Archives for January 2013

In Case You Missed It

CavaliersIn case you missed it is Men of the Scarlet and Gray’s semi-weekly look at items that would interest the casual and hard-core Ohio State fan, be they news items, interesting blog posts or funny memes you probably saw on Reddit last week. It’s all here and it’s all for you. Have a tip that should be included in the next ICYMI? Send it our way!

SCHEDULING CONFLICTS: The talk of the past couple days has been the possibility of a ten game Big Ten schedule. As with everything about college football, this is more about money than anything else. With just two non-conference games, big name teams are not going to play Big Ten teams in Big Ten country without a return trip to their place.

“Most of us need seven home games in order to make our local budgets,” Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith said. “Is there a way to overcome that? I don’t know. We’ll have to look at that. The conference is aware that it’s an issue.”

BEST B1G IN THE BCS ERA: Tom Dienhart of BTN ranked the best B1G Teams of the BCS Era. Ohio State shows up in six of the twelve spots, including the top 3. Hard to argue with his rankings, but I think I would still have the 2005 Buckeye team in the list, probably replacing the 2007 team at #5 (after the 2005 Penn State team). I think we’re going to revisit this topic to ultimately decide how to rank all the Ohio State teams of the BCS era.

COME TO OHIO SHTATE: College football recruiting has never interested me at the level of other Buckeye fans. Our own Sylvester Yon-Rambo has covered the majority of our recruiting content here and he loves it. But one thing’s for sure: there’s never a dull moment when Urban Meyer is involved. But this year has been stranger than others, it seems. Maybe it’s Twitter.

DON’T CALL IT A COMEBACK: There’s chatter that Greg Oden, in a bid to return healthy to the NBA, has the Cleveland Cavaliers on a short list of teams he’s interested in. As a Cavs fan and an Oden fan I am very much in favor of this signing. He’s a low risk, high reward signing (since he will come cheap) and the Cavs need a big man in the worst way. He said last night at the Wisconsin game that he’s planning on returning next season after rehabbing and strengthening his injury-prone knees.

ET CETERA: Oh OBC, don’t ever change… Shame, shame, Alabama players, SI knows your name… We shared this on our Facebook page last night, but don’t forget to vote for Ohio State to be the school on the cover next version of EA’s NCAA football video game.

Ohio State tops Wisconsin, 58-49

OSU LogoAnytime Wisconsin is in town (or playing basketball ever), you know you’re in for, if nothing else, a really dragging, boring anti-excitement basketball game. Bo Ryan’s going to bore you to death and hope he can take the opposition down with you. Lulling you to sleep with 34-second possesion after 34-second possession.

What we actually got were three million three point attempts (28 but who’s counting) by Wisconsin versus a fairly well spread offensive attack and another swarming defensive effort by the Buckeyes.

Both teams got off to a blistering start, scoring not three, not four, but five points in the first six plus minutes of the first half. Yep, we were playing Wisconsin.

Ohio State initially got solid production going though Deshaun Thomas, with DT scoring the first eight points. Buckeyes went away from Thomas, looking for another scorer to step up the challenge. Aaron Craft scored eight points in the first half, mostly going to the rim.

The second half was a close back and forth match until the Buckeyes, aided by scorers not named Thomas (just kidding, it was mostly Thomas), went on a 15-0 run while the defense forced Wisconsin into some ill advised shots while they went cold, missing seven straight.

It also helped that Wisconsin considered the lane to be lava with very little scoring in the paint and headed to the free-throw line zero times. Not going to win very many games not getting to the free throw line.

Overall, LaQuinton Ross pitched in with a couple timely threes, Aaron Craft tossed in 13 points and pulled down a team leading 7 rebounds. Deshaun led everyone with 25.

The Buckeyes move into third place with a 6-2 record in the Big Ten.

Wisconsin Live In Game Chat

No. 23 brings a playmaker for OSU

We are a week away from National Signing Day A.K.A. Christmas for CFB coaches and fans alike. Sure some people get better presents then others but none the less this is an exciting time for all coaches and fans of the recruiting process. For Coach Meyer and OSU fans it is the WR position that is needed most in those presents. You see OSU has most everything they need in life but a few play makers are what every one knows we need and want. Today, we got one step closer with recruit no 23 in the 2013 OSU recruiting class.

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The news was broke by Bill Greene of Scout on his twitter….

Corey Smith is a 6’1″ 180 lb 4 star WR from Akron, Ohio. Corey is a JUCO guy who went to East Mississippi Community College to get his grades up to get back into the NCAA. Corey is a talented WR who also excels at Safety. There is no doubt he is a play maker in every sense of the word. He isn’t a barn burner with his speed but he uses his route running abilities to make the DBs look stupid and get things done. ESPN ranks him a 4 star. Rivals ranks him a 4 star. 247sports ranks him a 4 star and the no 9 JUCO player in the country. Scout ranks him a 3 star. Below you can see some of his highlights.

Basketball Week In Review/Preview

Coming off a disappointing loss to Michigan State, this week the Buckeyes faced two of the bottom three teams in the B1G. Just what the doctor ordered.

Week in Review

1/22/2013: Ohio State 72 – Iowa 63 (14-4, 4-2 Big Ten)

The buckeyes throughly dominating the Hawkeyes until the last few minutes of the game. I hate to focus on the negative in a win, but the team did not handle the full court pressure well. It led to a very sloppy second half. It is an old cliché, but the team appeared to lose focus with such a large lead. I think the entire team fell victim to this trap and were not able to regain the mental edge that led to the 24 point lead. That being said, the Buckeyes were able to hold off Iowa for a much-needed win.

1/26/2013: Ohio State 65 – Penn State 51 (15-4, 5-2 Big Ten)

The Buckeyes controlled this game from beginning to end. They were never in danger. A few spurts of poor shooting, specifically from DT (4-13 for the game) led to a below average score. All in all, a result you would expect against a win less (in B1G) opponent. The Buckeyes are still searching (isn’t it getting a little late in the season) for consistent 2nd and 3rd scorers. Sam Thompson filled that void against the Nittany Lions. He played an excellent game with 16 points on 6-7 shooting. Let’s hope Sam and the rest of the supporting cast can continue to improve their consistency. It will be sorely needed in the loaded back-end of the B1G schedule. Games the rest of the season include Indiana x2, Wisconsin x2, Michigan, Minnesota, Michigan State.

Week in Preview

1/29/2013 @ 7 PM (ESPN) Wisconsin (5-2 Big Ten) vs Ohio State (5-2 Big Ten)

The pesky Badgers led by Bo Ryan always play the Buckeyes tough. This is an important game as the winner will remain near the top fo the B1G race.

2/2/2013 @ 7 PM (BTN) Nebraska (2-6 Big Ten) vs Ohio State (5-2 Big Ten)

The real question about this game is how does Nebraska have 2 wins in the B1G? They looked awful against the Buckeyes in the B1G opener. Should be an easy win.

In other news…

We cannot review this weeks’ happenings without a mention of Matta’s contract revision. Details of the contract restructure can be found here and here. Well documented by Bob Baptist of the Dispatch.

I know there are varying opinions out there about Matta’s tenure at OSU. As far as I am concerned, he can stay as long as he wants.

In Case You Missed It

In case you missed it is Men of the Scarlet and Gray’s semi-weekly look at items that would interest the casual and hard-core Ohio State fan, be they news items, interesting blog posts or funny memes you probably saw on Reddit last week. It’s all here and it’s all for you. Have a tip that should be included in the next ICYMI? Send it our way!

MEYER IS AN OPPORTUNIST: So says Frank Schwab at Yahoo’s Dr. Saturday blog:

The Ducks recruit very well, with the sparkling facilities, recent success and the shine from all that Nike gear. If a coaching change was going to cause those top recruits to have second thoughts before signing day, Meyer was going to exploit it.

I’m going to go out on a limb and say as long as Urban Meyer is at Ohio State, these type of “tactics” are going to continue. I wonder if those fans that accuse Urban Meyer of shady tactics secretly wish their coach would do the same. But this type of behavior doesn’t go unnoticed by big-time high school recruits, or their parents:

That’s (apparently) Biff Poggi, football coach and father of Michigan recruit Henry Poggi on the state of recruiting affairs in the Big Ten.

SPEAKING ABOUT RECRUITS: Let’s all agree that tweeting at recruits is just another creepy thing that can be done on the internet and there’s enough creepiness already. Adding to it by tweeting at some high school kid is just not necessary. Don’t don’t it, ok?

TICKETS! WHO NEEDS TICKETS?!: I’ve been buying tickets to Ohio State football games since my first season on campus in 1998 and yes, prices have risen steadily for fifteen years. Of course, the most drastic increase was the “Student-to-Alumnus” ticket price increase. But I understand the price of doing business involves ever growing costs (like supporting 30+ other sports at a major university) so I guess I didn’t get as upset as others did about the proposed changes to ticket prices. I actually think the idea makes sense:

The Athletic Council will ask that two games for the 2013, ’14, ’15 and ’17 seasons be designated as “premier” games. Those games’ costs will range from $110 to $150. The price of the 2016 premier game, undoubtedly against Michigan, will cost $175. That’s 21/2 times the cost of last year’s $70 ticket. Wisconsin and Penn State are the most likely targets for premium status in 2013.

Michigan tickets have always fetched a premium MUCH higher than $175 bucks a piece. Everyone had to know that Ohio State is clearly aware of the secondary ticket market and what they were “missing out” on and it was only a matter of time before they got a bigger piece of the pie.

WHEN YOU PEAK…: This talk of increasing ticket prices was part of CBS Sports’ Dennis Dodd asking: Has college football peaked?

I’VE GOT A BAD FEELING ABOUT THIS: For some reason, I just don’t see this ending well for Buckeyes or their fans if they ever get into hot water again:

Carr is one of eight new appointments to the NCAA’s Committee on Infractions, which was approved by the NCAA’s board of directors during a weekend meeting, according to a summary report.

Oh, sure, right. I’m sure Mr. Carr will be able to separate his emotions and feelings toward a certain school in the Buckeye state and be completely objective to whatever evidence is produced against them. Right.

I’VE GOT A GOLDEN TICKET: I have to admit that even though it ended a while ago, I think this ticket “scheme” that Minnesota cooked up with their Golden Ticket promotion was brilliant.

ETC SINCE THE LAST ICYMI: Linebacker Conner Crowell and freshman offensive lineman Joey O’Connor are no longer members of the Ohio State football team… Verlon Reed has transferred Findlay… Speaking of wide receivers that didn’t pan out at Ohio State, Duron Carter has declared for the NFL draft (and will probably be drafted [and has always been more physically talented than you {and plays more Xbox than you do, too}])… Pointing and laughing at Bret Bielema never gets old… I’ve been saying this for a while now, but enjoy football while we still can… Big screens keep on getting bigger

Penn State Live In Game Chat

Former Buckeyes represented in Super Bowl XLVII

Super-Bowl-XLVII

The B1G Conference is highly represented in Super Bowl XLVII between the San Francisco 49ers and the Baltimore Ravens. The conference represents the second most players in the game with 15, ranking second behind the 17 players that came from the SEC. Out of the 15 players that came out of the B1G, four players came out of The Ohio State University, right behind the five that rep the U of Miami. Donte Whitner, Ted Ginn, Alex Boone and Larry Grant all play for the 49ers and all of them played here under Coach Tressel. Three of them (Boone, Whitner, Ginn) went to high school in Ohio, while two of them (Whitner, Ginn) went to Glenville High School. We remember them all and it would be great to see them bring home the Lombardi Trophy.

Donte Whitner: Donte Whitner left the Buffalo Bills in 2011 to sign with the 49ers in free agency. Last year Whitner launched himself into the spot light by not only quarterbacking one of the league’s best secondaries, but also his knockout hit on Pierre Thomas in last years playoffs. Whitner was elected to his first career Pro Bowl this year after finishing third on the team with 83 total tackles. Watch for Whitner and fellow safety Dashon Goldson to wreak havoc on Baltimore’s receivers,  something that the Patriots did not do last weekend.

Ted Ginn: Ted Ginn is known as a first round bust but he still has the same blazing speed and big play capability that he showed while wearing the scarlet and gray. Coach Harbaugh rarely plays Ginn at wide receiver due to his inefficient route running and the 49ers depth at wide receiver but Ginn could make a game changing play in the return game during the Super Bowl.

Alex Boone: Alex Boone still brings the same nastiness to the 49ers offensive line that he brought to Columbus a few seasons ago. After only appearing in one game his rookie season, Boone appeared in all 16 games last season and started all 16 this season at right guard. He was named second team All-NFL by Pro Football Focus and led the way for Frank Gore’s 1,214 yard season. Look for him to create running lanes for the 49ers spread option and heavy ground attack.

Larry Grant: We will not be seeing much of Larry Grant next Sunday as he is mostly a special teamer and a back up linebacker to the league’s deepest linebacking core. Although he appeared in all 16 regular season games, Grant only recorded one tackle on the season.

Friday Open Thread: Senior Moments – John Simon

Johnny SimonJohn Simon the IV. Lover of ladies. Eater of quarterbacks.

Since his freshman year, John Simon has been a Buckeye fan favorite. He won fans over with his drive (remember him leaving the Toledo game to get an IV in him?). He never complained, always was positive and never seemed to play dirty. He just played really, really hard and probably played above his physical abilities. Hard work and putting in the time definitely paid off for Johnny Simon

He was a freak of nature and he was a freak in the weight room. That may have been what endeared him the most to a lot of us, myself included. I still think about This Dispatch article about his workout “hobby” and that time he talked to The Lantern about how he and his dad work out on Christmas morning and even our own SYR had this anecdote about the Simon’s love for working out:

My neighbor told me when you walk in the Simon house they have a weight room in their living room, not a couch and TV.

And finally there’s the coup de grace of quotes, the highest of praise from head coach Urban Meyer:

Because nobody likes two-a-days, except maybe John Simon.

To top it all off, Simon is an Ohio guy. Actually, being from Youngstown makes him the Ohio-est kind of guy there is. Hard-working, carry your lunch pail to work Youngstown (with a slight hint of possible mafia violence) is as Ohio as it gets. And we love Simon for it. He is going to be missed but he has cemented himself as one of our favorite Buckeyes. If nothing else, he’s an automatic lock for the 2010’s version of the Buckeye Mount Rushmore.

So let’s open for discussion: What are your favorite memories of John Simon?

For me, I think I’d have to go with his performance against Wisconsin in 2011. I still maintain that he is the single biggest reason why we won that game and has the performance of a lifetime to show for it.

(Things start getting good around the 2:20 mark)

What are your favorite Simon moments?

Iowa Live In Game Chat