Star Power
Wonder if this helps recruiting?Pride isn’t the only thing on the line when the Buckeyes take on the Trojans Saturday night in the Shoe as a bevy of elite recruits will be on hand to witness the event. Jordan Hicks, Seantrel Henderson and LaMarcus Joyner, all legitimate top 20 prospects, will be in making official visits and all also have the distinction of having both Ohio State and Southern Cal in their fives.
Corner Joshua Shaw and tackle Chaz Green, two top fifty talents that also have USC and OSU in their short lists will also be in attendance, as will the other Corey Brown, St. Thomas Aquinas star Brandon Linder and super-leg Will Hagerup.
Perhaps just as important as winning the services of undecided recruits will be the visit of verbal James Louis. Though he has maintained that he’s a definite future Buckeye, Urban Meyer has ratcheted up Florida’s pursuit of the wideout.
The list of other players, both seniors (committed and not) and juniors that will be in Columbus on an unofficial visit is almost too large to enumerate, but if you can think of a big get from Ohio in the 2011 class, they will likely be in the Shoe Saturday night.
Though it might not rival last year’s Oscar night at the Coliseum, other stars will be in attendance. LeBron James will most certainly be there, as will Eddie George and Mike Conley. It’s also a pretty huge weekend for Thad Matta and the basketball program as they’ll welcome in the 2010 class as well as several 2011 prospects.
If things break the right way, Ohio State could be reaping the benefits for months or even years to come.
You know what else would help with recruiting? A big freaking win!
I second that Jeff.
With that Atmosphere, win big or close game, Henderson, Joyner and Hicks commit. That’s my honest opinion. Maybe not this weekend or anything, but they’ll be Buckeyes.
If the Buckeyes get all three, I’m a very happy man.
I think they have a great shot at Henderson and Joyner anyway, Hicks I worry about. I think that he may take off. I really would like to see Hicks here though.
I think we will see more sports stars from the past at Ohio State this weekend then we will see movie stars. But I’m really hoping for a McConaughey shirtless appearance near the 50 yard line around half time on the USC sideline.
On a delusional note, this is my pre-game speech to the team.
Gentlemen:
Since last year’s defeat, we have embarked on course of redemption, a course that has taken us through the sweat, pain, and blood of practices in the spring and summer. We have laid the ground work and you have endured and grown together as a great team. Tonight we will unleash the ferocity that has been pent up in our collective souls since last September. We will come out and attack and attack some more. We will take some hits and we will endure some set backs, but we will overcome together as the team that I know you are. In the mean time, we will prove to the rest of the football nation that we are here to reclaim our position as National Champions. After tonight, we will proudly tell the rest of the world to kiss our collective ass. Because during the first half we are going to use their aggressiveness against them while hitting them so hard they begin understand that they are in a battle for their football lives and that they may not make it back to USC without suffering the thousand tiny slices of the national press corp. After we endure the first half, the second half you will see a more diverse attack that will break their will and set up some easy points. During our time on the field, I want each of you on search and destroy missions as you carry out your assigned duties. When you deliver each bone crushing hit, I want to hear you scream out with malicious joy. After you delivered each hit I want the USC team to groan in agony. I want you to hit them so hard that Sanchez is happier that he went pro, I want you to hit them so hard that the cream puff in Cincinnati actually apologizes for being the douche bag, I want you to hit them so hard OJ wants to confess. Most of all I want you to go out there on that field and play like the champions I know you are!!! When we take the field, I want to hear your war cry because we are about to unleash Hell on Earth.
Let’s head out…