Signing Day was Wednesday. This was the day all Buckeye fans have been waiting for. The day when the Urban Meyer era would officially stake its claim and give fans a preview of the era to come.
And may I say, it did not disappoint. Urban Meyer took a subpar recruiting class and made it one of the top 5 recruiting classes in the nation. He signed 5 offensive linemen, 4 linebackers, 3 defensive ends, etc. etc. etc. In all, Meyer landed 25 recruits, many of whom had previously committed to schools such as Wisconsin, Michigan State, and Penn State.
This last point has stirred up much controversy in recent days. Apparently Coaches Bielema and D'antonio haven't taken too kindly to Meyer's recruiting tactics -- namely, Meyer actively recruiting players who had given verbal commitments to their schools.
Bielema, I can't call him a baby on here. That would give babies a bad name. No, I don't have a real word for Bielema. Every loss he has had to Ohio State has been followed by excuses and underhanded insults. Let's face facts that Wisconsin currently is more of a rival to Ohio State than That Team Up North has been in recent years (despite the outcome of The Game this year). And I enjoy a good jab back-and-forth between rivals. But Bielema's antics aren't in the spirit of a good rivalry. It is more of a "I'm-gonna-take-my-ball-and-go-home" nature. It takes away from the fun, and this week has been no exception. He has hurled accusations and whiny comments in the direction of Meyer, even referring to Meyer's recruiting practices as illegal. It speaks of a sore loser, and it takes beating him and his Badgers to a whole new level.
D'Antonio is a coach I have always respected. Though he hasn't said much to Meyer's recruiting himself, his assistant wasn't too thrilled to lose a recruit (Se'von Pittman) to Meyer and the Buckeyes, citing a handshake agreement between D'Antonio and Tressel that they wouldn't recruit each other's commitments. I have something to say about that one...
Tressel doesn't coach at Ohio State anymore.
So yes, Meyer's tactics are a little more aggressive. It is going to change the "gentlemanly" recruiting practices of the Big Ten in the near future. But maybe that is a good thing, because the Big Ten as it stands hasn't been too successful in the national standing lately. So a little more spirited competition might be the best thing it could get.
And really, you can't blame players for wanting to play for Urban Meyer. He is like the superstar of the Big Ten right now. If you wanted to go to a Big Ten school, wouldn't you want to go to the one that has dominated the Big Ten for almost a decade (save 1 year full of uncertainty and violations) that is donning a bright and shiny new coach?
Friday, February 3, 2012
Sunday, January 15, 2012
E.g.
Urban Meyer made his first statement about the future of OSU's tolerance on players who break the rules. In a somewhat surprising decision Sunday, DB Dominic Clarke (who, as I mentioned in my previous blog, was charged with a DUI last week) was dismissed from the team for violation of team rules. Another player (DerJuan Gambrell) was also released for violation of team rules.
Meyer stated that they would not use players to send messages or make examples to other players on the team, but whether it was intended or not, I think that Meyer and the newly formed OSU coaching staff has done just that.
It is extremely important for this staff to get control of their players right out of the gate, so I am not disappointed in the decision to dismiss Clarke and Gambrell for their violations. A program under scrutiny needs strong leadership and sound decisions by its leadership, and Meyer has shown a firm hand in dismissing the players for their actions.
Now the question (that I hope we won't have to answer anytime soon) is whether the same rules would apply to hotshot players on the team (e.g., Braxton Miller), or if it was limited to players that the average fan wouldn't recognize. I would say time will tell, but let's hope the question goes unanswered for at least 3 years.
Also, two additional scholarship players are transferring. Taylor Graham was a slightly hyped QB recruit to begin this season. Then again, so was Joe Bauserman. So we are losing 4 scholarship players, which accounts for 3 of the lost scholarships we received from sanctions plus 1 that is open for any player who might be on the fence...
And coincidentally, it would seem that the coaches Meyer snatched away from Notre Dame might be bringing a bit of a signing bonus with them in the form of a top-rated offensive lineman. If you have read my blog in the past, you know how frustrated I am with our offensive line, so this pick-up would make Nutty happy! And in the revolving door of OSU coaching right now, cornerbacks coach Taver Johnson will be leaving OSU to head to Arkansas. Johnson will be assistant head coach at Arkansas, and Nutty will miss him. Say what you will about our defense and DBs being a bit slow, we have had some pretty impressive corners the last several seasons.
Can Meyer woo another top-rated coach this late in the process?
And don't think I am going to let what the basketball team did versus Indiana go undiscussed for long! That blog comes up tomorrow.
Meyer stated that they would not use players to send messages or make examples to other players on the team, but whether it was intended or not, I think that Meyer and the newly formed OSU coaching staff has done just that.
It is extremely important for this staff to get control of their players right out of the gate, so I am not disappointed in the decision to dismiss Clarke and Gambrell for their violations. A program under scrutiny needs strong leadership and sound decisions by its leadership, and Meyer has shown a firm hand in dismissing the players for their actions.
Now the question (that I hope we won't have to answer anytime soon) is whether the same rules would apply to hotshot players on the team (e.g., Braxton Miller), or if it was limited to players that the average fan wouldn't recognize. I would say time will tell, but let's hope the question goes unanswered for at least 3 years.
Also, two additional scholarship players are transferring. Taylor Graham was a slightly hyped QB recruit to begin this season. Then again, so was Joe Bauserman. So we are losing 4 scholarship players, which accounts for 3 of the lost scholarships we received from sanctions plus 1 that is open for any player who might be on the fence...
And coincidentally, it would seem that the coaches Meyer snatched away from Notre Dame might be bringing a bit of a signing bonus with them in the form of a top-rated offensive lineman. If you have read my blog in the past, you know how frustrated I am with our offensive line, so this pick-up would make Nutty happy! And in the revolving door of OSU coaching right now, cornerbacks coach Taver Johnson will be leaving OSU to head to Arkansas. Johnson will be assistant head coach at Arkansas, and Nutty will miss him. Say what you will about our defense and DBs being a bit slow, we have had some pretty impressive corners the last several seasons.
Can Meyer woo another top-rated coach this late in the process?
And don't think I am going to let what the basketball team did versus Indiana go undiscussed for long! That blog comes up tomorrow.
Friday, January 13, 2012
To Tweet or Not to Tweet?
That has been the question on the minds of many Buckeye fans since Urban Meyer met with the team January 3rd and was rumored to have instituted a Twitter ban on the football players. Immediately following the meeting, a couple of the players tweeted that they were asked to discontinue their Twitter accounts, and the media went crazy with news that Meyer had imposed a Twitter ban.
A couple hours later, a few of the other players tweeted that they had never been asked not to use Twitter and laughed at the frenzy that had ensued based on the news from the meeting.
So why did some players hear one thing and other players another? What is the real scoop on Twitter?
Urban Meyer responded yesterday that he never asked that the players delete their Twitter accounts and never suggested a complete Twitter ban. Rather, he told the players that their social media accounts would be monitored by the coaching staff and asked that they not discuss the team. If they violate this request, then their social media rights will be revoked.
Personally, I was okay with a complete Twitter ban. It isn't that I don't like Twitter or social media. (I am using a form of it to write my blog, after all, and I do enjoy checking in on my friends through Facebook.) But as a student-athlete at a school like Ohio State, where distractions abound, maybe it isn't such a bad idea to avoid a form of media that is likely to be used against you more often than it might be used in your favor. Words of student-athletes, celebrities, professional athletes, politicians, etc. have been used against them from their tweets for years now. Everything you say and do during your time as a representative of the university reflects for or against the university. And all of your actions and words are under a microscope -- most especially now, given the events of the past year.
So a Twitter ban was okay with me, and it certainly isn't unprecedented. Iowa football head coach Kirk Ferentz instituted a ban as well, as have coached on other teams throughout the nation. But I heard an outcry that Meyer was a horrible coach for doing such a thing -- imposing a ban on the rights of young men. I sat back and tried to understand why a ban would be a bad thing...but I still can't come up with anything. Sure, "tweeting" is a form of speech, and we all have that right to freedom to speak our minds. But as I mentioned above, when you accept that position as a student-athlete, representing your university, you also accept the responsibility to make sound decisions and choices that will not reflect poorly on your school. As much fun as it might be to connect with others on Facebook, My Space, or Twitter, it also opens you to a whole new level of scrutiny from the professional media, who often as waiting to pounce on you for any wrongdoing. I also read opinions that Meyer should let the young men learn how to be responsible for themselves in what they post.
Really? I think Tressel probably felt the "young men" he coached were responsible enough to know right from wrong -- that is, to know that they shouldn't sell their Big Ten championship rings for tattoos and possibly other illicit items.
Now is exactly the time to impose seemingly unfair rules with the athletes at The Ohio State University. Sorry that those who came before you screwed it up for the people to follow, but this is a new coaching staff with new expectations, and the NCAA not only expects but is requiring the Buckeyes as an institution to keep their collective noses clean for THREE years.
So I would say that a social media ban is the least that can be expected. And if a recruit chose not to attend OSU because of a ban, then chances are that OSU would be better off without taking the chance on him/her.
However, given that no ban has been instituted, let's examine the true situation.
A couple hours later, a few of the other players tweeted that they had never been asked not to use Twitter and laughed at the frenzy that had ensued based on the news from the meeting.
So why did some players hear one thing and other players another? What is the real scoop on Twitter?
Urban Meyer responded yesterday that he never asked that the players delete their Twitter accounts and never suggested a complete Twitter ban. Rather, he told the players that their social media accounts would be monitored by the coaching staff and asked that they not discuss the team. If they violate this request, then their social media rights will be revoked.
Personally, I was okay with a complete Twitter ban. It isn't that I don't like Twitter or social media. (I am using a form of it to write my blog, after all, and I do enjoy checking in on my friends through Facebook.) But as a student-athlete at a school like Ohio State, where distractions abound, maybe it isn't such a bad idea to avoid a form of media that is likely to be used against you more often than it might be used in your favor. Words of student-athletes, celebrities, professional athletes, politicians, etc. have been used against them from their tweets for years now. Everything you say and do during your time as a representative of the university reflects for or against the university. And all of your actions and words are under a microscope -- most especially now, given the events of the past year.
So a Twitter ban was okay with me, and it certainly isn't unprecedented. Iowa football head coach Kirk Ferentz instituted a ban as well, as have coached on other teams throughout the nation. But I heard an outcry that Meyer was a horrible coach for doing such a thing -- imposing a ban on the rights of young men. I sat back and tried to understand why a ban would be a bad thing...but I still can't come up with anything. Sure, "tweeting" is a form of speech, and we all have that right to freedom to speak our minds. But as I mentioned above, when you accept that position as a student-athlete, representing your university, you also accept the responsibility to make sound decisions and choices that will not reflect poorly on your school. As much fun as it might be to connect with others on Facebook, My Space, or Twitter, it also opens you to a whole new level of scrutiny from the professional media, who often as waiting to pounce on you for any wrongdoing. I also read opinions that Meyer should let the young men learn how to be responsible for themselves in what they post.
Really? I think Tressel probably felt the "young men" he coached were responsible enough to know right from wrong -- that is, to know that they shouldn't sell their Big Ten championship rings for tattoos and possibly other illicit items.
Now is exactly the time to impose seemingly unfair rules with the athletes at The Ohio State University. Sorry that those who came before you screwed it up for the people to follow, but this is a new coaching staff with new expectations, and the NCAA not only expects but is requiring the Buckeyes as an institution to keep their collective noses clean for THREE years.
So I would say that a social media ban is the least that can be expected. And if a recruit chose not to attend OSU because of a ban, then chances are that OSU would be better off without taking the chance on him/her.
However, given that no ban has been instituted, let's examine the true situation.
- The players will be permitted to tweet their little hearts out, but their social media accounts will be monitored. It leads me to wonder whose job it is to monitor the tweets of the football team. (How much does that job pay? Seriously, I could do that...)
- The players were also asked not to discuss the team in their social media posts. This is also a very reasonable request. Tweet whatever you like about your classes, your girlfriend, how many people you killed in Battlefield 3, but please don't discuss anything about the team, because it will be picked up by ESPN or the local news and twisted around in every possible way to make the team look bad.
- The players were asked to be responsible for their social media use. I think this should be true of everyone -- be a responsible human and adult. And as I mentioned above, it is a nice theory that you have to teach these young adults how to be responsible for themselves, but I would keep them on a VERY tight leash.
And on a sidenote, it will be interesting to see how the coaching staff deals with Dominic Clarke, who was picked up on a DUI charge after a traffic stop this week. This is the first serious offense for Urban Meyer. Clarke, a DB, has been in trouble once this season for disorderly conduct. Apparently he was caught firing a BB gun (or possibly a paintball gun) on campus, in an attempt to see how far it would shoot.
And that, my friends, is the perfect example of what I am talking about. It made the local news that Dominic Clarke, primarily a BACK-UP player on the football team, was picked up for shooting a BB gun on campus. He wasn't reported to have been firing at anyone in particular. But once you step a toe out of line, everything you have ever done will be used to make you look like a chronic offender and make the university look like it has lost control of its players.
Clarke was picked up on a DUI charge. That is the more serious issue, because after all the issues OSU has had of late, why would you be out drinking and driving during conditioning season? And is Clarke even of age to drink? (Reports I have found have listed his age as 20 years.)
Maybe he can send me a tweet to confirm...
Sunday, January 8, 2012
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.
Monday, January 2, 2012
The Gator Bowl
Well, first let me say that watching that game just re-inforced my position on Gene Smith's arrogance and the mistake of not self-imposing a bowl ban this year. It wasn't because OSU lost the game. That, of course, is always disappointing.
No, it was because that game did nothing for OSU but sum up a disappointing and frustrating season. The only things you can take away from this season are:
1. Joe Bauserman is NOT a quarterback -- not first string, not second string...
2. Braxton Miller has a LOT of potential.
and
3. It is exciting to look ahead to the tenure of Urban Meyer at Ohio State, most especially as we continue to hear of the coaches he has stolen away from other schools, the most recent of which were two offensive assistant coaches at Notre Dame.
And who would have thought, as we lost to the Florida Gators in the National Championship Game 5 years ago that we would meet them again, in the Gator Bowl, with Urban Meyer now set to take over as head coach for the Buckeyes?
This bowl game wasn't like that of 5 years ago. No, it didn't mean much to either university in the grand scheme of things. It is the last bowl game for OSU for 2 years. It capped a 6-6 season for two teams that were pretty mediocre in their respective conferences this season.
If you wanted to watch a game with down-to-the-wire excitement, you should have watched the Outback Bowl. If you wanted a game that had a lot of offense and scoring, you could have caught the Rose Bowl. Wanted to see the likely #1 NFL Draft pick for 2012? Watch Andrew Luck in the Fiesta Bowl.
But if you are like me, a die-hard fan, you watched Ohio State lose to Florida 24-17 in the Gator Bowl. It was basically a home game for Florida, though there was the normal speckling of scarlet throughout the stadium. It was full of penalties, turnovers, and special teams blunders. And oh how I loathe listening to Mike Patrick. On one play, he claimed that Tyler Moeller forced a turnover by an OSU player. Tyler Moeller must be tired, having played defense for BOTH teams.
The offense began with a bang, then fizzled as it had in games all season. Once Florida's defense figured out how to get around the linemen and get to Miller, they sacked him more often than not. On one play, the commentators even remarked that the lineman must have known the snap count. OSU would drive down the field, only to stall outside of field goal range. And, as if to sum up his career at OSU, when OSU needed him most, DeVier Posey fumbled the ball after Miller had finally freed up enough to make a beautiful pass to him and get the Buckeyes the closest to the red zone they had been in the half. (This came after two questionable drops by Posey that could have been TDs.)
Jon Simon was held more often than not. It wasn't called. That is a tune I sing every game, to no avail. But I can't say that was the difference in the game, because the bulk of Florida's scoring came on special teams plays. The first was a runback from a kickoff and the second was a punt-block returned for a touchdown. The defense gave up a mere 10 points, but with the stagnant offense, it was enough.
But I fear I am being too negative. So what positives can we take away?
No, it was because that game did nothing for OSU but sum up a disappointing and frustrating season. The only things you can take away from this season are:
1. Joe Bauserman is NOT a quarterback -- not first string, not second string...
2. Braxton Miller has a LOT of potential.
and
3. It is exciting to look ahead to the tenure of Urban Meyer at Ohio State, most especially as we continue to hear of the coaches he has stolen away from other schools, the most recent of which were two offensive assistant coaches at Notre Dame.
And who would have thought, as we lost to the Florida Gators in the National Championship Game 5 years ago that we would meet them again, in the Gator Bowl, with Urban Meyer now set to take over as head coach for the Buckeyes?
This bowl game wasn't like that of 5 years ago. No, it didn't mean much to either university in the grand scheme of things. It is the last bowl game for OSU for 2 years. It capped a 6-6 season for two teams that were pretty mediocre in their respective conferences this season.
If you wanted to watch a game with down-to-the-wire excitement, you should have watched the Outback Bowl. If you wanted a game that had a lot of offense and scoring, you could have caught the Rose Bowl. Wanted to see the likely #1 NFL Draft pick for 2012? Watch Andrew Luck in the Fiesta Bowl.
But if you are like me, a die-hard fan, you watched Ohio State lose to Florida 24-17 in the Gator Bowl. It was basically a home game for Florida, though there was the normal speckling of scarlet throughout the stadium. It was full of penalties, turnovers, and special teams blunders. And oh how I loathe listening to Mike Patrick. On one play, he claimed that Tyler Moeller forced a turnover by an OSU player. Tyler Moeller must be tired, having played defense for BOTH teams.
The offense began with a bang, then fizzled as it had in games all season. Once Florida's defense figured out how to get around the linemen and get to Miller, they sacked him more often than not. On one play, the commentators even remarked that the lineman must have known the snap count. OSU would drive down the field, only to stall outside of field goal range. And, as if to sum up his career at OSU, when OSU needed him most, DeVier Posey fumbled the ball after Miller had finally freed up enough to make a beautiful pass to him and get the Buckeyes the closest to the red zone they had been in the half. (This came after two questionable drops by Posey that could have been TDs.)
Jon Simon was held more often than not. It wasn't called. That is a tune I sing every game, to no avail. But I can't say that was the difference in the game, because the bulk of Florida's scoring came on special teams plays. The first was a runback from a kickoff and the second was a punt-block returned for a touchdown. The defense gave up a mere 10 points, but with the stagnant offense, it was enough.
But I fear I am being too negative. So what positives can we take away?
- Jordan Hall looks pretty good as a runningback. He had some up-the-middle runs in the game that were fairly impressive.
- I am pretty sure we won the award for being less injury-prone than the Gators. Seriously, if one more Gator got hurt in that game, I was going to start wondering if they were going for a record.
- Speaking of records, J.B. Shugarts ended his OSU career on not one, but TWO false start penalties. That has to be the most false starts by a player in NCAA FBS football.
- I continue to see promise in Braxton Miller. Though he often seems to hold onto the ball way too long, with a halfway decent offensive line (which we are promised year after year), Miller could really develop into a Heisman candidate. Under Urban Meyer, his decision-making will only get better. And here's hoping Meyer is landing some top wide receiver recruits, because it just baffles me that there were 4-5 Gators in the backfield so often and yet NO receivers were open.
And look at it this way, at least Miller didn't get hurt, so we didn't have to watch Joe Bauserman play. That's always a plus.
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year from The Nutty Buckeye!
I don't know how you started your new year, but I spent mine prepping food for a small gathering of friends and listening to my husband yell at the TV, using more than a few choice words.
Why was he yelling? Well, the Buckeyes were playing Indiana in basketball, and let's just say that it didn't go well. It was one of the sloppier games I have seen/heard this season. It's really a good thing I am more subdued about basketball, too, because that could have really stressed me out. Just listening to the hubby stressed me out.
The officials in the game called FORTY-TWO fouls. Of those 42 fouls, 22 were on OSU. So they seem to have been split pretty evenly, but watching the game, it sure didn't feel that way. There was a rare period of a couple minutes in the second half where there weren't many whistles, but even the commentators remarked that there wasn't a smooth flow in the game at all. The officials (one, in particular) were very whistle-happy, and the Buckeye starters got in foul trouble early, forcing the back-ups to come in. They did okay, keeping the game very close for the last 10 minutes of the first half, but in the second half, the foul trouble really affected the Buckeyes' defensive play, and they had to allow some easy lay-ups to the Hoosiers that normally wouldn't be there.
On top of the foul issues and the AWFUL officiating (because who wants to watch a game like that?), Aaron Craft turned the ball over six times. Craft is usually the one that fouls a LOT, and miraculously he doesn't get called. But strangely, he wasn't getting called for as many fouls as the rest of the Buckeyes. Unfortunately, he wasn't on his best game, and 2 of his 6 turnovers came in the last minutes of the game, when the Buckeyes needed points to go ahead.
And while Thad Matta played political about the poor officiating, and commented that the team needs to learn to play through it (read: the poor officiating), and the newspapers cited inexperience of the Buckeyes for some of the mistakes on the road, I can't help but be irritated that the game was so affected by ticky-tack calls.
I have never been a huge basketball fan in general, but as I have grown to like the game while watching with my husband, I can comment that I would rather watch a game be played by the athletes than affected by the officials. Granted, adjusting to the calls of officials and umpires in a sport is part of the game. In baseball, you have to learn the ump's strike zone and learn which pitches are going to be called strikes instead of balls. In football, you get a feeling for how far the officials will let you push the interference and holding before they throw a flag. And in basketball, every official has a foul range. I just have to say that last night's officials' foul ranges were pretty bad. Even if the Buckeyes had managed to pull out a victory, I couldn't say that it was a game that I enjoyed watching/listening to my husband watch.
Hopefully the Big Ten will look into it and advise those officials to keep their whistles in check a little more in the future.
But it is a brand new year! Tomorrow, the football Buckeyes play in the Gator Bowl, their last bowl for a season given the sanctions imposed by the NCAA. I wish I could guarantee a victory, but I just don't have a feeling one way or the other.
The 6-6 football team was brilliant at times, and not-so-stellar at others. I think they are fully capable of pulling off a victory. The Florida Gators are down this season, and hopefully new-OSU-head-coach Urban Meyer has lended some insight to Coach Fickell in bowl prep. Talent hasn't been the problem for the Buckeyes. Distractions and execution have. And we aren't without distraction this post-season. Some of the juniors are likely bitter about the post-season ban next season. A ban that came at the hands of some of the current seniors. Tension in the locker room won't be conducive to a victory.
But a win would help end this mediocre season on a positive note, and it would be nice to have that going into the long off-season.
GO BUCKS!!
I don't know how you started your new year, but I spent mine prepping food for a small gathering of friends and listening to my husband yell at the TV, using more than a few choice words.
Why was he yelling? Well, the Buckeyes were playing Indiana in basketball, and let's just say that it didn't go well. It was one of the sloppier games I have seen/heard this season. It's really a good thing I am more subdued about basketball, too, because that could have really stressed me out. Just listening to the hubby stressed me out.
The officials in the game called FORTY-TWO fouls. Of those 42 fouls, 22 were on OSU. So they seem to have been split pretty evenly, but watching the game, it sure didn't feel that way. There was a rare period of a couple minutes in the second half where there weren't many whistles, but even the commentators remarked that there wasn't a smooth flow in the game at all. The officials (one, in particular) were very whistle-happy, and the Buckeye starters got in foul trouble early, forcing the back-ups to come in. They did okay, keeping the game very close for the last 10 minutes of the first half, but in the second half, the foul trouble really affected the Buckeyes' defensive play, and they had to allow some easy lay-ups to the Hoosiers that normally wouldn't be there.
On top of the foul issues and the AWFUL officiating (because who wants to watch a game like that?), Aaron Craft turned the ball over six times. Craft is usually the one that fouls a LOT, and miraculously he doesn't get called. But strangely, he wasn't getting called for as many fouls as the rest of the Buckeyes. Unfortunately, he wasn't on his best game, and 2 of his 6 turnovers came in the last minutes of the game, when the Buckeyes needed points to go ahead.
And while Thad Matta played political about the poor officiating, and commented that the team needs to learn to play through it (read: the poor officiating), and the newspapers cited inexperience of the Buckeyes for some of the mistakes on the road, I can't help but be irritated that the game was so affected by ticky-tack calls.
I have never been a huge basketball fan in general, but as I have grown to like the game while watching with my husband, I can comment that I would rather watch a game be played by the athletes than affected by the officials. Granted, adjusting to the calls of officials and umpires in a sport is part of the game. In baseball, you have to learn the ump's strike zone and learn which pitches are going to be called strikes instead of balls. In football, you get a feeling for how far the officials will let you push the interference and holding before they throw a flag. And in basketball, every official has a foul range. I just have to say that last night's officials' foul ranges were pretty bad. Even if the Buckeyes had managed to pull out a victory, I couldn't say that it was a game that I enjoyed watching/listening to my husband watch.
Hopefully the Big Ten will look into it and advise those officials to keep their whistles in check a little more in the future.
But it is a brand new year! Tomorrow, the football Buckeyes play in the Gator Bowl, their last bowl for a season given the sanctions imposed by the NCAA. I wish I could guarantee a victory, but I just don't have a feeling one way or the other.
The 6-6 football team was brilliant at times, and not-so-stellar at others. I think they are fully capable of pulling off a victory. The Florida Gators are down this season, and hopefully new-OSU-head-coach Urban Meyer has lended some insight to Coach Fickell in bowl prep. Talent hasn't been the problem for the Buckeyes. Distractions and execution have. And we aren't without distraction this post-season. Some of the juniors are likely bitter about the post-season ban next season. A ban that came at the hands of some of the current seniors. Tension in the locker room won't be conducive to a victory.
But a win would help end this mediocre season on a positive note, and it would be nice to have that going into the long off-season.
GO BUCKS!!
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
The Sanctions
I was all set to sit down and write a blog entry about the differences between Urban Meyer and Jim Tressel when I received a message via Facebook from a friend of mine who tends to have the scoop on the latest OSU happenings. He said the sanctions from the NCAA would be released Tuesday. And since I am not held to any sort of strict deadlines (just the demands of my avid readers, lol), I decided to wait for those to make my next post.
At roughly 2 p.m. Tuesday, I got another message from aforementioned friend, saying that it had been confirmed and would soon be made public that OSU would get a 1-year bowl ban to be enforced in the 2012 season. Among the other penalties (in case you live under a rock or anywhere outside of Columbus, Ohio), a 3-year probation, loss of 9 scholarships over a 3-year period, and a 5-year show-cause penalty for former head coach Jim Tressel.
So I have sat back and listened (because occasionally I do listen and not talk) to all the backlash. Some people want to blame the NCAA, saying the penalties are too harsh or unfair. Some people blame Gene Smith, OSU's athletic director. Some people blame the players involved in the original incident, others blame the players involved in the second incident, and some people blame Jim Tressel.
I am not sure you can single out any one person for the sanctions, but I do know you can't blame the NCAA. The punishment may not seem fair, but it was definitely appropriate. Look, I am as big a homer as they come. I love my Buckeyes. But some of the players broke the rules. It may be a DUMB rule, but a rule is a rule and they chose to violate it. Jim Tressel chose not to report it in the manner fitting with the rules. To top it off, after the rule was broken, two of the players who chose to break the first rule decided they were going to go ahead and break ANOTHER rule.
So a 1-year bowl ban is an appropriate punishment.
Now, I will say that I wish the NCAA had acted in swifter fashion so that the ban could be enforced this season rather than next. It isn't just that this season has been lackluster as a whole and that the Gator bowl isn't as high-profile as we are used to attending. It is that the "unfair" term can be applied to the fact that the bowl ban will not affect the players who chose to break those rules. The two in question (DeVier Posey and Boom Herron) are gone after this season. So essentially you are punishing the school only, and the ones who suffer most are next season's seniors, should they choose to stay for their last season.
Next on the blame list is Gene Smith. Where do I start with Gene Smith? When he initially held the press conference in March, I liked the guy. He stood behind Tressel, he was no-nonsense, and he seemed confident that OSU would straighten out the mess in quick fashion with little repercussions. But soon that confidence morphed into some sort of arrogance, and as more and more information leaked out, I really started to dislike Gene Smith. When Tressel was let go, I think that was the clincher for me. (I will address Tressel's departure in another post, but let me just say for the record that he deserved to be fired for his actions.) Gene Smith has handled this situation in all the wrong ways, even from the first press conference where he impressed me.
Perhaps that is overly simplistic, but the level of arrogance Gene Smith has shown as this situation has progressed has irritated me, so I can't imagine how those at the National Collegiate Athletic Association feel about it. He had the chance to impose a 1-year bowl ban to try to appease the NCAA, and he kept insisting that the measures they had self-imposed were appropriate given the precedents they had researched. Yet all along, we have heard how the NCAA is really going to start to crack down more on these violations, so how would precedent play into a punishment when they are trying to be MORE strict than they have in the past? I feel like Gene Smith slapped the NCAA in the face, so they slapped him right back. Maybe they would have imposed a 1-year bowl ban in addition to this year's self-imposed ban. I don't think so, but I know a lot of people think they just wanted to make a point. But had Smith handled the situation differently, maybe they wouldn't have felt the need to "make a point."
Moving on the players themselves, I find myself conflicted. I want to blame the Tattoo 5. I want to blame DeVier Posey and Boom Herron (especially since they had the gall to commit a SECOND violation after already being punished for the FIRST!). But ultimately, they served their suspensions and "did their time," so it is hard to say they deserve more blame. But now, as the punishment falls to the next senior class, and the entire team is put on probation for three seasons, how can you not place some more blame on them for their part? I find myself repeating what many have said over the past 2 days -- it isn't FAIR.
And for those of you who want to blame Terrelle Pryor, be thankful he left when he did. Had he chosen to stay, he would have been forced to testify, and I have a feeling we wouldn't have liked what he had to say.
And how will these sanctions impact our team? Let's start with the post-season ban. We cannot participate in next season's Big 10 Championship game. Think about that for a second. I don't know about you, but even after we lost that game to MSU and I figured we probably wouldn't make it to the B10 Championship, I still held out hope until the very last minute. That was the inaugural Big 10 Championship, and Ohio State has at least shared a piece of the Big 10 Title for almost the last decade. And we didn't get to represent our division, despite the fact that we beat Wisconsin. And now, in our first year under our new head coach, with all the hope and promise he brings, we still don't get to play in that game.
Now think about it if you are Jon Simon or Nathan Williams. You are a junior. You are teetering between going into the NFL or returning for one more season of glory. One more chance at a title. Now, the best you can do is play spoiler to all the other teams in your conference and maybe get the best of TTUN one more time. You won't be playing into December or January. Is it worth the risk to come back?
Outside of the post-season ban, which has the most tangible impact, we are now on probation for 3 years and have 3 fewer scholarships to hand out each year for the next 3 years. Do not, for a minute, think that a post-season ban is the most serious punishment handed down to OSU. I don't know if you have heard (and if you read my blog regularly, you have), but Urban Meyer is out there recruiting coaches and players like crazy right now. He just confirmed Mike Vrabel's return. Future players love him. But being on probation for 3 years is no joke. With the NCAA cracking down on repeat offenders, if OSU even steps out of line by a hair, the NCAA might cut them off entirely. Would you want to risk being on a team where your future is determined by the actions of others? And what happens when we run out of scholarships to offer these amazing athletes? Do we cut existing players in the hope that the prospect coming in will be better (as is popular in the SEC, by the way)? Is that how we want OSU to function?
I don't think Urban Meyer is going anywhere. He is committed to The Ohio State University. These sanctions will impact him in recruiting for sure, and it might change the game (no pun intended) for some of the existing players as well.
Now we get to sit back and see if the NCAA is really going to hold true to its mission and crack down on some of the other schools with outstanding violations, such as Miami (FL), Oregon, North Carolina...
Because if these are the sanctions we got for what we did, Miami is in BIG trouble.
At roughly 2 p.m. Tuesday, I got another message from aforementioned friend, saying that it had been confirmed and would soon be made public that OSU would get a 1-year bowl ban to be enforced in the 2012 season. Among the other penalties (in case you live under a rock or anywhere outside of Columbus, Ohio), a 3-year probation, loss of 9 scholarships over a 3-year period, and a 5-year show-cause penalty for former head coach Jim Tressel.
So I have sat back and listened (because occasionally I do listen and not talk) to all the backlash. Some people want to blame the NCAA, saying the penalties are too harsh or unfair. Some people blame Gene Smith, OSU's athletic director. Some people blame the players involved in the original incident, others blame the players involved in the second incident, and some people blame Jim Tressel.
I am not sure you can single out any one person for the sanctions, but I do know you can't blame the NCAA. The punishment may not seem fair, but it was definitely appropriate. Look, I am as big a homer as they come. I love my Buckeyes. But some of the players broke the rules. It may be a DUMB rule, but a rule is a rule and they chose to violate it. Jim Tressel chose not to report it in the manner fitting with the rules. To top it off, after the rule was broken, two of the players who chose to break the first rule decided they were going to go ahead and break ANOTHER rule.
So a 1-year bowl ban is an appropriate punishment.
Now, I will say that I wish the NCAA had acted in swifter fashion so that the ban could be enforced this season rather than next. It isn't just that this season has been lackluster as a whole and that the Gator bowl isn't as high-profile as we are used to attending. It is that the "unfair" term can be applied to the fact that the bowl ban will not affect the players who chose to break those rules. The two in question (DeVier Posey and Boom Herron) are gone after this season. So essentially you are punishing the school only, and the ones who suffer most are next season's seniors, should they choose to stay for their last season.
Next on the blame list is Gene Smith. Where do I start with Gene Smith? When he initially held the press conference in March, I liked the guy. He stood behind Tressel, he was no-nonsense, and he seemed confident that OSU would straighten out the mess in quick fashion with little repercussions. But soon that confidence morphed into some sort of arrogance, and as more and more information leaked out, I really started to dislike Gene Smith. When Tressel was let go, I think that was the clincher for me. (I will address Tressel's departure in another post, but let me just say for the record that he deserved to be fired for his actions.) Gene Smith has handled this situation in all the wrong ways, even from the first press conference where he impressed me.
Let me elaborate:
When you were a kid and your class got in trouble with your teacher, did you (a) say I am sorry and will be happy to serve out any punishment my teacher deems appropriate, or (b) claim no one in the class really did anything wrong, then claim that it was only one person in your class who did the wrongdoing and no one else knew about it, then kick that kid out of the class, then impose your own punishment and claim that it was the appropriate punishment and that your teacher shouldn't give you any additional punishment based on past punishments that have been given? Which do you think would make your teacher satisfied?
Perhaps that is overly simplistic, but the level of arrogance Gene Smith has shown as this situation has progressed has irritated me, so I can't imagine how those at the National Collegiate Athletic Association feel about it. He had the chance to impose a 1-year bowl ban to try to appease the NCAA, and he kept insisting that the measures they had self-imposed were appropriate given the precedents they had researched. Yet all along, we have heard how the NCAA is really going to start to crack down more on these violations, so how would precedent play into a punishment when they are trying to be MORE strict than they have in the past? I feel like Gene Smith slapped the NCAA in the face, so they slapped him right back. Maybe they would have imposed a 1-year bowl ban in addition to this year's self-imposed ban. I don't think so, but I know a lot of people think they just wanted to make a point. But had Smith handled the situation differently, maybe they wouldn't have felt the need to "make a point."
Moving on the players themselves, I find myself conflicted. I want to blame the Tattoo 5. I want to blame DeVier Posey and Boom Herron (especially since they had the gall to commit a SECOND violation after already being punished for the FIRST!). But ultimately, they served their suspensions and "did their time," so it is hard to say they deserve more blame. But now, as the punishment falls to the next senior class, and the entire team is put on probation for three seasons, how can you not place some more blame on them for their part? I find myself repeating what many have said over the past 2 days -- it isn't FAIR.
And for those of you who want to blame Terrelle Pryor, be thankful he left when he did. Had he chosen to stay, he would have been forced to testify, and I have a feeling we wouldn't have liked what he had to say.
And how will these sanctions impact our team? Let's start with the post-season ban. We cannot participate in next season's Big 10 Championship game. Think about that for a second. I don't know about you, but even after we lost that game to MSU and I figured we probably wouldn't make it to the B10 Championship, I still held out hope until the very last minute. That was the inaugural Big 10 Championship, and Ohio State has at least shared a piece of the Big 10 Title for almost the last decade. And we didn't get to represent our division, despite the fact that we beat Wisconsin. And now, in our first year under our new head coach, with all the hope and promise he brings, we still don't get to play in that game.
Now think about it if you are Jon Simon or Nathan Williams. You are a junior. You are teetering between going into the NFL or returning for one more season of glory. One more chance at a title. Now, the best you can do is play spoiler to all the other teams in your conference and maybe get the best of TTUN one more time. You won't be playing into December or January. Is it worth the risk to come back?
Outside of the post-season ban, which has the most tangible impact, we are now on probation for 3 years and have 3 fewer scholarships to hand out each year for the next 3 years. Do not, for a minute, think that a post-season ban is the most serious punishment handed down to OSU. I don't know if you have heard (and if you read my blog regularly, you have), but Urban Meyer is out there recruiting coaches and players like crazy right now. He just confirmed Mike Vrabel's return. Future players love him. But being on probation for 3 years is no joke. With the NCAA cracking down on repeat offenders, if OSU even steps out of line by a hair, the NCAA might cut them off entirely. Would you want to risk being on a team where your future is determined by the actions of others? And what happens when we run out of scholarships to offer these amazing athletes? Do we cut existing players in the hope that the prospect coming in will be better (as is popular in the SEC, by the way)? Is that how we want OSU to function?
I don't think Urban Meyer is going anywhere. He is committed to The Ohio State University. These sanctions will impact him in recruiting for sure, and it might change the game (no pun intended) for some of the existing players as well.
Now we get to sit back and see if the NCAA is really going to hold true to its mission and crack down on some of the other schools with outstanding violations, such as Miami (FL), Oregon, North Carolina...
Because if these are the sanctions we got for what we did, Miami is in BIG trouble.
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