Rebound

After a frustrating loss to Indiana, the basketball Buckeyes have bounced (okay, sorry but there will be puns...) back against Nebraska and Iowa. They didn't have much trouble against Nebraska at home in the teams' first Big Ten meeting. However, I was a little nervous Saturday as I watched the Bucks get started versus Iowa on the road. The game started much like the game against Indiana: The Buckeyes saw foul trouble early, and a couple of the starters were benched in the first half because of this. I started to feel the tension rise in the hubster again, and I braced myself for a long game. But here's the thing about losing games early on -- it gives the team an opportunity to regroup and learn from mistakes so that they can adjust faster in later games. Though the Buckeyes got into early (and frustrating) foul trouble, they revamped and finished the first half with a comfortable lead. In the second half, then, it was business as usual, as OSU shot itself to victory 76-47. The other thing I like about these early games is the experience it has given the guys on our bench. Sure, we lost against Indiana because our starters got in foul trouble. But better to face adversity and foul issues early so that those young guys aren't thrown to the wolves in March when it really counts. Because the only thing that really matters is winning in the Big Dance. We started the Tournament #1 overall last season, and that didn't really work out too well. So these blowout victories aren't as boring as they may seem, even though they are less than luxurious to write about! :) Next up...I think I will finally get back to the idea of teaching Tressel fans to embrace Urban Meyer and the new era. Right now, I am watching a yawner of a National Championship Game featuring two defensive SEC teams.