Jerod and the ‘Stache: College Football Picks for Week 8, October 24th

Last week, the ‘Stache (aka KVB) went 4-3 picking the most important games on the college football schedule. His biggest disappointment, of course, was Ohio State’s shocking loss to Purdue.

This week, we don’t have marquee matchups like Oklahoma-Texas and USC-Notre Dame, but there are some pivotal games across the country that will go along way towards deciding conference championships.

Among the games Jerod and the ‘Stache look at this week: BYU-TCU, Iowa-Michigan State, and Penn State-Michigan, among others.

In addition, they take a look back at Ohio State’s loss to Purdue and discuss the future of Terrelle Pryor, plus take a look at the opening BCS standings. And Jerod poses an important question: would the ‘Stache, a dyed-in-the-wool Buckeye fan, become a Michigan fan in exchange for a college football playoff.

You’ll have to listen to find out the answer, and to get your college football picks.

… Continue Reading

MSF Podcast: BSO’s Robert Littal on “New Developments” in Steve McNair Murder Investigation

Yesterday, I caught the following blurb on Pro Football Talk, in reference to “new developments” that CBS is promising in the ongoing investigation into Steve McNair’s murder:

CBS promises that Keteyian’s findings will expose “critical flaws in the police investigation and raises troubling questions about the events leading up to the two deaths.”

My reaction after reading?

“I wonder what Robert Littal has to say about this.”

And if you want to know why Robert’s name was the first I thought of, take a quick minute to review Littal’s coverage of the Steve McNair murder investigation at Black Sports Online (this post in particular).

So I asked Robert what he thought these “new developments” might be (obvious teaser: the former boyfriend?!?), and he graciously agreed to answer via the burgeoning MSF Podcast, with the resulting insight just a click away.

… Continue Reading

Fire…Jim Tressel?

“Can you believe it? The same man who, just a few years ago, probably could have run for governor of Ohio and won in a landslide, is suddenly receiving the John Cooper treatment.”

The above quote is from Stewart Mandel’s most recent mailbag on SI.com, and is one of the most absurd statements I’ve ever seen a college football writer feel compelled to write.

It is, of course, in response to braindead emails that Mandel received from one of the most spoiled fan bases in sports. Here is one of those emails, which sums up them all:

“USC was outmuscled and outclassed by OSU, save for one drive in the game. But as usual, Tressel gift-wrapped a win to the other team by playing scared and without confidence. I hate to say it, but it’s time for Jim Tressel to go. Any chance he’s on the hot seat any time soon?”

“It’s time for Jim Tressel to go,” he says, as if great – yes, I said great — college football coaches just grow on trees.

“As usual, Tressel gift-wrapped a win to the other team,” he says, as if Ohio State losing is some weekly occurrence.

Here is what I say: what the hell is wrong with these people?

Follow the links to StubHub for great deals on Ohio State football tickets, all college football tickets, and advance tickets to every 2009 bowl game.

Mandel listed out the stats, and they bear repeating:

• Four straight Big Ten titles
• Six BCS appearances in seven years
• One national title
• A 7-1 record against Michigan
• One sublimely incredible post-championship picture with the BCS trophy:

In response to these asinine comments from Ohio State fans about Jim Tressel, I simply pose the following question: who would you rather have?

Sure, there are a few current coaches that I would place in front of Jim Tressel if I were ranking all college football coaches. Off the top of my head and in no particular order:

• Urban Meyer, Florida
• Pete Carroll, USC
• Nick Saban, Alabama
• Charlie Wei–never mind

Other than that, who do you rank in front of Tressel? The next tier of three in my own personal rankings would include Bob Stoops, Mack Brown, and Jim Tressel. I’m not sure how I’d rank them — it would be splitting hairs — but they’ve all had tremendous amounts of success.

Simply put: any notion that Jim Tressel’s time in Columbus should come to an end any time soon has got to be one of the most ridiculous statements ever uttered by a fan base. Period.

Are Ohio State fans who want Jim Tressel gone completely insane?

• Yes, they are totally f'ing nuts and obviously devoid of all perspective.
• Not totally insane, but Tressel deserves -- and has earned -- more patience.
• No, they actually have a point.

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Do Tressel and the Ohio State coaches need to figure out a better plan for big games? Sure they do.

Do Tressel and the Ohio State coaches need to more effectively utilize the unique talents of Terrelle Pryor? Sure they do.

Is Jim Tressel’s “conservative” game-planning sometimes to blame for Ohio State losses? I suppose so.

But how about a reality check? Look outside your own little Columbus bubble once in a while Buckeye fans…you might realize just how good you have it with Jim Tressel.

And if you’d like to know my college football perspective, here are the two teams I follow and cheer for: Indiana and Tennessee. Feel a little bit better about yourself, Insane Buckeye Fan?

You should.

For the record, I spoke recently with MSF’s own resident Buckeye lover KVB and he recognizes the idiocy of the Tressel bashing. Sure, he’s frustrated by the big game losses, but also has enough perspective to remember a time — the Cooper Era — when Ohio State did not win the Big Ten every year, was not always spoken about as a National Title contender, and did not have such resounding success against The Team Up North.

The problem that Jim Tressel has created for himself is that he’s been too good.

He gave Buckeye fans a finger (guaranteeing a win over Michigan his first season, then delivering) so they wanted a hand. He gave them a hand (winning the Big Ten), so they wanted an arm. He gave them an arm (winning a National Title) so then they started expecting the whole body of college football success (beat Michigan, win the Big Ten, win the National Title) every single year.

And now, they’ve lost the perspective to enjoy the incredible success that they do experience every single season. 

Luckily, my many friends who are Ohio State fans have a little bit more perspective and aren’t jumping on the Tressel Hate bandwagon. They’re still spoiled college football brats, but nothing like the zero-perspective ass clowns represented by the two emails Stewart Mandel posted and addressed in his mailbag.

Sure, if the Buckeyes start losing to Michigan consistently, aren’t competing for and winning Big Ten titles, and fall off the BCS map, then Tressel’s employment should be scrutinized. Ohio State is a college football power and should rightly expect to maintain such status.

But as long as they have it — which they still do now under Tressel — Buckeye fans should lay off and realize just how good things are in Columbus. There are about a hundred other Division 1 schools who would be happy to have Jim Tressel, and something tells me that the same fans who are calling for his head would miss him terribly if he was gone.

So quit looking at the few college football lawns that have slightly greener grass than your own, Insane Buckeye Fan. The rest of the college football world just looks at you and shakes it head, wishing for the same success that you are so ungrateful to have.

The morons who write emails and comments like the one above are embarrassments to the entire Buckeye fan base, and to the concept of rational, reasonable thinking. 

You see that trophy in the picture above? In case you forgot, that was this decade, Jim Tressel led you there, and he’s put you in position to win a couple more.

Fire Jim Tressel?

How about you take a cue from the Sweater Vest Soldiers pictured to the right. Instead of whining and bitching about the few things that have gone wrong, thank him and support Tressel for the many, many, many, many more things that have gone resoundingly right.

Otherwise, you’re just redefining the “nuts” in Bucknuts.

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* – Ohio State fans supporting Jim Tressel photo credit: Matthew Emmons/US Presswire via ESPN.com

Ohio State-USC Preview, Analysis, and Prediction

If the current USC – Ohio State odds for Saturday night are any indication, the latest installment of this burgeoning rivalry will be one to forget…at least for Ohio State. The Buckeyes are listed as seven-point underdogs at home to the Trojans.

How the mighty have fallen.

Let’s break down why Ohio State seems primed for a disappointment at home. But first, the particulars for this weekend’s game, via the MSF college football TV schedule for Saturday, September 12th:

 (4) USC Trojans vs (6) Ohio State Buckeyes

• USC-Ohio State Date and Time: Saturday, September 12th at 8:00 ET
• USC-Ohio State Kickoff Time: 8:00 ET
• USC-Ohio State Location: The Horseshoe in Columbus, Ohio
• USC-Ohio State TV: ESPN
• USC-Ohio State Point Spread: USC -7
• StubHub: Ohio State-USC tickets
• StubHub: all Ohio State football tickets
• StubHub: all USC football tickets
• StubHub: all college football tickets

Ohio State-USC Preview

To understand why Ohio State will fail this week, let’s examine what went wrong last week. Sure, Ohio State “beat” Navy, but a four-point home victory over Navy hardly qualifies as a success.

Terrelle Pryor made plays with his feet, as usual, but matched his lone touchdown pass of the day with an interception late in the game. The Buckeyes didn’t run the ball with much authority either.

Perhaps most concerning was Ohio State’s defense, which shocked college football betting fans by allowing 342 yards of offense, punctuated by two passing touchdowns from Navy’s Ricky Dobbs.

If Navy could pick apart Ohio State, it’s scary to imagine what USC might do on Saturday.

Matt Barkley, the first true freshman to start under center in USC history, passed his first test last week against San Jose State, going 15/19 for 233 yards, a touchdown and no interceptions. He played the caretaker role, letting dynamic tailback and Heisman Trophy hopeful Joe McKnight do the heavy lifting. McKnight rushed 14 times for 145 yards and two touchdowns, including a 54-yard scamper.

A good sports betting system for football is to watch for patterns of how a team wins and how a team loses.

Last week, USC showed an efficient passing game, able to inflict damage when it needed to, and handed off the rock the rest of the time, chewing up clock and tiring out the opposing defense. Ohio State scraped by Navy last week but struggled against the run and even allowed some scores through the air. If that’s not a recipe for a USC win, nothing is.

Since USC’s defense is strong and should fluster Pryor, the seven-point spread for USC on the road is totally justifiable. Pick the Trojans with confidence; the 2009 Buckeyes aren’t in their league.

Ohio State-USC Prediction

Betting services recommend: USC -7

What do you think?

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* – Ohio State-USC logos credit: The Scores Report

* – Jim Tressel photo credit: Thunder Treats

Memo To Ohio State: Please End This Matt Barkley Nonsense on Saturday

Matt Barkley, the pretty boy SoCal freshman who started for USC this past Saturday, is only one game into his collegiate football career.

And after one game, I am already sick and damn tired of him.

Oh come on Jerod, you might say. He’s just a freshman, just a kid, you’ll retort. Why such palpable vitriol for a kid ten years your junior? Are you jealous? Jealous that he has already achieved more athletically than you ever came close to? Jealous that because he’s the starting QB for USC, as opposed to some chubby Midwestern blogger, he will —  to paraphrase Nate Dogg — get more ass than a toilet seat?

No.

I’m sick and damn tired of him because he’s a cocky kid who has achieved nothing — to this point — as a collegian and yet the Pete Carroll sycophants at ESPN are already discussing his Heisman chances…for this year. 

Here is an excerpt from the latest ESPN drivel, which is entitled “The Heisman Predictor: Week One” but should be titled “This Article Is Worse Than Mark May’s Tie.”

In fact, a win over Ohio State could put Barkley right up there with Tebow and McCoy. Sure, it would be unprecedented for a freshman to win the Heisman, but it would hardly be unprecedented for a much-hyped Trojan quarterback to walk away with the hardware. Ohio State could prove to be USC’s toughest opponent this season, meaning a win on Saturday would put the Trojans on pace for an undefeated season. If Barkley puts on a show (300+ yards, 3+ touchdowns) against the Buckeyes, he will immediately become a legitimate Heisman candidate.

So let me get this straight. If Matt Barkley has a good game against Ohio State, the same Buckeye team that — sorry Buckeye fans — allowed Navy’s QB to go 9-13 and 2 TDs, then he’ll be “right up there” with two of the most consistently successful QBs in college football this decade?

You have got to be f’ing kidding me.

(Note: Beano Cook could not be reached for official comment, but sources tell us that had Barkley had gone to Notre Dame, Cook believes he would have trumped Ron Powlus’ three Heisman Trophies by at least one…maybe more.)

I know that Barkley is the quarterback for USC, which gives you automatic inclusion into every Heisman Watch list whether you deserve it or not, but shouldn’t any plaudits for Trojan players be squarely and solely in the direction of Joe McKnight? To be fair, the article does mention McKnight (who popped for 145 yards and 2 TDs on 14 carries in Saturday’s win) but the fact that Barkley’s name is even there is ridiculous.

Barkley went 15-19 for 223 yards and a TD on Saturday. These are good numbers for sure, and certainly an auspicious beginning for a kid who obviously has serious some talent. But he wasn’t even named the starter until just a few weeks ago, and his backup Aaron Corp actually went 4-4 for 45 yards and a TD of his own.

Really says a lot about that vaunted San Jose State defense that USC was playing, huh?

And from the accounts of those who watched the game, it’s not like Barkley was lighting SJS up with a downfield aerial assault. This from Sports By Brooks:

In a first-and-only cram session before his ‘Shoe debut, Barkley oversaw an offense one could generously ascribe as ‘basic’ in the Trojans’ trucking of embarrassingly undermanned San Jose St.

…

Dude has played one home game. Against San Jose State. Running three different pass plays over three quarters.

The LA Daily News echoed this assessment:

In reality, USC relied heavily on its running game and asked Barkley to roll out or keep the ball on the perimeter to avoid interceptions. That interception-proof plan worked flawlessly against the hapless Spartans.

Despite the pathetic competition, Barkley actually played better than some observers expected.  As Brooks noted last week, Barkley strugged as a high school senior (throwing 18 INTs despite being last year’s version The Greatest Quarterback Prospect EVER) and then struggled in the USC spring game. Still, he won out over the “more polished” Corp.

But giving a freshman QB a vanilla game plan against a weak team in hopes that he will minimize mistakes and build confidence is not a bad thing. It’s good coaching. What is annoying is that Barkley apparently thought he and his USC teammates had carved out their yardage against the ‘85 Bears and that playing in The Horseshoe would be only a little more difficult than practice.

“We can play in Alaska in the snow, that’s how confident I am in this offense,” Barkley said. “There can be 500,000 rooting against me (next week).”

And Brooks quotes Barkley as adding:

“I don’t think that (Ohio Stadium crowd) will make a difference. The atmosphere will be nuts. I probably don’t even know how it will be. But that won’t faze me.”

Taken in a vacuum, perhaps we could just chalk these quotes up to a little bit of youthful exuberance coming on the heels of a kid’s first college win. But add the following to the list and we realize that Matt Barkley is an 18-year old kid with no college skins on the wall who is way too full of himself already:

From the LA Times (via CFT):

“That this is fun. This is easy. This is what I was made to do,” Barkley said.

I asked Barkley if there was anything that was difficult.

“The run up the tunnel at halftime,” he said. “That was brutal.”

That kind of brash cockiness is probably what endeared Barkley to Carroll, and will make him a Trojan legend if he backs it up with a career befitting such bravado. But for an outside observer like me, and one who respects and appreciates humility in his athletes, I think Barkley just sounds like the immature kid that he is.

Which is why I hope the Ohio State defense plays much better than it did this past Saturday and knocks some humility into Barkley while simultaneously putting this ridiculous Heisman talk to rest. To paraphrase Brooks, who is far more in tune with the USC landscape than I am, it will probably be the best thing that could happen to him.

Oh, and if I haven’t made enough of a case for why you should be rooting for the Buckeyes to demolish Matt Barkley this coming Saturday, he has apparently inspired the orgasmic delight of our favorite FanHouse BLOGGER Jay Mariotti (via Deadspin):

The afternoon sun was orgasmic, framing the Memorial Coliseum in a California daydream as the USC band played its triumphant post-game march. Yet nothing was more radiant than Matt Barkley’s smile. He was standing at midfield after his debut, engulfed by media wondering if an 18-year-old true freshman can be worthy ofcollege football’s answer to a Hollywood processional: Carson Palmer to Matt Leinart to John David Booty to Mark Sanchez to…

While reading Mariotti’s Ode to Matt Barkley, I couldn’t help but wonder whether I should write this post or take the liberty of registering him for NAMBLA.

To be fair, Mariotti does make a valid point in the midst of his contribution to the unnecessary Barkley hype:

The dream, of course, quickly could turn ugly. This Saturday night, the Trojans abandon L.A.’s creature comforts and enter a hostile Horseshoe in Columbus, where Ohio State awaits in a colossal early-season test of two top-5 teams.

Exactly. And let’s hope the Buckeyes are ready, because I know of at least one non-OSU fan who will be decidedly in their corner Saturday night: me, hoping they put a stop to this Matt Barkley nonsense. Of course, if the kid plays well and USC dominates, I will have to eat my words. But I will have no problem doing so. At least then Barkley will have one legit accomplishment on which to base his seemingly endless arrogance.

As of right now, he’s just an 18-year old freshman who is coming off of an 18-INT season as a high school senior, an underwhelming performance in the USC spring game based on expectations, and a solid but unspectacular outing as a game manager against mighty San Jose State. 

Best of luck in the Horseshoe this Saturday Matt. Something tells me it will be a little more difficult than you think.

Otherwise, it may not be long before Barkley is doing this after a touchdown pass.

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* – Matt Barkley photo credit: Bobak Ha’Eri via Wikipedia

Kirk Herbstreit Proves That White Men Can Jump and Ohio State Fans Can Be…Objective?

Caught The Big Lead’s 5Q interview with Kirk Herbstreit a few minutes ago. Solid work. Good interview. Two things in particular caught my eye.

First, this is old news but it’s new news to me: Kirk Herbstreit has unexpectedly incredible leaping ability. As evidence, I present to you the following picture, which is from the 2002 BCS National Championship game between Ohio State and Miami. Many of you have probably seen this picture before, but I had not. Regardless, it’s awesome:

(Somewhere, KVB is now contemplating reading the rest of the article or sprinting to his restroom cabinet to grab a moist towelette and some hand lotion. Read on you crazy Buckeye. Read on.)

Though it is not perfectly clear in the picture, other sites have pegged Herbstreit’s sideline cohort as none other than former Ohio State running back Eddie George.  Makes sense to me, so we’ll go with it.

I’m just amazed at how far Herbstreit is off the ground. Clearly, he is leveraging George’s shoulders to propel himself higher, but anytime there is an athletic event going on and a white dude is higher in the air than anyone else…well, it’s unexpected and impressive.

So (almost a decade after that fact) kudos to Kirk Herbstreit, suit and all, for his incredible feat of leaping greatness.

Here is the play that caused Herbstreit’s jubilant jump, which every college football fan will remember well:

Herbstreit addressed this play in the most compelling section of his interview with Jason at The Big Lead:

“…the way the official first reacted, he should not have called pass interference. You could make an argument that there was contact early on the play, when the ball was in the air. But later in the play, there was no contact, it was a no-call. The way he reacted initially, I don’t know why all of a sudden later, he decided to throw the flag.”

Of course, naturally, prior to this explanation Herbstreit spewed the typical Buckeye nonsense about a call that went against the Bucks earlier in the game that led to a Roscoe Parrish punt-return TD. So even if it was pass interference, karma’s a bitch Canes fans!

Actually, I’m just expressing a little faux sarcasm because a) it’s more fun to write; and b) it’s fun to ruffle the feathers of Ohio State fans. They love themselves their football and take it somewhat seriously.

Herbstreit goes on to discuss how a few people have emailed the photo to him. And it’s quite obvious that included in said emails are critical remarks about his not-so-clandestine support for his alma mater. Completely unprovoked, Herbstreit goes off on a rant about how he strives to be objective when discussing the Buckeyes on-air, so much so in fact that he sometimes thinks that he is overly critical of them:

“When I’m on the air, I would challenge anybody to watch me when I do a game and try to figure out what school I went to. When I’m off the air … I’m an Ohio State fan. Sorry. I went to school there, I was a captain there, my kids wear their Ohio State jerseys almost everyday. They wake up singing the fight song. We’re an Ohio State family. [About the photo] I wasn’t on the air, I’m going to go crazy. My work speaks for itself. The way I’m fair and objective – sometimes I probably go too far in being critical toward Ohio State, but I had a ton of people send me that photo.”

Okay Kirk, we get it. Geez. Defensive just a little bit? Something tells me this must be a common theme in the critiques he receives from fans.

Honestly though, I tend to agree with him.

I like Herbstreit and think that he is one of the better studio and color analysts not just in college football, but in all of college sports. He is knowledgable, relatively consistent as far as I can tell, and while he obviously has a soft(er) spot for high profile teams like USC, Florida, and Ohio State, I don’t think it takes away from his ability to be objective and to be critical of those teams when the situation warrants it.

So as far as I’m concerned, his diatribe at the end of The Big Lead interview was a little unnecessary. He obviously felt that he needed to make that point though, so more power to him. 

What are your thoughts on Kirk Herbstreit?

• Fair & balanced, and one of the best football analysts out there.
• You mean Hunkstreit? Who cares if he's objective or not. I'd do him.
• Overrated. He just looks good when compared to Lou Holtz, Mark May, and Lee Corso.
• He's a turkey neck away from being Beano Cook.
• Total Ohio State homer.

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Plus, he’s in a cartoon! And if Flash Sports Tonight says that Kirk Herbstreit represents “all that is wholesome, pure, and true to the spirit of college football,” well it’s good enough for me.

 

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* – Kirk Herbstreit jumping photo credit: Wiz of Odds and The Thermocaster

Ohio State Video Implores Fans to Honor Navy with “Take the Field Tribute”

I don’t really care about Ohio State one way or the other. Somehow, though, I always end up watching them on Saturdays and talking about them throughout the week because KVB drank the Columbus Kool-Aid long ago and thinks about nothing else from September through Ohio State’s eventual BCS drubbing in January.

For the record, I disagreed with his assessment that Ohio Stadium is the best football stadium in the Big Ten (my vote goes to Beaver Stadium in Happy Valley) and I laughed when GQ named Ohio State one of the 25 douchiest colleges in America. But, I sure as hell like Ohio State more than Michigan.

Why do I tell you all of this? Mainly so that you don’t reject the rest of this post as simply being your typical Buckeye propaganda that gets pushed out this time of year by Ohio State’s throngs of sychofans across the country. (like this guy…I know the domain says purdue.edu, but I bet you he’s a Buckeye fan!)

With that said, I want to commend Ohio State for being proactive in showing support to America’s service academies.

Recently, Ohio State began circulating a video that implores its fans to give the Navy Midshipmen football team a rousing ovation — what they are calling the “Take the Field Tribute” — when Navy takes the field at Ohio Stadium on September 5 (click here for tickets). Ohio State head football lieutenant coach Jim Tressel, agrees with idea, saying “We would hope we would treat every opponent with great respect, but I think it’s even raised a notch when you’re talking about people running out on the field who are pledged to defend you.”

(In related news, there is no truth to the rumor that Tressel also wanted to institute a similar ovation policy for every time a special teams unit trots onto the field.)

According to the Take the Field Tribute video, Ohio State hopes “this tradition starts at Ohio State and spreads to other schools who host US Service Academy teams.” Agreed.

Here is the video in its entirety:

 

Of course, if Ohio State really wanted to be nice to Navy, they would start Joe Bauserman at QB and not Terrelle Pryor, but that’s beside the point.

The video, as you might expect, is filled with typical Buckeye arrogance, claiming that “even visiting teams respect and appreciate the honor and the tradition of Ohio State…and the opportunity to play football in Ohio Stadium.”

It is also filled with outright lies, like this one: “Buckeyes know there are some things more important than football.”

Oh really? I challenge you to find me a Buckeye fan who believes that anything is more important than football. Honestly Ohio State, I think the idea for a Take the Field Tribute is great, but there is no reason to be disingenuous and say things that everyone knows are false.

Regardless, I think this is a fantastic idea and hope that more schools follow suit if they are not doing this already.

I think a lot of us, regardless of our political leaning, myself included, take for granted the freedoms that we have in this country. And that’s as much of a soapbox as I will get on, because I do not think that too many people would disagree with me. A standing ovation from 100,000+ people would certainly be moving, and I am sure that Navy’s football team, as well as military veterans and officers across the globe, would appreciate it.

Plus, for all of the kids in attendance and watching on TV, it would provide a great opportunity for parents to discuss why the fans are cheering for the opposing team while explaining the importance of the sacrifices that military men and women make.

Doug Lesmerisis has a great article at Cleveland.com discussing the planned Ohio State tribute to Navy, with the most apt statement coming at the end:

A rousing welcome in the largest stadium any of them will ever play in is something most of the Navy players would probably remember forever. But their real dream to return from the locker room to start the third quarter and get booed like crazy — because they’re winning.

So, Ohio State fans, after you take part in the Take the Field Tribute and then watch your Buckeyes gets off to their typical sluggish start in the first game of the season to trail 7-6 at the half, remember to boo too.

The Navy football team represents the reason why we can enjoy college football Saturdays so freely. The least fans can do is temporarily put aside their insatiable appetite for victory to honor the men and women who keep us safe and make our way of life possible.

And Buckeye fans, beware: if you don’t show proper respect by participating in the Take the Field Tribute, Jim Tressel will reciprocate your disrespect with a double bunny ear salute when you least expect it.

* – Jim Tressel bunny ears photo credit: AP Photo/Terry Gilliam via ESPN.com

* – Navy football team photo credit: Saul Loeb / Agence France-Presse via Military Times

Ohio State, Notre Dame Make GQ List of America’s Douchiest Colleges

Earlier today, KVB tried to convince everyone that Ohio State and its 102,329-person capacity stadium is the best football stadium in the Big Ten. Well guess what? GQ thinks that KVB, Kirk Herbstreit, and the rest of their Buckeye brethren are douches.

In fact, in its list of the 25 Douchiest Colleges in America, Ohio State came in at #19, right between other notable instidouchions of higher learning Morehouse (#20) and Boston U. (#18).  

And wouldn’t you know it, the tagline for Buckeye douchiness according to GQ is “The Excessive-School-Pride-Douche.” GQ also says:

Affectations: Dressing for class each morning as if you were the offensive-line coach; writing prison letters to Maurice Clarett.
Overheard at Buckeye career-building workshop: ”You can put ‘Won a national championship’ on a résumé, right?” 
Most likely to: Suffocate a hapless Boilermakers fan with a giant foam Number One after offhand comment about how the marching band’s “Script Ohio” wasn’t all that impressive.
Honorable-mention excessive-school-pride institutions: Duke, Michigan, Texas, Penn State, Yeshiva University.

For the record — and this should surprise no one — Indiana did not make list.  Purdue, however, somehow escaped GQ’s wrath.  How about the “Wears-Plaid-Every-Day-Douche”…that would have worked.

Other notables on the douchy college list:

• #25 Virginia
• #24 Texas
• #17 Chicago
• #16 USC
• #15 Notre Dame
• #14 Arizona State
• #13 Georgia
• #12 Phoenix
• #10 Colorado
• #4 Harvard
• #3 Princeton
• #2 Duke
• #1 Brown

* – Kirk Herbstreit photo credit: Year 2

Cleveland Browns First Day Mock Draft and Dream Saturday Scenario

The 2009 NFL Draft is set to start in a little over 5 hours as I begin writing this. Matthew Stafford has already been declared the #1 pick by the Detroit Lions, meaning the St. Louis Rams are now on the clock trying to decide between LTs Eugene Monroe and Jason Smith (or Mark Sanchez…really?) After the Rams make their choice, the Chiefs and Seahawks will be on the clock, followed by the Cleveland Browns.

With little new information emerging this morning regarding the Browns’ Saturday plans (not that any emerging information out of Berea would be believable anyway) there is only one thing left to do: try to predict what will actually happen today. And instead of telling you what I think will happen, I’m going to give you my own personal pie-in-the-sky dream scenario of what I’d like to see happen.

There are so many variables and trade possibilities out there, plus what seems to me like such a jumbled first round draft board, that trying to actually predict what will happen with any semblance of clarity seems pretty futile to me. I can certainly tell you what I hope happens, however.

First, let me link you to a couple of articles that have formed the basis for trades I’d like to see happen.

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Buy & Sell 2009 Cleveland Browns Tickets Online at Stubhub

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This morning, Mary-Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain-Dealer provided her own collection of thoughts about the 2009 draft, the first of which I found myself agreeing with wholeheartedly:

The Browns should trade Braylon Edwards, even if they can only get a No. 2, No. 5 and a young prospect such as Domenik Hixon or Mario Manningham from the Giants. If they can secure the Giants’ first pick in the second round — the 45th overall — they’d have four picks in the top 50 and could transform the team with those players. At No. 45, they’d probably still be able to land a top-notch receiver or another immediate starter. Edwards needs a change of scenery and he’s heading into the final year of his deal. The Browns might as well get something for him while they can.

~ Four Things Mary Kay Cabot thinks about the NFL draft — (Cleveland Plain-Dealer)

I am not particularly enamored with either Domenik Hixon or Mario Manningham; I don’t think anyone is. However, seeing as how Manningham is a Michigan grad, only 5′11, and totaled a whopping 4 receptions as a rookie, while Hixon is from Akron, stands 6′2, has four years of NFL experience, and had 43 receptions last year, I think Hixon would be the more preferable of the two.

The real value, of course, would be the draft picks. And let me mention this: while I think it is conceivable for the Browns to be good in 2009 (this is the NFL after all, where miraculous turnarounds are a yearly occurrence), I think they should use 2009 as a year to rebuild with 2010 being the target for truly competing. Any significant success next year will be considered gravy in my mind; I want to see progress. I see too many holes on this team to expect a playoff run next year. But with an influx of good, young, cost-efficient talent, the Browns can become very competitive in 2010…I think.

Back to the Edwards deal. No, such a deal would not give the Browns another 1st rounder, but this appears to be a draft with a lot of value in the second round. Not only can you get good players, but for a much better price than if you pick them in the first round. For a team like the Browns, which is essentially remaking its roster, the 2nd and 3rd rounds are where you want to stockpile picks. (And the Browns do not have a 3rd-rounder this year.)

Need more convincing? The New England Patriots have the 23rd, 34th, 47th, and 58th picks this weekend. They have a pretty good track record of rebuilding through the draft. I’d be quite comfortable following such a model.

Dream Scenario #1: The Browns complete a trade with the Giants sending Braylon Edwards to New York for the Giants’ 2nd (#45) and 5th round picks, plus Domenik Hixon.

Next up, let’s discuss what the Browns should do with their #5 pick in the first round. Projections have been all over the board. I’ve seen mock drafts giving the Browns each of the following players: Michael Crabtree, BJ Raji, Aaron Curry, Brian Orakpo, Mark Sanchez, and others. What this tells me is that there is no absolute, perfect fit for the Browns at #5, and that there is little separating the top 10 picks from one another. Why then would you want to take someone there and pay him #5 money if you are not completely convinced the guy will be a great fit for your football team? I suppose you could argue that each guy would fill a specific need and that the Browns would have their choice among many great options at #5; I just don’t see that being more advantageous than trading back.

If there was a player at #5 that I personally thought could come in and make the Browns a playoff contender next season, or who is extremely likely be a future superstar, I’d be all for holding the #5 pick and taking him. I don’t believe that to be the case, so I am hoping to see the Browns trade out of the #5 slot.

But to whom?

Depending on who falls to #5, the Browns could have a variety of teams interested in moving up. The best case scenario for the Browns is to have Mark Sanchez sitting there, as teams are always willing to pay more to get a QB they covet. One of the teams most widely rumored to be considering a trade up for Sanchez is the Denver Broncos.

As with all rumors this time of year, there is information out there on both sides. I’ve seen it reported that the Broncos want to package their two No. 1’s (picks 12 and 18) for a move up to draft Sanchez. I’ve also seen it reported that it’s all a ruse and the Broncos just want other teams to think that they want Sanchez.

So who the hell knows.

I do know this: I do not want to see the Browns trade Brady Quinn and draft Mark Sanchez as the “quarterback of the future.” First, I don’t think Quinn has really gotten a chance to show what he can do, and we already traded picks to make him our first round selection a couple years ago. Plus, we have Derek Anderson, who at least has successful NFL starting experience in his past.

Second, I am not the least bit sold on Mark Sanchez as a future franchise QB, mainly because he’s an underclassmen going pro early with only 16 career starts. There is no way this guy will be ready to lead an NFL team for 2-3 years at the earliest, and there is simply too much unknown about him with only 16 games of tape to watch.

All that being said, why not split the difference with the Broncos if they do want to draft Sanchez. Take their #12 pick plus their 2nd rounder (#48) and give them the #5. This still gives them two 1st round picks, but the Browns get to move down into a more manageable draft slot from a contract perspective, they can still get a very good player with their first pick, and they add another mid-round selection in the value-rich 2nd round.

I don’t know what the infamous “draft value chart” would say about this trade, but I don’t care. The Browns need a lot of good, young players to build around. I’d rather increase my odds of improving the roster with two of the best 48 players in the draft as opposed to one of the top 5, especially when there seems to be so much debate over who the five best players really are in this year’s draft.

Dream Scenario #2: The Browns trade their #5 pick in the 1st round to the Broncos for Denver’s #12 pick and #48 pick.

Okay, let’s assess the damage here. If my two dream scenarios above were to come to fruition, here are the first-day picks the Browns would have (in addition to adding Domenik Hixon and a 5th rounder from the Giants):

• 1st round, #12 (from Denver)
• 2nd round, #36
• 2nd round, #45 (from New York)
• 2nd round, #48 (from Denver)

Contrast that with what they have right now:

• 1st round, #5
• 2nd round, #36
• A disgruntled and drop-happy Braylon Edwards

I don’t know about you, but I like the first scenario a lot more.

So, who could the four first-day picks turn into? Here is what I personally would love to see happen; and remember, this is a dream scenario, so while I’m trying to be realistic, forgive me if this sounds a bit hopeful:

#12 pick: Malcolm Jenkins, CB, Ohio State

With the draft seemingly devoid of CB depth, and the other CBs likely to be gone by the 36th selection, I like the value here. There are questions about Jenkins’ speed and whether or not he’d have to move to safety, but at the end of the day he’s a playmaker. The Browns need playmakers and smart football players in the secondary. Plus, while many Ohio State linebackers have underperformed expectations at the NFL level, many Ohio State defensive backs drafted in the first round have done well (Antonio Winfield, Nate Clements, Chris Gamble).

Wherever he ends up playing, CB or S, Malcolm Jenkins is a good, solid football player with the instincts to someday be great. It would be nice if Brian Orakpo fell here, but most mock drafts do not have him getting past the Bills at #11. Other options could include Beanie Wells, Brian Cushing, or pash-rushing ends like Robert Ayers and Aaron Maybin.

I say swapping the Wolverine Edwards with the Buckeye Jenkins improves the defense and gives Browns fans something to get excited about; but most importantly, they get a player good enough to step in, fill a void in the secondary, and play from Day One.

#36 pick: Paul Kruger, OLB, Utah

To be honest, this is hardest pick to predict. So much will depend on who the Browns draft in Round 1 and who unexpectedly falls to the second round.

Paul Kruger is who Todd McShay has the Browns picking at #36 in his mock draft, and I don’t see why not. The Browns need young but mature linebackers to team up with the solid D’Qwell Jackson, and Kruger seems like a solid fit. He is big (6′4, 263 pounds) and described in his Scouts Inc. profile as “a person of very good character. A hard worker and leader by example.” Kruger will be a 23-year old rookie as he served a two-year mission in 2005 and 2006.

I’m not sure this is necessarily a “sexy” pick that will have Browns fans yelping with excitement, but it does seem like a very solid pick and Kruger appears to be the type of hard-nosed, high-character, smart guy the Browns would want to rebuild build around.

I could see the Browns going in another direction and trying to pick a DB here if they don’t trade back and get Jenkins in Round 1. If they do get Jenkins, obviously I doubt they’d pick another DB. Other potential options here include DE Larry English, OLB James Laurinaitis, DT Evander Hood, or C Alex Mack, but again, it all depends on who falls.

#45 pick: Brian Robiskie, WR, Ohio State

I said this is a dream scenario, right?

What could be more of a dream for Browns fans like our very own Ryan Russell than getting rid of Braylon Edwards and bringing in two Buckeyes. I didn’t necessarily set out to have it happen this way, but Jenkins and Robiskie both appear to be solid values at their respective slots who fill specific needs for the Browns.

Robiskie is just a good, solid football player. I don’t know if he will ever be a Pro Bowl WR, but I think he can be a good to very good NFL wide receiver for 10-12 years.

With the Browns not having Braylon Edwards (in this scenario), Kellen Winslow, Joe Jurevicius, or (probably) Donte Stallworth, they obviously need a WR. Most likely, guys like Kenny Britt, Hakeen Nicks, and Percy Harvin will not be available at #36, which is fine with me. I’ve read various reports of red flags about each (ego with Britt, curious weight gains and losses with Nicks, and the infamous failed Combine drug test story, and others, about Harvin). Who knows how much stock to put into what could be disinformation, but I’d rather be safe than sorry.

With Robiskie, the son of longtime NFL coach Terry Robiskie, all you read about is his professionalism and production. That’s what the Browns need to build around. I can’t imagine a safer pick that fits more perfectly in terms of need than Brian Robiskie at #45. Another option here could be Mohamed Massaquoi from Georiga, who is rapidly rising up draft boards. I personally doubt he’ll be here with this pick, and besides, ew might as well pick the Buckeye, right?

#48 pick: LeSean McCoy, RB, Pittsburgh

Jamal Lewis ‘aint getting any younger, and Jerome Harrison is much better suited as a third down, change of pace type back than an everydown runner. Getting LeSean McCoy in the 2nd round, I think, would be a great value for the Browns and fill a specific need of an everydown back who can team with Jamal Lewis this year and then ultimately become the #1 ball carrier for the Browns.

McCoy appears to have no characters red flags, has good speed, and was incredibly productive during his two seasons at Pitt. In addition, having only taken two seasons of collegiate pounding, he should, in theory at least, have a little more tread on his tires than some other backs who played 3 or 4 years in college. Other options here could include SS Patrick Chung or DE Michael Johnson, all depending on how the picks fall.

It is obviously hard to know who will be available at the later round picks. Depending on who falls out of the first round, there could certainly be a better pick than Paul Kruger at #36. But trading back to get Malcolm Jenkins, and then landing Robiskie and McCoy later in Round 2 would, in my opinion, be a great first day haul for the Browns. Each guy is a potential contributor as soon as this season, and each guy is a solid building block for the future. At the end of the day, the Browns couldn’t ask for much more coming out of today.

Again, lets do a quick comparison. First, the results of my dream scenario, and then the results of the Browns standing pat and picking where they are currently slotted:

My dream draft scenario for the Browns:

• CB Malcolm Jenkins
• OLB Paul Kruger (or someone who unexpectedly slips out of the first round)
• WR Brian Robiskie
• RB LeSean McCoy
• WR Domenik Hixon
• plus the Giants 5th round pick.

Likely scenario if the Browns stand pat:

• LB Aaron Curry/DT BJ Raji/WR Michael Crabtree/OLB Brian Orakpo
• OLB Paul Kruger (or someone who unexpectly slips out of the first round)
• one more year with Braylon Edwards

For me, the first scenario seems to set the Browns up better for long-term success, although perhaps not as well for 2009. But I think the organization would be much better served by taking a long-term approach as opposed to throwing all their eggs in the 2009 basket. We threw all of our eggs into the the 2008 basket and it got us a 4-12 season, no 3rd round pick this year, and has compelled us to have to think in terms of rebuilding.

Fine. But let’s rebuild the right way: with extra draft picks that result in solid players and a roster with both depth and talent.

I don’t know the chances of the above scenario actually happening – probably pretty slim – but I do think it presents the kind of thinking that, in my opinion at least, provides the most likely road map to the kind of sustained future success that the Browns have never had since returning to the NFL.

I’d love to get your thoughts/comments below. Now it’s time to sit back and see what actually happens.

Big Night for the Big Ten: Can Soulja Boy Bo Ryan, Tom Izzo, and Thad Matta Crank Out 3 More Ws?

Coming into this season much was made about the demise of the Big Ten as a powerful college basketball conference. The conference sent far less than its usual quota of teams to the NCAA Tournament last year, as only Wisconsin, Michigan State, Purdue, and Indiana made the Big Dance.

Indiana flamed out in Round 1 with a pathetic performance against Arkansas that was indicative of their late-season collapse, Purdue bowed out in Round 2, and Michigan State and Wisconsin actually did the conference relatively proud by reaching the Sweet 16.

Still, criticism of the Big Ten came from far and wide and people wondered if the conference’s fall from grace was more permanent than just a one- or two-year struggle. Well, the Big Ten answered its critics in a big way this season, placing 7 teams in the 2009 NCAA Tournament with two in particular that many have predicted to make deep runs: Michigan State and Purdue.

The 5th seeded Boilermakers won their first round game against Northern Iowa and will face off against #4 seed Washington tomorrow. #10 seed Michigan also won yesterday, scoring a mild upset by beating #7 Clemson. #10 seed Minnesota and #5 seed Illinois both saw their seasons come to an end last night, not all that unexpectedly. The #2 seed Spartans open Tournament play tonight against Robert Morris and both #12 seed Wisconsin and #8 seed Ohio State also play their first games tonight.

I think tonight has a chance to be a very good night for the Big Ten conference.

A Big Ten sweep in tonight’s game would give the conference a 5-2 first round record, which is excellent. It would also mean that Ohio State wins a tough game against an underrated Siena squad that many people (including me in my official tournament bracket) think will win, and that Wisconsin becomes the latest #12 seed to make it out of the first round with an upset over Florida State. (For the record, I have the Badgers going to the Sweet 16.) Michigan State is heavily favored against Robert Morris, so it would be a real shocker if they did not advance.

Despite my system-based pick of Siena over Ohio State, I think a) that my system has proven to be crap, so I no longer trust it and b) the Buckeyes have a great chance to pull out a W. Here are some quick previews and predictions of tonight’s games:

#12 seed Wisconsin v #5 seed Florida State

Before I jump into my reasoning for why Wisconsin can upset Florida State, I would like to share a hilarious video with you. Many Big Ten and Wisconsin fans may have seen this already, as I believe this video is from 2007, but I saw it for the first time today. I am not sure that I can think of anything more ironic in college basketball than Bo Ryan dancing to the eternally awful song “Crank dat Soulja Boy”. I don’t even know if that’s the actual name of the song, and I don’t really care. House debris in a tornado has smashed together in more pleasant harmony than this “song.”

Either way, the video of Bo Ryan “cranking dat” (or however you say it) is pure gold:

Video: Bo Ryan Soulja Boy Dance

Now onto my reasoning for picking Wisconsin.

Bo Ryan has proven himself to be one of the most consistent tournament coaches in college basketball. When he coached at UW-Platteville, Bo Ryan’s teams made the NAIA and then NCAA D-III tournaments in each of his final 12 seasons there from 1987-88 through 1998-99. During that time, they only lost in the first round once and won four championships. While at Wisconsin, Bo Ryan and the Badgers have made the tournament for 8 straight seasons, and have only been bounced in the first round once (2006). He has led Wisconsin to two Sweet 16s and one Elite 8.

The Badgers play tough, hard-nosed defense, they do not turn the ball over, they make free throws, and they keep games within reach by imposing their plodding, deliberate style of basketball on opponents. I know that Florida State played well in the ACC Tournament and knocked off a Lawson-less North Carolina team, but the Seminoles only have one player who scores in double-digits: Toney Douglas.

Bo Ryan and the Badgers are masters at removing a team’s first option and making #2, #3, and #4 options beat them. Without a superb performance from Douglas, I don’t think Florida State can win a grind-it-out game against Wisconsin. Obviously if the game gets into the high-60s or 70s, the advantage goes to Florida State; but I think Wisconsin keeps the pace slow and low-scoring and gets one of their typical ugly but solid wins.

I am a little worried about the Badgers in round two, and fear that my apparent man-crush on Bo Ryan may have decieved me into thinking that they are a Sweet 16-caliber team, but I feel good about tonight.

Hey — the usual Red & White (or Cream and Crimson) I root for come tournament time is nowhere to be found this year. Old habits die hard. Thus, I’m getting behind Soulja Boy Bo Ryan and the Badgers. Perhaps this prediction is wishful thinking, but Florida State is by no means a juggernaut and a solid defensive performance from Wisconsin can create another 5-12 upset.

#8 seed Ohio State v #9 seed Siena

It’s an 8-9 game, so no one will be surprised no matter which way this game goes.

Siena obviously has a better record, but played in a much less competitive conference. Siena also plays a much more up-tempo, high-scoring style than Ohio State, which should create an interesting contrast in tonight’s game. The reason why I am waffling on my original prediction of Siena is that the Buckeyes will have the best player on the floor in Evan Turner (something my bracket-busting system did not take into account). Every time I see him play I get more and more impressed.

So often, the best player on the floor can tip the balance in a game between two evenly matched teams. If Evan Turner plays like the superstar we saw during Big Ten play, he may be able to give Ohio State the lift it needs to play on. This is one of the picks on my bracket that I did not “agree” with — but I had a system and I was sticking to it. (Damnit.) If I was putting money down on a game-by-game basis I would have a hard time picking against Evan Turner and the Buckeyes.

So there you have it: official fence-straddling. I have become what I despise: the Mike Golic of bloggers. Bracket says one thing, this post says another. Screw it, my bracket is already toast — I’m rooting for and predicting an Ohio State victory.

Indiana is isn’t in the tournament so I’m Big 10 all the way.

#2 seed Michigan State v #15 seed Robert Morris

There is not much to say about this game in terms of a prediction. The Spartans have been a little inconsistent this year, but I think even the “bad” Spartans could score a victory against Robert Morris. If they find a way to become the next #2 seed to infamously bow out in round one, I and many other people will be ripping up their brackets and lighting them on fire.

I’ve got the Spartans going all the way to Detroit, and I think it starts tonight with a rout.

All things considered, if the Big Ten can get out of round one with a 5-2 record it would be a smashing success for a conference that so many have disparaged over the past few years. Even 4-3 would be a good step in the right direction. It’s up to Ohio State and Wisconsin to make that happen. The Badgers have won 7 out of 10 coming into tonight and the Buckeyes have won 4 out of 5. Both of their first round games are there for the taking, and I think Big Ten Nation will be able to walk away from tonight very pleased with the results.

Gus Johnson Madness: One of the True Highlights of March Madness

March Madness begins tomorrow afternoon at 12:20 PM when Butler and LSU tip off to begin the first weekend of the 2009 NCAA Tournament. But Gus Madness does not officially begin until 12:30 PM on Friday when Kansas and North Dakota State (upset alert!) take the floor in Minneapolis.

I am, of course, referring to the incomparable Gus Johnson, who is to March Madness announcing what Christmas is to holidays: the best.

Need a reminder?

Gus Johnson Video Classic: UCLA v Gonzaga

As I became awash with March Madness anticipation tonight, one of my first thoughts was: which games are being called by Gus Johnson? Still somewhat brain dead after a long day of work, and not remembering that I looked all of this stuff up this weekend for my NCAA Tournament Bracket and TV Schedule post, I readied myself for a Google search. Then I remembered that I already had this information.

And so, for anyone else like me who cannot wait to be entertained by the exuberant pipes of Gus Johnson, here is his first and second round announcing schedule:

Gus Johnson Announcing Schedule – NCAA Tournament First and Second Round

• All games in Minneapolis with Len Elmore
• Fri, 3/20 – 12:30 – #3 Kansas v #14 North Dakota State
• Fri, 3/20 – 3:00 – #6 West Virginia v #11 Dayton
• Fri, 3/20 – 7:20 – #7 Boston College v #10 USC
• Fri, 3/20 – 9:50 – #2 Michigan State v #15 Robert Morris
• Sun, 3/22 – TBA – Kansas/NDSU v WVU/Dayton
• Sun, 3/22 – TBA – BC/USC v MSU/Robert Morris

Earlier this week I picked North Dakota State to pull the upset of the first round with a win over Kansas. And then I had them beating West Virginia as well in the second round. I absolutely did not realize that these were games Gus Johnson was announcing — so it was not just wishful thinking that led me to these predictions. (Actually, it was a flawed, but fun and semi-useful, statistical analysis that led to the picks.)

But how great would that be? Little North Dakota State shocks the defending champions in the first round with Gus Johnson screaming the whole way. Like he does at the end of this one:

Gus Johnson Video Classic: Ohio State v Xavier

Also, in case you haven’t seen, the Big Lead reported earlier tonight that Gus Johnson got into a bit of an altercation at a Memphis restaurant over the weekend. The were no injuries, and it appears that no charges are being filed, but apparently Gus was in a bad, “surly” mood and got into a verbal spat with a restaurant owner.

As far as I can tell from the article, it is not going to impact Gus’ ability to call the games this weekend. Honestly, that’s really all I care about.

Anyway, time to wrap things up for the night and get a good night’s sleep before four straight days of wall-to-wall basketball begins. Before I sign off, I leave you with one more classic Gus Johnson video to enjoy. We’ll have to get by without him tomorrow, but Gus Madness is only 37 hours away.

Gus Johnson Classic Video: Greatest Hits

Update: I completely forgot to include the following link, a rundown of the Top 10 Gus Johnson calls of all time, sent to me by KVB.  It’s a great post by David Gladow at the Pass Time blog on Nola.com.

March Madness Bracket Advice: Picks and Predictions for the 8-9 Seed Matchups

In yesterday’s March Madness odds chatter, we covered the terrifying phenomena known as 5-12 seed matchups. As scary as those NCAA basketball lines can be, there are few choices tougher than the 8 vs 9 games. How tight are they? Since the inception of the Tournament, the No. 8 seed has won 46 percent of the time while the No 9 has won 54 percent of the games. These are borderline coin flips among the first-round March Madness odds.

Let’s try and sort through the 8-9 seed battles and find some “safe” picks for sportsbook players and bracket nuts alike.

No. 8 Ohio State Buckeyes vs No. 9 Siena Saints

Raise your hand if you expected to see Ohio State back in the Tournament this soon. We all know the Buckeyes have a solid program, having reached the National Championship game just two years ago. But that was then, in the days of man-child extraordinaire Greg Oden. Last year, Ohio State found itself in the NIT tournament, so returning to the March Madness odds this soon with a young, small team is an accomplishment.

That also means, however, that Ohio State’s season is already a success. The Buckeyes have made progress but remain an inexperienced team that can drain bombs from the perimeter but gets pushed around and outrebounded night in and night out. Siena is no slouch as a No. 9 seed; the Saints proved themselves last year but thumping No. 3 Vanderbilt as No. 14 seeds and they’re just that much more experienced now. Kenny Hasbrouck leads a deep group of scorers that boasts four guys averaging 10 or more points a game and Siena doesn’t turn over the ball much, so it looks like a rock-solid sportsbook pick among the No. 9 seeds.

Online betting pick: Siena

No. 8 LSU Tigers vs No. 9 Butler Bulldogs

Dust off your “pretender” list, online betting fans, and pencil in the LSU Tigers. They were impressive on paper this year, going 26-7, but the fact of the matter is that their conference, the SEC, was weak this season. Momentum is paramount entering the March madness odds and losses to non-tournament-participants Vanderbilt, Auburn and Mississippi in their last four games hardly instill confidence in anyone who considered picking LSU.

If the Tigers are overrated, the Butler Bulldogs may be underrated. Yes, they’re young, but they show signs of being mature beyond their years. The Matt Howard/Gordon Hayward tandem gives them great offensive versatility and the Bulldogs also rarely turnover the basketball. Their 19-1 record when leading at halftime this season also suggests they handle pressure well, so Butler should take down LSU.

Online betting pick: Butler

2009 NCAA Tournament Tickets

No. 8 Oklahoma State Cowboys vs No. 9 Tennessee Volunteers

While it may be tough to pick a winner in this March Madness betting matchup, betting the “over” on total points is a pretty safe choice given that neither Oklahoma State nor Tennessee is too interested in that whole “defense” thing.

There’s no denying Oklahoma State can put points on the board – the Cowboys rank sixth in the nation in that respect – but their game has more holes than Swiss cheese. Their ugly defense traces back to their lack of size, which causes them to lose the battle of the boards consistently; they rank 229th in the country in rebounding margin. That puts way too much pressure on their outside shooting game.

Tennessee isn’t much different from Oklahoma State, also ranking among the nation’s best offensive and worst defensive teams. However, it moves the ball better and turns it over less. The Volunteers also boast two clutch performers in Wayne Chism and Tyler Smith plus a far more experienced coach in Bruce Pearl. Those intangibles will be enough to propel them past Oklahoma State.

Online betting pick: Tennessee

No. 8 BYU Cougars vs No. 9 Texas A&M Aggies

Even though these two teams combined for a 48-16 record this year, I can’t help but feel like they’re seeded a bit high. BYU’s game is a bit one-dimensional – pretty much all their starters can shoot and they outrebound opponents through their physicality – but it’s effective. The Cougars lack size and depth and will likely ride their starters into the ground, meaning they could tire should they advance past the first weekend.

Texas A&M rebounded after an ugly start in conference play and the Aggies should be proud of themselves for making the tournament. For them to survive BYU’s onslaught, defensive standouts Chinemelu Elonu and Bryan Davis have to stand tall and block shots. Someone is bound to get hot for the Cougars, so I’m thinking they’ll drain enough treys to edge the Aggies in this one.

Online betting pick: BYU

The Mind of Maurice Clarett: Former Ohio State RB Blogging from Jail

I was on Bucknuts.com today and noticed a message board post about a Maurice Clarett blog and I got interested. Knowing blog names range from Tirico Suave to Sharapova’s Thigh, I wondered if this was a joke. I think not after reading it.

Either I am getting duped or it looks like the imprisoned Maurice Clarett has just recently been posting his own blog.

As we gain some perspective, moving further away from the years when a 17-year old, 235-pound running back was dominating at Ohio State as a freshman, I feel his young age and fame that came way too much, way too fast, did affect his mental state. ( YouTube “Maurice Clarett is strange” )

I have snickered at this video in the past, as unfortunately you can see Maurice is lost and borderline losing his mind at Broncos training camp. Hell Jim Brown couldn’t even get through to him. (Though the conspiracy theory side of me thinks Jim Brown is in on the blog somehow).

Really, Clarett’s blog writings are a short source of reflection, hope (no football comeback intended), and positivity you might hear from a “young grasshopper.” Or maybe someone who wants to be released early? But who wouldn’t want to communicate in this way when you have expanded your mind and want to help troubled youth like he apparently does.

Overall, the Maurice Clarett blog shows growth from a more mature man with a troubled past. As far as who might be in on it, the latest post from The Mind of Maurice Clarett on March 1st opens against the idea that this is a ghostwriter or any sort of fraud, just true Maurice Clarett from prison. “One conscious thought and one inspirational quote at a time. I study from the best.”

The positivity I was speaking of goes like this in a February 18th post:

“At The beginning of this prison sentence I would have been willing to bet my life that I would have never read anything from Plato, Aristotle, Socrates, Descartes, Spinoza, or Hume. I learned a very valuable lesson. That is: not to be closed minded to everything. I guess you have to gain some type of understanding on certain subjects in order to see if it is or is not for you. In this case, I can see that philosophy is for me. It adds value to my life. Philosophy goes beyond the classroom.”

Sounds like any one of ourselves at some point in our lives when we realize having an open mind can actually be a good thing. Even if it is something as simple as enjoying sushi or reading or…blogging. It seems that during his prison sentence he is allowed to take classes and that there is true rehabilitation. A word in the system that I laughed at when I got thrown in jail for possession of marijuana but a word that definitely applies to Clarett’s situation. He goes on about getting an education:

“14-0 felt good and please remember that I closed the deal in the big game. The next deal I plan to close is that regarding my college education. Trust and believe, when I return to the Shoe I will leave with my degree.”

Maurice Clarett is hopeful and fortunate in his words, goals, and thoughts. To me this open ended story is as satisfying as any Ohio State man seeing any victory on the football field. I hope and think Clarett will continue on his path, get embraced by the community, and help others beat their Michigan at the end of the day.

Read more from: Maurice Clarett Blog

Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament History and 2009 Preview

We are now firmly in the heart of the conference schedule as the 2008-2009 college basketball season sprints towards the glory of March Madness. Earlier today, we offered up a quick preview of the 2009 NCAA Mens Basketball Tournament, and now we will get a little more granular and preview the 2009 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament.

I have to admit that doing this preview is a little bittersweet for me as an IU fan. This season’s Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament will most likely mark the first (and hopefully only) time that Indiana comes in as the #11 seed. As IU fans, we all understand that It is the price we have to pay for the era of the lying-cheating-bastard-who-shall-not-be-named, but it does not make it any easier to handle.

Still, there will be a twinge of excitement come March 12th when the Hoosiers tip off against whoever the #5 seed winds up being in this topsy-turvy season of Big Ten basketball. Maybe Devan Dumes and Matt Roth can get hot from the outside and the Hoosiers can pull off an upset. Not likely, I know. Still, the Hoosiers will have a definite home-court advantage playing in front of their fans in Indianapolis, and after last season’s heartbreaking loss to Minnesota on a wild last-second shot, the Big Ten Tournament owes us one.

Anyway, enough pipe-dreaming from me. Onto the particulars of the 2009 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament:

• Dates: March 12-15
• Location: Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana
• TV: Big Ten Network, ESPN, ESPN2, CBS Sports (see below)
• StubHub Tickets: Buy Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament Tickets
• StubHub Tickets:2009 NCAA Tournament Tickets

And let’s take a quick trip down memory lane and count down the past Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament Champions: 1998 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament Champion:

• #4 seed Michigan defeated #3 seed Purdue 76-67
• Chicago, IL

1999 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament Champion:

• #1 seed Michigan State defeated #11 seed Illinois 67-50
• Chicago, IL

2000 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament Champion:

• #2 seed Michigan State defeated #4 seed Illinois 76-61
• Chicago, IL

2001 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament Champion:

• #6 seed Iowa defeated #4 seed Indiana 63-61
• Chicago, IL

2002 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament Champion:

• #2 seed Ohio State defeated #9 seed Iowa 81-64
• Indianapolis, IN

2003 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament Champion:

• #2 seed Illinois defeated #8 seed Ohio State 72-59
• Chicago, IL

2004 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament Champion:

• #2 seed Wisconsin defeated #1 seed Illinois 70-53
• Indianapolis, IN

2005 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament Champion:

• #1 seed Illinois defeated #3 seed Wisconsin 54-43
• Chicago, IL

2006 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament Champion:

• #2 seed Iowa defeated #1 seed Ohio State 67-60
• Indianapolis, IN

2007 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament Champion:

• #1 seed Ohio State defeated #2 seed Wisconsin 66-49
• Chicago, IL

2008 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament Champion:

• #1 seed Wisconsin defeated #10 seed Illinois 61-48
• Indianapolis, IN

2009 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament Champion:

• #3 seed Purdue defeated #5 seed Ohio State 65-61
• Indianapolis, IN

Who will this year’s Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament? At this point, it looks like a major toss-up. Michigan State, Michigan, Purdue, Illinois, Ohio State, Minnesota, and Penn State have looked capable of winning it at different points this season. And if history is any indicator, a dark horse may emerge once the balls get rolled out on March 12. Four times in the brief ten-year history of the Big Ten Tournament, a team seeded #8 or lower has played in the championship game. The lowest seeded team to ever win the Big Ten tournament, however, is #6 seed Iowa in 2001. So the smart money would go on one of the teams listed above.

Either way, I’m sure it will be an exciting weekend — and the only chance for Indiana to crack this year’s field of 64. No, it isn’t likely. But you better believe Hoosier Nation will be out in droves on March 12th hoping their undermanned Hoosiers can pull off an unlikely first round upset.

Terry Glenn Busted – What Is It With Ex-Ohio State WRs?

According to Richie Whitt of the Sportatorium (via PFT), former Dallas Cowboy and Ohio State alum Terry Glenn was busted last week at a hotel for public intox and marijuana possession. Reportedly, Glenn was also seen roaming the halls of the hotel naked.

This marks the third arrest of the wide receiver that Bill Parcells famously referred to as “she”. Glenn was also arrested for public intox in 2005 — an arrest that occurred after officers spotted him taking a leak behind a fast food restuarant. In 2001, Terry Glenn was arrested for assault the mother of this son.

The continued legal troubles of Terry Glenn begs the question: What is it with ex-Ohio State WRs?

Let’s rundown the litany of issues faced by pass catchers who went to THE Ohio State University:

Terry Glenn

• See above

Ray Small

• Suspended during 2008 season;
• His father claimed that OSU and Jim Tressel were out to “end his career”.

Santonio Holmes

• Busted earlier this year with pot in his car;
• Nude photos surface on the Internet;
• Admits being a rabbit terrorist growing up;
• Admit to dealing drugs while growing up.

Brian Hartline

• Suspected of DFDUI (Declaring for Draft Under the Influence…of something) for going pro despite having a terrible junior season and being a white WR.

David Boston

• Arrested for assaulting a ticket agent at Burlington International Airport;
• Arrested for DUI before being released by Bucs;
• Was suspended 4 games for violating NFL steroid policy;

Cris Carter

• Suspended for senior season at Ohio State after signing with sports agent Norby Walters;
• Flunked three drugs tests in Philadelphia while battling addictions to alcohol and cocaine (but to his credit, overcame the problems, became an ordained minister, and has helped countless others fight their own problems).

Ken-Yon Rambo

• Arrested while a freshman at OSU and charged with disorderly conduct and marijuana possession.

That is a lot of trouble for players from one position of one school. So I guess, when we look at the history of Ohio State WRs, or really just Ohio State football players in general (considering Maurice Clarret and Alex Boone as additional examples), Terry Glenn’s recent arrest isn’t really all that surprising.

The moral of the story: Ohio State WRs appear to be as bad at running away from the cops and trouble as they are at getting separation from SEC DBs.