Take notes, Buckeye assistants.
Have you ever seen anything like this?
— Sky Sports (@SkySports) April 12, 2022
A Villanueva del Pardillo coach was SENT OFF after entering the pitch to stop a counter-attack against his team in the 89th minute! pic.twitter.com/i2IYFAyW2S
Word of the Day: Succinct.
TAKING OVER. In an extremely familiar turn of events, D'Angelo Russell absolutely took over last night's play-in game between the Timberwolves and the Clippers, dropping 29 points to lead Minnesota to the playoffs.
D'Angelo Russell took control of the @Timberwolves offense late, knocking down the go-ahead 3 late to advance to the #NBAPlayoffs presented by Google Pixel!@Dloading: 29 PTS, 5 REB, 6 AST, 3 STL
— NBA (@NBA) April 13, 2022
GM 1: TIMBERWOLVES/GRIZZLIES
Saturday, April 16th, 3:30pm/et on ESPN pic.twitter.com/mn8YecUqjs
It honestly wasn't even just the scoring that made his performance so dominant, it's that he was doing everything, finishing with five rebounds, six assists and three steals. And now he's layoff bound.
Russell has played in just one playoff series in his career when his then Brooklyn Nets lost to the Sixers in five games.
SETTLING FOR SECOND. Archie Griffin probably ain't used to finishing second – a likely side effect of winning two Heisman Trophies – but in this case, he'll probably take it.
ESPN put together a list of the top-100 running backs over the last 60 years and Griffin took the No. 2 spot, coming in just behind Barry Sanders.
2. Archie Griffin, Ohio State
Years: 1972-75
Career stats: 5,589 rushing yards (6.0), 350 receiving yards (11.7), 27 TDsSimply put, Griffin put together the most celebrated four-year career a running back has seen. After splitting carries with Champ Henson as a freshman, Griffin averaged 20-plus carries and 135 yards per game for three straight seasons, leading Ohio State to a 31-3-1 record and, after finishing fifth in the Heisman voting in 1973, becoming the only player to win it twice, in 1974 and '75. He was almost impossibly steady and consistent, but he also brought some pop, averaging 6.0 yards per carry in a "three yards and a cloud of dust" offense.
You'll be totally unshocked to hear that this list is pretty loaded with former Ohio State players. Here's where they check in:
- 21. Eddie George
- 34. Ezekiel Elliott
- 43. Keith Byars
- 72. J.K. Dobbins
My blatant homerism says that most of those guys should be slotted about five slots higher, but I'm honestly pleasantly surprised to see J.K. Dobbins' name in the top-75, so I think we can call it even.
RECRUITING PITCH. We love to talk up Larry Johnson and Brian Hartline, but Tony Alford has been a quietly great coach for the Buckeyes for a very long time both in terms of the players he brings in and the on-field results.
With Mark Fletcher committing to Ohio State, he has himself yet another high-profile back, and we get a little insight to how Alford won him over.
@CoachTonyAlford did a great job of recruiting Fletcher I sat in their meeting for almost 2 hours where he broke down every carry that kid had and explained to him how he can make him a better back what sat him aside from other backs and what he can do with him in the future. A+
— Ricky Williams Sr. (@Therula99) April 13, 2022
Your move, Richard Young.
CROSSOVER EPISODE. The Ohio State basketball team borrows a lot from the football program (understandably), but it's good to see that relationship working both ways sometimes.
We got that this week with Michael Redd popping into the Woody to give the team a Real Life Wednesday presentation (on Tuesday, but who cares about details).
The secret to being successful in life is betting on yourself.#RLW: S/O to Michael Redd for inspiring us today!#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/croZZntZGx
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) April 12, 2022
No doubt Redd benefitted from betting on himself, but being a 6-foot-6 physical freak certainly helped, too.
SONG OF THE DAY. "I"m So Sick" by Flyleaf.
NOT STICKING TO SPORTS. Inside the Bitcoin bust that took down the web's largest child abuse site... A London library book is returned almost 50 years after its due date wracking up a £1,254 fine... Police find drugs, guns, and a baby alligator during a traffic stop... How to date your old high school crush... It's now more expensive to cook at home than it is to eat out...
