Ohio State Athletic Director Gene Smith’s best defense was that the university failed to specifically educate the players on the NCAA rule forbidding a student-athlete from selling such items. Apparently, none of Ohio State’s players possess an iota of common sense because this seems like a no-brainer to me. Smith’s position is that the university is too blame for this lack of education and not the players. Most Ohio State players, however, receive little if any education at The Ohio State University anyway so it comes as no surprise that the lack of education was far greater than originally thought.

The NCAA is unlikely to reduce the suspensions given an appeal by OSU. Some like to point to a four game suspension received by A.J. Green for selling his jersey for $1000. Pryor’s violation is much greater as he sold three items for almost three times as much as Green. Pryor also allegedly traded his autograph for tattoos. Further, some complicity more than likely exists as five players were involved in the conspiracy.

What’s likely to happen? Well, Knucklehead may go pro after all despite his claims that he would not, citing a need to leave a legacy at OSU. His legacy may not be much better than Maurice Clarrett’s at this point. I hope he’s ready to play wide receiver finally.

It will be interesting to see what Tressel does in terms of punishment. I’m sure all players will be allowed to start the Sugar Bowl. Heck, Tressel only suspended Robert Reynolds for one game after the choking incident.

Suggested penalties:

Sell your Michigan gold pants – no longer eligible to play in Michigan game.

Sell your Big Ten Championship ring – no longer eligible to play in Big Ten games.

Sell your Bowl Award – no longer eligible to play in bowl games.Картини

Well for the first 10 games of every year, Cooper built up huge expectations in Buckeye fans. So much so that it became an annual event to hype up OSU’s national championship chances in late July or perhaps even as early as the Spring game. It was almost as if Christmas was now on the third Saturday in November for Buckeye fans. But as you all know, each third Saturday in November Buckeye fans received a lump of coal. But hope springs eternal in Columbus and like the Bad News Bears, the Buckeyes would get them next year.

Tressel has managed to surpass Cooper in building even higher expectations and in futility. For the last two years, Tressel has moved Buckeye Christmas to the Monday in January following New Years Day. Tressel has been able to make OSU fans and players believe that they deserve to be in the National Championship game. And for two years straight, Tressel has laid an egg once they’ve gotten there. It must be like getting that BB gun for Christmas and having it ripped out of your hands two years in a row. You begin to question whether you really deserved that BB gun, whether you were really as good as your parents said you were, and, now, whether it was all just a dirty lie. And guess what? Now you know you won’t get a BB gun next year.

Now that OSU is finally playing someone challenging prior to the Big Ten season, Tressel has moved Buckeye Christmas to mid-September. And guess what, Buckeye fans got another lump of coal. Will they ever learn?

How wrong can you be – let me count the ways:

(1) “This should be the game of the year.” – Pete didn’t watch the last two national championship games either.

(2) “This could easily be a BCS Championship matchup and no one would blink.” – More proof that Pete wasn’t paying attention during the last two national championship games.

(3) “Over the last few years, this was the matchup many wanted to see for the national title, or at least for the Rose Bowl.” – Well, no one will want to see Ohio State play any non-conference games for quite some time now.


(4) “This is the game to get the respect back for an Ohio State team that has become a national punching bag after the two national championship losses.” So much for that. They are still the punching bag and punch line for many jokes told across the country.

(5) Two questions asked by Petey – “Was it a look-ahead game (Ohio U) for the Buckeyes, or are they really that mediocre?” – They aren’t even that mediocre. They’re worse.

(6) “Was the Virginia win for real, or did a pumped up USC blow away a bad team?” – USC blew away two bad teams.

(7) “A big performance and a Buckeye win would propel Beanie to the top of the Heisman lists.” – Hey Petie, Beanie is done when it comes to the Heisman. He’ll be lucky to play in the next two weeks.

(8) “Of course, Ohio State is every bit as fast, athletic, and good as USC is. The difference is experience. Ohio State has more of it than USC.” – USC looked twice as fast as OSU (except for Pryor). OSU is much more experienced than USC. Much more experienced at kacking on the national stage.

(9) “OSU QB Todd Boeckman won’t make any mistakes.” Pete, you’re a real idiot. Boeckman’s never done anything in the big games. And, guess what, he still hasn’t. Put a little pressure on him and he melts.

(10) Ohio State 27 – USC 23 – I would say that Petie and his Buckeyes are the laughing stock of the nation.

Oh, and Petie, OSU won’t be playing for the national championship this year. They’re done, stick a fork in them. Whatever credibility they had from the start of a new season is gone. Do you think the nation wants to get suckered into another Buckeye fiasco in January?

How does that saying go?

Fool me once – shame on you.
Fool me twice – shame on me.
Fool me three times . . .
Fool me four times . . .

Foster was a defensive end for the Buckeyes, on the team from 1989 to 1992. He is a 1988 graduate of Dayton Patterson High School and red-shirted his freshman year at OSU. As a player he underwent surgery on his knees and shoulder and also suffered from a chronic degenerative condition in his hips.

Lovely! 

Super quarterback Justin Zwick from Massillon Washington High School, 6-4,
205, who is one of the country’s top QB prospects is going to formally
announce a decision at noon today. Zwick is expected to announce that he has
committed to Ohio State, picking Ohio State over Michigan as well as
Tennessee and Miami, all of whom also offered a scholarship. Zwick’s press
conference is slated for 12:00 noon. Zwick is the top quarterback prospect
to come out of the state of Ohio since Art Schlister. He has excellent size,
a good arm, makes plays and is very productive. He is also an outstanding
student with a 3.9 GPA and a 23 on the ACT. He is already the most prolific
quarterback ever in the state of Ohio as he has already set the career state
passing mark with over 7,000 passing yards going in to his senior season. He
has a been a varsity starter since his freshman season when he helped lead
Orrville to a state championship.

and

It’s official.

GO BUCKS!!!

Where is Zwick now?

 While OSU is loaded along the offensive line, and while Boren would have to sit out a year if he transfers to OSU, he would be a welcome addition.  There would be no danger of him giving away any plays or other inside information as anything that he would have to communicate would be from erstwhile coach Lllllllloyd Carr’s playbook.

As far as getting hyped up to play against his former team, I don’t think he would mind putting a big “L” on Rich Rodriguez’s first effort against Jim Tressel (given the bad feelings between them), but I wonder how much fury he could summon against guys he used to play with up there.

It will be interesting to see how it all plays out.  It would be especially interesting to see the reception he might get from the fans in Ann Arbor in the 2009 season if he is announced as a starter for the OSU offensive line for The Game.

So you Wolverine fans who so fondly recall that one cutback run up the middle in the second half last year that went for about 60 some yards and a touchdown may see that move again in the 2009 season when The Game comes back to Ann Arbor.

But other, more learned and better-read authors are starting to get on the bandwagon, especially with the addition of QB Terrelle Pryor to the Buckeye juggernaut.  Here is what Sports Illustrated’s Andy Staples wrote just the other day:

“Meanwhile, Tressel can plug in Pryor to a team that returns enough firepower on offense and defense to reach a third consecutive national title game. ” 

Mr. Staple regrettably left out that bit about OSU winning it back in 2002, which would make this the fourth national title game in seven years, but I can’t really fault him for that.  The article was not about OSU as much as it was about Pryor.

So all you Michigan fans should get all of your whiny groaning about OSU being in the National Championship Game out now, so that we don’t have to listen to it in December of this year.  Whenever I think of you people the disturbing image that comes into my mind is that of Kevin Kline jogging in the Big Chill wearing those hopelessly effeminate jogging shorts and the Michigan sweatshirt.  Yeesh.

Now I am predicting it again.

The OSU Offensive Line, the most important component of any football team, lost only Kirk Barton to graduation this year. He will be easily replaced with the talent coming up, like Sophomore Bryant Browning (who was getting a lot of reps last year) and incoming freshmen Mike Adams, Mike Brewster, and J.B. Shugarts, all over 300 pounds, and all of whom are highly mobile.

At RB, we have Chris Wells coming back for his junior season. He ran for over 1500 yards last year, and it looks like there are even more in store for this year as he will be one year bigger and one year more experienced at finding the holes. He will be backed up by senior Mo Wells, a change of pace type runner with a knack for throwing key blocks during blitzes, and Brandon Saine, a sophomore RB who did great things until he suffered a knee injury in the third game v. Washington and then made some big plays in the Nat’l Championship Game v. LSU, albeit in the passing game.

Fullback is a question mark with Dionte Johnson, Trevor Robinson, and Tyler Whaley all graduating (as opposed to getting certificates of attendance like one gets for going to Michigan for four years). But Aram Olsen is going to get a lot of playing time this year, and he was highly recruited out of South Carolina two years ago.

At WR, Robiskie and Hartline are back, along with Ray Small for their junior seasons. Dane Sanzebacher will be a sophomore and is very talented at possession receiving. Devier Posey is a highly rated freshman out of Florida to keep an eye upon.

At TE, Rory Nicol and Jake Ballard are each one year bigger and one year more experienced. Both have continued to improve in blocking along the edge, a skill sorely missed during the Florida Game two years ago. Mike Stoneburner from Dublin will present size match ups as he has tight end size with WR speed (with a 4.6 in the 40 and at 225 pounds and 6’6, he is a Kellen Winslow type). OSU sees him as a WR though, not a TE.

The only question on offense, and it’s a big one, is at QB. Todd Boeckman has the experience after one full season at the helm with only two losses, but his last four games saw him take four big steps backwards, wherein the team one in spite of his performance, rather than because of it. Those who know Jim Tressel know that he places great emphasis on experience as a starter. Thus at this point, much as I dislike to write it, the job is Boeckman’s to lose.

But lose it he might. Waiting in the wings is QB Antonio Henton, who played well in third string duty until his mid season trouble with the law (now ironed out) and who displaced the second string QB, Robbie Schoenhoft (who has transferred). The book on Henton is that he is athletic, but uses his footspeed to gain time to throw, rather than to take off running and gain yards rushing. He completed a very nice TD pass over the middle on a crossing pattern to Taurian Washington last year before his off the field troubles put him in Tressel’s dog house. He will give Boeckman a run for his money this Spring and Fall.

On the defensive side of the ball, everyone on the second most important component of the team, the Defensive Line, is back except Vernon Gholston, a junior who left early to go pro. While losing Gholston sucks, it is the one position where OSU could afford to lose a star player. He will be replaced by Lawrence Wilson, a better player than Gholston who could not prove it last year since he broke his leg in the season opener (ah but how nice it would have been to have both of those guys coming in off the DE position on each play).

Filling in for Wilson all last year were Cameron Heyward (who unforgiveably lost his temper during the LSU game and got the Tigers a 15 yarder) and Robert Rose. These will share time at one DE position while Wilson covers the other. A freshman to watch out for will be Keith Wells out of Florida, a speed rusher at DE who is presently a little undersized, but with the type of body that will put on the necessary weight.

Up the middle at DT will be Doug Worthington and Todd Denliner, back for their junior seasons. Worthington at 6-7 will be putting on size in the weight room and both will have the enhanced technique experience gives. They will be backed up by Senior Nader Abdallah (a great run stopper) and Sophomore Dexter Larrimore.

The only loss at LB will be Larry Grant to graduation. But he will be replaced by Curtis Terry, who is just as good but out most of last season with an injury. Also returning from injury will be Ross Homan to join up with seniors James Laurinatis and Marcus Freeman. Look for Sophomore Brian Rolle to have put on some weight and to make an impact as well. He did some really nice things last year in kickoff and punt coverage, and that is where Jim Tressel expects his future linebackers to make an impact.

A curiosity at LB will be true freshman Etienne Sabino. Reports are that Sabino can throw a football 80 yards in the air. Not much use for a linebacker, but it is indicative of overall athleticism, even for those Michigan fans who were wowed by Tom Brady firing a similar pass in the waining moments of this year’s Superbowl.

At CB, Junior Donald Washington and Senior Malcolm Jenkins will both be back as starters. These two were arguably the best CBs in the Big 10 last year, and are definitely the best now. In the nickel they will be joined by Chimdi Chekwa and in the dime package I think you will see a lot of Eugene Clifford or Donny Evenge.

At the Safety position, you will see more of Juniors Kurt Coleman and Anderson Russell, backed up by Senior Jamario O’Neal.

At Punter, which Jim Tressel considers the most important position on any team, we will have senior A.J. Trapasso back. Not only a consistent 45 yards per punt man with good hang time, Trapasso is always a threat to fake it as he rushed for 1100 yards in his senior year as the starting RB at Pickerington HS.

At Kicker, both Junior Aaron Pettrey and Senior Ryan Pretorious will be duking it out for the starting job. Both have legs good from 50 yards out.

One area the Buckeyes need improvement on is special teams. Coverage on punts and kickoffs was good last year, but too many field goals were blocked by people going right up the middle. We had no runbacks for touchdowns on either punts or kickoffs last year, despite having very talented KRs like Brandon Saine and Mo Wells.

If OSU can beat USC in its third game of the season, I don’t see anyone beating OSU from then on. Michigan is always a threat, but they play us in Columbus this year, and without Chad Henne or Mike Hart or Jake Long or Mario Manningham or Lavar Arrington. They will have some pretty ugly girls on the team as a result of open tryouts announced by new coach Rich Rodriguez who may need the scholarship money for those slots to pay West Virginia the $4 million for leaving early.

Even if OSU loses to USC (at USC), a close loss may be one of those early losses that gets overlooked, especially if USC has a good season (unless their football team gets the death penalty for all the money that Reggie Bush and his family allegedly took from his agent while he played there).

So look out again, world of college football. You may not like it, but the Buckeyes are going to be the team to beat next year, and few, if any, will. Don’t let your hatred of the Buckeyes get in the way of proper analysis. You did it last year. I predict you’ll do it again.