| Ohio St Buckeyes Fan Page |
143 Ohio St Buckeyes Fans 128 Ohio St Buckeyes News Articles |
The Week 10 NCAAF College Football Schedule has some key match-ups this week. Games are scheduled for just about all week long, including a Sunday Night match-up. Look for some sparks to fly in this weekend's top 25 games scheduled as well. It all starts on Tuesday evening with a Bowling Green Vs. Buffalo match-up.
Picture this: A freshman quarterback starting just his second career game for one of the most prolific college football programs in history travels to Columbus, Ohio to take on a Buckeyes team ranked #8 in the entire country and led by one of the biggest offensive threats in the game. This is exactly what USC quarterback Matt Barkley faced last Saturday night on national television. The result? A victory for Barkley and his Trojan teammates. Which can only leave one wondering what the future could hold…. Matt Barkley was destined for stardom from the start. Attending the well-respected Mater Dei High School in Southern California, Barkley was the first freshman to start for their nationally recognized football program since Tom Marinovich. He was named the 2007 Gatorade National Player of the Year and the 2007 Gatorade National Male Athlete of the Year as a JUNIOR, he was the first ever non-senior to win those awards. After working with quarterback coach Steve Clarkson in the respectable “Air 7” camp, Clarkson claimed that Barkley was a cross between Joe Montana and Tom Brady, not a bad compliment. Barkley then signed with his dream school, USC, and joined the team this past spring after graduating high school one full semester early in December of 2008. While many were excited about the presence of Matt Barkley, everyone knew that sophomore Aaron Corp would be the starter for the 2009 season. When Corp went down with a knee injury just a few weeks before the season opener, head coach Pete Carroll announced that Barkley would be the first-ever true freshman to start for the USC Trojans. Barkley’s first game was against a much less talented San Jose State squad in which Barkley handled his business, managed the game, and even threw for a touchdown. Critics were impressed but wanted to see Barkley’s play against a serious competitor in Week 2, the Ohio State Buckeyes. And after a late touchdown winning drive by Matt Barkley, here we are. At first glance, Barkley looks like a prototypical surfer from SoCal; 6’2, 230 pounds, bleach blonde hair, from Newport Beach California. However, on the field, he looks like he was born to do this. His arm strength is there but will likely improve. His accuracy is good enough at this point to take the Trojans to the Bowl. He seems very comfortable and has great poise in the pocket. And other than a few mistakes here and there, Barkley’s decision-making is on point. And he’s still a FRESHMAN. The potential for this kid is through the roof. A young guy from California with boy band looks and a boatload of football talent, his presence in the NFL will surpass that of Tom Brady present day. I don’t want to jinx the guy or try and predict the future, but you can only imagine that Barkley gets better as time goes on. And if he progresses at the pace he is now, Barkley will be the #1 draft pick in three years. His poster will be mass-produced and pinned on the walls of every football fan, from 11-year-old girls to 45-year-old men. Shoot, he’ll be a pin-up on the wall of non-football fans. The kid just has it. And it should be noted, especially for all the men that will thoroughly hate the “pretty boy” quarterback, Barkley plays guitar for and sings for the choir at his church. He is also very active in community service as he helped build homes for the poor in Mexico, volunteered at an orphanage in South Africa and spearheaded the “Monarchs For Marines” program that raised money for the families of wounded and fallen soldiers. How’s that for bringing him home to meet the parents? Girls across America will fall head-over-heels for this guy, he’ll be all over the tabloids with some hot-to-trot girlfriend, and Tom Brady will suddenly look like the bottom of an old shoe. Cash it!
After posting my top-ten picks (here) and taking a little time to research, I’m ready to throw out my predictions for picks 11 thru 20. Check it out… 11.) Buffalo Bills - Brian Cushing, OLB, USC : The Bills need some help getting to the quarterback and they happen to have a pretty weak linebacker crew as well, Cushing fits well at number 11. Cushing performed well in the Combine and he can help with the Bills’ poor rushing defense too(Buffalo allowed 121 rushing-yards-per-game in ‘08). 12.) Denver Broncos - B.J. Raji, DT, BC : Denver could do a lot of things with this pick, which really makes me think that they may do some draft day trading. However, assuming they keep the #12, you can’t pass up on Raji at this point. I could also see them taking a safety at this position but Sean Smith is a little bit of a reach and Malcolm Jenkins isn’t necessarily a safety just yet. 13.) Washington Redskins - Rey Maualuga, OLB, USC : The Redskins have a number of positions that need to be taken care of, but due to the signing of Derrick Dockery to help the offensive-line and Albert Haynesworth to help the defensive-line, I think they go with the next position of need. Maualuga can rush the quarterback and he can play some pass-defense as well. I would love for the Skins’ to take a tackle at this point but Andre Smith is a HUGE risk and the departure of Marcus Washington makes for a serious need at linebacker. But then again, it’s the Redskins. Dan Snyder could select Josh Freeman and I wouldn’t be surprised. 14.) New Orleans Saints - Malcolm Jenkins, CB/S, Ohio State : Jenkins didn’t have that impressive of a Combine but I think that just makes him a safety, worst case scenario. The Saints obviously need secondary help and Jenkins may be able to play both safety and corner. Vontae Davis is a corner that had a better Combine performance so don’t be surprised if Davis is taken here instead. However, I believe that Jenkins being able to play two potential positions and being a part of a title-contending Buckeyes team gives him an upper hand. 15.) Houston Texans - Clay Matthews, OLB, USC : Houston has a few holes to fill, but they’re going to be a good team despite the fact. They could go with Vontae Davis but I think an outside linebacker to help DeMeco Ryans is a HUGE need for them. A number 15 selection may seem a little high for Matthews but he’s the best available OLB at this point. And that’s not a cut on Matthews, he’s a great player and should be just fine in the NFL. 16.) San Diego Chargers - Eben Britton, OT, Arizona : If LT had left San Diego then there would be no question that I put Knowshon Moreno at this spot. But LT is back, Charger fans should be pleased, and they’ll take an offensive-lineman at number 16. Andre Smith has talent but has admitted that he’s out of shape, which is not worth it to me. Why not take a VERY talented Britton? He may be playing right tackle but I wouldn’t be complaining about that. If Oher slips this far, they may prefer Oher due to his familiarity with the right side. I would opt for Britton regardless. 17.) New York Jets - Chris Wells, RB, Ohio State : I want to say Mark Sanchez really bad at this spot because I think he makes a splash in the Big Apple, but I think Tannenbaum (GM) wants to give Kellen Clemens a real shot. Tannenbaum drafted Clemens and he has yet to see what he can do in a fair trial season. I also think the Jets could use a receiver but rumors have it that they may sign Torry Holt and they could easily pick up Robiskie or Iglesias in the second round. With that being said, Thomas Jones isn’t getting any younger and Beanie Wells is the best running back in the Draft. Wells is a perfect dose of speed and power and he should be a fan favorite in New York. 18.) Chicago Bears - William Beatty, OT, Connecticut : The Bears could use a wide receiver but taking Heyward-Bey or Hakeem Nicks is too much of a reach at 18. John Tait has retired and John St. Clair continues to remain a free-agent. Andre Smith is still waiting in the Green Room but his character is too large an issue. The Bears should take the next best offensive-tackle, William Beatty, in order to fill an immediate need. They may need some depth at defensive-end but this is a little too high for Larry English and incredibly too high for Michael Johnson. 19.) Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Mark Sanchez, QB, USC : I like Knowshon Moreno at this point but the Bucs just signed Derrick Ward. New coach and a relatively new general manager means that the team still needs their franchise quarterback. Why not bring Sanchez from sunny Cali to sunny Florida? Sanchez is possibly the best remaining QB and the Bucs cannot rely on Luke McCown as the future. So what happens when Gruden leaves? The team will continue to have a shelf of quarterbacks. 20.) Detroit Lions - Andre Smith, OT, Alabama : This is even too high for Andre Smith, in my opinion, but if he’s available at #20 and your team is desperate for an offensive-tackle, it’s worth a shot. Hopefully by April this guy can get his act together, because he really does have the tools to succeed in the league. Detroit needs a tackle so bad that they should seriously contemplate taking Jason Smith with the first overall pick and then selecting whatever quarterback is left at this spot, whether it be Stafford, Sanchez, Freeman, etc. Anyway, given my current Mock, I have them taking a huge offensive-tackle to help the newly drafted Matt Stafford. Stay tuned for picks 21-32 to finish up the first round of my 2009 NFL Mock Draft. Changes will come as we get closer to April. Please leave me a comment or email me at: shaeblog@gmail.com Be social... www.atthebox.wordpress.com
Originally posted on
A new feature that will keep you fully briefed on the current state of the Cowboys. One post with all you need to know until the next one. Domestic Affairs Ohio State senior linebacker Marcus Freeman has caught the READ MORE
1a. matt stafford -QB- Georgia - i think eventually we all have to realize that stafford will be our quarterback of the future unless something changes at the combine. he has a very very high ceiling that is too tough to pass up. my only concern is his low basement. reminds me of the debates over matt ryan last year. too many INTs but is experienced and plays in a tough conference. 1b. james laurenaitis - MLB - Ohio State- we need a defensive leader. and as much as i hate his school, this guy is the greatest leader in college football. i just hope he's still here. we might need to move up a few spots. if we can't land him at this spot there's not much left at MLB. so the next thing i would look at is trading down in the 1st and picking up another second or third rounder. 2. patrick chung SS oregon - the kid can make plays, plain and simple. we need playmakers. the best teams have top safeties. this can be ours. without taylor mays in this year's draft, depth at safety is scarce. if we don't take chung, phil loadholt could be an option. 3a. Darius Butler - CB/KR/PR uconn - i've wanted to draft this kid for a while now, he's a good CB, with good speed and excellent cover skills. he can play return man as well. so he's a two-fer. 3b. Jarron Gilbert DT San Jose State - if you've seen this guy play, you know he would be a 1st round pick if he played for a bigger school. he easily pushes through lineman like they weren't even there, and can explode off the snap and hit the ball carrier immediately after handoff. this guy is a steal. 5. C.J. Davis - G - Pitt - If you've seen my lions play, you know guard is a much needed upgrade. and at this point in the draft C.J. is the best available. 6a. Marquez Branson -TE- Central Arkansas - This guy had 45 catches and 11 TD's in his senior year. WOW. To me, he's picked back in the 6th because of his school not of his talent. Oh yeah, he runs a 4.5. He's instantly our best TE. He'll tear you apart in the middle of the field. 6b. Quan Cosby -WR- Texas - His biggest problem is that he's 5'8. but do you know another tiny reciever that plays in Carolina? Quan is speedy, consistently shows up in big games. His age is not a huge problem (27) especially since he's our 6th round choice. Check back after the combine for a new update
I'll first start out by saying that I have absolutely no experience in any kind of management field, especially that of a professional NFL franchise. I also understand that millions of people across the country log onto a computer each day and voice their opinion about their favorite teams and act like they would be the best candidate for the team's general manager job. Consider this another one of "those". My General Manager 2.0 theory is most comparable to those books entitled “Such-and-Such for Dummies” and it only consists of two easy rules. The General Manager 2.0 theory of building an NFL contending team is very simple, very basic, and very much to the point. If you have a couple minutes to waste, please hear me out. The model can be used for any NFL franchise. I, however, will try my best to use the Washington Deadskins as my example of what NOT to do. Out of all the teams in the NFL, the Skins' generate the most revenue and are second only to the Dallas Cowboys (due to new stadium) in franchise estimated value. Many people ask the same question; how in the hell are the two highest-valued teams repeat playoff absentees? The answer...money hungry owners who think they can do EVERYTHING. Because Cowboys' owner Jerry Jones and Skins' owner Dan Snyder think that running an NFL franchise is as easy as running a fantasy football team on Yahoo.. But let's not get carried away, here’s my take… Rule #1 – This may not really constitute as a rule technically, but an aspiring GM has to find the job. Owners should always hire a General Manager. Why? GM’s are an essential part of any football team that is looking to succeed. Whether a team employs a GM/Coach like Mike Shanahan or a one-job GM such as Scott Pioli, a team MUST have a GM. The GM is in-charge of the personnel, not the owner. Sure the owner signs the checks, but the GM is what essentially keeps the team oiled up and working...hence the job title GENERAL MANAGER. Owners must also be aware that they are there for the sole purpose of providing dollars and having a passion for winning. With that said, owners must also understand that their football knowledge is either minimal or not anywhere close to the football knowledge of their GM (assuming the owner hired a GM with some proven skills). Therefore, owners should not be assuming the role of general manager. Take Skins' owner Dan Snyder for example, he thinks he's the greatest GM in the country. Is he? Absolutely not. In fact, he is the proof in the pudding that some owners believe running an NFL franchise (the highest grossing) is as easy as a Madden video game. Look at Jerry Jones. Is his input on signing Pacman Jones necessary? No. Any GM in their right mind wouldn't have signed that idiot. BUT, Jerry thinks he knows more than any GM and he signed Pacman anyway. And, how did that turn out? Now look at owners like Robert Kraft, the Rooney Family, and Steve Bisciotti. Those teams have had great success over the years and their players have come from effective GM’s and their expertise in the world of football. Kraft’s former GM, Scott Pioli, assembled a dynasty of the modern day. You can love or hate the Patriots, but you have to admit that the team was a damn good football team. Pioli drafted guys that no one had heard of and they turned out to be solid players in the league, if not Super Bowl MVP’s. The Rooney Family’s GM Kevin Colbert, has helped build a very solid team in Pittsburgh – a team that has had its fair share of playoff appearances and a Super Bowl win in recent years. And finally, Bisciotti understands that he doesn’t have all the knowledge necessary to build a football team, so he hires a guy like Ozzie Newsome. Newsome’s work with the Baltimore Ravens has made them into one of the most-feared defenses in the league. He has also done an outstanding job with the offensive line, bringing in players that no one thought of and turning them into Pro-Bowlers. Newsome, like Pioli and Colbert, understand that their reputation is built from the players they draft after the 1st round. Rule # 2 – Build your team through the draft, not through free agency. Sure, I understand that free agency is an asset to the league and a decent way to fill a void. However, drafting your players and developing them is the most effective way to build a successful team. Referring back to Dan Snyder’s fantasy football style, he came into D.C. and brought in 800-year-old gargoyles like Mark Carrier, Jessie Armstead, and Jeff George. To put it nicely, it never worked out. Now we take a look at teams like the Patriots, Steelers, and Ravens. The Patriots made something out of nothing, seeing different things in players that no other general managers did (see: Tom Brady). The Steelers are probably the greatest drafting team in the league. Of their 22 starting players, 18 of them were drafted by the franchise. Now, take a look at the Pittsburgh Steelers’ history and success. The Baltimore Ravens have created a defense by drafting players like Ray Lewis, Terrell Suggs, Ed Reed, Haloti Ngata, and Jonathan Ogden. Free agency is often the most entertaining talent pool to look at during the off-season because of the immediate impact a veteran can have. But one must also remember that veterans are usually late 20’s at best, they have established themselves and have developed their own attitude or play-style, and they have been accustomed to the tradition of their former team rather than yours. If every free agent could come to a new team and play with the exact same style and attitude as their new team, then possibly free agency would be more beneficial. But I believe a kid drafted out of Ohio State to play in New England would be better off in the long run than signing a 29-year-old veteran who has played in Dallas for his first six years (especially under Wade Phillips). So what I have to say may not really matter to anyone, but that’s why it’s an opinion. The General Manager 2.0 model is short, simple, and easy so that boneheads like Jerry Jones and Dan Snyder can understand it. And the next time you’re researching a successful team, look into their general manager as well.
Cowher to Penn State-Not just a Rumor.
Need some toughness in Central PA call Joe Pa. Need some grit call Joe Pa. Need a guy who knows college football, call Joe Pa. Need a 71 year old guy trying to enforce the cutting of binge drinking and football player rage disorder. Um, well he has got the 71 year old part. Look Joe Paterno has been tremendous over the years at Penn State, but his time up. Penn State has officially turned into, The Program a 1993 film starring James Caan, Halle Berry, Omar Epps, Craig Sheffer, Kristy Swanson, Daniel Lee, and Joey Lauren Adams. The film the season of the fictional college football team, the ESU Timberwolves as they deal with the pressure to make a bowl game, drug and alcohol abuse, and overall college life. It follows the trials of Coach Sam Winters (Caan), the Heisman Trophy candidate Joe Kane (Sheffer), the freshman running back Darnell Jefferson (Epps), their girlfriends (Berry & Swanson), and other team members. Change is needed and if Penn State can sustain a brutal three game gauntlet of Wisconsin, Ohio State and Michigan, they may end up in the Bowl Championship game. This would be the perfect time for Joe Paterno to retire. I seriously he has had to coach from the press box the last couple of weeks. So here are the candidates for this job in my opinion ranked in order that would best fit the Happy Valley atmosphere and get the program to be a perennial powerhouse, not once ever 5 years.
1. Bill Cowher- Cowher began his coaching career in 1985 at age 28 under Marty Schottenheimer with the Cleveland Browns. He was the Browns' special teams coach in 1985-86 and secondary coach in 1987-88 before following Schottenheimer to the Kansas City Chiefs in 1989 as defensive coordinator. He became the fifteenth head coach in Steelers history when he replaced Chuck Noll on January 21, 1992 – but only the second head coach since the NFL merger in 1970. Under Cowher, the Steelers showed an immediate improvement from the disappointing 7-9 season the year before, going 11-5 and earning home field advantage in the AFC after the Steelers had missed the playoffs six times out of the previous seven years. In 1995, at age 38, he became the youngest coach to lead his team to a Super Bowl. Cowher is only the second coach in NFL history to lead his team to the playoffs in each of his first six seasons as head coach, joining Pro Football Hall of Fame member Paul Brown. In Cowher’s 15 seasons, the Steelers captured eight division titles, earned ten postseason playoff berths, played in 21 playoff games, advanced to six AFC Championship games and made two Super Bowl appearances. He is one of only six coaches in NFL history to claim at least seven division titles. It has become an article of faith among NFL pundits that the Steelers do not have a bad team two years in a row – they have never lost 10 or more games in consecutive years since the 1970 NFL merger. At the conclusion of the 2005 season, the Pittsburgh Steelers had the best record of any team in the National Football League since Cowher was hired as head coach. On February 5, 2006, Cowher's Pittsburgh Steelers won Super Bowl XL by defeating the Seattle Seahawks 21-10, giving Cowher his first Super Bowl ring.
Per Wikipedia
2. Greg Schiano Greg Schiano is a Penn State man. In 1990, he joined the Penn State staff as graduate assistant, and later served as the defensive backfield coach there from 1991-95. It has been said that Schiano views Paterno as a mentor and idolizes him and the Penn State football program. Schiano began his coaching career in 1988 as an assistant coach at Ramapo High School. In 1989, he served as a graduate assistant at Rutgers. In 1990, he took the same position at Penn State, and later served as the defensive backfield coach there from 1991 until 1995. From 1996 to 1998, Schiano was an assistant coach in the NFL with the Chicago Bears. For his first two seasons there, he was a defensive assistant, and then was promoted in his third and final season with the Bears to defensive backfield coach. He served as defensive coordinator for the University of Miami from 1999 to 2000. In 1999, UM finished the year ranked 12th in the NCAA's Division I-A in points allowed per game (17.2), and in 2000 moved up to 5th (15.5 points allowed per game). His brief 18 month stint at Miami and his roots in New Jersey, made him a candidate for his next position as Rutgers head coach. On December 1, 2000, Schiano accepted the head coaching position at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. In 2001, his first season as head coach, the Scarlet Knights posted a 2-9 record (0-7 in the Big East), followed by a 1-11 mark (0-7 Big East) in 2002. This was followed by a 5-7 record (2-5 Big East) in 2003. In 2004, Schiano took on defensive coordinator responsibilities as well, and the team finished 4-7 (1-5 Big East). Although Schiano was producing solid recruiting classes, especially by Rutgers standards, his 3-24 record in conference games and 4-17 record in road games in those first four years were a cause for concern for some fans. But things began to turn around for the program during the 2005 season. That year, the team finished with a 7-4 record, including a 4-3 conference record, and a nationally-televised 37-29 upset win over Pittsburgh and their coach Dave Wannstedt, a long-time friend of Schiano's who hired him while coaching Chicago. At season's end, Schiano and the Scarlet Knights accepted a bid to play in the Insight Bowl against Arizona State University, their first bowl game appearance since the 1978 Garden State Bowl. (Coincidentally, that game was also against Arizona State, and a then-12-year-old Schiano was among the attendees.) During preparations for the Insight Bowl, Schiano signed a new contract, extending his contract through the 2012 season. In the 2006 season, Schiano's Scarlet Knights achieved their first Top 25 ranking since 1976. Following week four of the college football season, Rutgers with a record of 4-0 was ranked #23 in the Associated Press and Coaches Polls. The team was ranked as high as #6 in the country (BCS standings) with a 9-0 record after a historic win against the Louisville Cardinals, beating them 28-25 in Piscataway. Throughout the season, coach Schiano and Rutgers were featured prominently in both the local and national media, and Schiano's motivational phrase " keep choppin'" became part of the lexicon of college football. Rutgers finished the season with a 10-2 record, the first time they had won ten games since 1976. Following the season, Schiano and the Scarlet Knights accepted an invitation to play Kansas State in the inaugural Texas Bowl, where they would go on to defeat Kansas State 37-10, capturing their first ever bowl win. For his work in the 2006 season, Coach Schiano was awarded several Coach of the Year honors, including the Home Depot Coach of the Year award and the inaugural Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award.
Per Wikipedia
3. Tom Bradley An assistant football coach at Penn State University in State College. A graduate of Penn State and former player for the Penn State Nittany Lions football team, Bradley has been an assistant to coach Joe Paterno since 1979. His title on the Penn State coaching staff is " In charge of defense/cornerbacks" . This is roughly equivalent to being the defensive coordinator with additional responsibility of being the position coach for the cornerbacks. Bradley is widely rumored to be the eventual successor to Paterno who has been the head coach at Penn State since 1966. In addition to his role with the defense at Penn State, Bradley has been a highly successful recruiter for the Nittany Lions. Coach Bradley served as the lead recruiter for Nittany Lions such as Shane Conlan, Alan Zemaitis, and Justin King. Bradley has coached many All-American and all Big Ten standouts including, LaVar Arrington, Paul Posluszny, and David Macklin.
Per Wikipedia
1. Ohio State vs Michigan 11. Harvard vs Yale
23. Indiana vs Purdue 25. Clemson vs South Carolina
Ok we have all been there, but being a Pennsylvania boy, I have had some great times at Penn State and put them at the top of my Top Party Schools list. Some of the best tailgating around I ot to say. 1 Penn State--University Park
Alright, here we are with the first ??lecture? coming from fanzak, and I would like to take a moment to send off this season??s (graduating) seniors and others. During the season there will be a much more concerted focus on active teams and ongoing controversies, but, in the downtime that is the space between January and the opening kickoff we??ll have the opportunity to discuss other things. When I was beginning this post I meant for it to be a good luck send off to former University of Maryland running back, Josh Allen, but it morphed into something a little more cynical (which will often be the case).
As a graduate student and activities class instructor at the University of Maryland over the past five years, I??ve gotten to know several football players in the context of the classroom or in sports other than football. For instance I have worked with the likes of NFL linebacker D??Qwell Jackson in basketball, backup QB Jordan Steffy in golf, and cornerback Josh Wilson in bowling. In addition I have assisted many others in the sport and society course that I TA there. For the most part these kids are well mannered, and driven to succeed, but, I would argue, unfortunately ??success?? is not easy in the system they operate in. While many would argue that ??getting a free education? for playing football is more than enough, I would like to take that apart that notion and use Josh as a particular example of how this is not necessarily true
You all may know Josh Allen as a player, since he once ran for over 200 yards against Clemson in 2004, and was on pace to become a superstar for the team in 2005 ?? until the game against Florida State. During the game, in which Maryland finally was able to upset FSU, Allen tore his knee up badly and was sidelined for the 2005 season. In the classroom, where the teams?? only rule is to pass enough credit hours to be eligible, Josh could have been in trouble. Luckily, for him, he had decided that academics were a bit more important than his team did, and he had dedicated himself to graduating in Kinesiology. I still remember the summer golf class that he signed up for, then came down sick one day and still attended ?? in searing 100 degree heat. I told Josh that he could go home for the day, but he said no, worked on his game in 5 minute intervals, then would go lay down under the shade tree. That??s the kind of dedication we don??t hear about on Saturday??s where getting the next multi-million dollar payday (for the school, coach, and athlete) is more important than the (free) education these kids are getting.
What I mean by that is that since these kids are only encouraged to take enough credits to be eligible, and the classes that they can take are restricted (no classes during the season after 2, and in the spring nothing between 2-6) education is NOT the most important part of a college football player??s life ?? even though they are at an educational institution. In other words your education is ??free? (if you are lucky enough to be on scholarship), as long as you take courses at designated times, and are able to fight through the extreme fatigue of having to get up at 6 a.m. to lift then attend 2-3 classes in a row. My heart saddens every time I see a football player in my class, that I know is highly intelligent, but cannot keep his eyes open because of his (warranted) focus on playing football and pleasing his coach. If you don??t believe what I am saying about the lack of focus on education think about this: Ohio State just spent 2 million dollars on shining their football field, while notoriously sending off some of the most legendarily undereducated non-student athletes (Andy Katzenmoyer, Maurice Clarrett, David Boston, Dan Wilkinson all have been pegged as having less than stellar academic careers). If that doesn??t put into perspective how little these kids?? futures mean to their coaching staff, and the school, then I don??t know what does.
College football then, is not this space of ??American Dream? opportunity, but rather a war of attrition through which few survive. Sure some make the NFL, and some graduate, but many others do not, and end up back home with nothing to show for their academic/athletic talents because they were forced to focus so much on football. So while, my least favorite coach in college football, Joe Paterno, and others may argue otherwise, I liken college football to a book I read in high school called ??The Jungle?. In the book Upton Sinclair writes a tale about a young healthy Lithuanian family who comes to United States and its (mythical) land of meritocratic opportunity. What they find however, is that the United States is more of a place of exploitation than opportunity, and the main character Jurgis loses his wife, and son due to the fact that there were no social safety nets in the society at the time ?? similar to the fact that there are few safety nets in college athletics. What I am arguing then is that we need to rethink this system. If we are educational institutions then education should be at the forefront of student-athletics, not this minor league football exploitation camp that college football has become.
|
|
ESPN
-- by ESPN 3 days ago.
The Pryor-Tressel situation just shows there is never a move that will appease everyone. That''s why Tressel deserves a lot of credit for riding out what has, at times, been a rocky road with Pryor. While Tressel isn''t known for being the most liberal offensive coach, he could have taken the easy way out and designed an offense that focused only on Pryor''s running abilities. Somehow the Buckeyes have managed to strike a balance between what''s best for Pryor and what''s best the program.
|
|
Without Paterno's Glasses, All Eyes Turn To Other Coaching Fashion Statements -
-- by Fanhouse 4 weeks ago.
Write what you will of The Ohio State University and their vest wearing coach, he is all class and integrity, something many of the others on your made up "list" wish they had. The VEST is, by FAR, the most recognizable, signature mark for any coach right now. Besides "Bear" Bryant and his famous "Hat", the VEST is easily #1 in fashion, and recognition. And by the way, if Pryor came out this year, who do you think would be the #1 player taken in the draft?? He will be far and away the best QB to come out in ages. His qualities as a player and as a man which are being installed by Coach Tressel will put him on a path to greatness in the NFL. The weapons Pryor has are something the NFL has yet to ever see. You have no clue.
|
|
Texas-to-Big Ten Rumors Heat Up -
-- by Fanhouse 4 weeks ago.
Are you guys serious? There are way too many traditional ties in the Big 12 for Texas. Not only does it neither make sense geographically or in terms of style of football, but UT''s two bitter rivals are OU and A&M. For you Big 10 people, this would be like Ohio State leaving behind Michigan to play USC every year in the PAC-10. And another item, though basketball and many other sports may not make much difference whether played in the Big 10 or Big 12, the Big 10 doesn''t play the kind of baseball Texas is used to playing in the Big 12 (or that''s played in the SEC or on the West coast). Baseball may not mean much to the mid-west, but it matters a lot on on the Southern and Western coasts.
|
|
SEC Dominates National Signing Day -
-- by Fanhouse 5 weeks ago.
Penn State beating up on Tennessee and Ky a few times and most recently LSU, is not an indication of dominance. However, Ohio State''s 0-9 record in bowl games versus the SEC since 1920, may be! In the brief history of the BCS Championship Game (12 games), the SEC is 6-0, Big 12 is 2-4, Big East is 1-3, ACC is 1-2, Pac 10 is 1-1 and the (Big 10/11) is 1-2. That is dominance for certain. AND the recruiting classes for 2010 would indicate more of the same. The Big 10 may beat an SEC team when they are down in their ranking but beating the elite of the SEC is just NOT going to happen VERY often.
|
|
Fighting Sioux Club blog
-- by Fighting Sioux 6 weeks ago.
On the blog in Pocatello, Idaho. The team charter just landed about an hour ago here in Idaho and it''s a beautiful day here as it was in GF when we left. A little hotter here, but Idaho State plays in a dome so it won''t be a factor tomorrow night. Looking forward to the first FCS test of the year for Sioux football. The beauty of flying the charter was being able to watch DirecTV the whole way so a lot of people were catching up on the Southern Cal vs Ohio State being replayed from last Saturday. There are a good number of parents of our players on the trip as well and we''re expecting a good turnout of Sioux fans from this region tomorrow. I''ll be sending out the email to members from Pocatello tomorrow....getting ready to head to practice shortly. I''m interested to see what their arena is like. Go Sioux!
|
|
Pryor Wins One for Ohio -
-- by Fanhouse 10 weeks ago.
I think Claytor should immediately report to have his drug testing done. It seems we have to have excuses for everyone if they lose to a Big Ten team but if a Big Ten team - OSU - loses by a couple of points to a team like Texas at the last minute - they really suck. Huh? All we hear about is the Slow Big Ten will get destroyed by speed. Well, it didn''t quite work out like that. And, finally, I live in South Florida and your comments comparing the program that Tressel runs at OSU vs: the program that Miami has run for years is absolutely laughable. You obviously have your head stuck somewhere other than in the sand on South Beach. We will see how your mighty Hurricanes do next year against those Slow Boring Buckeyes, or do you want to start making excuses now?
|
|
Ohio State Hopes to Duck Another BCS Loss in Rose Bowl -
-- by Fanhouse 10 weeks ago.
I went back through OSU''s box scores since 2002, Tressel''s second season. (I believe you can''t tell anything from a coach''s first season.) I was looking to see how well the Buckeyes played from behind. What I found astonished me, for two reasons.
|
|
BCS Quarantines TCU, Boise in 'Separate But Equal' Bowl -
-- by Fanhouse 14 weeks ago.
Forty years ago Texas,Ohio State and Penn State ended undefeated in the polls forty years later the BCS has done nothing to ensure that this doesn''t happen again. Texas or Alabama,TCU or Boise State and maybe Cincinnati will end undefeated this year. Texas peaked a few weeks ago and have won by the skin of their teeth the last two games. They are not the best or even second best team in the nation at this point.But they might win and in a playoff other teams might win also proving that winning on the field trumps anything a selection commitee can put togetther.
|
|
Pickin' on the Big Ten: Jim Tressel Needs Love -
-- by Fanhouse 14 weeks ago.
It is interesting that he has never won the award. I think the obvious reason is that he coaches the team that sets the standard all other big 10 teams want to aspire to, aside from Michigan who has sucked as of late. Whenever someone beats them or comes close and has a good year otherwise, it''s good to give the award to some new blood whose team may not be loaded with the five star talent of Ohio State. Funny that they can''t win out of conference though. What does that say about big 10? Ducks by 10 on Jan 1.
|
|
Legally Speaking, Now Is Time to Fire Rich Rodriguez -
-- by Fanhouse 16 weeks ago.
In two seasons, Rich Rod has racked up a 8-16 overall record, beaten down the Michigan fan base to such a degree that Ohio State scarlet and gray filled up many of the best seats in the Big House this past Saturday, and left my wife, a Michigan alum, refusing to watch their games on television. "I''m already over Rich Rod," she''s said on many occasions.
|
|
No Surprise as Ohio State Tops Michigan -
-- by Fanhouse 16 weeks ago.
If that would have been Florida or Texas playing Michigan they would have scored 50 points, But NO, not Ohio State. Not with Jim Hayes, Woodys long lost grandson, playing his conservative, kill time and try not to LOSE game plan. Hard to knock a guy with so many wins, especially against Michigan, but he needs to be told at the end of the season to hire a REAL OC and let him run the offense or else. No matter who they face in the Rose Bowl they will lose by at least 21 points as they do almost every year with Jimmy boys play not to lose mentality. Makes you wonder why he even recrutted Pryor to come there and why Pryor has not transferred. Go Buckeys, but all I can do is hope!
|
|
Pickin' on the Big Ten: The Rich Rodriguez Spread Dilemma -
-- by Fanhouse 16 weeks ago.
Watching Michigan struggle is the very definition of "schadenfreude" for fans of all the other Big Ten teams. There''s a reason I stuck the Wolverines with the team name "ALMOST AS GOOD AS WE THINK WE ARE" when I started writing Pickin'' 11 seasons ago. The Wolverines were just coming off Lloyd Carr''s national championship season. The Buckeyes were nearing the tail end of their John Cooper hangover. Wolverine fans never missed a chance to brag up their own team and run down everybody else''s.
|
|
Blanket Coverage: Create November Saturday to Remember -
-- by Fanhouse 17 weeks ago.
Matt Millen, while doing the broadcast of the Iowa-Ohio State contest, stressed that he "could not underemphasize enough" the importance of Ohio State''s dominant defensive linemen. Everyone makes errors on live television (we even do in dead print), but for the future Millen should remember that it''s "overemphasize."
|
|
Buckeyes Earn First Rose Bowl Since '97 -
-- by Fanhouse 17 weeks ago.
Just another in the long line of news people, jealous of all that Ohio State is/does and remains top of the line in most years. Yes not a visit to the rose bowl since 96 But....where were we other year....? yes we as fans want more mix of plays but we are not there day in and day out for the development of TP, so lets understand, that he''s only a kid trying to become a greater talent and Tressel understand it better then we think....so all those TV "mikes" and you news hogs, you don''t have clue. Go Bucks, great program and it is real football. Love it or leave it.
|
|
Pickin' on the Big Ten: Coping With Buckeye Fatigue Syndrome -
-- by Fanhouse 17 weeks ago.
You might be new to that dreadful condition known as Buckeye Fatigue Syndrome, but I''ve been observing it for years. It''s a chronic condition caused by a malfunction of Ohio State football. Symptoms of BFS include the belief that a team which spends almost all of its time in the top 10 is underrated, an inability to let even the slightest perceived sleight go unanswered with a pile of history and statistics, and the uncontrollable urge to sit on a seven-point lead with eight minutes left in the second quarter.
|
|
Big Ten Notebook: Buckeyes Back in Control in Title Race -
-- by Fanhouse 18 weeks ago.
Ohio State beats Iowa, then Michigan and then ANY team from the Pac 10. Then they are ranked #1 out of the gate next year and romp to the title. And by the way SEC fans, how is your "powerhouse" Mississippi doing? lol at Arkansas over OSU. Bama couldn''t score on Ohio State and when your best team,,Florida,,has it''s best play, a run up the middle by there QB who can''t pass at all as it''s most exciting play, they are nothing to look at either. Florida had better beat SC first. The SEC is terrible, Vandy, Miss. St., Miss., Tenn., SC, you have Bama and no QB and Fla. with an over rated guy whos best play is the run up the middle. Yep, real tough.
|
|
Familiar Sinking Feeling Strikes Irish -
-- by Fanhouse 18 weeks ago.
STATE COLLEGE, PA - NOVEMBER 7: Running back Brandon Saine #3 of the Ohio State Buckeyes celebrates his touchdown with offensive lineman Michael Brewster #50 during a game against the Penn State Nittany Lions on November 7, 2009 at Beaver Stadium in State College, Pennsylvania. Ohio State won 24-7. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Brandon Saine;Michael Brewster
|
|
Big Ten Title Race Tightens Up -
-- by Fanhouse 19 weeks ago.
All of the teams with three conference losses (Minnesota, Michigan State, Northwestern, and Purdue) have been eliminated for a variety of reasons. Michigan State has lost to Iowa and would lose any tie with the Hawkeyes, which is the best they could hope for. Minnesota has lost to Ohio State and Penn State, so both those teams would have to lose three times. Iowa would also have to lose out. Since Ohio State has games remaining with Iowa and Penn State it is not possible for both OSU and PSU to lose out. Minnesota is thus eliminated.
|
|
Pickin' on the Big Ten: Sorting Saturday -
-- by Fanhouse 20 weeks ago.
That''s the talking point du jour here in flyover country after the Buckeyes'' pants-blast against Purdue last week. Pryor isn''t turning into the Tecmo Bowl Bo Jackson he was supposed to be back when Rivals and Scout were trying to find ways to give him a sixth or seventh star. There have even been intimations from Pryor''s high school coach that the OSU staff may have made some promises to Pryor that either aren''t being kept or are being kept but shouldn''t be.
|
|
Big Ten Title Race Far From Over -
-- by Fanhouse 21 weeks ago.
It is. Since Illinois doesn''t play Iowa this season, they would have to finish with a better conference record than the Hawkeyes, which is only possible if Iowa loses the rest of its games. However, the Illini have already lost to Ohio State so they would need a better conference record than the Buckeyes as well. That''s not possible if OSU beats Iowa. Therefore, the Illini have been mathematically eliminated from the Big Ten title race.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
