably only funny to me, but man are those guys good.

Pronky_Kong: then we could talk about how my dog and I can do the Fastball Special like Wolverine and Colossus and how Casey Blake is totally screwed

That, my friends, is absolutely pure genius.

Finally, your new blogs are: Our Honor Defend and Dotting The ā€œIā€

Go Buckeyes! Beat the Flyers.

It’s a boy!!

OSU FootballJEANNETTE, PA — OSU football coach Jim Tressel gave birth to a healthy, 6’6″, 235 lb., 4.4 forty-runnin’, dual threat quarterback this morning.

Dad and baby are doing fine.

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Paternity tests have confirmed that Rich “Enrod” Rodriguez was not the father as had previously been alleged.

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Monday Musings are sad

FootballOSU FootballThe Buckeyes aren’t in the tournament? That makes MM muy sad.

But that’s just the tip of the old iceberg. What else is happening in the world of sports in the Ohio?

Anything you can do, we can do better: There’s a brief article in the FreeP about Ohio State (and Minnesota) sending some of its defensive position coaches down to South Florida to get some pointers on stopping the Rodriguez Spread Express. The USF Bulls shut it down two years in a row, they must be doing something right. Unfortunately, it looks like they’re rather tight-lipped:

Burnham said, though, “There are a few subtle things I keep to myself. We don’t give away all our secrets.”

Punks.

Terrel Pryor watch: The blogs were abuzz late last week with the announcement that Pryor would be making his decision this week, as he had narrowed his choices down to two schools. I think there’s a 98.43% chance he’s a Buckeye. 11W are a little concerned about him throwing around the word “just” as in “I may just play basketball” as in “I may just go to Memphis.”

Nah, that ain’t happening.

I’m majoring in Quarterbacking: I mentioned yesterday about the academic shenanigans going on up north. Part two of the story is up.

Roll the Bones: Don’t forget about joining us in our Yahoo Tournament Pick’em.

New blogs: Jim Tressel’s Head (They’re on top of the preemptive smack talk going down at USC) and Cleveland Frowns, who gets a big old tip-of-the-hat for a most excellent blog name.

And finally, because it’s been a while, it’s your Vernon Gholston shot for the week:

Vernon Gholston

MotSaG’s Pick’em as ya see’em

I know it’s not as fun to play the brackets without our beloved Buckeyes, but that won’t stop us from holding the second annual Yahoo Pick’em Tournament contest!

Due to circumstances outside our control, last year’s prize was not redeemed. I guess that means we’ll just have an even bigger prize now.

If your interested in participating, email us at motsag@gmail.com or use the contact form and let us know you’re interested. We’ll send the invite along straight away.

Where there’s smoke…

Football…there most likely is a psychology professor puffing on his pipe, teaching Shawn Crable the finer points of his Franklin Day Planner.

It appears that the layers of the onion that is Michigan Athletic department are being pulled back, and it’s causing people to cry. Part one of a four part series has been published today in the Ann Arbor News about certain *ahem* anomalies with respect to student athletes, their academic choices and opportunities made available to said athletes. The first article is concerned with John Hagen, a psychology professor and independent study leader to the stars.

Far be it from me, a fan of the team that once counted a starting wide receiver sporting a 0.0 GPA among its ranks, to call foul on any other program, but it appears that things have been cleaned up considerably since Tressel arrived. That, and the fact that special attention and opportunities are given to student athletes nationwide, whether it be at a powerhouse like Michigan or not. Pot, kettle, you’ve met, I’m sure. That being said, there are still some “uh, what?!” moments reading this article. A couple that stuck out most to me:

Athletes have enrolled in independent studies with Hagen several weeks beyond the normal deadline to add classes, which is 21 days after a semester begins. For example, in the winter 2005 semester that began Jan. 5 and ended April 19, two football players enrolled in independent studies with Hagen on March 18.

and

The News analyzed transcripts from 29 athletes who are either currently enrolled at Michigan, or left the school within the past three years. Twenty one of the athletes took 32 graded courses from Hagen – 25 independent study courses and seven standard classes. They averaged a grade of 3.62 in the professor’s courses, compared to an overall grade point average of 2.57 in the athletes’ other classes. No athlete received a grade worse than a B-minus from Hagen.

Maybe this Hagen character grades on a gentle curve and he really is worried about teaching some of these athletes life lessons. It’s possible. I took an engineering orientation class my first year at OSU. They taught us life lessons, how to study, how to use a day planner, stuff like that. It was also graded pass/fail, was worth one credit hour and had no bearing on our GPA.

This is going to get uglier before it gets better.

Mike over at BSD is all over this like Buckeye Leaves on Beanie’s helmet.

Nash gets the ‘C’

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As expected, 23-year-old Rick Nash has been chosen as team captain for your Columbus Blue Jackets.

Rick is the fifth captain for the franchise, which has never seen a captain last more than three seasons.

It’s another in a string of ‘good long-term decisions that may not pay off right away,’ (something that Jackets fans are quite used to). Nash will have to grow into the role, but as we’ve seen, he’s been able to do everything asked of him so far. It’s a good move.

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Monday musings are back!

Blog/site newsCavaliersOSU LogoOSU FootballAfter already failing in my attempts to blog on a regular basis, the Monday Musings are back after a one week hiatus. And just barely!

The Terrell Pryor watch continues: Now he’s courting offers from places like Memphis. Memphis? I actually told the Monkey last month that he may be one-and-done if he plays both sports, no matter where he plays. As Massey mentions, if he gets a whiff of the cash the NBA will throw at him, he may be tempted to hang up the cleats early. Don’t say we didn’t tell you. And Brian reminds us that while the signing “deadline” is April 1st, he doesn’t actually have to sign anything. He can show up at the Woody Hayes Althetic Center and step right into a scholarship.

The King James Cavaliers: Now that the Cavs have had a couple weeks to mesh, I think they’re really starting to look good. I still think Joe Smith is the diamond in the rough with this trade, but I’m liking what I’m seeing so far. And this is without Z, Boobie, and Sasha.

Ohio State Basketball: The All Big Ten teams were announced, and Jamar Butler was voted on the first team by the media and the second team by the coaches. Kosta Koufos also received mentions. But the real travesty is seeing accolades heaped upon the most overrated player in the Big Ten, Eric Gordon. It’s a joke. And before the Indiana fans crawl all over me, just look at the stats. Yes, he leads the Big Ten in scoring. He’s barely serviceable from behind the arc. He plays out of control. He was constantly bailed out by the refs on ill advised drives. He also took almost 400 shots. He’s bound to make a few of them! I could go on. He’s not a bad player. He’s just overrated.

New blogs: The Sports Diva Magazine and On the Banks of the Olentangy.

Future pieces on tap: Mancrushers unite!

Got any thing you need to get off your chest? Something we’ve missed? Am I an idiot? Let us know!

Congrats, Seniors!

OSU LogoNot even the Blizzard of 2008 was enough to cool the SMOKING red hot Buckeyes, as they absolutely torched the paint off the Schott’s floor this afternoon, decimating the Spartans 63-54. This is certainly not Sparta. Don’t look now, but the Buckeyes are 2-1 in March, and 2-0 against ranked teams.

The full court pressure proved too much for Drew’s motley crew of Neitzel’s, so here’s to hoping Matta continues to apply the heat come tournament time.

Big huge congratulations go to this year’s seniors, Jamar Butler, Othello Hunter and Matt Terwilliger. I’ve had a rocky relationship with Butler but he has really shown me something this year. I’ve got a soft spot for Othello and it’s hard to hate on a guy like Terwilliger.

2008 OSU Seniors

Thanks, guys, for a great four years!

Hey everyone!

OSU FootballRemember me? I’m still around and I still totally don’t want any attention. I’m trying (but not really all that much) to win a basketball championship here. Can’t you see how not interested I am in talking about football?

Sure. Anyway, the Plain Dealer has an article about the Chosen One’s disdain for trying hard (via Waiting for next Year):

“He plays as well as he needs to play,” says his basketball coach at Jeannette High School, Jim Nesser. “I don’t know if that sounds good, but if he needs to take it to another level, he can do that.”

Terrell PryorThat makes me nervous. But never fear, he nonchalantly dismisses it all with an explanation:

The Subject explains that his competitiveness, when flashed, is genetic.

“I’m a Pryor,” he says. “My dad used to hit me when I lost at anything, at fights, anything. I mean, your dad is supposed to make you a man, right? That’s what he did.”

Coach Nessler explains the Subject’s on-court approach a final time.

“Terrelle does whatever he has to.”

Note to Terrell: Coach Tressel will totally not hit you if you lose.