Friday Skull Session

By D.J. Byrnes on December 6, 2013 at 6:00 am
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Whatever time you're reading this, know this: Jim Delany is already up. The Midwest don dada awoke at 3:45 AM and his swag was turned on shortly thereafter at 3:47 AM. Tomorrow, in a climate-controlled dome in the middle of the Crossroads of America, will be the apotheosis of Delany's dreams from the moment ESPN low-balled the B1G on their television rights all those moons ago. Crazy to think.

He's gotta be rooting for Buckeyes to emerge victorious from a classic, doesn't he? That way the B1G can place two properties in the BCS? Sorry bout'cha Sparty, but the fix may already be in.

This may shock some people, but I for one am backing the Buckeyes tomorrow night. Sparty has definitely got some block-watchers on their defense, but there's no college defense stopping Braxton and El Guapo once Ohio State's brick-layers get to work up front; Sparty's only hope is untimely turnovers.

It will definitely be a close game though, a lot closer than the last time Tresselball went up against Urban Meyer's smashmouth spread.

Also, Jason and Kyle have been our boots-on-the-ground in Indy since last night, and Walt will be reinforcing them later today. All their parents think they're staying at Chris' (parents') house to watch the game, so please no snitching.

And if you've made the trek to Indianapolis (I voted for Chicago, personally), be sure to check out 11W's Naptown Banger we're throwing tonight at Claddagh's Irish Pub.

E. GORDON GEE MOVES ON. In June I crushed the E. Gordon's Gee's cowardly semi-retirement. Well, folks, I would absolutely love to take this moment to tell you: I. TOLD. YOU. SO. 

From The Columbus Dispatch

Retired Ohio State University President E. Gordon Gee plans to accept the position of interim president at West Virginia University, several sources close to the search confirmed to The Dispatch this evening.

West Virginia’s board of governors announced today that the board had chosen an interim president, but said that it would wait until Friday morning to announce a name. WVU Board Chairman James Dailey says the board is “thrilled” with its selection.

“We are absolutely thrilled with our selection to lead the state’s flagship, land-grant university during an important time in our history,” Dailey said in a news release today. “This individual is uniquely qualified to move WVU forward and continue the momentum we are enjoying. We are anxious for our new president to arrive in the new year, and hope that folks will get a chance to say ‘hello and welcome’ very soon.”

Ohio State will just have to dip into whatever Well of People Who Can Fundraise Billions of Dollars they got E. Gordon Gee from last time. I'm sure the only reason Ohio State hasn't yet found somebody to replace him only means one of the trustees misplaced the map that'd take them there. 

Also: fair play to E. Gordon Gee; West Virginia has never had a problem with an off-colored joke.

GOOD POINT, BOOM. THIS SEASON HAS BEEN A REAL GOOD TIME:

Guap Guap GuapALL BEHIND CARLOS NOW

BUTCH JONES IS PLAYING THE SYSTEM. Butch Jones is trying to build something down in Knoxville. I, for one, am not sure I'm ready to again live in a world where Tennessee is relevant in football, but whatever, bro, keep doing you.

The SEC, however, has always been the... shall we say... experimenting grounds... for just how far recruiting rules can be bent. Butch Jones may have even out done Nick Saban's thinktank with this one, as Tennessee now sits at 34(!) verbal commitments for next year's class:

13.9.1 Letter of Intent – Limitation. Each SEC member institution is limited to signing 25 football prospective student-athletes to a National Letter of Intent, Conference financial aid agreement and/or institutional offer of athletics financial aid from December 1 through May 31st of each year. [Adopted 5/29/09; effective immediately; revised 6/3/11; effective August 1, 2011]

The dates are critical, because the SEC bylaw collides with a new NCAA rules interpretation that impacted this recruiting cycle. Academically eligible student-athletes who plan to enroll early (in January) are now allowed to sign aid agreements with universities as early as Aug. 1.

Tennessee had a flood of players sign aid agreements last month — perhaps a half-dozen players or more. Why is this significant? By the letter of the law, those players wouldn’t count against the SEC’s signing limit. They’re freebies, if you will.

One recruit they didn't get? Five-star Vonn Bell.

ESPN DONE TRIFLED WITH NELLY. I was in middle school during the height of Nelly's powers, and I don't know if ESPN realizes the soldier of fortune they're messing with:

Look, if the Zou is about that life, then please, Nelly, SHOW US.

 LET'S WATCH OL' DUDE KICK AN ASU BRO IN THE FACE. It's been a couple of days since this was originally posted, but like CarollRobberBaron.GIF, it's something that still makes me laugh incredibly hard:

Take it easy on 'em, old timer!

THOSE WMDs. VinceMcMahonAbsPassOut.GIF... The most common grade at Harvard is an A...  $500k in weed/cocaine found in Columbus home... Making of an Ohio University molly dealer... Powerful raw footage: wrecked ship divers discover man still alive after three days... The Brazuca, the World Cup ball... 1903 letter to Santa... Arrest warrant issued for LSU RB, who is booted from team... Evolution of the Batman logo..

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