Eleven Warriors

First posted by Nick at Inside The Shoe

Part one of our in-depth look who could be on Gene Smith’s list of coaching candidates helped to lay out what we’re potentially looking for in a new field general and examined the backgrounds of candidates 10 through six. 10. Jon Gruden 9. Gary Patterson 8. Tim Beckman 7. Luke Fickell 6. Bo Pelini (ranking was made pre-Michigan v. Nebraska)

Just to recap, we’re evaluating the candidates based on three criteria:
1. Head coaching experience
2. Ohio ties
3. Offensive coaching background. (Although, it’s clear after watching Saturday’s Penn State game that we need help on both sides of the ball)

Let’s pick back up where we last left off and ponder whose names could appear at spots five through one.

5. Mark Dantonio -  Michigan State head coach and Jim Tressel protégé Mark Dantonio could definitely receive some attention by Smith and the OSU brass. His successful turnarounds of Cincinnati and Sparty football programs give him a proven head coaching track record. Not to mention, his Spartans have clinched the Legends Division and will play in the first ever conference championship game on Dec. 5. Much like his fellow B1G coaching colleague Pelini, Dantonio is known as a defensive wizard. His 2002 unit was a monumental reason why Ohio State won the national championship.

While Dantonio has an impressive head coaching track record, Ohio ties and enjoyed a successful stint as an Ohio State assistant coach, I think it’s highly unlikely we’d turn to him to replace his mentor. His age (55) and history of health problems don’t exactly represent a long-term solution. In addition, the university will certainly shy away from hiring someone with such close ties to Tressel. Dantonio would likely retain several members of the current Ohio State coaching staff and bring Mike Tressel (Doc’s son and Jim’s nephew) with him to Columbus. We have to finally turn the page from the Tressel era and hiring one of his mentees and keeping a majority of the current coaching staff probably isn’t the way to do it.

4. Josh McDaniels - Every coaching candidate list needs a dark horse contender and ours is former Denver Broncos head coach and current St. Louis Rams offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. The 35-year-old Barberton, Ohio native and son of legendary Canton McKinley High School head coach Thom McDaniels represents an intriguing potential head coaching choice.

As a long time assistant of the New England Patriots, where McDaniels served as a defensive coaching assistant, quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator, he was with the team for their all three of their Super Bowl championships. Even though McDaniels’ Ohio ties and offensive coaching experience is right up there with many of the other candidates on this list, his rocky tenure with the Broncos could work against him. He clashed regularly with players (Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall) and compiled an overall record of 11-17.

3. Chris Petersen - As one of the hottest names in coaching the past few years, this list wouldn’t be complete without Boise State’s Chris Petersen. Petersen has led the Broncos to two BCS bowl wins and beaten several major BCS conference schools in the regular season. Boise’s strength of schedule can certainly be debated, but what can’t argued is Petersen’s masterful offensive game planning and knack for getting the most out of his players against far-superior competition.

Who could possibly forget his “Statue of Liberty” two-point conversion call to beat Oklahoma in overtime during the 2007 Fiesta Bowl? While Petersen doesn’t have Ohio ties, his head track record as a head coach and reputation could help him overcome that deficiency. However, it’s very unlikely he would have an interest in the job. He’s been mentioned as a candidate for several openings over the past couple years and has decided to stay put at Boise. Plus, his team’s impending move to the Big East could also influence his decision. Nonetheless, Ohio State would be fool hearted not at least gauge his interest.

2. Patrick Fitzgerald - It’s hard not to like the job that Patrick Fitzgerald has done with Northwestern since taking over the program unexpectedly in 2006 after the sudden passing of head coach Randy Walker. The former two-time B1G Defensive Player of the Year has elevated the Northwestern out the conference’s cellar—leading the Wildcats to three straight bowl appearances.

Like many of the other candidates on this list, he’s shown an ability to coach up inferior talent to win football games. Even without offensive coaching experience, just think about how Fitzgerald would do at a school with less rigorous admissions requirements than Northwestern. Getting Fitzgerald to leave his alma mater will be tough. He’s already turned down Notre Dame and Michigan over the past couple years. But at only 36, one has to believe it will eventually be time for such a talented coach to move on. He’s served on the American Football Coaches Association’s Ethics Committee, which is a bonus for obvious reasons.

1. Urban Meyer - Unless you’ve been in hibernation, it should come as no surprise to anyone reading this list that the former Florida head coach and current ESPN college football analyst is Ohio State’s first and only choice to be its next head coach. The two-time BCS national championship winning coach is everything Ohio State is looking for in a coach and then some. He’s been successful everywhere he’s been (Bowling Green, Utah and Florida), has extensive Ohio ties (born in Toledo, raised in Ashtabula, attended Cincinnati for undergrad and Ohio State for grad school and coached TE and WR under former Ohio State coach Earle Bruce) and is known for his spread offense.

Meyer compiled a .817 winning percentage in 10 seasons, including a 7-1 record in bowl games and a 5-1 record against Florida’s in-state rival, Florida State. While the odds of Meyer returning to coaching next year and coming to Ohio State are very good, there are still a few hiccups that exist. Unlike what’s being reported in the media, I don’t think he’s too worried about NCAA sanctions. However, family and health concerns could still end up keeping him off the sidelines next year. Although there have been a number of reports about Meyer already agreeing to a deal, he’s issued a denial about Ohio State offering and him accepting the head coaching job. This is probably technically accurate and likely doesn't mean much.

The University and Meyer are most likely waiting until after Saturday’s Michigan game in order to show respect to Luke Fickell and not to be a distraction to the team. Regardless of who Ohio State ends up getting as the next head coach, hopefully it will bring closure to the numerous ordeals of the past year and allow us to get back to beating Michigan, winning B1G titles and playing in BCS games.

I have posted all year about how abysmal the SEC offenses are this year as compared to years past. Obviously, any SEC fan would counter that SEC offenses are down because the defenses are that good. Well, I decided to look into that. The simple numbers suggest that the defenses are slightly thus far in 2011 than they were in 2010 (about 23.205 yards per game better, on average). However, the offenses are worse by about 36.58 yards per game. Sure, the decline in the offenses is greater than the improvement in the defenses, but that's hardly conclusive. But check out the numbers against non conference opponents....

Both the offenses and defenses of the SEC have fared worse this year against non-conference opponents than they did last year. Three of the offenses that have thus far fared better (South Carolina, Florida, Georgia) still have their toughest non-conference games of the year this week (well, for Georgia, their second toughest non-con game), so those number stand to get even worse by next week. Vandy has the second-most improved defense against non-conference teams, and still they have to play their toughest non-conference game of the year (not that they had any really tough non-con games ot begin with). So basically, even though the numbers against non-conference teams are worse this year on both offense and defense for the SEC, they stand to get even worse by next week.

A couple more interesting tidbits:

- LSU surrenders an average of 219.7 yards per game in SEC play versus 297.25 in non-conference play. Sure, WVU hung up a lot on them, but Western Kentucky gained 226 yards on the Tigers, above their SEC opponent average. LSU did not bench their starters in the second half (it was a 14-7 game at halftime).

- LSU's offense averages only two yards more against non-conference opponents (378.25 ypg) than they do against SEC opponents (376.4 ypg).

- Alabama's defense is worse against non-conference opponents than SEC opponents, and Alabama hasn't exactly played offensive juggernauts out of conference (I'm looking at you Penn State).

- Against non-conference opponents this year, SEC teams are averaging almost 21 yards less and giving up almost 25 yards more per game. To put that in perspective, the difference between being in the top 30% in the NCAA in total offense and the bottom 40% is about 21 ypg.

The thing to take away from this is that the SEC has gotten worse on both offense and defense against non-conference opponents this year, and they still have four respectable non-conference games to play (Ga Tech, Florida State, Clemson, and Wake). I'll update this next week after those games. I hope to compare prior years 2006-2009 when I get more time as well.

Given the evidence, I strongly oppose an all-SEC BCS Championship game. This is not the SEC of 2006-2010. The dominance is not there.

"After a weekend where his name was bounced around like a lotto ball, Urban Meyer set the record straight Monday.

"The former Florida head football coach told The Sun he never interviewed for the Arizona job and has not interviewed for the Ohio State job. And if the Ohio State job is offered, the same issues that caused him to step away from coaching this past year are still in play.

'I'm in a good place right now mentally and physically. So if something happens with Ohio State, I'll have a decision to make. But there has been no interview. There has been no offer to make a decision about.'"

http://www.gatorsports.com/article/20111121/ARTICLES/111129941/1153?Title=Meyer-denies-reports-of-Ohio-State-job

First posted by Nick at Inside The Shoe

“It is my honor to introduce to you, the next head football coach at The Ohio State University…….”

Just think, in less than two weeks, we could be hearing this sentence from Gene Smith. Scandals aside, the next coach will inherit one of the most-coveted jobs in college football and a substantial nucleus of young talent to build a successful team around.

Before I get into talking about the top ten potential coaching candidates that could be on Geno’s List, let’s take a moment to discuss the lay of the land and what we’re looking for in a candidate. Based on what we've seen so far this season from the interim regime, it’s clear we need someone head coaching experience to fill the shoes of our iconic former coach.

In addition, the next coach will have an enormous challenge mimicking the Jim Tressel-built recruiting wall in the state of Ohio. Even before The Vest’s departure, the wall was already showing some cracks with blue-chip recruits Trey DePriest, Jordan Hicks and Aundrey Walker fleeing the Buckeye state for Alabama, Texas and Southern California, respectively. Someone with Ohio ties has to be near or at the top of the list of candidates. Not to mention, they obviously have to be able to recruit in the Sun Belt states. And finally, the final criterion to evaluate the candidates is their past offensive coaching experience.

With the evolution of the college game and our annual lethargic production, we need someone with an offensive coaching background. Gone are the days of three yards and cloud of dust. If we want to be able to beat teams from other BCS conferences and our own, we have got to regularly score above 30 on a consistent basis. While I’m by no means dismissing the importance of defense, we've have got to score more points.

Therefore, I’m going to evaluate candidates based on three criteria:
1. Head Coaching experience
2. Ohio ties
3. Offensive coaching background.

Let's get on to the list after the jump.
10. Jon Gruden - Because of his recently signed five-year contract extension with ESPN, I almost didn't include him on the list. However, it wouldn't be a real a top 10 list without shamelessly including some big names that have zero chance. Gruden will never leave the NFL. Obviously, the former Oakland Raiders and Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach and current Monday Night Football co-host meets all three of our criteria.

He’s won a Super Bowl, hails from Sandusky, Ohio, graduated from the University of Dayton and has an offensive coaching background. But, can you imagine the temperamental Chuckie trying to get through to 18 and 19 year old college players? It’s not going to happen folks! And, we would be reminisced not to mention the fact that he did he get fired from his last job because he wasn’t a good enough coach.

9. Gary Patterson - Ok, so the AP 2009 Coach of the Year doesn’t have big time program experience, Ohio ties or an offensive coaching background, but he did beat Bret Bielema in the 2011 Rose Bowl. Let me repeat. He beat Bret Bielema in the 2011 Rose Bowl. During his tenure as head coach, Patterson has helped to transform TCU into a major college football program.

He’s shown an ability to coach up inferior talent to win big games. With TCU set to join the Big 12 next season, it’s very unlikely the Kansas native would leave for Ohio State or any other coaching position; especially, given the fact that the Horn Frogs now get to play Texas and Oklahoma on an annual basis.

8. Tim Beckman - Next on my list is Toledo’s current field general, Tim Beckman. The Findlay alum and former Ohio State cornerbacks coach (2005-2006) is widely thought of as an up-and-comer in the coaching ranks. He’s already beaten a few B1G teams, including Michigan and Purdue. And, let’s not forget who had his team better-prepared than Luke Fickell earlier this season in the Horse Shoe.

Beckman served as a graduate assistant at Auburn and as the defensive coordinator at Bowling Green (1998-2004) and Oklahoma State (2007-2008). While Beckman certainly has Ohio and Ohio State ties, it’s very unlikely the university would tap such a raw talent to lead the program. Only the NCAA dropping the hammer on the program could potentially result in Beckman getting the job.

7. Luke Fickell - First and foremost, let me just say that I admire and respect Luke Fickell for how he’s handled a no-win situation. In fact, I would really like to see him named as the permanent head coach at Ohio State—only in about 10 years. While Fickell may have been a point-after-attempt away from getting the job, he’s looked lost on the sidelines many times this season and has shown an inability to get his team motivated to play inferior competition (Toledo, Indiana and Purdue).

Plus, don’t even get me started on why the coaching staff ever thought it was a good idea to let Joe Bauserman see the field. It’s abundantly clear Fickell isn’t ready for prime time. Hopefully, he can finish strong and secure a head coaching position somewhere else. Let him gain some head coaching experience and develop recruiting ties, and we’ll see him back at his alma mater someday. Ohio State is not the place to receive on-the-job training. That’s why the football gods invented the Big East.

6. Bo Pelini - It shouldn’t surprise anyone that Mark “Bo” Pelini would appear on this list. The Youngstown native, former Ohio State team captain and current Nebraska coach has many attributes that make him a strong contender for the getting the head job at this alma mater. Pelini is without question one of the brightest defensive minds in coaching. Anyone remember the 2008 BCS title game in New Orleans? His teams have produced top-five NFL draft pick defensive tackles Glen Dorsey and Ndamukong Suh, and just think what he could do for the careers of John Simon and Big Hank.

While Pelini is certainly an intriguing candidate for the job, it’s very unlikely he would get offered the job unless some of the other candidates turned Ohio State down. His teams aren’t well known for being offensive juggernauts and head coaching moves within a conference are rare. Not to mention, his sideline antics and abrasive personality could be too much for an administration and fan base used to the mild-mannered Vest.

5. Sorry, but you’ll have to wait until next week for part two and the top five potential coaching candidates on Geno’s List. In the meantime, let us know what you think about candidates 10 through six and who you’re hoping to see in the top five.

First posted by Stephan, at Inside The Shoe

In an otherwise very ugly game for Ohio State against Purdue, Braxton Miller showed at times what has made him so special.  Miller escaped pressure time and time again to make a play, none seemingly more important than on 4th down on what should have been the game-winning touchdown.  Miller was pressured, but showed great composure to keep his eyes downfield to find Jordan Hall behind the defense.

Miller definitely was not perfect on Saturday, but at this stage in his career, you cannot expect him to be.  He overthrew several open receivers deep down the field throughout the game.  His accuracy is something that needs to improve.  Miller was 8-18 against the Boilermakers for a career-high 132 yards, but the low completion percentage brought his season average to exactly 50 percent.

One has to wonder if this stage is getting to Miller, as he was hailed out of high school as being a “true dual-threat that is advanced as a passer in comparison to most,” according to ESPN.  His accuracy has been off almost all season, but his legs and his ability to make the big play have overshadowed this a bit.  Hopefully this is just a result of growing pains, coming from high school to college football.

There is no question that Miller has the skills necessary to become a very good (maybe great, I won’t say it yet, it’s too early) quarterback for the Buckeyes.  Some put the blame on the play-calling (looking at you, Bollman), considering the amount of talent on this football team.  But it is a lot of young talent.  Of the top seven receivers, four are freshman, two sophomores and Jake Stoneburner is the veteran of the group as a junior.  It is a group that could have used the experience of DeVier Posey to lead on game day.  The experience that this group has gained this season will be invaluable over the next few years.

With Posey returning for Senior Day against Penn State this week, I think it will open up more options for Braxton Miller and the passing offense.  It would have been nice to have him back for the Nebraska game, like originally scheduled, but like most of this Buckeye football season, nothing has happened as it was supposed to.  Hopefully Posey and Miller have established a connection in practice that will let them get together on the field, and let the Buckeyes open up the offense a little bit.

Even in a bit of a down year for Ohio State, the Buckeyes still have a chance to get to 8-4, and most importantly, beat That State Up North for the 8th consecutive time.  Braxton Miller’s play will be vital in the final two games of this season, the possible bowl game and the next three years.  He must prove that being a top-level quarterback is his destiny,  and I'm excited to see how it plays out.

2006 Florida Offense : 33.2 rushing attempts per game vs 28.5 passing attempts per game (54/46 split)

2006 Ohio State Offense : 36.7 rushing attempts per game vs 26.1 passing attempts per game (58/42 split)

2007 Florida Offense : 37.5 rushing attempts per game vs 27.8 passing attempts per game (57/43 split)

2007 Ohio State Offense : 42.6 rushing attempts per game vs 25.8 passing attempts per game (62/38 split)

2008 Florida Offense : 38.9 rushing attempts per game vs 23.5 passing attempts per game  (62/38 split)

2008 Ohio State Offense : 41.5 rushing attempts per game vs 20.5 passing attempts per game (67/33 split)

2009 Florida Offense : 39.6 rushing attempts per game vs 26.0 passing attempts per game (60/40 split)

2009 Ohio State Offense : 43.4 rushing attempts per game vs 24.2 passing attempts per game (64/36 split)

2010 Florida Offense : 38.7 rushing attempts per game vs 29.3 passing attempts per game (57/43 split)

2010 Ohio State Offense : 42.0 rushing attempts per game vs 26.8 passing attempts per game (63/37 split)

Just some numbers for those who have a perception about what an Urban Meyer offense is all about.

Allegations of child molestation have tarnished the reputation of a fine university and brought down, its legendary football coach.

To this point, de facto corporations Penn State and The B1G Ten, have responded and acted out of self-interest. Each has a brand to preserve and to protect.

State College is in turmoil and the nation is outraged.

Public opinion finds Jerry Sandusky guilty.

But, what if he's innocent?

Is it possible Jerry Sandusky is innocent? Is it possible he will be acquitted?

History - recent,  American history - suggests these possibilities.

And the McMartin PreSchool Trial underscores the fact history does repeat itself and can take a long time and a very heavy toll, in doing so:

http://www.nytimes.com/1990/01/24/us/longest-trial-post-mortem-collapse-...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McMartin_preschool_trial

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kG1ts30uayQ

I will continue to update this as the season goes on, but it's pretty interesting to take a look at Terrelle Pryor's freshman year in 2008 and Braxton Miller's freshman year in 2011. Keep in mind Miller didn't play in the Akron game, while Pryor played in every game, so we will compare by games played in by the individual, not team games.

Here is your chart through  games:

As we hit the 10 game mark for Braxton, you can see the difference more clearly in the passing numbers. While both players threw 9 TDs in their first 10 contests, Miller trails Pryor by over 300 yards through the air. That being said, he ran for 145 more yards than TP, for a net difference of 169 yards, with one more total touchdown.

Obviously, the question is what do you make of this. Are the numbers that different in the passing game where Miller's record as a starter is 4-4 and Pryor's was 6-1 at the 10 game mark? I think the passing game with TP as a freshman definitely helped out a bit, but I think the other factors including lack of weapons on offense and off-field situation have been the major influencer of the poor record on Miller's part.

No guarantees, but you'd have to imagine if Tressel was still at the helm, the Bucks would probably look closer like the 8-2 team Pryor had through 10 games, rather than the 6-5 team Miller has through his 10 games played.

What say you Buckeye faithful?

First posted at Inside The Shoe

While Ohio State has knocked themselves out of a chance to get into the Big Ten Championship Game, there is still an opportunity to build on these last games. This season could very well end in 6-6, or it could end in 8-4. It's a huge difference not only towards the attitude of the team, but for momentum into next year.

When Braxton Miller rolled to his right on 4th and 3 from the Purdue 13, and then saw Jordan Hall with a step on his man on the opposite side of the field, he threw it up. Very similar to the Wisconsin game, it seemed as if the ball hung up in the air for hours, finally floating into the outstretched hands of Hall. We know that the next play was awful, but there were other key points and factors throughout the game that resulted in the Buckeye loss. Let's take a look at what went right and wrong for Ohio State on Saturday.

What Went Right
- Jordan Hall Can Catch: Who knew? Hall was Ohio State's leading receiver with 3 catches for 58 yards and 2 touchdowns. If that stat doesn't scream to you that he should be moved out to slot receiver so we can get him the ball on short crossing routes or jet sweeps, I don't know what does. He also had 9 carries for 46 yards, but was mostly used in short yardage situations.

- Ryan Shazier Is The Next Big Thing: When Andrew Sweat went down with a concussion through the middle of the game, most everyone immediately thought about how our already depleted and weak linebacking core was going to survive without the team-leading tackler. That's when freshman special teams standout Ryan Shazier stepped in. Shazier this season has been just fantastic in every aspect. I can't think of one time that Shazier has done something bad. Against Wisconsin he blocked a punt, and in every other game he has led the charge in special teams. If you wonder why our special teams are much better? Sure, Dick Tressel has done a good job, but Ryan Shazier has been a monster.

Against Purdue alone, he had 7 total tackles, 6 solo tackles, 1 sack, and forced a fumble that was later ruled down. Shazier also almost had an interception at a key moment in the game where he read Marve's eyes and stepped in front of a slant that he would have taken to the house. His energy in this game was unbelievable, giving 110% every down.

What Went Wrong
- Extra Point Blocked: Despite having all the momentum in the world, Drew Basil just could not find a rhythm all day long on Saturday. He missed a 50-yard field goal that had the distance, but sailed to the right of the uprights, and made a 33 yarder for Ohio State's first lead of the game. The blocked extra point would have given the Buckeyes most likely the win and would have capped off another improbable Braxton Miller drive.

- Antonio Underwood: I had some high hopes for Underwood, the true freshman who got the nod in favor of J.B. Shugarts who was out due to a right knee sprain. Those hopes were immediately crushed when the Purdue defensive line started eating our entire offensive line alive. The reason Boom and company weren't able to get things going on the ground might be because the offensive line literally had little to no push. It almost seemed as if Ryan Kerrigan was on the field again, donning the Boilermaker's uniform. The bad part about it was we were making them all look like Ryan Kerrigan in the first half.

Purdue stacked 8-9 guys in the box, and sometimes more. The "We're a running football team, and we have to plow through everyone to win games no matter what" philosophy isn't working anymore. Eventually Underwood was pulled, and suddenly the offensive line improved. That's not good news, and hopefully doesn't shatter his confidence.

A few years ago, USC was hit with major penalties for improper benefits. Within, the last 12 months, Ohio State, North Carolina, LSU, Texas, Boise St., Auburn, Miami and Oregon have all come under that watchful eye of the NCAA.  It has been a lousy year for college football.

And now there is this Penn St. thing. I use the term”thing” because thing is used to describe something that is not easily identified. “There is this thing growing on the side of my tree. This thing in my engine is making a racket when I accelerate. There is something out in the barn.”

How do you accurately put into words a pedophile being allowed unfettered access to troubled boys? How do you describe, in detail, what he is accused of doing? How do you talk about certain rumors popping up involving these boys and other members of the university? A missing district attorney? Men walking away while boys are being raped in the shower?

This is so much more repulsive than players getting paid money or cheating on term papers or recruits being shown a good time by willing females. This is about the darkest nature of man. It is about serious and heinous crimes being committed against children. It is something that repulses anyone regardless of age, sex or status. It is a gross, disgusting story.

As I have sat for the last two days digesting all of this, my team (Ohio State) has been declared guilty by the NCAA of having failed to monitor, which is the second worst violation possible. Soon OSU will be hit by sanctions, including loss of scholarships and perhaps even a bowl ban. Next to what is happening at Penn St. it is a joke, a sign of my troubled mind that the two are even compared.

I am not seeking to compare the paltry effect of sanctions against a football powerhouse to that of the destruction of several childhoods. I am trying to compare the reaction of the fan bases.

Whenever another team gets caught with their hand in the cookie jar, you smile and think “I knew it! I knew they were cheating!” You write on message boards proclaiming how they are dirty while your team is made of nothing but angels. And then your team gets caught. Your Christian coach who has done so much for the young men on his team, for the college and for the community has been caught cheating and lying.

It stuns you. You rooted for a cheater. You beat teams with ineligible players. You are suddenly them.  And you deny and you defend until the realization of it all comes crashing down upon your head. Your coach and your team are human after all, and you are no better.

Penn St. students rallied and rioted around their disgraced ex-coach. After all, Paterno had been there since the Middle Ages and hardly a Nittany Lion fan can recall a day when JoePa wasn’t walking the sidelines. He was Penn St. football! And all that you trusted and all that you loved is covered in muck, and you feel slimmed.

Many who write upon this subject will come to the conclusion that it is our willingness to accept reality within certain confines that causes us grief when those realities are challenged or even shattered. Certainly I view Jim Tressel in a new light now that his failures have been exposed, and certainly there is a great deal of truth in saying that tumbled heroes make us question deeply held beliefs. After all, things that we cling to do not go gentle into that good night.

But I think that there is a much simpler answer. I think that when we find out our teams have cheated or have covered up crimes, it makes us sad because it has trampled upon our youth.

We recall a day when back-yard football was the best thing in the world and there was no cheating involved. No recruiting violations, no 100 dollar hand shakes. We remember running down a deep fly ball while trying to not smash into a tree. We remember basketball games played with friends using a hoop attached to a garage. We remember racing to find out who was the fastest.

It was a childhood and it was a game and the two were forever meshed into one. When we read about point shaving and cheating and crimes being allowed so as to not rock the boat, we shudder because such things were never part of the games we played as kids. It cheapens what we grew to love. It makes a young boy cry out to Shoeless Joe Jackson “say it ain’t so, Joe!” Say it isn’t true that my hero playing the game I love isn’t a cheat and a scoundrel. Say that what I have made my own isn’t tarnished.

Say it isn’t so, Jim. Or Joe. Or Cam. Or Pete. Tell me it isn’t true so that the one pure thing I had as a child can survive the brutal reality of growing up. Tell me that somewhere there is someone who still plays for the love of the game. Tell me it isn’t all about the money. Tell me integrity is more important than the final score. Tell me quick before the last playground of my youth is torn down to make way for a parking lot. Tell me before I can no longer recall the smell of a new glove or the feel of a football as it hits my fingers and I haul it in for a catch.

Tell me before the sunlight fades and all I have left is the darkness of adult cynicism.