In my opinion, the Sex Pistols are the most influential band of all time. They took a stagnant music scene in the 70s and they turned it upside down. Bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Linkin Park, and a lot of the modern rock that you hear would not be around if not for the revolution brought on by the Pistols.
On this day, 31 years ago, the Sex Pistols released their first single, "God Save The Queen". It was immediately banned by the BBC. To atone for that other BBC's error in judgment, The BBC (being yours truly) now brings you "God Save The Queen";
In 1996, I was fortunate enough to see the Pistols perform live in Cleveland with their original lineup (no, Sid Vicious was not an original member, and yes I know he's dead). One of the best shows I've ever seen (Johnny Rotten flipped me off too...of course, I was front-row-center, crushed up against the wall).
Friday, November 30, 2007
Thursday, November 29, 2007
No, seriously? They posted it online?
Michigan posted the job for head coach online....no kidding.
Honestly, I can't possibly write anything funnier than that.
Honestly, I can't possibly write anything funnier than that.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Mid-day roundup
A few different topics to discuss, and I've been remiss on blogging the last couple of days.
The BBC/Boomer Sooner
I started this blog a little over a year ago, and I've noticed the increasing traffic as time goes by. Obviously, traffic increases during college football season, but it's been getting better and better. I have to thank you for returning to my blog, and spreading the news to your friends. Also, the support of the best Buckeye blogs in the world is nice too (I'm looking at you, MotSaG and Eleven Warriors/Eleven Sooners). Plus, the Big Ten Bloggers has been a nice support system for all of us involved. i see trackbacks from every blog in that group, and it's nice to know we're all supporting each other.
Having said that, November has been the best month The BBC has ever had. We're going to have 10,000 page views this month, if we just keep up the average for these last three days. Our previous best month ever was 7,100 views, and that was fueled by the National Championship and the infamous Ted Ginn injury rumor. So again, I thank all of you for reading and for making me feel like my page actually matters.
Where will we be in January?
Our location will be one of two places. Ohio State will either play in Pasadena on January 1st, or New Orleans on January 7th. That's the easy part.
The tough part is who we're going to play. There are literally about 12 different teams we could face in our bowl game. No kidding.
Take a deep breath, here we go;
Kansas, Georgia, and Ohio state are all idle. Ohio State has a VERY wide margin over Georgia and Kansas (and the rest), so we're safely locked into the Top 3.
National Championship possibilities
- WVU wins, Missouri loses = Ohio State/West Virginia
- WVU loses, Missouri wins = Ohio State/Missouri
- WVU and Missouri lose = Ohio State/Georgia OR Ohio State/Kansas - it's unlikely to have Kansas jump over Georgia, but the margin is close and a 1-loss Kansas team might leapfrog a 2-loss Georgia squad. It's possible.
- WVU and Missouri lose, and Virginia Tech beats Boston College by 35 points = Ohio State/Virginia Tech. Tech is 6th right now, but a complete destruction of a one-time surefire BCS team like BC might push a lot of voters to land VT in the big game. Again, doubtful but still possible.
- WVU loses, Missouri loses, Va Tech loses, LSU destroys Tennessee by 4 or 5 TDs = Ohio State/LSU. Again, unlikely. But an overwhelming winner of the SEC will surely get more consideration than Georgia or Kansas. I don't see it happening, but we're talking possibilities here...and yes, it's possible in a very remote kind of fashion.
- WVU loses, Missouri loses, Va Tech loses, LSU loses, and Oklahoma beats Missouri 42-0 = Ohio State/Oklahoma. No way do I ever see that happening...but if you beat the #1 team 42-0 and win the Big 12 at the same time, then you SHOULD jump over teams that lose or are idle. it'd probably cause mass hysteria amongst college football fans if it happened. But yes, it is still possible.
Rose Bowl possibilities
- If USC beats UCLA = Ohio State/USC
- If USC loses to UCLA and Arizona State beats Arizona = Ohio State/Arizona State
- If USC and Arizona State both lose = Ohio State/UCLA
I've gone over the numbers - it's true. If UCLA beats USC and ASU loses, the tiebreakers ALL fall in favor of the Bruins. How f-ing disappointing would that be, to have to play UCLA in a BCS game?
Cleveland Cavaliers
I usually take a few weeks to get revved up for a Cavs post, but after they beat the Big Three and Boston last night, I've just gotta take my hat off to the wine and gold. The news of Anderson Varejao's whining about 6-point, 6-rebound per game players not getting a fair-share contract of 9 million a year must have really fired up the guys to show they are contenders even without Wild Thing.
And if we can play like that without AV, I say fuck him. Make him sit as looooong as possible. No team will want to pay that much, and no team will sign him to a short-term deal knowing that he'll try to break the bank once the contract expires. He's ruining himself and he doesn't even know it yet.
Buckeye Basketball
We saw signs of excellence when we beat 21st-ranked Syracuse, and we saw signs of inexperience when we got crushed by 15th-ranked Texas A&M. Which team will show up tonight when we face top-ranked North Carolina tonight? Who knows...but if we play within 8 points of them, or even knock off these guys, it'll be a HUGE step towards success for the baby Buckeyes. I have faith in Thad Matta. Let's see where he's got the guys at right now.
The BBC/Boomer Sooner
I started this blog a little over a year ago, and I've noticed the increasing traffic as time goes by. Obviously, traffic increases during college football season, but it's been getting better and better. I have to thank you for returning to my blog, and spreading the news to your friends. Also, the support of the best Buckeye blogs in the world is nice too (I'm looking at you, MotSaG and Eleven Warriors/Eleven Sooners). Plus, the Big Ten Bloggers has been a nice support system for all of us involved. i see trackbacks from every blog in that group, and it's nice to know we're all supporting each other.
Having said that, November has been the best month The BBC has ever had. We're going to have 10,000 page views this month, if we just keep up the average for these last three days. Our previous best month ever was 7,100 views, and that was fueled by the National Championship and the infamous Ted Ginn injury rumor. So again, I thank all of you for reading and for making me feel like my page actually matters.
Where will we be in January?
Our location will be one of two places. Ohio State will either play in Pasadena on January 1st, or New Orleans on January 7th. That's the easy part.
The tough part is who we're going to play. There are literally about 12 different teams we could face in our bowl game. No kidding.
Take a deep breath, here we go;
Kansas, Georgia, and Ohio state are all idle. Ohio State has a VERY wide margin over Georgia and Kansas (and the rest), so we're safely locked into the Top 3.
National Championship possibilities
- WVU wins, Missouri loses = Ohio State/West Virginia
- WVU loses, Missouri wins = Ohio State/Missouri
- WVU and Missouri lose = Ohio State/Georgia OR Ohio State/Kansas - it's unlikely to have Kansas jump over Georgia, but the margin is close and a 1-loss Kansas team might leapfrog a 2-loss Georgia squad. It's possible.
- WVU and Missouri lose, and Virginia Tech beats Boston College by 35 points = Ohio State/Virginia Tech. Tech is 6th right now, but a complete destruction of a one-time surefire BCS team like BC might push a lot of voters to land VT in the big game. Again, doubtful but still possible.
- WVU loses, Missouri loses, Va Tech loses, LSU destroys Tennessee by 4 or 5 TDs = Ohio State/LSU. Again, unlikely. But an overwhelming winner of the SEC will surely get more consideration than Georgia or Kansas. I don't see it happening, but we're talking possibilities here...and yes, it's possible in a very remote kind of fashion.
- WVU loses, Missouri loses, Va Tech loses, LSU loses, and Oklahoma beats Missouri 42-0 = Ohio State/Oklahoma. No way do I ever see that happening...but if you beat the #1 team 42-0 and win the Big 12 at the same time, then you SHOULD jump over teams that lose or are idle. it'd probably cause mass hysteria amongst college football fans if it happened. But yes, it is still possible.
Rose Bowl possibilities
- If USC beats UCLA = Ohio State/USC
- If USC loses to UCLA and Arizona State beats Arizona = Ohio State/Arizona State
- If USC and Arizona State both lose = Ohio State/UCLA
I've gone over the numbers - it's true. If UCLA beats USC and ASU loses, the tiebreakers ALL fall in favor of the Bruins. How f-ing disappointing would that be, to have to play UCLA in a BCS game?
Cleveland Cavaliers
I usually take a few weeks to get revved up for a Cavs post, but after they beat the Big Three and Boston last night, I've just gotta take my hat off to the wine and gold. The news of Anderson Varejao's whining about 6-point, 6-rebound per game players not getting a fair-share contract of 9 million a year must have really fired up the guys to show they are contenders even without Wild Thing.
And if we can play like that without AV, I say fuck him. Make him sit as looooong as possible. No team will want to pay that much, and no team will sign him to a short-term deal knowing that he'll try to break the bank once the contract expires. He's ruining himself and he doesn't even know it yet.
Buckeye Basketball
We saw signs of excellence when we beat 21st-ranked Syracuse, and we saw signs of inexperience when we got crushed by 15th-ranked Texas A&M. Which team will show up tonight when we face top-ranked North Carolina tonight? Who knows...but if we play within 8 points of them, or even knock off these guys, it'll be a HUGE step towards success for the baby Buckeyes. I have faith in Thad Matta. Let's see where he's got the guys at right now.
Monday, November 26, 2007
Why I've rededicated my blog
I've received more than a few comments and e-mails regarding the new name for The BBC. I don't approve negative or derogatory comments (nice try, all you "anonymous" Michigan fans from two weeks ago), so a lot of the "what the fuck" comments have gone into the trash bin. Those of you who understand, thanks. This post is for the ones who don't seem to understand.
Ohio State is ranked #3 in the penultimate BCS standings. We have no games left, so we're going to stay at #3 if one of the teams ahead of us do not lose. #2 West Virginia is playing Pitt, a rather weak opponent on Saturday. I don't see the upset happening there...but in this season of upsets, who knows?
That leaves Missouri at #1. They will play Saturday night at 8pm in the Big XII Championship game. If they lose, we're in. That's a fact. Their opponent is Oklahoma.
If Oklahoma wins, it puts the Ohio State Buckeyes into the National Championship. That's it. That's why I am an Oklahoma Sooner fan this week. It is for one reason and one reason only....to get my team a chance to win a BCS Title.
Sunday morning, I will re-re-dedicate my blog, and it will be called "The Buckeye Battle Cry" once again. It will be re-re-dedicated with one of two topics;
A) "Ohio State goes to the National Championship game! Thank you, Oklahoma!"
or
B) "Crap! Oh, well.....Pasadena, here we come!"
If we get the help we need, I will be ecstatic. But if Missouri wins on Saturday, and we go to the Rose Bowl, it will be because Missouri earned it. Hell, my hat is off to any team that can beat 11-0 Kansas and 10-2 Oklahoma in back-to-back weeks. THAT, my friends, is a team that will have earned their shot at the title.
Finally, as for the people who have stated in my comments, on other blogs, and on various sports shows, etc etc etc that Ohio State is "backing into the BCS game" by having other teams lose....I have only this to say.
After Week 5, West Virginia was ranked 13th, and Missouri was ranked 17th. Having 12 and 16 teams lose so the Mountaineers and Tigers could climb to the top....do you also consider that "backing in"?
No, of course not. teams that continue to win climb to the top. Teams that lose fail to achieve their mission. If LSU does not want a title so badly that they can beat middle-of-the-pack Arkansas on their own field, they they FAIL. It doesn't mean anybody "backed in" to anything, but instead it means that 117 other teams were not good enough to make the Top 2 for the final BCS Standings.
Thanks for reading. Go Buckeyes and Go Sooners!
Jeff
P.S. For the benefit of the haters....."penultimate" means "next-to-last". That'll save you a headache or two.
Ohio State is ranked #3 in the penultimate BCS standings. We have no games left, so we're going to stay at #3 if one of the teams ahead of us do not lose. #2 West Virginia is playing Pitt, a rather weak opponent on Saturday. I don't see the upset happening there...but in this season of upsets, who knows?
That leaves Missouri at #1. They will play Saturday night at 8pm in the Big XII Championship game. If they lose, we're in. That's a fact. Their opponent is Oklahoma.
If Oklahoma wins, it puts the Ohio State Buckeyes into the National Championship. That's it. That's why I am an Oklahoma Sooner fan this week. It is for one reason and one reason only....to get my team a chance to win a BCS Title.
Sunday morning, I will re-re-dedicate my blog, and it will be called "The Buckeye Battle Cry" once again. It will be re-re-dedicated with one of two topics;
A) "Ohio State goes to the National Championship game! Thank you, Oklahoma!"
or
B) "Crap! Oh, well.....Pasadena, here we come!"
If we get the help we need, I will be ecstatic. But if Missouri wins on Saturday, and we go to the Rose Bowl, it will be because Missouri earned it. Hell, my hat is off to any team that can beat 11-0 Kansas and 10-2 Oklahoma in back-to-back weeks. THAT, my friends, is a team that will have earned their shot at the title.
Finally, as for the people who have stated in my comments, on other blogs, and on various sports shows, etc etc etc that Ohio State is "backing into the BCS game" by having other teams lose....I have only this to say.
After Week 5, West Virginia was ranked 13th, and Missouri was ranked 17th. Having 12 and 16 teams lose so the Mountaineers and Tigers could climb to the top....do you also consider that "backing in"?
No, of course not. teams that continue to win climb to the top. Teams that lose fail to achieve their mission. If LSU does not want a title so badly that they can beat middle-of-the-pack Arkansas on their own field, they they FAIL. It doesn't mean anybody "backed in" to anything, but instead it means that 117 other teams were not good enough to make the Top 2 for the final BCS Standings.
Thanks for reading. Go Buckeyes and Go Sooners!
Jeff
P.S. For the benefit of the haters....."penultimate" means "next-to-last". That'll save you a headache or two.
Michigan has a rare chance at history
While all the Michigan talk lately has been about their search for a head coach (Kirk Ferentz is the latest rumor....as a Buckeye fan, I pray for that to be true), I'd like to point out that the Wolverines have a rare chance to add to the historical data that is their 2007 season.
Michigan could be the only team in history ever to lose to two National Champions in the same season.
If Oklahoma knocks off Missouri, Ohio State goes to the BCS title game. Ohio State need only win that game, and they are crowned champions.
Meanwhile, Appalachian State is preparing to take on Eastern Washington in the 1-AA playoffs. This win, plus two more Mountaineer wins will give them their own championship.
Can't wait until someone asks Mike Hart "which would you rather lose to, the BCS National Champion, or the 1-AA National Champion"?
Michigan could be the only team in history ever to lose to two National Champions in the same season.
If Oklahoma knocks off Missouri, Ohio State goes to the BCS title game. Ohio State need only win that game, and they are crowned champions.
Meanwhile, Appalachian State is preparing to take on Eastern Washington in the 1-AA playoffs. This win, plus two more Mountaineer wins will give them their own championship.
Can't wait until someone asks Mike Hart "which would you rather lose to, the BCS National Champion, or the 1-AA National Champion"?
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Boomer Sooner!
I have no idea what "Boomer Sooner" even means, but let's all become fans of Oklahoma football for one week!
If Oklahoma wins the Big XII Championship Game, Ohio State will play for the National Championship. So let's join our brothers down south in victory!
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Buck fans - become fans of Connecticut and Tennessee today!
ESPN is oing College Gameday live from the Kansas-Missouri matchup. Frankly, this is possibly the least enticing game between two Top-4 teams I can ever recall.
As far as Ohio State fans are concerned, this game means nothing. We need the winner to lose next week in the Big 12 Championship to Oklahoma...and it doesn't matter which team gets there, they just need to lose once they arrive.
The BCS standings (as of this very minute) look like this;
1. Kansas
2. West Virginia
3. Missouri
4. Ohio State
5. Georgia
Either Kansas or Missouri will fall today, knocking that team out and bumping everybody else up one.
Obviously, we need to see one more team knocked off amongst the top 3. West Virginia may have an easy route, but it's not THAT easy. They have 20th-ranked Connecticut at home today. WVA is fired up and they know that if they win out, they get into the National Championship Game. But how many other teams have had that scenario and failed to win at home?
Buckeye fans, become Connecticut fans today. If the Huskies win, Ohio State will be ranked #2 when the BCS Standings come out on Sunday night.
Unbelievably, that might not be enough to get us in....sadly, the SEC has ramped up their whine-fest, and the media is still hugging onto the nutsack of that conference. The pundits have already begun the chant of having Georgia leapfrog Ohio State if they win the SEC Championship Game over LSU.
Therefore, let's knock that little pipe dream out of the sky while we have the chance.....Georgia does NOT control their own destiny. If Tennessee beats Kentucky today, the Volunteers get to play in the SEC title game, and not Georgia. There's NO way the leapfrog happens for a team that doesn't even get into the championship game for their conference, no matter how hard the SEC cries.
So, for today....we don different colors.
Tennessee plays Kentucky at 130pm
Connecticut plays West Virginia at 330pm.
Go Vols!
Go Huskies!
Go Buckeyes!
As far as Ohio State fans are concerned, this game means nothing. We need the winner to lose next week in the Big 12 Championship to Oklahoma...and it doesn't matter which team gets there, they just need to lose once they arrive.
The BCS standings (as of this very minute) look like this;
1. Kansas
2. West Virginia
3. Missouri
4. Ohio State
5. Georgia
Either Kansas or Missouri will fall today, knocking that team out and bumping everybody else up one.
Obviously, we need to see one more team knocked off amongst the top 3. West Virginia may have an easy route, but it's not THAT easy. They have 20th-ranked Connecticut at home today. WVA is fired up and they know that if they win out, they get into the National Championship Game. But how many other teams have had that scenario and failed to win at home?
Buckeye fans, become Connecticut fans today. If the Huskies win, Ohio State will be ranked #2 when the BCS Standings come out on Sunday night.
Unbelievably, that might not be enough to get us in....sadly, the SEC has ramped up their whine-fest, and the media is still hugging onto the nutsack of that conference. The pundits have already begun the chant of having Georgia leapfrog Ohio State if they win the SEC Championship Game over LSU.
Therefore, let's knock that little pipe dream out of the sky while we have the chance.....Georgia does NOT control their own destiny. If Tennessee beats Kentucky today, the Volunteers get to play in the SEC title game, and not Georgia. There's NO way the leapfrog happens for a team that doesn't even get into the championship game for their conference, no matter how hard the SEC cries.
So, for today....we don different colors.
Tennessee plays Kentucky at 130pm
Connecticut plays West Virginia at 330pm.
Go Vols!
Go Huskies!
Go Buckeyes!
Friday, November 23, 2007
BCS Championship Game still alive!
We're #3! We're #3!
Two weeks ago, we outlined a plan to get into the Championship Game.
It's getting closer and closer.
#1 LSU just lost (on their home field) to Arkansas, 50-48, setting up the possibility for Ohio State to win another championship.
ONE of these two things needs to happen, and we're in.
-Oklahoma wins the Big 12 Championship Game
-West Virginia loses to Connecticut
-West Virginia loses to Pittsburgh
Just ONE of those happens, and we're in.
Not so far-fetched, is it?
Two weeks ago, we outlined a plan to get into the Championship Game.
It's getting closer and closer.
#1 LSU just lost (on their home field) to Arkansas, 50-48, setting up the possibility for Ohio State to win another championship.
ONE of these two things needs to happen, and we're in.
-Oklahoma wins the Big 12 Championship Game
-West Virginia loses to Connecticut
-West Virginia loses to Pittsburgh
Just ONE of those happens, and we're in.
Not so far-fetched, is it?
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Piling on
I've been absent the past couple of days, but I wanted to pop in and pick on Mikey Hart one more time.
4 years against Ohio State
Mike Hart - 262 total yards
1 year plus 1 play against Michigan
Beanie Wells - 274 total yards
Nuff said.
H-2-0-and-4.
OK, now it's nuff said.
4 years against Ohio State
Mike Hart - 262 total yards
1 year plus 1 play against Michigan
Beanie Wells - 274 total yards
Nuff said.
H-2-0-and-4.
OK, now it's nuff said.
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
From 7th place to Champion in two short weeks
Following Ohio State's loss to Illinois, the Buckeyes dropped to 7th in the BCS rankings. At the time, I said they had a potential road to the BCS Championship Game if things fell the right way.
Now I have a little historical data to back up that projected rise to fame.
Two weeks ago, The BBC was in 7th place in the Big Ten Bloggers Pick 'Em contest.
Today, The BBC is crowned champion of the regular season.
I took Michigan State over Penn State and Indiana over Purdue in the final week. I figured you need a couple of upsets to go from #7 to #1 so quickly. I was right.
Oh, and by the way....I finished in first place, ahead of second-place Michigan Sports Center. Blogging impersonating reality?
Now I have a little historical data to back up that projected rise to fame.
Two weeks ago, The BBC was in 7th place in the Big Ten Bloggers Pick 'Em contest.
Today, The BBC is crowned champion of the regular season.
I took Michigan State over Penn State and Indiana over Purdue in the final week. I figured you need a couple of upsets to go from #7 to #1 so quickly. I was right.
Oh, and by the way....I finished in first place, ahead of second-place Michigan Sports Center. Blogging impersonating reality?
All-Big Ten teams released
There's a few surprises, and a couple that should anger the true football fans...but here's the coaches list for All-Big Ten football players.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: RASHARD MENDENHALL, Illinois
OFFENSIVE LINEMAN OF THE YEAR: Jake Long, Michigan
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: JAMES LAURINAITIS, Ohio State
DEFENSIVE LINEMAN OF THE YEAR: VERNON GHOLSTON, Ohio State
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: ARRELIOUS BENN, Illinois
FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
QB: Chad Henne, Michigan
RB: RASHARD MENDENHALL, Illinois
RB: CHRIS "BEANIE" WELLS, Ohio State
WR: JAMES HARDY, Indiana
WR: MARIO MANNINGHAM, Michigan Receiver
C: A.Q. SHIPLEY, Penn State
G: Martin O'Donnell, Illinois
G: Adam Kraus, Michigan
T: Jake Long, Michigan
T: Kirk Barton, Ohio State
TE: TRAVIS BECKUM, Wisconsin
K: Taylor Mehlhaff, Wisconsin
FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
LINE: GREG MIDDLETON, Indiana
LINE: MITCH KING, Iowa
LINE: VERNON GHOLSTON, Ohio State
LINE: MAURICE EVANS, Penn State
LB: J Leman, Illinois
LB: JAMES LAURINAITIS, Ohio State
LB: Dan Connor, Penn State
SEC: VONTAE DAVIS, Illinois
SEC: MALCOLM JENKINS, Ohio State
SEC: JUSTIN KING, Penn State
SEC: JACK IKEGWUONU, Wisconsin
P: JEREMY BOONE, Penn State
SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
QB: KELLEN LEWIS, Indiana
RB: Mike Hart, Michigan
RB: JAVON RINGER, Michigan State
WR: DEVIN THOMAS, Michigan State
WR: Dorien Bryant, Purdue
C: RYAN MCDONALD, Illinois
G: RICH OHRNBERGER, Penn State
G: KRAIG URBIK, Wisconsin
T: XAVIER FULTON, Illinois
T: ALEX BOONE, Ohio State
TE: Dustin Keller, Purdue
K: AUSTIN STARR, Indiana
SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
LINE: TERRANCE TAYLOR, Michigan
LINE: Jonal Saint-Dic, Michigan State
LINE: Cliff Avril, Purdue
LINE: MATT SHAUGHNESSY, Wisconsin
LB: Shawn Crable, Michigan
LB: MARCUS FREEMAN, Ohio State
LB: SEAN LEE, Penn State
DB: Tracy Porter, Indiana
DB: Charles Godfrey, Iowa
DB: Jamar Adams, Michigan
DB: Dominique Barber, Minnesota
P: Ken DeBauche, Wisconsin
-----------------------------------------
Here's the All-Big Ten teams, according to Big Ten Media.....
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: RASHARD MENDENHALL, Illinois
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: JAMES LAURINAITIS, Ohio State
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: ARRELIOUS BENN, Illinois
DAVE McCLAIN COACH OF THE YEAR: Ron Zook, Illinois
FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
QB: TODD BOECKMAN, Ohio State
RB: RASHARD MENDENHALL, Illinois
RB: CHRIS "BEANIE" WELLS, Ohio State
WR: JAMES HARDY, Indiana
WR: MARIO MANNINGHAM, Michigan
C: Marcus Coleman, Wisconsin
G: Martin O'Donnell, Illinois
G; Adam Kraus, Michigan
T: Jake Long, Michigan
T: Kirk Barton, Ohio State
TE: TRAVIS BECKUM, Wisconsin
K: AUSTIN STARR, Indiana
FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
LINE: GREG MIDDLETON, Indiana
LINE: Jonal Saint-Dic, Michigan State
LINE: VERNON GHOLSTON, Ohio State
LINE: MAURICE EVANS, Penn State
LB: J Leman, Illinois
LB: JAMES LAURINAITIS, Ohio State
LB: Dan Connor, Penn State
DB: Tracy Porter, Indiana
DB: MALCOLM JENKINS, Ohio State
DB: JUSTIN KING, Penn State
DB: JACK IKEGWUONU, Wisconsin
P: JEREMY BOONE, Penn State
SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
QB: KELLEN LEWIS, Indiana
RB: Mike Hart, Michigan
RB: JAVON RINGER, Michigan State
WR: DEVIN THOMAS, Michigan State
WR: Dorien Bryant, Purdue
C: RYAN MCDONALD, Illinois
G: RICH OHRNBERGER, Penn State
G; KRAIG URBIK, Wisconsin
T: Pete Clifford, Michigan State
T: ALEX BOONE, Ohio State
TE: Dustin Keller, Purdue
K: Taylor Mehlhaff, Wisconsin
SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
LINE: WILL DAVIS, Illinois
LINE: MITCH KING, Iowa
LINE: Bryan Mattison, Iowa
LINE: MATT SHAUGHNESSY, Wisconsin
LB: Mike Humpal, Iowa
LB: Shawn Crable, Michigan
LB: SEAN LEE, Penn State
DB: VONTAE DAVIS, Illinois
DB: Jamar Adams, Michigan
DB: Dominique Barber, Minnesota
DB: Terrell Vinson, Purdue
P: JUSTIN KUCEK, Minnesota
---------------------------------------
Here's my thoughts;
- Chad Henne as first-team QB by the coaches? No freaking way. The media had it right in this case, putting Boeckman as 1st-team and Kellen Lewis as 2nd-team.
- Mike Hart is going to throw a massive bitch-fest over being 2nd-team RB. But there's no way you can put that guy over Mendenhall and Beanie Wells, especially after gaining 42 total yards in his final two games combined.
- The defensive trio of Gholston, Laurainitis, and Jenkins dominated as expected.
- Hopefully, Robiskie's Honorable Mentions will persuade him to give it another year at Ohio State.
- I think whoever won the Ohio State-Illinois game was going to get Coach Of The Year.
- Take a look at the linebackers. If you put Connor, Little Animal and J Leman on any team, they'd destroy any other team you could come up with this year.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: RASHARD MENDENHALL, Illinois
OFFENSIVE LINEMAN OF THE YEAR: Jake Long, Michigan
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: JAMES LAURINAITIS, Ohio State
DEFENSIVE LINEMAN OF THE YEAR: VERNON GHOLSTON, Ohio State
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: ARRELIOUS BENN, Illinois
FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
QB: Chad Henne, Michigan
RB: RASHARD MENDENHALL, Illinois
RB: CHRIS "BEANIE" WELLS, Ohio State
WR: JAMES HARDY, Indiana
WR: MARIO MANNINGHAM, Michigan Receiver
C: A.Q. SHIPLEY, Penn State
G: Martin O'Donnell, Illinois
G: Adam Kraus, Michigan
T: Jake Long, Michigan
T: Kirk Barton, Ohio State
TE: TRAVIS BECKUM, Wisconsin
K: Taylor Mehlhaff, Wisconsin
FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
LINE: GREG MIDDLETON, Indiana
LINE: MITCH KING, Iowa
LINE: VERNON GHOLSTON, Ohio State
LINE: MAURICE EVANS, Penn State
LB: J Leman, Illinois
LB: JAMES LAURINAITIS, Ohio State
LB: Dan Connor, Penn State
SEC: VONTAE DAVIS, Illinois
SEC: MALCOLM JENKINS, Ohio State
SEC: JUSTIN KING, Penn State
SEC: JACK IKEGWUONU, Wisconsin
P: JEREMY BOONE, Penn State
SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
QB: KELLEN LEWIS, Indiana
RB: Mike Hart, Michigan
RB: JAVON RINGER, Michigan State
WR: DEVIN THOMAS, Michigan State
WR: Dorien Bryant, Purdue
C: RYAN MCDONALD, Illinois
G: RICH OHRNBERGER, Penn State
G: KRAIG URBIK, Wisconsin
T: XAVIER FULTON, Illinois
T: ALEX BOONE, Ohio State
TE: Dustin Keller, Purdue
K: AUSTIN STARR, Indiana
SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
LINE: TERRANCE TAYLOR, Michigan
LINE: Jonal Saint-Dic, Michigan State
LINE: Cliff Avril, Purdue
LINE: MATT SHAUGHNESSY, Wisconsin
LB: Shawn Crable, Michigan
LB: MARCUS FREEMAN, Ohio State
LB: SEAN LEE, Penn State
DB: Tracy Porter, Indiana
DB: Charles Godfrey, Iowa
DB: Jamar Adams, Michigan
DB: Dominique Barber, Minnesota
P: Ken DeBauche, Wisconsin
-----------------------------------------
Here's the All-Big Ten teams, according to Big Ten Media.....
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: RASHARD MENDENHALL, Illinois
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: JAMES LAURINAITIS, Ohio State
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: ARRELIOUS BENN, Illinois
DAVE McCLAIN COACH OF THE YEAR: Ron Zook, Illinois
FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
QB: TODD BOECKMAN, Ohio State
RB: RASHARD MENDENHALL, Illinois
RB: CHRIS "BEANIE" WELLS, Ohio State
WR: JAMES HARDY, Indiana
WR: MARIO MANNINGHAM, Michigan
C: Marcus Coleman, Wisconsin
G: Martin O'Donnell, Illinois
G; Adam Kraus, Michigan
T: Jake Long, Michigan
T: Kirk Barton, Ohio State
TE: TRAVIS BECKUM, Wisconsin
K: AUSTIN STARR, Indiana
FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
LINE: GREG MIDDLETON, Indiana
LINE: Jonal Saint-Dic, Michigan State
LINE: VERNON GHOLSTON, Ohio State
LINE: MAURICE EVANS, Penn State
LB: J Leman, Illinois
LB: JAMES LAURINAITIS, Ohio State
LB: Dan Connor, Penn State
DB: Tracy Porter, Indiana
DB: MALCOLM JENKINS, Ohio State
DB: JUSTIN KING, Penn State
DB: JACK IKEGWUONU, Wisconsin
P: JEREMY BOONE, Penn State
SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
QB: KELLEN LEWIS, Indiana
RB: Mike Hart, Michigan
RB: JAVON RINGER, Michigan State
WR: DEVIN THOMAS, Michigan State
WR: Dorien Bryant, Purdue
C: RYAN MCDONALD, Illinois
G: RICH OHRNBERGER, Penn State
G; KRAIG URBIK, Wisconsin
T: Pete Clifford, Michigan State
T: ALEX BOONE, Ohio State
TE: Dustin Keller, Purdue
K: Taylor Mehlhaff, Wisconsin
SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
LINE: WILL DAVIS, Illinois
LINE: MITCH KING, Iowa
LINE: Bryan Mattison, Iowa
LINE: MATT SHAUGHNESSY, Wisconsin
LB: Mike Humpal, Iowa
LB: Shawn Crable, Michigan
LB: SEAN LEE, Penn State
DB: VONTAE DAVIS, Illinois
DB: Jamar Adams, Michigan
DB: Dominique Barber, Minnesota
DB: Terrell Vinson, Purdue
P: JUSTIN KUCEK, Minnesota
---------------------------------------
Here's my thoughts;
- Chad Henne as first-team QB by the coaches? No freaking way. The media had it right in this case, putting Boeckman as 1st-team and Kellen Lewis as 2nd-team.
- Mike Hart is going to throw a massive bitch-fest over being 2nd-team RB. But there's no way you can put that guy over Mendenhall and Beanie Wells, especially after gaining 42 total yards in his final two games combined.
- The defensive trio of Gholston, Laurainitis, and Jenkins dominated as expected.
- Hopefully, Robiskie's Honorable Mentions will persuade him to give it another year at Ohio State.
- I think whoever won the Ohio State-Illinois game was going to get Coach Of The Year.
- Take a look at the linebackers. If you put Connor, Little Animal and J Leman on any team, they'd destroy any other team you could come up with this year.
Saturday, November 17, 2007
3 down, 3 to go
A week ago, I wrote a post detailing how Ohio State could still get to the National Championship.
I was mocked on a few blogs (mainly Michigan ones, so neener neener neener). It doesn't look so far-fetched anymore, does it?
So I said we needed six games to go our way. The results so far?
-Ohio State beats Michigan? Check.
-Oklahoma gets upset in the regular season? Check.
-Oregon gets upset? Check.
What we need to happen?
-Kansas or Missouri to lose - already a guarantee, since they play each other.
-Winner of Kansas/Missouri to lose to Oklahoma in the Big 12 title game
And ONE of the following needs to happen;
-LSU to lose either to Arkansas or in the SEC title game
-West Virginia to lose to Connecticut or Pitt.
This is not so much "grasping at straws" anymore. We get to sit back and see if we're going to play in California on January 1st or New Orleans on January 7th.
Should be fun.....
I was mocked on a few blogs (mainly Michigan ones, so neener neener neener). It doesn't look so far-fetched anymore, does it?
So I said we needed six games to go our way. The results so far?
-Ohio State beats Michigan? Check.
-Oklahoma gets upset in the regular season? Check.
-Oregon gets upset? Check.
What we need to happen?
-Kansas or Missouri to lose - already a guarantee, since they play each other.
-Winner of Kansas/Missouri to lose to Oklahoma in the Big 12 title game
And ONE of the following needs to happen;
-LSU to lose either to Arkansas or in the SEC title game
-West Virginia to lose to Connecticut or Pitt.
This is not so much "grasping at straws" anymore. We get to sit back and see if we're going to play in California on January 1st or New Orleans on January 7th.
Should be fun.....
Michigan offense finally outgains Troy Smith
On Saturday, Michigan's offense had 91 yards more than Troy Smith.
Sooner or later, it was bound to happen. Congratulations, Wolverines!
Sooner or later, it was bound to happen. Congratulations, Wolverines!
Hart to return to Michigan for fifth year
(AP) On Saturday afternoon, Michigan Senior Mike Hart announced that he will return to Michigan for his fifth year, with the intention of finally beating Ohio State.
"I totally guarantee that you'll see a different outcome if we get another chance to play them", Hart said following Michigan's 14-3 loss to Ohio state on Saturday. Hart has failed to defeat the Buckeyes in all of Hart's four seasons.
"Their defense is nothing special," Hart said of the Ohio State team, which held the Wolverines to 91 total yards and no touchdowns.
"I'd rather lose to Appalachian State than to Ohio State", he added. Unfortunately, Hart could not recall a time when his Michigan squad defeated either team.
There is still no word if Chad Henne and Jake Long will join Hart for their fifth seasons at Michigan.
"I totally guarantee that you'll see a different outcome if we get another chance to play them", Hart said following Michigan's 14-3 loss to Ohio state on Saturday. Hart has failed to defeat the Buckeyes in all of Hart's four seasons.
"Their defense is nothing special," Hart said of the Ohio State team, which held the Wolverines to 91 total yards and no touchdowns.
"I'd rather lose to Appalachian State than to Ohio State", he added. Unfortunately, Hart could not recall a time when his Michigan squad defeated either team.
There is still no word if Chad Henne and Jake Long will join Hart for their fifth seasons at Michigan.
I'm off!
It's 844am, and Michigan still sucks!
Off to see the game, everybody. I hope you have a great day, and GO BUCKEYES!
Off to see the game, everybody. I hope you have a great day, and GO BUCKEYES!
Friday, November 16, 2007
One down, Five to go
We're back in the big picture again, Buckeye fans.
#2 Oregon has just fallen to Arizona, 34-24. Yes, Arizona. That Arizona team that's 4-6 this year.
This will drop the Ducks out of the championship hunt. Two losses to unranked teams equals death for them.
With the Buckeyes at #7 heading into this week, we needed six different games to go our way. One of them (the most unlikely one, in my opinion) has just taken place.
What else needs to happen now?
-Cincinnati needs to beat #6 West Virginia
-#4 Missouri needs to beat #3 Kansas
-#5 Oklahoma needs to beat #4 Missouri
-Georgia needs to beat #1 LSU
-And of course, #7 Ohio State needs to beat Michigan
One down, five to go, and we can play for another National Championship.
But first things first....BEAT MICHIGAN!
#2 Oregon has just fallen to Arizona, 34-24. Yes, Arizona. That Arizona team that's 4-6 this year.
This will drop the Ducks out of the championship hunt. Two losses to unranked teams equals death for them.
With the Buckeyes at #7 heading into this week, we needed six different games to go our way. One of them (the most unlikely one, in my opinion) has just taken place.
What else needs to happen now?
-Cincinnati needs to beat #6 West Virginia
-#4 Missouri needs to beat #3 Kansas
-#5 Oklahoma needs to beat #4 Missouri
-Georgia needs to beat #1 LSU
-And of course, #7 Ohio State needs to beat Michigan
One down, five to go, and we can play for another National Championship.
But first things first....BEAT MICHIGAN!
Thursday, November 15, 2007
...and I never got to use it
I've yet to start earning thousands of dollars writing for this blog (shocking, isn't it?), so I've got myself a paying gig in the real world....I'm the Director of Marketing for a sports-based restaurant in Canton, Ohio. A huge wall of 10-foot TV screens is my home on Saturday afternoons, so that day is always easy to market.
Obviously, I get to go all out for Ohio State games, and the epitome of it all is the week of The Game. I write myself a budget and I decorate the clubhouse. I buy prizes for the guests. I copy my videos to DVD and show the best ones before the game. I emcee the whole day, keeping the crowd as fired up as possible (and getting them to drink more....someone's gotta pay for my budget). It's a really fun atmosphere.
Last year, I had the perfect prop. It was #1 vs. #2, and if we win it ends Michigan's championship season....so I used my connections and I had a tombstone created. It was a rounded-at-the-top gray headstone, and I had engraved on it "Here Lies Michigan - Buried By Ohio State - November 18, 2006"
I picked it up from the office of the cemetery that I ordered it from on Friday morning, and drove into work to begin displaying it.
When I arrived at the restaurant, I carried it in proudly and took it towards the office. On the way, I saw the broadcast from ESPN on the big screens.
Bo Schembechler had died about an hour earlier.
I turned around and took the tombstone back to my car. There was no way I would ever display that prop. There wasn't even a discussion about it. No way, no how.
This morning I was rooting through my garage and I discovered it. I had actually forgotten about that prop.
Saturday will mark the first anniversary of Schembechler's passing. Here's hoping he rests in peace.
Obviously, I get to go all out for Ohio State games, and the epitome of it all is the week of The Game. I write myself a budget and I decorate the clubhouse. I buy prizes for the guests. I copy my videos to DVD and show the best ones before the game. I emcee the whole day, keeping the crowd as fired up as possible (and getting them to drink more....someone's gotta pay for my budget). It's a really fun atmosphere.
Last year, I had the perfect prop. It was #1 vs. #2, and if we win it ends Michigan's championship season....so I used my connections and I had a tombstone created. It was a rounded-at-the-top gray headstone, and I had engraved on it "Here Lies Michigan - Buried By Ohio State - November 18, 2006"
I picked it up from the office of the cemetery that I ordered it from on Friday morning, and drove into work to begin displaying it.
When I arrived at the restaurant, I carried it in proudly and took it towards the office. On the way, I saw the broadcast from ESPN on the big screens.
Bo Schembechler had died about an hour earlier.
I turned around and took the tombstone back to my car. There was no way I would ever display that prop. There wasn't even a discussion about it. No way, no how.
This morning I was rooting through my garage and I discovered it. I had actually forgotten about that prop.
Saturday will mark the first anniversary of Schembechler's passing. Here's hoping he rests in peace.
My new video
UPDATE - It disappeared from YouTube as quickly as I put it up. Here's hoping the rest of my vids don't get clicked for copyright reasons.
Hmmmm...now it's back. Here ya go. I give you "Ohio State STILL owns Michigan"
Oh, and for good measure, Chad Henne is still a joke too.
Hmmmm...now it's back. Here ya go. I give you "Ohio State STILL owns Michigan"
Oh, and for good measure, Chad Henne is still a joke too.
...and the winner of the "Douchebag Of The Year".....
Mike Hart!
For giving the Buckeyes the much-desired bulletin board material, Mike Hart has been named DOTY. In a year where both teams have seemingly managed to keep the idiotic statements out of the press, Hart proved once again that he has no ability to control his mouth.
For giving the Buckeyes the much-desired bulletin board material, Mike Hart has been named DOTY. In a year where both teams have seemingly managed to keep the idiotic statements out of the press, Hart proved once again that he has no ability to control his mouth.
"I'd rather lose to Appalachian State than lose to Ohio State."Well, if anybody would know what it's like to do both....it'd be Hart.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
OK, now this is funny.....
Obviously, it's a pro-Michigan blog we're dealing with...but the total lack of vision added to complete hypocrisy is comical.
Here's what they say on why Ohio State will lose to Michigan;
Here's what they say on why Ohio State will lose to Michigan;
"- OSU is still in a state of shock. They got beat and they got beat soundly. Right now more questions exist then answers."I'm sorry, were these guys not watching when Michigan "got beat and got beat soundly" by 16 points to Wisconsin on the SAME DAY?
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Bad news - Jim Tressel has misplaced his briefcase with the Michigan plans
In an eerie reminder of Woody Hayes nearly losing his plans for the Michigan game in the early 70s, Ohio State fans and staff are frantically searching for Jim Tressel's briefcase this morning after it was reported missing around 9am EST.
So far, no report of foul play has been alleged.
I'll have more details as I hear more on this story.
-------------------------------------------------
UPDATE - The plans have not yet been completely found, but the first page has been discovered near a dumpster by the Varsity Club. That page included the following goals on how to defeat Michigan;
UPDATE! Police have been able to decipher another one of Tressel's notes on Page 1. It reads;
More details as they are released.
So far, no report of foul play has been alleged.
I'll have more details as I hear more on this story.
-------------------------------------------------
UPDATE - The plans have not yet been completely found, but the first page has been discovered near a dumpster by the Varsity Club. That page included the following goals on how to defeat Michigan;
- Tell Mike Hart there’s a camera in the other end zone. He’ll sprint to get in front of it, and we tackle him for a safety.
- If Hart does not fall for the camera trick, try to lure him away from his team's huddle during a windy moment. If the wind blows faster than 13 MPH, he will sprain something and be unavailable the rest of the day.
UPDATE! Police have been able to decipher another one of Tressel's notes on Page 1. It reads;
- If Adrian Arrington is headed towards the goal line, Buckeye defenders should point in the opposite direction and shout "bitch has got your keys".
More details as they are released.
Monday, November 12, 2007
Chad Henne is a joke!
Bringing back the old classic....spread it around to your friends!
Do me this favor....send this link - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8bzZEtOcb8 - to as many Buckeye friends as you can. I want to see this video get a LOT of hits this week.
As of 9pm Monday, it has 139,242 views. Let's see what it can get to by kickoff on Saturday. Go!
Do me this favor....send this link - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8bzZEtOcb8 - to as many Buckeye friends as you can. I want to see this video get a LOT of hits this week.
As of 9pm Monday, it has 139,242 views. Let's see what it can get to by kickoff on Saturday. Go!
Lloyd Carr is gone
Courtesy MGoBlog and his sources, Lloyd Carr will retire one week from today.
Whether or not this is true remains to be seen, but I would believe it. It'd be good timing to leak this out now, with Michigan hoping they can get a little Earle-Bruce-in-reverse magic heading their way for The Game.
Whether or not this is true remains to be seen, but I would believe it. It'd be good timing to leak this out now, with Michigan hoping they can get a little Earle-Bruce-in-reverse magic heading their way for The Game.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
The BCS Championship Game - It's not over yet
I'm looking over the latest BCS standings (we're 7th), and I'm not as upset as you might think.
As a matter of fact, there's still hope for the Buckeyes to get into the BCS Championship Game. Granted, it's a faint glimmer of hope, but it does still exist. Hear me out on this one.
Here's the current standings;
Let's state the obvious....we need to pass five teams to get into the top 2, and reach the title game. So let's look at the possibilities of that. Pay attention, it's gonna get a bit tricky.
#6 West Virginia's remaining schedule
At Cincinnati (8-2)
Connecticut (8-2)
Pittsburgh (4-5)
The Mountaineers are going to beat Pitt, and UConn is not as good as their record will show.
West Virginia's biggest chance at falling is this Saturday when they visit Cincinnati. The Bearcats have completely exposed three front runners in the Big East by defeating Rutgers on the road, South Florida on the road and humiliating Connecticut at home. They believe in themselves, and WVA is not a hard team to figure out. They win with speed. Nullify that speed and Cincy can pull the upset.
Losing to Cincy will drop a 2-loss WVA well below us.
#5 Missouri's remaining schedule
at Kansas State (5-5)
at Kansas (10-0)
Possible Big 12 Championship game
If the Tigers win at KSU and at KU, they get into the Big 12 Championship Game. Let's just say that Mizzou NEEDS to win on their road trip through Our Most Boring State, and then fall to Oklahoma in the aforementioned title game. Their late loss will drop them below us as well.
That loss would drop Missouri to 2 losses, and below us. The Tigers fans will cry "common opponents" and point to their win over Illinois, but it won't help.
#4 Oklahoma's remaining schedule
at Texas Tech (7-4)
Oklahoma State (5-5)
Possible Big 12 Championship game
Their best chance to lose again is in the Big 12 title game...but we just gave them that win, and we need it to knock off Missouri. Traveling to Texas Tech is never easy, and Oklahoma could get their loss here (depending on which defense the Red Raiders decide to put on the field). Oklahoma State isn't a great team, but do not discount the impact that rivalry has....plus, i you tell Mike Gundy that he can ruin the Sooners chances, he'll have his team ready.
But make no mistake, we NEED an upset of the Sooners during the regular season, and then we need them to win that Big 12 title game. By the way, one loss would still get them into the title game, in case you were wondering. They hold the tiebreaker with Texas.
That upset would drop the Sooners below us, and despite winning the Big 12, 2 losses to unranked teams will put them in a BCS Bowl, but not the big one.
#3 Kansas' remaining schedule
Iowa State (3-8)
Missouri (9-1)
Forget about Iowa State. They might be able to beat Kansas...last year. But not in 2007.
Besides, we already said Missouri would beat the Jayhawks about six paragraphs ago. So lets cut this to the chase and end Kansas' season with a loss.
That loss will put Kansas at 11-1, and not winning their conference will drop the Jayhawks below us and out of the picture.
#2 Oregon's remaining schedule
at Arizona (4-6)
at UCLA (5-5)
Oregon State (6-4)
I'll be honest with you. Forget about it. Oregon's got their ticket to the BCS Championship Game punched already. Unless they beat themselves, they're in. Arizona, Oregon State and Notre Dame's only bitch will not be able to stop them.
#1 LSU's remaining schedule
at Mississippi (3-7)
Arkansas (6-4)
SEC Championship Game
Ole Miss is the SEC version of Minnesota...forget about that one. Ditto Arkansas, especially playing at LSU. Our only shot at LSU falling is in the SEC title game, where they will probably play Georgia. We will have to become Bulldog fans two weeks after our season has ended, but it could be our last best chance at another championship game.
Is LSU loses to Georgia, it'll give the Tigers two losses, and a final week defeat will drop LSU out of the BCS Championship Game.
As for Georgia, they'd win the SEC and be 11-2. I do not see how the SEC-driven media will convince enough voters to leapfrog them over Ohio State (they're currently 9th), unless they beat LSU by 28 points.
So there you have it. It's exhausting, but we have a road map to the college football championship.
- West Virginia must lose to Cincinnati on November 17th
- Missouri must lose to Oklahoma on December 2nd (Sunday?)
- Oklahoma must lose Texas Tech on 11/17 OR to Okla State on 11/24
- Kansas must lose to Missouri on November 24th
- LSU must lose in the SEC Championship Game on December 1st
But none of that will matter one little bit if Ohio State doesn't beat Michigan on November 17th. Our win comes first.
Let's earn the Rose Bowl berth first.....and then see if Woody can convince God to help us out a bit over the following 15 days.
As a matter of fact, there's still hope for the Buckeyes to get into the BCS Championship Game. Granted, it's a faint glimmer of hope, but it does still exist. Hear me out on this one.
Here's the current standings;
| 1 | LSU | .9802 | |
| 2 | Oregon | .9383 | |
| 3 | Kansas | .9094 | |
| 4 | Oklahoma | .8540 | |
| 5 | Missouri | .8096 | |
| 6 | West Virginia | .7863 | |
| 7 | Ohio State | .7744 |
Let's state the obvious....we need to pass five teams to get into the top 2, and reach the title game. So let's look at the possibilities of that. Pay attention, it's gonna get a bit tricky.
#6 West Virginia's remaining schedule
At Cincinnati (8-2)
Connecticut (8-2)
Pittsburgh (4-5)
The Mountaineers are going to beat Pitt, and UConn is not as good as their record will show.
West Virginia's biggest chance at falling is this Saturday when they visit Cincinnati. The Bearcats have completely exposed three front runners in the Big East by defeating Rutgers on the road, South Florida on the road and humiliating Connecticut at home. They believe in themselves, and WVA is not a hard team to figure out. They win with speed. Nullify that speed and Cincy can pull the upset.
Losing to Cincy will drop a 2-loss WVA well below us.
#5 Missouri's remaining schedule
at Kansas State (5-5)
at Kansas (10-0)
Possible Big 12 Championship game
If the Tigers win at KSU and at KU, they get into the Big 12 Championship Game. Let's just say that Mizzou NEEDS to win on their road trip through Our Most Boring State, and then fall to Oklahoma in the aforementioned title game. Their late loss will drop them below us as well.
That loss would drop Missouri to 2 losses, and below us. The Tigers fans will cry "common opponents" and point to their win over Illinois, but it won't help.
#4 Oklahoma's remaining schedule
at Texas Tech (7-4)
Oklahoma State (5-5)
Possible Big 12 Championship game
Their best chance to lose again is in the Big 12 title game...but we just gave them that win, and we need it to knock off Missouri. Traveling to Texas Tech is never easy, and Oklahoma could get their loss here (depending on which defense the Red Raiders decide to put on the field). Oklahoma State isn't a great team, but do not discount the impact that rivalry has....plus, i you tell Mike Gundy that he can ruin the Sooners chances, he'll have his team ready.
But make no mistake, we NEED an upset of the Sooners during the regular season, and then we need them to win that Big 12 title game. By the way, one loss would still get them into the title game, in case you were wondering. They hold the tiebreaker with Texas.
That upset would drop the Sooners below us, and despite winning the Big 12, 2 losses to unranked teams will put them in a BCS Bowl, but not the big one.
#3 Kansas' remaining schedule
Iowa State (3-8)
Missouri (9-1)
Forget about Iowa State. They might be able to beat Kansas...last year. But not in 2007.
Besides, we already said Missouri would beat the Jayhawks about six paragraphs ago. So lets cut this to the chase and end Kansas' season with a loss.
That loss will put Kansas at 11-1, and not winning their conference will drop the Jayhawks below us and out of the picture.
#2 Oregon's remaining schedule
at Arizona (4-6)
at UCLA (5-5)
Oregon State (6-4)
I'll be honest with you. Forget about it. Oregon's got their ticket to the BCS Championship Game punched already. Unless they beat themselves, they're in. Arizona, Oregon State and Notre Dame's only bitch will not be able to stop them.
#1 LSU's remaining schedule
at Mississippi (3-7)
Arkansas (6-4)
SEC Championship Game
Ole Miss is the SEC version of Minnesota...forget about that one. Ditto Arkansas, especially playing at LSU. Our only shot at LSU falling is in the SEC title game, where they will probably play Georgia. We will have to become Bulldog fans two weeks after our season has ended, but it could be our last best chance at another championship game.
Is LSU loses to Georgia, it'll give the Tigers two losses, and a final week defeat will drop LSU out of the BCS Championship Game.
As for Georgia, they'd win the SEC and be 11-2. I do not see how the SEC-driven media will convince enough voters to leapfrog them over Ohio State (they're currently 9th), unless they beat LSU by 28 points.
So there you have it. It's exhausting, but we have a road map to the college football championship.
- West Virginia must lose to Cincinnati on November 17th
- Missouri must lose to Oklahoma on December 2nd (Sunday?)
- Oklahoma must lose Texas Tech on 11/17 OR to Okla State on 11/24
- Kansas must lose to Missouri on November 24th
- LSU must lose in the SEC Championship Game on December 1st
But none of that will matter one little bit if Ohio State doesn't beat Michigan on November 17th. Our win comes first.
Let's earn the Rose Bowl berth first.....and then see if Woody can convince God to help us out a bit over the following 15 days.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
It's Michigan Week!
Yes, I know, we just lost to Illinois. The National Championship hopes are over.
None of that matters anymore. It's Michigan Week.
THIS is the game we prepare for in April. THIS is the game we salivate over. THIS is the game that we battle over 365 days a year.
157 more hours until The Game begins. And don't forget....Jim Tressel OWNS Michigan!
"This ball game will boil down to three things. Three things. Number one, the team that hits the hardest and the longest, the team that starts the fastest, and the team that's too damn smart to make mistakes."
-Woody Hayes
None of that matters anymore. It's Michigan Week.
THIS is the game we prepare for in April. THIS is the game we salivate over. THIS is the game that we battle over 365 days a year.
157 more hours until The Game begins. And don't forget....Jim Tressel OWNS Michigan!
"This ball game will boil down to three things. Three things. Number one, the team that hits the hardest and the longest, the team that starts the fastest, and the team that's too damn smart to make mistakes."
-Woody Hayes
Thursday, November 08, 2007
Preview Week 11 - Illinois
I've previously discussed the danger of this game, the "Trap Game". The fact that it is Illinois playing us does scare me, but I'm comforted by the fact that it is at home. Buoyed by 105,000 screaming scarlet-clad partisans, the Buckeyes seem to dominate.
We've won 18 straight games at home, out last defeat coming on September 10th, 2005....a span of 789 days (and counting).
Add to that the 20 straight Big Ten games we've won, and the 28 consecutive regular-season victories (29 or 30 overall).
Now the bad news;
Illinois has a devastating running game, the best we've seen and the best we will have to face all year (unless we see Oregon in a bowl game). Rashard Mendenhall has 1,300 yards thus far, and QB Juice Williams likes to take off from the shotgun position, picking up nearly 600 yards himself.
The NCAA ranks the Illini rushing game as the nation's 6th-best (and best in the Big Ten). If it helps put your mind at ease, Michigan State has the Big Ten's second-best rushing game and we held them to 59 yards on the ground.
The passing game...well, that's a different story. Juice Williams may be as good as Troy Smith with his feet, but he's more like Bubba Smith with his arm. Illinois has the NCAAs 113th-best passing offense. Williams has 8 TDs and 9 INTs to go with his league-low in yards.
Guess how Illinois is going to try and score?
Defensively, Illinois plays the same way they do on offense....all-run. Ranked 22nd best in run defense and 81st in pass defense.
So there you have it. Our top-ranked defense will get their big test against the run, and if we shut them down on 1st and 2nd down, it's going to be a long day for Ron Zook.
I'm concerned that we'll allow the most points we have all year, but if we play our usual offense, it'll be too much.
Ohio State 38
Illinois 21
We've won 18 straight games at home, out last defeat coming on September 10th, 2005....a span of 789 days (and counting).
Add to that the 20 straight Big Ten games we've won, and the 28 consecutive regular-season victories (29 or 30 overall).
Now the bad news;
Illinois has a devastating running game, the best we've seen and the best we will have to face all year (unless we see Oregon in a bowl game). Rashard Mendenhall has 1,300 yards thus far, and QB Juice Williams likes to take off from the shotgun position, picking up nearly 600 yards himself.
The NCAA ranks the Illini rushing game as the nation's 6th-best (and best in the Big Ten). If it helps put your mind at ease, Michigan State has the Big Ten's second-best rushing game and we held them to 59 yards on the ground.
The passing game...well, that's a different story. Juice Williams may be as good as Troy Smith with his feet, but he's more like Bubba Smith with his arm. Illinois has the NCAAs 113th-best passing offense. Williams has 8 TDs and 9 INTs to go with his league-low in yards.
Guess how Illinois is going to try and score?
Defensively, Illinois plays the same way they do on offense....all-run. Ranked 22nd best in run defense and 81st in pass defense.
So there you have it. Our top-ranked defense will get their big test against the run, and if we shut them down on 1st and 2nd down, it's going to be a long day for Ron Zook.
I'm concerned that we'll allow the most points we have all year, but if we play our usual offense, it'll be too much.
Ohio State 38
Illinois 21
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
Thumping my own chest
It's been a long time since I've even mentioned the Big Ten Bloggers Pick-Em contest. All of the Big Ten Bloggers get together once a week and pick who they think will win the upcoming weekend's contests. Gopher Nation keeps track of the results (3 points for B-10 games, 1 point for non-conf games).
It's not often that a middle-of-the-pack player thumps his chest (except for the Wisconsin defense...what was up with that?), but I'm in 7th place, and still within striking range of the championship. I'm 5 points back from frontrunner Hoosier Report, and with two weeks to go, I could still win this thing.
So here's my picks for week 11.
Ohio State over Illinois
Penn State over Temple
Purdue over Michigan State
Wisconsin over Michigan
Indiana over Northwestern
Iowa over Minnesota
It's a no-brainer to take Penn State over hapless Temple, and taking Iowa over Minnesota is likely to be an across-the-board pick. Everyone's also going to take Ohio State (except MGoBlog, who always takes OSU's opponent....nobody's ever been more ruined than Brian).
Purdue and Indiana to win are tough picks, but both should happen....neither game will be called an "upset" no matter who wins.
But since I am behind, I need to make picks that will allow me to gain ground. I have to take chances now. So I took Wisconsin over Michigan.
Let's see what happens?
It's not often that a middle-of-the-pack player thumps his chest (except for the Wisconsin defense...what was up with that?), but I'm in 7th place, and still within striking range of the championship. I'm 5 points back from frontrunner Hoosier Report, and with two weeks to go, I could still win this thing.
So here's my picks for week 11.
Ohio State over Illinois
Penn State over Temple
Purdue over Michigan State
Wisconsin over Michigan
Indiana over Northwestern
Iowa over Minnesota
It's a no-brainer to take Penn State over hapless Temple, and taking Iowa over Minnesota is likely to be an across-the-board pick. Everyone's also going to take Ohio State (except MGoBlog, who always takes OSU's opponent....nobody's ever been more ruined than Brian).
Purdue and Indiana to win are tough picks, but both should happen....neither game will be called an "upset" no matter who wins.
But since I am behind, I need to make picks that will allow me to gain ground. I have to take chances now. So I took Wisconsin over Michigan.
Let's see what happens?
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
The Danger Week (aka the "Trap Game")
Any true fan of the Ohio State-Michigan game can tell you about a storied tradition. This is The Game for a reason. Your team can go 1-11, and if that one win is against Michigan/Ohio State, it's a success.
But what gets overlooked in the history is the dangerous ground of the week prior to The Game. Often times, the penultimate game of the season becomes the Trap Game, as it is VERY easy to look past their opponent and start getting prepared for Michigan.
Even a superior coach like Jim Tressel has had difficulty with the Trap Game.
In 2001, the Buckeyes got caught looking ahead to Michigan. We lost to Illinois, but the Illini did go on to win the Big Ten, and we had a little problem with a DUI from QB Steve Bellisari 36 hours before kickoff. The DUI ended being a blessing, though. Craig Krenzel went on to beat Michigan, and he got the necessary experience to help him get through big games in the 2002 season.
In 2002, Illinois again gave us trouble. We should have dominated the orange and blue, but we couldn't put them away. Overtime was forced, and the defense was the difference in a 23-16 win. We went on to beat Michigan the following week, 14-9.
In 2003, it was Purdue's turn to put the pressure on us. In one of the most intense games you'll never remember, the Boilermakers forced us into OT. One missed FG by each team (Nugent? What the hell?) just added to the fever pitch. Buckeyes still clawed out a 16-13 win. Michigan dominated us one week later, 35-21.
In 2004, Purdue broke through on our rebuilding year. A frantic comeback from 14 points down was successful, but the Bucks left too much time on the clock for Kyle Orton, and a late TD ended Ohio State's amazing turnaround season. It was Troy Smith's first loss as a starter (he only had three total), and the next week he began his career as the Wolverine Killer, behind a 37-21 victory.
We've been spared the potential loss in the Trap Game in 2005 and 2006, thanks to a lower-echelon opponent. We buried Northwestern 48-7 in '05, and 54-10 in '06. Both years, the Buckeyes went on to beat Michigan (25-21 and 42-39).
This year, Illinois appears to be in the top third of Big Ten opposition. They're hunting down the Capital One Bowl in January, and can get there with a win against us on Saturday.
I'm happy that Jim Tressel is our coach. He understands the Trap Game and will bury it into our guys heads that Michigan Week doesn't start until the clock reads 0:00 on Saturday evening.
Our fans can begin the Michigan countdown all we want...as long as the guys who wear the uniform don't.
But what gets overlooked in the history is the dangerous ground of the week prior to The Game. Often times, the penultimate game of the season becomes the Trap Game, as it is VERY easy to look past their opponent and start getting prepared for Michigan.
Even a superior coach like Jim Tressel has had difficulty with the Trap Game.
In 2001, the Buckeyes got caught looking ahead to Michigan. We lost to Illinois, but the Illini did go on to win the Big Ten, and we had a little problem with a DUI from QB Steve Bellisari 36 hours before kickoff. The DUI ended being a blessing, though. Craig Krenzel went on to beat Michigan, and he got the necessary experience to help him get through big games in the 2002 season.
In 2002, Illinois again gave us trouble. We should have dominated the orange and blue, but we couldn't put them away. Overtime was forced, and the defense was the difference in a 23-16 win. We went on to beat Michigan the following week, 14-9.
In 2003, it was Purdue's turn to put the pressure on us. In one of the most intense games you'll never remember, the Boilermakers forced us into OT. One missed FG by each team (Nugent? What the hell?) just added to the fever pitch. Buckeyes still clawed out a 16-13 win. Michigan dominated us one week later, 35-21.
In 2004, Purdue broke through on our rebuilding year. A frantic comeback from 14 points down was successful, but the Bucks left too much time on the clock for Kyle Orton, and a late TD ended Ohio State's amazing turnaround season. It was Troy Smith's first loss as a starter (he only had three total), and the next week he began his career as the Wolverine Killer, behind a 37-21 victory.
We've been spared the potential loss in the Trap Game in 2005 and 2006, thanks to a lower-echelon opponent. We buried Northwestern 48-7 in '05, and 54-10 in '06. Both years, the Buckeyes went on to beat Michigan (25-21 and 42-39).
This year, Illinois appears to be in the top third of Big Ten opposition. They're hunting down the Capital One Bowl in January, and can get there with a win against us on Saturday.
I'm happy that Jim Tressel is our coach. He understands the Trap Game and will bury it into our guys heads that Michigan Week doesn't start until the clock reads 0:00 on Saturday evening.
Our fans can begin the Michigan countdown all we want...as long as the guys who wear the uniform don't.
Monday, November 05, 2007
Saturday, November 03, 2007
It's game day!
But it's on the Big Ten Network. Get to sports bar.....now!
Buckeyes are favored by 15 points today. Weren't the Badgers ranked #5 about 6 weeks ago?
Go Bucks!
If PJ Hill is out for the game
Ohio State 33
Wisconsin 3
If PJ Hill plays
Ohio State 33
Wisconsin 7
Buckeyes are favored by 15 points today. Weren't the Badgers ranked #5 about 6 weeks ago?
Go Bucks!
If PJ Hill is out for the game
Ohio State 33
Wisconsin 3
If PJ Hill plays
Ohio State 33
Wisconsin 7
Thursday, November 01, 2007
Common opponents
MotSaG does a weekly feature called "Data On Common Opponents". They look at the Buckeyes' upcoming game, and they forecast how we'll do based on common opponents. It's stat-based (which I love), and very insightful. I usually tend to stay away from such predictions because I hate treading on anything that a fellow blogger has created a niche for themselves within.
Sorry guys....you know I love you, but I gotta snag a segment of your DOCO this week.
Both Ohio State and Wisconsin have played MSU and PSU in 2007.
Wisconsin's defense allowed 72 points (34 to MSU, 38 to PSU)
Ohio State's defense allowed 13 points (3 to MSU, 10 to PSU)
Wisconsin's defense allowed 1,001 yards (564 to MSU, 437 to PSU)
Ohio State's defense allowed 448 yards (185 to MSU, 263 to PSU)
There's a serious advantage on the Buckeye sidelines. Let's hope they perform up to their potential against their biggest nemesis under Tressel.
Sorry guys....you know I love you, but I gotta snag a segment of your DOCO this week.
Both Ohio State and Wisconsin have played MSU and PSU in 2007.
Wisconsin's defense allowed 72 points (34 to MSU, 38 to PSU)
Ohio State's defense allowed 13 points (3 to MSU, 10 to PSU)
Wisconsin's defense allowed 1,001 yards (564 to MSU, 437 to PSU)
Ohio State's defense allowed 448 yards (185 to MSU, 263 to PSU)
There's a serious advantage on the Buckeye sidelines. Let's hope they perform up to their potential against their biggest nemesis under Tressel.
Still no word on P.J. Hill
With less than 48 hours before kickoff, there is no solid word on whether or not Wisconsin stud P.J. Hill will be able to suit up and play against Ohio State on Saturday afternoon.
I've been doing some news searches for any amount of information, and nothing new has surfaced recently. Basically, my gut feeling tells me that Hill will be starting on Saturday. I think Wisky's is staying quiet on his injury as part of their game plan, and he'll be active on gameday.
Fortunately, we have Jim Tressel as our head coach and he's surely been practicing the team in preparation for the Badgers' leading rusher.
However, even if Hill suits up, the game takes on a scary outlook without their #1 RB at 100%. As I reported earlier, their #2 RB Lance Smith will not be in attendance. The words "You ain't goin' nowhere, bitch" probably were spoken the night he refused to allow his girlfriend to leave his apartment (right around the time he popped her in the mouth). The irony of the situation is that those are likely the same words spoken to Smith by the Wisconsin Athletic Department when telling him he couldn't travel with the team to away games.
With Smith watching the game from home (provided he has the Big Ten Network), freshman Zach Brown will be called upon more than ever before. Brown is as green as he can get, and he's got to stare down the NCAAs leading defense.
With all these prospects facing Wisconsin, it'd have to be a REALLY serious injury to keep Hill out for Saturday. Expect to see him with the ball 20 or more times. It's too desperate of a situation for him to sit out. If Wisky wins out, they guarantee themselves a January bowl game, and now is not the time to lose a key component.
P.S. I know I'm rehashing a few things I wrote about on Tuesday. But everytime I opened up my own page, that douchebag's picture was popping up first. I had to push him down the page.
I've been doing some news searches for any amount of information, and nothing new has surfaced recently. Basically, my gut feeling tells me that Hill will be starting on Saturday. I think Wisky's is staying quiet on his injury as part of their game plan, and he'll be active on gameday.
Fortunately, we have Jim Tressel as our head coach and he's surely been practicing the team in preparation for the Badgers' leading rusher.
However, even if Hill suits up, the game takes on a scary outlook without their #1 RB at 100%. As I reported earlier, their #2 RB Lance Smith will not be in attendance. The words "You ain't goin' nowhere, bitch" probably were spoken the night he refused to allow his girlfriend to leave his apartment (right around the time he popped her in the mouth). The irony of the situation is that those are likely the same words spoken to Smith by the Wisconsin Athletic Department when telling him he couldn't travel with the team to away games.
With Smith watching the game from home (provided he has the Big Ten Network), freshman Zach Brown will be called upon more than ever before. Brown is as green as he can get, and he's got to stare down the NCAAs leading defense.
With all these prospects facing Wisconsin, it'd have to be a REALLY serious injury to keep Hill out for Saturday. Expect to see him with the ball 20 or more times. It's too desperate of a situation for him to sit out. If Wisky wins out, they guarantee themselves a January bowl game, and now is not the time to lose a key component.
P.S. I know I'm rehashing a few things I wrote about on Tuesday. But everytime I opened up my own page, that douchebag's picture was popping up first. I had to push him down the page.
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