So I try to avoid eSECpn unless the Buckeyes are playing, (i.e. OSU vs. Duke tonight), but I don't get the B1G Network here, so when I need a football fix --- I have to give in to the 4-letter network sometimes.
Anyways, yesterday I happened to be watching a rerun of The Experts on ESPNU. Tom Luginbill, who I consider pretty knowledgeable and fair, was the host. Mike Belotti, Matt Stinchcomb, Charles Arbuckle & Georgia grad/apparent journalist Mark Schlabach were the other guests.
Tom Luginbill posed a question, well more like a rhetorical statement, saying what Urban Meyer did at Ohio State this year was nothing short of remarkable. Nobody objected, and they all kind of shook their head in agreement....except our buddy Mr. Schlabach. I'm paraphrasing, but he said Ohio State's 12 & 0 record this year was "hollowed" and the most "unsatisfying" undefeated record he could remember. He also said nobody was paying attention to Ohio State this year, (well maybe some media outside the hack inner-circle you keep, were paying attention Schlabach). Then Luginbill asked Schlabach if OSU were not on probation this year ---- if they would be in the BCS Championship. And, Schlabach gave a condescending answer about "since it's 'The' Ohio State'....I guess they would"; you could tell by his answer he didn't think they'd deserve a shot & only because it's big-name tOSU, they'd be there. Schlabach also said the Big Ten Conference was "horrible" this year. I agree it was a down year, but, when you contrast how much this guy salivates over the SEC --- he should be fair and maybe realize that the SEC was down in some regards: Arkansas, Tennessee, Auburn, Kentucky. Florida sqeaking by UL-La. at home, for example.
But, the most annoying thing Schabach said was about Coach Tressel. It reminded me of Sean McDonough a few days ago during The Game broadcast in awe that Jim Tressel received a very warm ovation Saturday. These guys just don't get it.
Schalabach, in disbelief, asked the panel: "Is it just me or is not disturbing that Jim Tressel was cheered and lifted up on the shoulders of players going off the field...that is distrubing". To Mike Belotti's credit, he made Schlabach look pretty dumb --- reminding him that that was the 2002 BCS champs who lifted their coach up.
Wow, what a clueless hack. These were the players from that championship team who absolutely love this guy and know him just about better than anyone else. What did Schalabach expect them to do...boo him? Of course Jim Tressel received a warm reception...we know he's not perfect, but compared to some of the other things going on in college football...I'd take Tress over 99% of the other coaches. He has great character. The guy was loyal to a fault, that was his major crime if you ask me. The whole OSU/Tressel borderline witch-hunt looks pretty insignificant now, especially after the whole worst-scandal/cover-up-in-the-history-of-sports thing that went on in State College. Maybe Schlabach should find rent-a-player situations in the $EC "disturbing".
Also, another thing I noticed - is when asked about any player or team not from the SEC...Schalabach immediately compares that person or team to an SEC player or squad. The standard-bearer for him is anybody in the SEC. No matter how successful a player or team has been, they have to pass the SEC litmus test with Schlabach before he qualify them as worthy or not.
He is probably the worst ESPN writer, since Pat Forde (thankfully) left. Schlabach is a huge SEC homer and a terrible writer. Anyone that pays attention to what he says is completely ignorant regarding college football.
We can't stop here; this is bat country...
Haters gonna hate; you can't fix stupid.
Ooh! Two for the price of one! Impressive sir.
You can kill a fly with your slipper or a cannon. Either way, the fly dies. -Ramzy
agreed DAITHEFLU, Schlabach is the worst & Forde is a hack, too. Both are pretty pompous, especially Forde
"You win with people." - Woody Hayes
I'd love to hear his comparison of academics in the Big Ten vs SEC. Lol
Class of 2008
What a friggin idiot!!Tressel was only one of the best coaches ever,nationally,not just Big Ten.Would have been disappointed had he not gotten the reaction or attention he deserved.Sure he made a mistake,which we are paying for now,but life goes on.SEC has always been thought of as "God Like",with Alabama,LSU,Florida,Georgia, and all the other teams.Their worst teams can beat all other conferences,if your drinking that Kool-Aid.Thats why I don't watch ESPN!!If it's not SEC,they're talking about Notre Dame.Who is Notre Dame??They have 1 good year out of 20,and they're supposed to be America's new team,what a crock. Give me 5 years with Urban,and then tell me what school stacks up in records,bowls,grad rate,whatever!! We're about to lay the smack down on all their monkey asses and it will all be too sweet!! Don't imagine that goat ,Mark May will have much to say with his sorry ass Pitt Panthers either!! Hate while they can,when the reality of OSU being back on top sets in,they'll all be eating crow for dinner,and choaking on it!!
SCOTTC.
Typical 4 letter sec bias. Let them run their collective mouths, while we pile up the wins and recruits. In a year or two there will be no stopping the loaded freight train Urban is building right now.
Again, this is the same reason that ESPN employs Skip Bayless and has Mark May and Lou Holtz on screen at the same (unbearable) time. Like politics, there's no middle ground anymore--polarization sells, and there's money to be made of it. The beauty of ESPN's buisiness model is that--unlike their "slanted" news counterparts--their pundits spin it both ways. This feeds fans' confirmation bias on both sides of the fence, while outraging them when they feel slighted; either way, it moves the needle. Hell, you could argue that right now, we're furthering ESPN's hype machine by broadcasting their opinions, further increasing the chance that someone tunes in--whether just to be outraged, or to see if someone ("reasonable", as we like to say) has a kind word in our defense. We ardently cling to their words nonetheless, feeding their sound-byte propaganda machine all the same.
I say this as an unabashed ESPN consumer. I try my damnedest to avoid their "news" coverage (because I can't stand the spin, it ruined SportsCenter), but I visit their site quite often and watch their sports.
Couldn't have said it better my man!
when you're tOSU --- if you're not being hated...then you must be doing something wrong
aka
when you're being hated...you must be doing something right
"You win with people." - Woody Hayes
Did it ever appear to America that the 2002 team cheer him on, not the 2012 players who he put in the situation their in now. And fans are allowed to have mixed emotions about Tressel. Love him or hate him he was a part of that 2002 team.
Ohio State's band SLAUGHTERED Michigan's band. If this were a football game, it would have been Florida State vs. Savannah State. - SB Nation following OSU vs. UM 2012
Schlabach is just another osu hater, sec worshiper, don't take to heart anything he says, he's just another moron towing the Espin company line!
The complaint about JT's reception is either a cynical attempt to be provocative or an breathtaking display of willful ignorance. Given the circumstance, honoring the 10th anniversary of the only championship team most in the stands could remember seeing play, what would anybody honestly expect the fans to do? Boo? 105,000 people turning their back in concert? No, people cheered as well they should, just as they would have at any university in the country in a similar circumstance.
I'd wager a sixer that all of them know and understand that. Schlabach's just playing to ESPN's "frame" that Jim Tressel is solely responsible for OSU's bowl ban, and not the Failure to Monitor charge wrought by compliance's ignorace of DiGeronimo. It's an easy way to score points with everyone watching that hates us (read: everyone not clad in scarlet and gray).
I'll wager with you, Hodge. Either way, we both win on that one.
theDuke
First of all, Tressel didn't get the tattoos and trade memorabilia! Secondly, the bowl ban was mostly due to the acts that happened after tattoogate. What Tressel did deservedly got him fired, but for us not to cheer a coach that dominated the B1G and won an NC is stupidity. He was apart of what happened last year, but I don't put it all on him. So that guy is an idiot!
Mark May is actually the worst! At least Forde and Schlabach aren't saying that crap while we are watching college football. I have to listen to Mark May give his buckeye hate whenever there is college football coverage. The fact that ESPN keeps May on that show is beyond me. He is such a douche!
Schlabach is a complete moron! To say that Urban's 12-0 record is anything less than amazing just goes to show his idiocy. Hollow and unsatisfying? I feel pretty satisfied! and those teams that OSU beat, I guarantee they care. OSU derailed a promising Neb season and killed off Wisconsin's winning streak.
Just goes to show you how pundits just don't understand true loyalty. Once a buckeye, always a buckeye!
Ah the narrative.
Awfulannouncing.com wrote a piece about Tom Jackson's comments about Jay Cutler's entrance into last Sunday's Bears\Vikings tilt and pointed out just how driven the Booyah's are to make something out of anything.
In case you missed it, Jackass TJ said the following when ESPN cut to a stoic Jay Cutler entering Soldier's Field through the garage.
"Before I pass this on, I just see it,” Jackson explained. “Jay Cutler walks in – he’s passing by people he’s sees every single week outside that locker room door, and he does not say a word to them. It doesn't’t mean anything, but it’s just something. There’s just something there.”
I heard this live in color and couldn't believe what the hell I was hearing, but the Curious Case of Jay Cutler is just another example of ESPN taking something and warping to fit what they want it to mean.
How about this Tom, Jay is coming back from a concussion and is hours away from facing 11 people who want to give him another. Maybe he's focused on the task at hand. If that were Tom Brady or Peyton Manning, the message would have been "Look at the focus that man shows before a game". But since its Jay-who's face was unfairly plastered on TV's during the 2010 NFC title game, and who's toughness has been unfairly and falsely challenged-then clearly its something.
Jay Cutler threw a shoulder into his Left Tackle during a game this season-a game in which said tackle, J'Marcus Webb, was getting obliterated, which resulted in the subsequent obliteration of Cutler himself. As a fan, I'm glad Jay hit Webb. At least SOMETHING made contact with Webb that night, because it sure as hell wasn't opposing defenders. Again, Tom Brady has a fiery exchange with then Offensive Coordinator Bill O'Brien and he's being a leader. Jay Cutler throws a should into the guy who has bits of his own career in his very hands and he's a dick who handled it the wrong way.
Its ESPN guys, this is what they do. I also know this-as longish resident of these boards I find the dichotomy about media interest to be fascinating. When people write positive things about OSU, its "Fair and balanced" (a phrase that has been used countless times) and when its critical, its "Biased against OSU". Fact is, and this has been said a lot, OSU will always get the lion's share of attention. Clearly, Mark Schlabach was wrong because he himself was paying attention to OSU's 'unfulfilling' season so its really nothing to get in a twist over.
A lot of crow is going to be served next season because we know what a lot of media types will be made painfully aware of next season-this is a damned good, really pissed off team who is going to spend 12 weeks breaking their feet off inside of their opposition's asses en route to a B1G championship game which really should be nothing more than a lamb to the sacrificial slaughter en route again to a BCS National Title game. No one has the weapons to stop OSU, and no one has a clearer path to the title game than the Buckeyes. They are going to force a lot of people to pay attention. Now, whether that is to admit that OSU is a good team or to jump on the "They are over rated" bandwagon first is a conversation for another day. So for now, just sit back, relax, accept that these things are nothing we as fans haven't seen before and enjoy the side action that is OSU Basketball.
4-6 seconds from point A to point B and when you get to point B, be pissed off
I'll drink to this any day.
Ya but there's not much you wouldn't drink to drunkie....you hear that? I called you drunkie. And there's nothing you can do about it because I'm in my cereal box fort.
4-6 seconds from point A to point B and when you get to point B, be pissed off
Them's fighting words...UNLEASH THE NERF GUN VOLLEY!
So I think I now have an idea of what D2B2k13 will be like.
Taquitos.
Welllll, let's not get TOO cocky now - he could....wait for it....wait for it...DOWN VOTE YOU! OMG!!! Now, where's my bourbon?
"I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy." Groucho Marx
Spot on Brewsters. When we get to the MNC game next year we have to win it, not come close, but win it. If not the haters are going to come out with more vitriol then before. We have to be the ones that knock the SEC off the top of the mountain. We have to be the team that dominates and wins. Anything else will just feed the fire.
Absolutely. Ohio State is part of the reason the B1G has such a bad reputation, and some of it is deserved. I want to live in a world where the day after the National Title Game, the media has to break down Ohio State's curb stomping of (insert SEC team here). I really, really hope that day happens in the year 2014.
4-6 seconds from point A to point B and when you get to point B, be pissed off
Couldn't have said it better, Brewster. ESPN will do what it does because it gets ratings. How many threads start here just because someone said something critical of OSU? Sometimes I find it justified, but for the most part it needs to be just blown aside because they're doing what they do to get ratings. They get those who hate us watching because it fuels their hatred and it gets OSU fans watching, almost waiting, to see when the next time it is that we receive a negative comment. It's a game that isn't worth complaining about, IMO. We don't need to be liked by everyone and I'm okay with that.
When the Oakland Raiders mattered to the NFL in the 70's and 80's no one but Oakland Raiders fans liked them much either. I'll be honest, I'm perfectly content with OSU being universally detested by everyone but OSU fans. It makes the eventual Buckeye triumphs that much sweeter when the people that hate them so much have to watch OSU pile up wins.
4-6 seconds from point A to point B and when you get to point B, be pissed off
And a common thread running through the 70s Raiders to the Urbz-led Buckeyes is the take-no-prisoners legacy epitomized by Jack Tatum.
Tatum was "The Assassin" on the football field. Tatum played under the more brutal rules of the 1970s, but even then he was hated by many opposing players and fans. Tatum never apologized for his clean hit that unfortunately paralyzed Stingley and which further cemented his reputation as an assassin.
Now, the Buckeye assassin is on the sidelines - Urbz. Other coaches and fans despise him, but Urbz won't apologize for taking them out.
I might feel somewhat ambivalent about that except that JT was one of the more gentlemanly, bend-over-backward coaches that any opposing coach or fan base or media member could ever hope for and, yet, how did they repay JT's kindnesses?
I know I will get crucified for this, like most of my other posts since I don't wear scarlet colored glasses, but what did he say that was so wrong? I didn't see the show so I only have your paraphrasing to go on, but we were not an impressive 12-0 team. We really only played dominant in one game. We struggled to beat bad teams and should have even lost to Purdue. We are not one of the 2 best teams in college football. As far as Tressel, it sounds like he was referring to the fans cheering him. That makes sense to me since Tressel IS the reason we have no bowl game this year. I really wish Buckeye fans would look at things rationally instead of emotionally sometimes. On game day, absolutely go nuts and say how great we are and how OSU is the best thing ever, but the other 352 days a year please stop making the fanbase as a whole look stupid. I've travelled and lived in many parts of the country, and there's a reason that people everywhere hate Ohio State. It has nothing to do with them being "jealous" as many "fans" think. It is because the "fans" constantly scream at the top of their lungs that we are the greatest thing ever in everything. I've got news for you, we're not. We are very good at alot of things, and annually a top 5 program for football. Moving forward with Urban, we will be top 3 every year at the very worst, but we aren't there yet.
And you think the Bobby D payments to players AFTER all the Tressel stuff had nothing to do with it?
You say all that and then make a homer comment at the end? just think that is funny.
and sorry, Tressel is not the cause of the bowl ban. Tressel admitted to not notifying the NCAA that he was aware of possible infractions. That was good enough for him to get fired, but that had little to do with a bowl ban. It was the players that traded memorabilia for tattoos or money, it was the players after tattoogate that accepted money for: a)not working and getting paid, b) accepting a gift at a golf event. You can't overlook those because typically when it comes to rules breaking, its the second offense that gets the worst punishment. If it was just tattoogate, then there wouldn't have been a bowl ban. But no, Posey and Herron had to just tweak the NCAA one more time.
So, yes I think Schlabach doesn't get it and he is wrong. How often does 12-0 happen? because from what I know, it only happened 6 times at OSU in how many years. That is a big accomplishment if you ask me. Struggling to win against bad teams doesn't mean this wasn't a great team. 2002 struggled in some games as well, they became champions!
Never said we were the next best thing to sliced bread,but 12-0 is 12-0!!And to do it knowing your not going anywhere or being able to win any championships make it that much more impressive.Show me the perfect team,and I'll give you a condo for a buck!! Sure we had our not so great games against some poor teams,but thats college football.Your not going to have your "A" game every single week,but we did win every sigle ball game they put in front of us.Another point,we get everyones' "BEST" when they play OSU.Everyone wants to be able to say they knocked off OSU.So to say we don't look at things rationally,I think is a bit overstated.I can turn on any of 10 sports channels and hear someone,somewhere trying to disregard OSUS' accomplishments or say it doesn't matter or count.Sorry if this pisses me off,but to come together with guys hurt,guys underperforming,having to go with mix and match crews at different games,and still winning,sorry,you put any kind of spin on it you want.It's still awesome as hell!!
SCOTTC.
Wait - wait-wait....you're saying....we're NOT the greatest thing ever in everything? Hmmmm.
It's gonna take me a second to wrap my noggin around this whole new concept of which you write. I've always been told we are special and the most popular, well liked uni in all the land...or maybe that was The Band?
I too, have lived in different parts of the country and after I'm around some of the non-big ten peeps, or people that "hate" TOSU, it gets better. It's easy for us to make assumptions no matter what it concerns. But I have some friends that graduated from, gulp, florida- and I don't hate the u of florida as much, cuz I'm around some good people that can put things in perspective. Now, if we could all do that in big groups, it would be awesome and we'd live in peace and harmony...and everyone would agree that TOSU is the greatest thing ever in everything....
"I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy." Groucho Marx
You can throw Chris Low into the same group...
It seems like ESPN's coverage of all the other conferences is pretty fair and balanced, except for the SEC
Chris Low is paid to write about the SEC. He is their SEC blogger. I would expect him to be a homer.
I agree, but I would argue that the B1G bloggers are much more objective than Low has ever been...
I would argue it's easier to be an SEC homer given their dominance in this decade than to be a B1G homer.
uggghhhh Schlbach makes me cringe. He and MayDay.
FormerBuck - well I see what you're saying but you lost me at your first sentence. We don't need to be an apologist fanbase for being great. When you have a big fanbase, people will hate you on you no matter what.
And you know what, it doesn't take "scarlet colored glasses" to realize that.
Screw espn. We are fortunate to have had a great coach in Tressel and now Urban. The domination continues!!!!!!!
First off, yes it was Tressel failing to notify the proper people of infractions and that is why the bowl ban came about. You don't get bowl bans for individual players' actions.
You guys can hate me all you want, I'm just as big a fan if not bigger than all of you. I proudly wore a uniform with Ohio State written on my chest for 4 years. But one of my biggest pet peeves is obnoxiousness. Most of the fanbase is that way.
@ FormerBuck,
What you seem not to get is that making statements like "most of the fan base" is obnoxious is a pretty obnoxious thing to do, and probably far more responsible for the avalanche of downvoting you're receiving than your lack of "scarlet colored glasses."
First off, I couldn't care less about this upvote downvote thing and I don't see why others get so upset about it. Secondly, the statement I made is pretty accurate. I read almost every comment made on this board and I would guess about 80-90% of comments have "we are OSU and we are God's favorite children" overtones. Like I said, on Saturdays that is awesome and the players love it. But our national reputation suffers because of that attitude when we can't always back it up. People jump on the backs of SEC fans all the time...you know what? When we beat them then we can talk smack. Not before. I think we will now that Urban is here but we haven't earned that right yet. If that is wrong of me to say then fine.
Hey, your comment suggests a good name for a comedic musical = "Overtones and Attitudes."
Here's the irony: rarely have I encountred a statement that would be more difficult to "back up" as the one above. Let me get this straight . . .
Maybe a better as a subtitle for "Buckeye! The Musical"
Just a sampling below:
I got Buckeye leaves,
You got Buckeye leaves,
All God's children got Buckeye leaves,
When we get to heaven, gonna put on our cleats,
We're gonna walk all over those wolverines (just like on earth)
Or something to that effect.
I am the %10-20.
4-6 seconds from point A to point B and when you get to point B, be pissed off
The other 10-20% are the atheists claiming that we are the Universe's favorite assemblance of atoms.
Taquitos.
Ahem..
If Denard Robinson isn't careful with spooning all that food into his mouth, he's going to end up lookin' like Whoopi Goldberg
Not exactly. Remember the media scorn when the NCAA said that they were not going to slap us with a "Lack of Institutional Control" regarding Tressel's violations? Now, the subject of a "Failure to Monitor" charge was never brought up, but it was widely expected that we'd lose a few schollies and move on.
The DiGeronimo mess screwed all that up. When Posey and Herron got nabbed getting money from a booster, the NCAA--who was about to deliver a verdict--postponed their hearing to re-assess our infractions. It was only after that happened that we received the "Failure to Monitor" charge, and only later still that we received the unprecidented bowl ban.
Granted, Tressel's infractions probably had something to do with our eventual punishment, but it was the DiGeronimo scandal that pushed it over the edge, because the FTM coupled with probation put us in a place to justify the postseason ban.
You must of had your head in the sand for all of 2011, because as AAH SATURDAY and HODGE said the reason we got he bowl an was what happened after Tressel left the program.
Well Formerbuck, then keep at it. It will become much more than just an upvote, downvote thingy if you keep on. Just sayin
Secondly, even in the judicial system you get strikes. Tressel and tatgate were strike 1. It was strike 2 that got the bowl ban. Tressel started the whole downward spiral but it wasn't just him and tatgate that got that bowl ban. Just as the others said.
I think you need to get a better understanding of what the word fan means. It is short for fanatic. If a fan isn't fanatical for their team, they really aren't fans.
Reggie Bush and USC disagree with this remark.
Honestly, I'd be lying if I said I didn't have some reservations about Tressel being on the field for that celebration. You can't, however, honor the 2002 team and not have Tressel there. I knew he would be cheered by the fans, there are many who still refuse to believe or admit the man did anything wrong. I just wish more time had passed before it happened. Then the media wouldn't be so "shocked" that he was cheered, and that wound wouldn't still be so fresh.
I love the guy, and in a way I think that little recognition finally shuts the door on JT. There's closure and now we can enjoy an even better era that is on us, The Urban Meyer Era of College Football Domination.
But you know if he didn't come, that would've been the story. Jim Tressel didn't show up, blah, blah, blah, and we all know why, blah, blah, blah. The guy couldn't win. From what I had read and heard, he was a little uneasy about coming back, but he wanted to be there for his 2002 team.
I agree, he had to come if they were honoring the 2002 team, I just wish there were more time between Tressel's exit and the 10 year anniversary.
Yeah. The timing was not the greatest. If another year or two had passed and Urban was in Year 2 or so of his tenure and the bowl ban was behind us, it probably would've been better. But oh well.
Tressel being there was a little awkward, but it wouldn't have been the same if he wasn't there. The way I look at it - I know the guy did wrong, but I'm willing to forgive him. It seems like some (looking at you, Schlabach!) have this idea that we should never forgive Tressel - it's like they think we should always be mad at him because he hurt our program with his actions and is a big bad cheater. I don't look at it that way, and I know many of those same people wouldn't, either, if it were their own program's beloved coach that screwed up in a similar manner. You can still applaud Tressel and be happy to see him there even if you know that he did wrong and deservedly lost his job over it. It would've been more awkward if he wasn't there.
Class of 2010.
One of the great things about this blissfully "unplugged" season of Buckeye football (bowl ban = no BCS "politics") is that I've paid almost no attention to the hyperbole whores like Schlabach.
When I hear Sean McDonough stupidly say that he's shocked that Buckeye fans would give JT a standing ovation, it doesn't even annoy me. Rather, I almost feel sorry for McDonough because, to the 50-percent of his audience that was tuning him out, he sounded like a crazy man who was talking to himself in the broom closet, while they simply enjoyed the party.
Careful what you wish for, eSECpn. This year of Buckeye purgatory has helped remind some of us that Buckeye fans can sample (as per Hodge's comment above) from the espn menu of data and entertainment - the telecasts with their nice camerawork; 5+ channels of digital programming; website data; etc. - without having to get all worked-up in response to eSECpn jabbering. Since we had no chance of going to the national championship game, it was much easier to appreciate that hacks like Schlabach are far boring than they are infuriating.
And now Run_Fido_Run's unscientific "windshield" survey of 11W blog posts and comment threads are telling him that forum posts like this one are on the decline. Buckeye fans (including myself) are not complaining quite as much as we did the last two years about eSECpn bias and idiotic commentary by the likes of Schlabach.
If I had read this a year ago, I would have told espn to suck my schlabach. Now, I'm more likely to get bored watching the SEC Championship Game and flip over to a basketball game.
I think it is silly to pretend that Jim Tressel is not the main reason for the bowl ban. No I am not stupid and I understand that the Bobby D stuff was just as bad, but take a look back and imagine what would have happened if Tressel had come forward when he got the information in the first place. Those players are suspended (probably for 4 and not 5 games) of their juniour seasons and it goes away when they are done with it. Instead, Tressel covers up what he knows, lies about it when confronted then gets caught. Now the NCAA is all up in our shit and Tressell gets fired. Now Pryor wants to go to the pros, but he needs changed circumstances. Sells out the program (including the Bobby D stuff). Now that comes out and boom, bowl ban. At the very least, Tress is 50% responsible. The cover up is always worse than the crime.
Also, the thought that Reggie Bush was the sole cause of the USC sanctions is ludicrous. OJ Mayo was also tied up in that whole thing and they fired their basketball coach and multiple football coaches.
I watched what Schlabach said and nothing was out of bounds. It is weird that people went nuts for Tressel. To me, at the game, it reeked out a kid of middle finger to everybody for thinking we should still dislike him. But the rest of what he said is perfectly fine. We looked really bad against Purdue and IU and UCF and Cal and UAB. Those games happened. We had one really good game against Nebraska and needed OT to beat Wisco. I think we would be playing for the national championship if we weren't banned, but until we beat an SEC team for a National Championship, nobody is gonna give a shit. We were ignored this season. This is portrayed by the fact that we are still #4 in the country even though we are 12-0
"Who cares? Go Bucks." - Aaron Untch
The Reggie Bush comment above was meant as a joke.
Fair.
"Who cares? Go Bucks." - Aaron Untch
I'm sorry but I think Schlabach did say some stupid stuff. I mean, everyone else on that panel agreed that the 12-0 season was great. And I will point out again that not every team that has gone undefeated had always looked the part. Lots of people say Florida should be in the NCG because they had the tougher schedule yet they were grossly underwhelming against 2 FCS teams. Win is a win, despite how it happens.
Cover up is always worst than the crime, very true, but as was pointed out before until what happened later in 2011 there was not even a possibility of a bowl ban. The lost schollies, the firing, the suspensions, all were for tatgate. But the bowl ban was mostly due in part to continued infractions after what happened at tatgate. It was a total strike rule (3 strikes and your out). The second strike is what perpetrated the NCAA to go that far.
Okay, 2 individuals were the sole cause of what happened to USC. It was still what the players did, not what Carroll did that caused all of that. Carroll had to know something was going on but it had nothing to do with what ended up happening.
Despite whatever happened to cause the bowl ban, to say a fanbase shouldn't cheer a coach that did what Tressel did is ignorant. Tressel took the program above and beyond his predecessor. All of us who remember the Cooper years and the loses to UM and no championships will always have great memories thanks to Tressel.
I dont think Schalbach was saying that people should ignore the Buckeyes, just that they in fact, were ignored by everyone.
And I dont even think it was that bad to cheer the team but i think when the players put Tress on their shoulders and the crowd started going nuts, I think that crossed the line. I have great memories of Tressel, but that doesn't mean I am willing to overlook or ignore the fact that he put the university in terrible situation because he chose to cover up NCAA violations rather than report them. The same way I will never forget that Woody hit players and punched an opposing players.
You must have missed the point where USC fired a bunch of employees for the Reggie Bush and OJ Mayo incidents.
And my whole point in this posting was that you cannot separate Bobby D and Tress. There is no more or less at fault (a point I did not clearly make in my first post). I think if Tress would have done what his contract required then the stuff about Bobby D would never have come out. However, I also understand that there is no bowl ban without Bobby D.
I just dont understand the hatred and vitriol for Schlabach saying a bunch of things that are facts (that we didnt look good in a lot of games, that this does feel hollow since we cant do anything about it, and that we were ignored) and the anger at Formerbuck stating his opinion.
I just think people need to be more realistic. Until we beat a top tier SEC program as an underdog, it will not matter what we do to Michigan or the rest of the little 8 (10 now). This is our national perception for better or worse and there is nothing wrong with stating so.
"Who cares? Go Bucks." - Aaron Untch
It does not feel hollow to me in the slightest. To me, Bama's backdoor national championship last year felt hollow, but not to Bama fans.
Ohio State was ignored by the mainstream sports media all this season, but now they are ignoring Kansas State and Oregon. The supposed "national perception" is that SEC speeeeeed rulz and every other program sucks. Is it really healthy for espn to hammer home the message "Who Cares?" about a hugely popular brand like Ohio State?
And, again, I anticipate that the "national perception" thing will become less important with the four team playoff. Usually, the Big Ten champ will be in the playoff.
Notre Dame looked really bad in 3-4 games. UGA played a weak schedule, looked terrible against Tenn, South Carolina and Kentucky. Florida looked terrible against Bowling Green, UGA, and Mizz and was lucky to beat LA Lafayette.
That's not the point I'd emphasize, though. Many of us are transitioning from lashing out against eSECpn bias, etc, to simply being bored with it. It goes both ways. We were ignored this season and nobody gave a shit about the Buckeyes, but many of us ignored the BCS and did not give a shit about the SEC, either.
Now, the Big Ten is continuing to build up its own media products parallel to the eSECpn machinery. For better or worse, the additions of Maryland and Rutgers to the Big Ten do make the conference a little more independent from the eSECpn media structure. The Big Ten will still get paid by espn and will benefit from espn products, but espn will be more like a sub-contractor. Meanwhile, the 4-team playoff begins in 2014, and those teams will be selected by committee. If the 2-3 non-SEC teams aren't capable of beating the SEC's best teams at that point, so be it; but the eSECpn noise will matter a little bit less in that process.
And, ultimately, an Urbz-led Ohio State program can't be ignored. Either media outlets will feed off the tremendous demand generated by Buckeye football, or some other outlet will capitalize. If espn wants to update their long-term business model to emphasize this strategy of ignoring big stories and encouraging fans "not to give a shit" about Ohio State, good luck to 'em. But I'll predict right now that eSECpn's non-stop talk show twaddle from the likes of Schlabach ain't gonna bring home the bacon for 'em.
if a=b and b=c then a=c. ncaa=espn and espn=troll so ncaa=troll. its a troll's world these days. all we can do is keep on keepin' on. and winning doesn't hurt either. that's like troll agitator. it makes a troll break out in hives and start expousing nonsense.
i think Urban is gonna troll everyone on January 5. hahaha..
theDuke
Naw, man. Don't go troll transitive on us.
Taquitos.
Brian Kelly is responsible for a person's death and is a national coach of the year candidate
YIKES
theDuke
...meanwhile, the "Haters guide to Notre Dame" articles are trending on Twitter.
It is frustrating...just watched that show with the four bickering reporters, Around the Horn or something like that.
According to one of the talking heads on that show, OSU's 12-0 record was stupidly easy because the team had nothing to lose and no pressure of trying to get to a bowl game or championship game. The guy likened it to USC and basically guaranteed that OSU's record next year will be much like USC's was this year.
I understand these are stupid comments, but I think the topic was intended to be a positive commentary on the accomplishments of UFM and the team. I just scratch my head.
This crap about Tressel being cheered really burns me up. If ESPN looked at their own network and its employees the hypocrisy is unreal.
All of the problems with the NC State basketball program over the decade of the 80's, yet ESPN hired Valvano. Now he has been canonized by that network. Yes, the cause of cancer research is a worthy cause. But it doesn't erase the fact of what happened with that basketball program during his tenure. The sanctimonius twits at ESPN overlook that though.
Lou Holtz led Notre Dame football team to its first national championship in over 10 years. He also led them to their first NCAA probation in school history. Of course he wasn't there when the hammer hit. Much like he wasn't at Minnesota, or South Carolina. At all three schools, the NCAA punished them for infractions that occurred during Holtz's tenure as head coach, after Holtz had skipped town. Despite that probation, Notre Dame recently erected a statue honoring Holtzabout 2-3 years ago). No one at ESPN seemed to have a problem with that.
The double standards and lack of journalistic objectivity by the employees of the four letter network is disgusting.
Guess who works for ESPN as a CBB analyst? Bruce Pearl. Yes, that Bruce Pearl who was fired for cheating (you the kind that actually gives a competitve advantage and lied about it).
Looking forward to Tress on "Game Day" working with Herbie, Des, Chris and Corso this fall.
Why do you people watch and listen to the 4letter. Try kicking the habit. Believe it or not there are many other resources for sports news.
If you want to see the Buckeyes tonight what other resource is there? I only watch when I have to.