*hits fast forward button to Saturday night at 8 PM*
*nothing happens*
Damnit. It appears my time machine is busted. They just don't make these things like they used to.
OHIO STATE'S BAND OF BROTHERS. Yesterday, our Patrick Maks detailed Ohio State's blossoming receiving corps, a unit that considers themselves a band of brothers.
But it appears they're not the only unit on the team that feels they're part of a brotherhood.
From Austin Ward — author of the interactive tour of Urban Meyer's office that sparked rampant speculation about possible alternate black uniforms — of ESPN:
'You have a responsibility here, all of you, to help your brother'
For all the damage the talent assembled in front of Drayton can do with the football in their hands, hardly any time is spent breaking down that part of the game in the early hours of this Thursday morning.
A full 20 minutes right off the bat is dedicated to pass protection and picking up blitzes, and Drayton only needs a handful of filmed practice reps to make it clear that's his top priority.
Blocks are replayed over and over with the remote in Drayton's right hand, as the focus shifts from footwork to balance to hand placement and then all the way up to where the helmet is aligned when a hit is made.
You hear a lot of brotherhood talk these days, and I think that's a product of Urban Meyer's and Focus 3's efforts to build that kind of culture within the team.
I chose this excerpt because I think it's a testament to the kind of running backs Stan Drayton and Urban Meyer are building at Ohio State. In high school, I'm sure most of those guys were used to getting the rock put in their hands and told to "run that way." That doesn't cut it at Ohio State, nor does it cut it in the NFL.
Carlos Hyde should be the poster boy in the running backs room for what can happen if players put their trust in Urban and Stan's system.
JOSH PERRY THE SHEPHERD. Linebacker Josh Perry is a renowned good guy, which is why I wasn't surprised in the least to read this story about Perry's relationship with his younger brother, Jahred, who has never been able to attend one of Josh's games.
Jahred Perry was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome as a child, which is on the high-functioning side of the autism spectrum. Always, there were complications for even the simplest of things. If the school bus was too loud and chaotic, Jahred became agitated and suddenly began pounding a seat or yelling or ordering people to stop talking.
Crowds, noises, strong odors and even bright colors touched off tantrums. He struggled to vocalize his thoughts and concerns. His learning progress was slowed.
And so he was a prime target to be picked on and harassed, especially at school. Nothing seemed to fit, not even his body. He grew tall and filled out, looking every bit the part of a promising basketball player at a shade over 6-foot-7. But his motor skills were shaky and awkward — which only opened him up to more razzing and criticism.
Always, Joshua was there for him.
Kids — outside of the Perrys, of course — are the worst.
But ranting about cruel, dipshit kids aside, Josh Perry was already one of my favorite Buckeyes, and this story — read it in full if you have the time — reaffirms that.
Jahred Perry: you're awesome. As are the people who raised you and your brothers.
THIS LOOKS OMINOUS, PENN STATE. Ohio State's offense has been on the uptick since the second week of the season, but according to this graph, Penn State's has been heading... the opposite way.
Woof. It's probably a good thing for Penn State they got that bye week in before Ohio State rolls into town.
THE FAKE LANTERN, Y'ALL. One of the biggest regrets I have of my college career is I didn't go to Ohio State during The Fake Lantern's rise to fame. WE COULDA BEEN GREAT.
Speaking of great, however, here's this week's Low Res Poster:
TFLow Res Game Poster: Penn State pic.twitter.com/VnPQxsbGJQ
— The Fake Lantern (@TheFakeLantern) October 23, 2014
It's a tough call, but I'll give this week's round to Walt's High Res poster. Still, The Fake Lantern is fighting the good fight. (I'd also like to think Brutus is flipping off the Beaver Stadium crowd while stomping on the broken Nittany Lion corpse and not flashing the No. 1 sign.)
WELL, THIS IS DOWN RIGHT PATHETIC. This real Google mail exchange between MGoBlog's Ace Anbender and Brian Cook is too precious.
From Anbender's breakdown of Michigan State's offense:
Ace: that reminds me that I need to pick an MSU game to break down while trying not to curl into the fetal position.
nebraska, I guess?Brian: purdue might be more our level
oh god i just said that and meant itAce: that hit right in the soul dong
and yet, now downloading purdue-msu.
Hahahahaha. *takes breath* Hahahaha. Why would anyone ever want these guys to be good again? This is way too entertaining.
#SHOUTOUT TO BUCKEYEVET. I mentioned last week I took in a stray cat I had been feeding. Stray cats can be disgusting creatures, and fixing that can be pretty pricey. Which is why it meant so much to me when BuckeyeVet aka Dr. Harris of Westerville's Annehurst Veterinary Hospital offered to cleanse and neuter my feline of ill repute at cost. (I'm pretty sure his animal hospital is nicer than Marion's people hospital, by the way.)
Anyway, my little fella had a litany of health issues — tapeworms, ear mites, etc. — but thanks to Dr. Harris, he's well on his way to recovery:
You might say, "Wow that cat looks disgruntled." But you might be disgruntled too if you woke up on a random Tuesday as a eunuch. (Only the fellas will feel me on that.)
Anyway, I just wanted to thank everyone for reading and keeping me honest. As we Marionaires say, "Y'all is real cool folk."
As a parting gift and olive branch to "dog people," here's a picture of newborn (as in Wednesday night) bulldog puppies, delivered by the illustrious BuckeyeVet:
THOSE WMDs. Yes! Texas to start paying student-athletes $10,000 a year for name/image/likeness rights... Latest commit Rashod Berry brings high character to Columbus... So, how is North Carolina still considered a university?... "Buying High: How to Get Rich on Pot Stocks" Adventures with the Wolf of Weed Street... How to open a book without ruining the spine... Bad idea: hoaxing Columbus about having Ebola... James Franklin as Urban Meyer 2.0... Texas OC sues Oklahoma State.
