Mike Adams: future New York Giant?Happy Friday to all you 11W fans out there and a good morning to those of you reading this version of Skull Session as part of your morning routine. It's time to cap off another great week in the world, and cure the hangovers that Cinco de Mayo dealt you.
Memorial Day is just three weekends away and with no football and basketball on the dockett, the last weekend in May is all I have to look forward to at this point. Sure baseball is great and the U.S. Open is just around the corner, but there is nothing like the sweet taste of barbecue on your lips when you fire up that grill, open your backyard pool, and soak in the first really good weather of the year.
Speaking of barbecue, if you didn't know, Eat Too Brutus (the second version) will be taking place this fall on October 29 when the Buckeyes host the Badgers. Not only will you get to see OSU get some revenge on our buzzcut enemies to the northwest, but you'll also get the chance to shmooze it up with this guy, this guy, and especially this guy, as well as enjoy some great food and refreshments all the while. More details are sure to come soon, but if you are ready to book your trip back to the 614 for this fall, we suggest you keep the Wisconsin game in mind.
Already Dissing the Buckeyes. Si.com has released their early 2012 NFL mock draft, and the only Buckeye to crack the first round is Mike Adams , going to the New York Giants. It's also pretty interesting that in another column by a different writer featuring the top 40 prospects for next year's draft class, that Mike Brewster is the only Buckeye included. Before you get all huffy and puffy, make sure to take a look at their early 2011 mock draft and see Ryan Mallett going first overall and Da'Quan Bowers going second. Oh, did I mention, neither of those players were actually chosen in the first round of this year's draft? And they call these guys experts?
Not the Only Ones in Trouble. Between the Tat Five, Tresselgate, and now Dorian Bell's career going up in smoke (pun intended), the Buckeyes have been in the news for all the wrong reasons lately. It's good to know that the world isn't only focused on bashing your team, and we can sure thank Boise State and Miami for that this week. The Broncos, as you surely know right now, were hit with a variety of violations and accusations of a lack of institutional control across their athletic department. The Broncos' football squad will face some sanctions due to the "minor violations", and even if they aren't severe enough to keep OSU out of the mainstream media permanently, it's nice to see someone else in hot water. On another note, our friends to the southeast got some negative attention this week, when The U's Jeff Brown was arrested for alleged sexual assault after supposedly forcing sex upon an intoxicated female. I'd sure like to read all the Miami fans' comments about Tressel from last week after an incident like this. They don't call it "Thug U" for no reason.
We Need a Minor Leagues. An editorial to the Plain Dealer suggests that there should be a minor league system for football and basketball. While I'm not sure the effectiveness would be the same as it is for baseball, I couldn't agree more. There are plenty of collegiate athletes that deserve the opportunity to develop on their own timelines in preparing to compete at the next level (cough Kosta Koufos cough, cough Byron Mullens cough), while still making professional money to support their families who are in need. I think both the NFL and NBA could benefit from such a system, as could all the college athletes who "go pro in something other than sports". Or they could just change the NBA early entry rules. You choose.
Hearing Whispers. We often hear "insider" news around these parts, but at times it's not always sure how reliable the source is. Well, today, we have two pieces of news for you from pretty trusted sources that we'd like to share with you. First, regarding Brionte Dunn "re-opening" his commitment, that is very real. While Dunn is still committed to OSU, there is danger of him going elsewhere (see: Michigan) if the NCAA hammer comes down on the Buckeyes and there is a bowl ban. We are hearing from our sources that if the Bucks are eligibile for post-season play, that Dunn should stick to his word, but if there are USC-type punishments on hand, expect Dunn to take a very serious look up north. The second piece of news we have to you is regarding the OSU quarterback battle. We spoke to two players this week and when asked about who they thought would start the first game of the year, they both said either Braxton Miller or Kenny Guiton. That's good news for those of you on TeamAnyoneButBauserman, but we surely have a long way to go before Tressel and Fickell determine who their guy will be heading into the 2011 sea
Big Ten Bits. Here are some Big Ten recruiting thoughts. Doug Worthington is one who is in full support of Jim Tressel. The Cedar Rapids Gazette ranks the B1G stadiums. PSU may have some unoticeable uniform changes. Indiana's new strength coach is doing wonders for the Hoosiers. Some recruiting nuggets from the state of Michigan. Wisconsin is #23 in Athlon's top 25 countdown for 2011.
