The Hoosiers are totally going to have home field advantageGood morning folks and welcome to the first Skull Session after the most tumultuous week of your sporting lives. Unless you remember Woody slugging Charlie Bauman, but you get what I'm trying to say. I'm also here to say that it will get better. It always does.
Train for bad weather in November to play in a Dome in December. Yesterday, the Big Ten's Council of Presidents/Chancellors approved sites for future postseason conference championships in football and men's and women's basketball.
Indianapolis was the big winner on the football front as Lucas Oil Stadium was chosen as the host of the league's football championship in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 (the venue was previously announced as the host of the inaugural game later this fall).
We debated potential venues a year ago, and while it would have been nice to see the game awarded to Chicago's Soldier Field for a multitude of reasons: the Windy City is nearly the geographic center of the conference, two airports and a mass transit system make traveling a cinch, THERE ARE 30,000 BARS IN CHICGAO, and last but not least, we're always talking about playing an SEC team in the cold, so we should put our money where our mouth is, we understand why the conference elected to go with Indy for the first five championship games.
Beyond the convenience of downtown Indianapolis -- and things are set up out nicely for events like this -- it's all about establishing the game at this point and that's best done with excellent football. The league does not want a blizzard or a 6-3 slugfest played in icy conditions to be what this event is all about. Once it's a entrenched, I think we'll see the event held outdoors.
The Big Ten also announced the return of a rotation between Indianapolis and Chicago for the men's and women's basketball tournaments after Conseco Fieldhouse had served as the host of the two events for the last five years. In 2013 and 2015, Chicago will welcome the tournaments, with the United Center hosting the men's event and the Sears Centre in suburban Hoffman Estates welcoming the women (the United Center did not put a bid in for the women's event).
Yesterday also marked the first time commissioner Jim Delany was available for comment in the wake of Jim Tressel's resignation and his feelings are best reflected in this statement:
"I was disappointed, I was surprised. I felt badly about it, but I kind of reserve my anger for my dog. I knew it was serious, but I don't remember going into a rage."
Queue the PETA outrage...
Will he stay or will he go? There's been a lot of speculation lately about whether or not Terrelle Pryor will leave Ohio State early for the NFL's supplemental draft (to be held in July). On Friday, his godfather and guardian from his Jeanne High days, Willie Burns, told the AP that Pryor would be staying, only to recant that statement just two days later, saying "He's his own man. If he quits and goes pro, it's on him."
Now, Ray Reitz, Pryor's high school coach, is weighing in on things and although he didn't say whether he believed the quarterback would stick around or bolt, he did drop this bomb:
"Terrelle needs to have a mentor within the Ohio State program to say, 'Let's cut this bull,' and I don't see this going on. He is bouncing off walls, doing his own thing. I don't think he is getting led in any (good) direction. I don't think he knows which way to turn."
What makes that allegation particularly interesting is Reitz, in the same conversation, admitted that the perks and advice Pryor received at Jeannette -- rides, meals, etc. -- may have hurt him because they "gave him a false sense of security."
Look, I won't claim to know what Reitz is getting at, but if he's questioning the lack of mentoring in Pryor's life, he may want to stop by a mirror.
As for whether Pryor will stick it out, I'm with Spielman. I don't see how he will play another snap in Columbus, especially considering Maurice Clarett was suspended for a full season for what (allegedly) appears to be far less.
Gee contrite. The New York Times caught up with Gordon Gee and the university president stood by his earlier claim that athletic director Gene Smith's job was safe while also expressing some regret about how the entire situation was handled:
"The university has made mistakes, absolutely,” Gee said. “And we’re sorry for that. We have readily admitted that."
Gee also came clean about the worst joke ever told:
"We didn’t perform very well; I didn’t and the coach didn’t. I’m a guy who takes what I do very seriously. But I don’t take myself seriously. In that instance, it was inappropriate for me to crack a joke."
I know there's a lot of lingering anger pointed in Smith's direction, but Gee is apparently feeling the heat as well. I have to think Gee would be safe, but if Smith is forced out, the the trustees should look to Archie.
Future Buckeyes clean up at state track championships. The OHSAA held their track and field championships over the weekend and several members of the 2011 football class captured individual or team honors.
Massillon's Devin Smith, coming in as a wide receiver, was the headliner, winning Division I state titles in the 100-meter dash (10.74) and the long jump. I'm not sure about you, but I love it when Buckeye receivers can run fast and jump well.
Cornerback Doran Grant of Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary's was part of the winning 400-meter relay team and finished second in the 110 hurdles, Centerville lineman Michael Bennett won the shot put and finished second in the discuss, and 2012 linebacker Josh Perry of Olentangy placed third in the long jump. He's 6-3/230 in case you were wondering (if you need me, I'll be dreaming of things like this).
Just another reason to love Modern Family (click to embiggen)
Random Bits: Former USC coach Todd McNair is suing the NCAA. Good luck with that, dogfighter... SEC presidents and chancellors went against the wishes of their coaches by limiting classes to 25 instead of the proposed 28 and then commissioner Mike Slive said he wanted the nation to follow his conference's lead. With a straight face... Oh, Charlie... George Lopez, photobombed at the NBA Finals... Our worst fears, realized... Justin Timberlake is the day's big winner, because, well, you know...
