Happy Thursday Buckeye fans. Welcome to your almost-weekend edition of Skull Session, where it seems that the nation is still abuzz about Ohio State's domination and sports writers everywhere appear to be giddy to have found a clear cut number one team in the land.....for now.
Paul Daugherty is one of those writers giving great praise to the Scarlet and Gray and is wondering if anyone can stop Jared Sullinger and the Buckeyes. He is right in that the thing that makes this team so good is that on any given night there are six different players who can rise above the occasion to win a game for the team. When I was thinking about this squad while day dreaming at work today, I actually thought they were very comparable to the two Florida teams that won back to back championships a few years ago, and was glad to see I'm not alone on that sentiment.
While nobody is ready to go as far as to put them up there with the Jerry Lucas-led squad that won the only championship in the history of the program, this team does have a special aura around it that screams Final Four at the very least. No matter what unfolds the rest of the way, it is certain to be an exciting ride, and maybe, just maybe, we'll be able to all enjoy watching Eddie Days cut down the nets in early April.
Buckeyes may be pro-worthy. As good as the Ohio State hoops team is playing, do you believe they can beat the NBA-worst Cleveland Cavaliers? It's certainly something to think about and with 4-6 players on the team that could end up on NBA rosters one day, it's certainly not out of the question. I personally think there's a much bigger gap between the college and professional ranks than most thinks and would give the Buckeyes a victory in maybe 1 out of 10 games against the Cavs. What do you think?
Holy bowl money. In a year where non-AQ teams put up quite an argument to have a playoff, it appears the bowl system is serving the financial needs of schools all over just fine. The 2010-2011 bowl season brought in a record $170 million for the conferences to share. Even more impressive is that while there's no playoff, those non-AQ teams took in the most money they ever have, at $24.7 million. They can sure thank TCU for that one!
Indian giver. While many big Ohio State donors may whine about Jim Tressel's conservative play calling or ask that he be fired after losing at home to USC, they would never pull the stunt that Robert Burton did. Burton, UConn's largest donor to the football program, asked for his $3 million donation back after his opinions were "ignored" in the search for the new coach. While I feel that people like this are very important to success at the Division I level, I don't think just because you give money to a school that you should be involved in the decision to hire it's football coach. The athletic director and other members in the department were hired for their jobs for things like this and I'm just glad that at OSU the people trust Gene Smith to do his thing.
Big Ten bits. Here is a breakdown of recruiting in the Big Ten for the class of 2011... If you missed it in Buckshots, VOTE FOR DAVID LIGHTY! Michigan is gaining some recruiting momentum (and raiding Purdue's cookie jar again) under Brady Hoke... Despite a "down" year, Penn State turned a decent profit in 2010... Black Heart Gold Pants wonders what can possibly happen to the Iowa football team next... Finally, we give you the infamous "Mendenhump".
Comments
Ohio State is now the last unbeaten Division 1 team in the country...the target on their backs just got a little bit bigger.
I wonder if Aaron Craft is salivating thinking about shutting down Jimmer Fredette should they play.
I'm not sure you can shut that guy down.
If you didn't watch the BYU game last night, you missed the "best player" in the country. Fredette is the most prolific scorer in college since Pete Maravich. He can create the 3 pointer off the dribble and can also penetrate and score. What separates the Buckeyes from most of the top teams, is that they have 6 players who can step up on any given night.
I'd say BEST SCORER not BEST PLAYER....in fact he might be the BEST SCORER ever in the history of the NCAA
Good point Alex. Look at the box score, ZERO assists last night and 4 TO's (which isn't too bad in 39 minutes).
Not really...Oscar was great & there were others..but Maravich is the all time leading scorer & he only played three years. They didn't let freshman play varsity & they didn't have a 3 point line. His stats are off the charts !!!!!!
Has Mendenhall commented on his celebratory "dance"? I mean, can he really say, "Oh, yeah, I planned to do that all along. If we win, hump the burger."
More likely is that it was an involuntary reflex. ANY TIME this guy is mounting something - a lady, a tree stump, a big ugly man, really anything - AND he's also excited, the hump trigger is initiated without any conscious decisionmaking involved. Thanks, Mendenall. You've given the lesibians . . . err, feminists additional "proof" that men are, in fact, dogs.
"Hump the Burger" there are no words............
It's about time Roethlesberger is the one on the receiving end of unwanted humping, I say.
HA! Well played.
Exact comment I made a few days ago on a friend's facebook post of the video.
The Ohio State University, College of Arts & Sciences, Class of 2006
The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law, Class of 2009
For a second or so, I thought Mendenhump was prtraying Cousin Eddie's dog, Snots; a true Mississippi Leg Hound if there ever was one.
Johnny Hooker: "He's not as tough as he thinks". Henry Gondorff: "Neither are we".
Christmas Vacation reference!!! FTW!!!! well played sir.
What was better? Mendelhall dry humping Rapelisberger, or Sanchez wiping a big ass booger on Brunell's jacket? Both were pretty effing funny. And as much as I'd like to see tOSU go undefeated, I just don't see it happening. I would much rather lose one or two regular season games, win the conference and conference tourney, and go into the toruney KNOWING that they can be beaten if they don't play at a high level for 40 minutes while "attending the dance". I do think they are capable of beating any team they face and do have the talent to cut down the nets in Houston.
"We have a quarterback, obviously, that's kind of ridiculous running the ball." - Urban Meyer
I agree, Buckeyes not likely to go undefeated. I'd be fairly happy if they go 3-2 in the upcoming five game stretch of @Minn, @Wisc, MSU, @Purdue, and ILL - and I'd be very pleased with 4-1.
I haven't watched a replay of the booger incident but to me it looked like Brunell was highly pissed off and asked "did you just wipe a %$#@##@ booger on me?" So my vote goes to "hump the burger" because Big Ben just layed there and took it.
All I could think watching it was that someone had been playing too much Halo. The post-win hump has become obligatory.
or he laid there and took it......where's my edit button?
As long as one of those wins is v Purdue. Go over to their blogs and see how much in denial they are after that ass whooping they took.
"It was the ref's fault."
"Sullinger isn't that good"
"Mark It Down--we'll kill them in Mackey."
I understand being partial to your team, but you don't need to be as delusional as the folks in Happy Valley. Sheesh!
On the wall guarding the North Coast from all Weasel invasions.
If they are laying that ass-whipping at the feet of "officiating", then denial doesn't quite describe it.
Sullinger not that good? - He was only as good as he needed to be against Purdon't.
Johnny Hooker: "He's not as tough as he thinks". Henry Gondorff: "Neither are we".
As long as we win the championship I don't care if we lose a game or two in the regular season. I would much rather see us go undefeated the entire way but that seems like a stretch. Watching the Purdue vs Mi State game it's hard to think Purdue won't own every single call in their own house. We haven't played a tough as nails team like Wisconisn yet and they will come at us big, full force and nasty.
I said earlier in the week (before the Boiler Beatdown) that Wisconsin would be our toughest test in Big Ten play. And Big Ten Tournament. Not worried about any other team beating us except them. And us beating ourselves. Either way. O-H!!!!
"We have a quarterback, obviously, that's kind of ridiculous running the ball." - Urban Meyer
I-O!
Speaking of the Wisconsin game...I'll be in Boston for that game and would love to find a cool place to watch it with fellow fans so I'm up for suggestions.
Joes American Grill ... Newbury. It's a great place for lunch or dinner. (Numerous TV's but not a sports bar...really nice)
thanks! is this Buckeye friendly?
The GameOn! at Fenway is a buckeye bar. Go downstairs and you're surrounded by scarlet and gray. At least for football. They play the fight song during commercials and everything. My guess is the owner is an alum. Even if it's not as big for basketball you will be in friendly confines.
Sounds cool. I'll have to remember this!
Note, we also have a map (link on the right sidebar) to places to watch Buckeye games around the country:
http://www.elevenwarriors.com/buckeye-friendly-bars-and-places-to-watch-games
Thanks. I've checked that out before as I travel for work. I like getting 11w reader insight on places too. I'm stuck in NY City for the beginning of the Tourney and found a ton of Buckeyes in the few sports bars there. Found a Big Ten spot but there were tons of Sparty and Wisconsin fans and the food sucked.
Another good thing to do is to web search for OSU Alumni Club chapters in the cities you're visiting. Many have websites that show where they get together to watch games. Here in Orlando the alumni club is so large that they gather at TWO places:
On the North side, RG Brewskis 995 North SR 434 Altamonte Springs.
On the South Side, Buffalo Wild Wings, 7004 International Dr., Orlando.
But they don't gather for hoops nearly like they gather for football, so it pays to check the local chapter's website because many have a calendar of events.
Orlando? Fake city. Fake ass city.
Perhaps so, but I gotta live here until I find a job back up north. Plus, you know...big OSU Alumni Club chapter, so, you know...win.
Wisconsin's goal will be two Badger wins, with the final scores being 30-28. Get ready for Badgerball: Pass around the perimeter and shoot a jumper at the last second of the shot clock. Get an occasional dunk, if you put the other team to sleep. Then, play some scrappy defense and do it all over again.
We have already seen that with Penn State and will see something similar Saturday at Nerdwestern.
Well, if that's so, the Buckeyes will have a good warm-up against that offense this week at NW.
"It's just another case of there you are". ~ Doc (1918-2012)
The Ohio State Buckeyes basketball team would never, EVER, beat an NBA team of any quality. EVER. Ridiculous question. Ohio State's largest player is 6'8'' and they don't play a center. The Cleveland Cavaliers would go undefeated in college basketball and would blow everyone off the court.
4-6 guys that will be NBA players? More like 2, maybe 3. You're overestimating this team.
Thanks Buzz Killington
He's right though. I've seen the same thing happen in college football forums multiple times. A few years back people were claiming USC would win the NFC West. Eventually they lost ... to another college team.
Yeahhh sure it's unrealistic but the Cav's are so bad they are about to re-set their own record for worst losing streak.
-1 for apostrophe's.
Taquitos.
i c wut u did thar
The 0-16 Detroit Lions team would go undefeated in the SEC, win the SEC championship by 50 points, and then win the BCS national championship by 50 points. Their opponents along the way would be lucky to score any points at all. Someone might also die.
LMAO @ potential death....it was just the way you wrote it because death isn't funny
um...i just saw on facebook that the official Ohio State page is welcoming Stan as the official WRs coach...any ground? as i just saw florida refuting that
"Winter is coming" - Urban Meyer
Looks like the Drayton hire is now official. He starts on February 1st. Hello J. Story!
"We have a quarterback, obviously, that's kind of ridiculous running the ball." - Urban Meyer
http://www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=87743&SPID=10408&ATCLID=205084536&DB_OEM_ID=17300
"Winter is coming" - Urban Meyer
Although I'm happy with the boost in recruiting I'm kind of concerned with this guy's coaching ability. A buckeye man or not this guy lacks experience with wide receivers and I don't think he was that good as a RB's coach to begin with. Maybe he sucked with runningbacks because he knew more about wide receivers, who knows.....just saying.
My understanding is that the only offensive coaches who truly matter from a technique perspective are the offensive line coach and the QBs coach. So, don't worry; we've got Bollman and the video coordinator holding down those slots. And it's worth nothing that Taver Johnson is the corner backs coach, and he had never coached CBs before he arrived at Ohio State four years ago. I'd say he's done well. In the end, assistant coaching at the college level, when the coach does not occupy a defensive coordinator or offensive coordinator role, is much more about the coach's ability to recruit. Drayton has that ability.
+1
Wellll that makes me feel a bit better, thanks for the insight.
Agreed. From my casual observation it seems that position coaches are really more about recruiting than player development.