Buckeyes-Gators, One More Time



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WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN!

Not so long ago, Ohio State played Florida in the National Championship Game.  Florida and their coach, Urban Meyer, had us for lunch.  The game started out great as every Buckeye would remember.  Ted Ginn Jr. returned the kickoff for a touchdown and the Buckeyes were off to an incredible start.  That was pretty much the highlight for Ohio State as Ginn was injured in the celebration that followed his touchdown run. 

This time around there is no national championship at stake.  Urban Meyer is now the Buckeyes coach, although he will not be coaching them in game.  Both teams had lackluster seasons and did not perform anywhere near their potential.  The Gators were blown out numerous times during the course of the year.  The Buckeyes were in almost every game they played and did upset Wisconsin. 

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The Buckeyes want nothing more than to beat another SEC team and the Gators are licking their chops at the opportunity to knock off the team that stole their former coach.  It should be an interesting match-up of the two young football teams.  One has to wonder if Luke Fickell, Ohio State's interim coach, will light it up as Jim Tressel did occasionally in a bowl game.  Tressel would go great guns in the first half and then do his best to hang on for dear life.  Fickell played conservative all year long not letting his freshman quarterback, Braxton Miller, throw the ball.

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Fickell did let Miller air it out some against Michigan and I suspect that we will see just a little more throwing against the Gators.  There will also be some designed quarterback runs to keep the Florida defense honest.  All in all, it should be a good game.  Florida is the underdog by two points.  Not sure I agree with that.  I almost hate to say it but any SEC team right now has the advantage over a Big Ten team.  The one advantage the Buckeyes may have is wanting to win one for their coach who next year will be in charge of the defense. 

I look for a high scoring affair with the Buckeyes winning it late by a field goal.  This will be Braxton Miller's breakout game and a foretaste of what Urban Meyer will unleash with the young quarterback in 2012.  My early pre-season prediction of next year is that the Buckeyes will indeed run the table and be sitting home in January when one other undefeated team will wonder if they could handle the bowl-less Buckeyes. 

Go Bucks!

Finally, An NBA Season

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NBA Commissioner David Stern always knows what sells and NBA on Christmas Day has become one more staple of the Christmas season.  In danger for all of the summer and well into the Fall, the NBA opens up tomorrow, Christmas Day.  All along and throughout the labor negotiations, Stern's end game was for play to open up no matter what on Christmas Day.  Lose Christmas day and you might as well lose the season. 

Tomorrow's games are good as they get with the New York Knicks opening up against Boston, Chicago taking on the Lakers, Orlando playing Oklahoma City and finally, the Miami Heat trying to avenge their championship lost of last year to the Dallas Mavericks.  The Knicks, Celtics game opens up the television viewing with The Heat and Mavericks finishing up the day. 

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Like many folks, it's been years, or maybe since Michael Jordan's days, the NBA has held little interest for me.  That all changed last year as The Heat came together as a team and held my interest into the playoffs.  Although it was disappointing to watch Lebron James' performance in the championship series, it was a great playoff run and clearly set the stage for many exciting NBA seasons to come. 

One has to believe that all the money is on James and Dwayne Wade to capture all the marbles this year for Miami.  Apparently, James has developed a mid-range jumper to go along with every other part of his game.  The short season should also play to their advantage as long as everyone on The Heat stay healthy.  Clearly, the aging Celtics and Lakers will have something to say about that as will the defending champions, the Mavericks.

It just seems impossible to bet against The Heat in 2012.  So much talent and a whole year's experience to go with it, they will be remarkably difficult to beat.  It seems unlikely that Dallas will be able to repeat.  My guess is that Lebron has spent the entire off-season working exceptionally hard to improve his game focused on one thing, a championship season.  While other players were looking to play overseas and involve themselves in the labor negotiations, James was working on his game. 

I believe we will see a whole new level of play in 2012 from Lebron James.  This will be an MVP year with him winning the championship, the MVP and he might even throw in the All-Star MVP for good measure.  My best guess is that The Heat may only lose a handful of games in 2012 given the shorter season.  Even though it will be a short season, the NBA has some good story lines this season with Chris Paul going to the Clippers.  The Lakers may struggle having some competition from the sorry sister of the Los Angeles Clippers. 

Teams will be playing on back to back nights and even in some instances, three in a row.  Younger teams will have the advantage while the Lakers and Celtics with their seasoned rosters will be at a disadvantage.  Hang on to your hat, the NBA is back and it should be a fun ride.         

BROWNIE'S BOWL PICKS

Time to pick winners and losers for this year's bowl season.  I tried waiting even longer to make my picks thinking that I could eliminate a number of games not worth picking.  Unfortunately, this year's bowl season is packed full of teams with less than great seasons.  There are some good games with my favorite one being the Stanford-Oklahoma State game. 

 My picks:   

 Hawaii Bowl                Southern Miss over Nevada    

Independence Bowl     Missouri over North Carolina

Little Caesars              Purdue over Western Michigan

Belk                             Louisville over N.C. State

Military                       Air Force over Toledo

Holiday                      Texas over California

Champs Sports          Florida State over Notre Dame

Alamo                        Baylor over Washington

Armed Forces            BYU over Tulsa

Music City                 Mississippi State over Wake Forest

Insight                       Oklahoma over Iowa

Meineke Car Care     Texas A&M over Northwestern

Sun                             Utah over Georgia Tech

Kraft Fight Hunger    Illinois over UCLA

Liberty                        Vanderbilt over Cincinnati

Chick-fil-A                 Auburn over Virginia

TicketCity                   Houston over Penn State

Capital One                South Carolina over Nebraska

Gator                          Ohio State over Florida

Outback                      Georgia over Michigan State

Cotton                         Arkansas over Kansas State

BBVA Compass         Pittsburgh over SMU

GoDaddy.com           Northern Illinois over Arkansas State

Rose Bowl                 Oregon over Wisconsin

Fiesta Bowl               Stanford over Oklahoma State

Sugar Bowl               Virginia Tech over Michigan

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Orange Bowl            Clemson over West Virginia

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THE ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE ROLLS OVER THE LSU TIGERS 21-17

 

    

No Joy In Columbus - Penalty Flag Finally Flies

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The long awaited and dreaded penalty flag was finally thrown at the Buckeyes today as the NCAA striped official  announced that all self-imposed penalties by Ohio State have been accepted.  Added on for good measure by the NCAA is a post-season bowl ban for the 2012 season along with additional loss of scholarships.  The review flag has not been tossed in Columbus and by most estimates Ohio State will not appeal the penalties. 

Also announced was that Jim Tressel, former Ohio State coach, will carry with him a boat load of baggage for any school that might be thinking of employing him.  He will carry with him to any future employment, sanctions that would be onerous to any program of note.  Good thing that Tressel latched on to the Indianapolis Colts as his days of coaching college football are long gone.  What a pity.  Part of me feels sorry for Coach Tressel but then I think of the players of Ohio State who will be unable to fully participate in 2012 and my sorrow ebbs. 

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As I have written before, I really believe the right penalty for any school violating NCAA rules should be a stiff monetary fine.  Had Ohio State received a $5,000,000 fine for the infractions, you get bet the farm that President Gordon Gee would make sure nothing of the sort would happen again.  Coaches must be getting the message by now as the severe penalty for Tressel all but ends his coaching career.  Why should next year's players be penalized for the mistakes of former players.  I still don't get that. 

Who will succumb to NCAA violations in 2012?  It is anyone's guess but rest assured, some team will.  Every year, year in and year out, a program is singled out and finds itself under the NCAA microscope.  My best guess is that LSU and Alabama will see their programs investigated by somebody.  Hope they are clean.  If not them, some other school will have a disgruntled employee, a malcontent non-playing student athlete or a booster who didn't get what he wanted, report some type of rule violation.  All it takes is one person who has a case of "sour grapes" and the whole bubble bursts. 

I continue to believe that penalizing players for past violations is not a fair way to penalize schools.  My hope for 2012 is simply that Ohio State runs the table.  We beat everybody but can't play in the Big Ten Championship nor the National Championship Game.  Had USC had their act together early in the year, they might have done it this year.  I would not be surprised at all if Ohio State makes a run next year.  They'll be playing for experience and pride next year.  I can't imagine anyone who would like to have them on their schedule. 

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I keep thinking about "The Game".  I sure hope Michigan savors their recent victory because next year, Ohio State has nothing to look forward to other than "The Game".  I do not envy the Wolverines.         

Have Fans, Will Travel - The Buckeye Nation

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When the opportunity presented itself for me to catch the Ohio State, South Carolina college basketball game on Saturday, I jumped all over it.  It had been years since I attended a college basketball game.  As a child growing up in Ohio, my family's basketball loyalties were enjoyed by the University of Dayton Fliers and the Wright State Raiders.  We had season tickets to both programs.  Ohio State was our third team to cheer for and the Bearcats of Cincinnati came in a close fourth. 

Growing up with two parents who both played college basketball made the round ball king in our household.  I remember fondly the runs to national championships that both Ohio State and Cincinnati made in the late 1950's and early 1960's with the likes of Jerry Lucas, John Havlicek and of course, The Big O, Oscar Robertson.  I still remember traveling to tournament games with the Dayton Fliers in 1966 when they took on the UCLA team in the NCAA Championship game.  Losing that game and returning two years later led by Donnie May and winning the NIT Championship over Jo Jo White's Kansas Jayhawkers. 

I was reminded of how much I enjoyed those experiences yesterday traveling to Columbia to watch my Number Two ranked Buckeyes take on South Carolina.  It seems not to matter what sport it is, if Ohio State is playing, the fan base will show up.  Yesterday's game at the Colonial Life Arena was packed with Ohio State fans.  The OH-IO chant took over the venue at yesterday's game as Scarlet and Gray-clad fans were noticeable everywhere.  It was clear that the Buckeyes were in town as all one heard was shouts of "Go Bucks".

It has long been known that an invitation to some college teams across the nation result in a huge fan turnout.  When you hear broadcasters say that a school travels well, they're speaking of teams like Ohio State, Michigan or Notre Dame and other powerhouses like them where huge numbers of fans follow their team's exploits.  It's not so much that fans travel from Columbus, Ohio or Ann Arbor, Michigan or even South Bend, Indiana to watch their favorite team play; more to the point, the fan base is already within the community, they just show up to support their team.

A safe guess for yesterday's crowd was that 50% of the people in attendance were Buckeye fans.  Not much of a home court advantage for the Gamecocks.  The OH-IO chants of the Buckeye faithful outperformed the Gamecock fans throughout the game.  Although the game was closely contested, the Number Two ranked Buckeyes pulled out a good win against South Carolina. 

We actually gave up great seats in the lower section when we were invited to a suite where we watched the game in its entirety.  The Colonial Life Arena is a great venue for college basketball and for one day, it was home to many memories of my earlier years.     



All Awful - Major League Baseball

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Anyone who knows me is well aware of my love-hate relationship with Major League Baseball.  I grew up loving my Cincinnati Reds and especially The Big Red Machine of the 1970's.  I still remember fondly when the Reds including Pete Rose traveled to Dayton before the season started to hold clinics for all the youngsters playing little league baseball.  Fond memories including numerous trips to old Crosley Field, Riverfront and many of our other baseball stadiums across America. 

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Then the strikes, free agency and runaway contracts came into play. I became disenchanted with the game.  After the third work stoppage and A-Rod's $25 million a year contract, I swore off all allegiance to Major League Baseball.  Then came the steroid era and the lack of testimony by the likes of Mark McGuire.  Sick to my stomach over what happened to the game I loved.  I vowed never to support the game again, in any way, shape or form.  Every once in a while, a glimmer of what I used to love about this great game comes to life.  Once again, Major League Baseball has done its best to lose me again. 

What a week for all things baseball.  Ryan Braun, Mr. Milwaukee Brewers, Most Valuable Player of the National League tests positive for performance enhancing drug use.  Albert Pujols signs a contract for $250 million.  Barry Bonds is sentenced to 30 days house arrest, 2 years probation for his conviction of federal obstruction of justice.  Just the stuff that you want your ten-year old son who loves baseball to see and hear. 

They have destroyed the game that so many of us have loved for so long.  It never stops.  Major League Baseball is a joke.  The money, the drugs and the preponderance of crap has destroyed what was once a beautiful sport.  I have no idea how the game can ever win back fans like me.  I just don't think it is possible anymore. 

There will be more to come for sure.  The Ryan Braun story and his MVP will linger for months to come.  We still have the Roger Clemons story and his lies to deal with.  What happens with the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown?  What records will be counted?  Will the sportswriters do the right thing and keep the likes of Barry Bond out of the Hall?  I'm sure they will! 

Once again, I bid farewell to the game I absolutely love.  Maybe someday, Major League Baseball will find the right course again and turn it around for the millions of fans like me who are so disheartened and discouraged.  I can't even bring myself to return to Cooperstown, one of most favorite places in all of America.    

Cincinnati Bearcats - Need To Decide, Athletes or Gangsters

Anyone who managed to watch the Cincinnati-Xavier basketball game over the weekend saw one more example of a college sports program gone awry.  These two teams are cross-town rivals and heated and very competitive games are the norm for these two programs when they face off.  Unfortunately, over the last fifteen years or so, these games have turned into brawls rather than basketball games. 

Saturday’s game was all about Xavier having their way.  Cincinnati’s frustration boiled over at the very end of the game and an actual fist fight broke out.  Cincinnati has had the reputation for years of brawling on the court and more specifically, just being a bunch of undisciplined bullies on the court.  Saturday’s game was one more example of it.  Bob Huggins, former Cincinnati coach, loved his team’s reputation as being tough and aggressive.  He nurtured the type of environment that encouraged players to play with a chip on their shoulder. 

Xavier’s key players haven’t always helped the situation with their trash talking too.  Both programs deserve some level of culpability for allowing incidents to mar what is usually a very competitive, fun-to-watch basketball game.  These players refer to themselves as gangsters.  That in and of itself tells you something is wrong with these programs.  They should be student athletes, not gangsters.  Both teams always play hard but there is always an undercurrent to these games.  I believe it is encouraged by universities, the coaches and the fans. 

Occasionally, a player might lose his cool in a big, important and very competitive game.  It happens.  Everyone understands.  This game is different.  The players, coaches and fans go into the game knowing that something might happen.  It really is unacceptable in today’s college game and both programs need to step-up and make sure that such a display between their two teams never happens again.  Either fix it or take each other off each other’s schedule. 

If I was a member of the NCAA discipline group, I would hit both programs pretty hard.  I would send a loud and clear message letting them know that they run the risk of losing eligibility for such a display of poor sportsmanship.  I would suspend players who threw punches.  I would suspend players who came off the benches.  The result of such suspensions could render both teams without enough players to play their next two-three games.  I would be okay with that.  Automatic forfeits seem in order to stop this type of behavior. 

It must be stopped.  If not, at some point someone is going to get hurt.  Then college basketball will spill over into the courts and the legal system will find a way to stop the violence. 

HOORAY FOR HEISMAN

Tonight at 8 pm, a new Heisman Trophy winner will join the likes of Eddie George, Marcus Allen, Jim Plunkett and Archie Griffin.  Heisman Trophy winners all.  Joining this elite group of special players is indeed an honor.  Recognized as the most valuable award a college football player can earn, who will be special player that will join this great group of outstanding college players?

Being a Big Ten fan, you might think that Montee Ball, Wisconsin's great running back would get my vote.  (If I had one).  He scored 38 touchdowns this season leading the Badgers to the Big Ten Championship and Rose Bowl berth against Oregon.  One might think I would recognize the awesome talent of Robert Griffin III from Baylor who threw for 36 touchdowns this season along with nine rushing touchdowns.  Then of course is Tyrann Mathieu, a defensive backfield start and return specialist who leads the number one LSU Tigers.  Mathieu leads his team in tackles, forced fumbles, fumble recoveries and has returned two punts for touchdowns. 

Just a few years back Trent Richardson of Alabama was the backup to the eventual winner of the Heisman Trophy, Mark Ingram Jr.  Richardson has carved his own path with 23 touchdowns averaging 164.7 all-purpose yards a game.  Then, there's Andrew Luck, Stanford's all-everything quarterback.  Luck finished second in last year's Heisman voting to Cam Newton of Auburn.  Luck, destined to be the number one draft pick in the NFL, threw for 35 touchdowns, over 3,000 yards with a passing rating of 167.5. 

Each player performed magnificently this season with each of them leading their teams to post-season bowl games.  I like Trent Richardson, Tyrann Mathieu and Montee Ball and the special seasons they had.  I can remember highlights from each of their big games this past season.  I suspect we will see even more highlights as they perform in their respective bowl games.  For me, the Heisman comes down to the two quarterbacks, Robert Griffin III from Baylor and Andrew Luck of Stanford. 

Both are juniors.  Luck is definitely coming out to the NFL in 2012 whereas Griffin may stay at Baylor for one more season.  My heart would like to see Andrew Luck win the Heisman but my head keeps telling me to choose Griffin.  It would be a shame to see Luck come in second a second year in a row.  Then, of course, the selfish part of me doesn't want Griffin to win this year because then he would be eligible to win it a second time next year and join only Archie Griffin of The Ohio State University as the only two-time recipient.  Not something I have ever been excited about happening.  I was especially concerned when Tim Tebow had the opportunity three years ago but ended up finishing behind Sam Bradford of Oklahoma.   

What's it going to be?  Griffin or Luck.  This year, I'm going with my heart and choosing Andrew Luck to be the 77th  winner of the Heisman Trophy.  My head keeps telling me that it will be Griffin.    

LSU versus ALABAMA

The foregone conclusion of this year’s college football season is that LSU and Alabama are the two best teams in the nation.  We are basing that opinion on all the sports pundits, our own personal observations and of course, the dreaded BCS formula.  Once again, we are relegated to the archaic and profoundly flawed BCS system.  In the end, who’s to say that Alabama deserves to play in this game rather than Oklahoma State, Stanford or maybe even Boise State. 

What’s sticking in my crawl with this, other than the BCS, is that Alabama gets in this game without having won their conference championship.  For that matter, they’re not even in their conference championship.  Somehow, that just doesn’t seem all that fair to me.  I remember back a few years ago when Ohio State was undefeated and ranked number one.  Michigan was undefeated and ranked number two.  They played what most folks at the time considered the greatest college football game of all time with Ohio State barely winning 42-39.  There was considerable opinion at the time that Michigan should have received a rematch in the Fiesta Bowl with Ohio State for the National Championship.  That did not happen.  Ohio State faced a big underdog, Florida, in the championship game and got clobbered. 

For that matter, everyone is saying that no matter whether LSU loses to Georgia in the SEC Championship Game, they still will be number one in the nation and will play for the National Championship.  Now, wouldn’t that be something to have two SEC teams playing in the National Championship Game, both with one loss and neither one champion of their own conference.   Crazy isn’t it.  Now, it’s unlikely that Georgia can pull off the upset but it is college football and stranger things have happened in this great game.  I actually am pulling for Georgia to pull off the great upset just so the BCS gets one more black eye. 

My picks for this weekend’s conference championship games are as follows:

Oregon manages to beat lowly UCLA for the PAC 12 Championship. 

Georgia upsets LSU by three in regulation.

Wisconsin runs all over Michigan State in the Big Ten Championship Game. 

Oklahoma State and Oklahoma in a shoot-out but Oklahoma hangs on at the end to win the Big Twelve Championship. 

Finally, Virginia Tech has Clemson for lunch winning by three touchdowns. 

Just maybe we’ll get lucky this off-season and the powers to be will decide on some level of playoff for the 2012 season.  There’s lots of talk right now and it looks like it just may happen on some level.  Any playoff scenario is better than what we currently have with the BCS.  I think an eight-team playoff would be great but much too lofty for the BCS folks.  Looks like maybe two games at the most.