The Tajh Boyd Predicament

I'm a hypocrite. I'm guilty of everything which I am going to write and complain about below. I have fallen victim to the high school football star, the next big thing, and the must-get recruit that Ohio State can't possibly succeed without. I log on to the Insider's boards to read the sketchy accounts of Player X's being spotted jogging in blue and orange colored track shorts, a clear indication of his unspoken desire to play for the Gators and Urban Meyer. I read the interviews and watch the videos, trying to ascertain Player Y's level of love for the Scarlet and Grey. And when a recruit, to whom I've dedicated countless hours researching and fawning over decides to commit to another team, I feel both betrayed and disgusted. And my thoughts turn negative, along the lines of - to hell with Player Z, the Buckeyes' don't really need him, he was overrated anyways.

Yesterday, Tajh Boyd made me realize just how ridiculous the college football and basketball recruiting processes are. Boyd, a five-star, consensus top 5 high school quarterback, committed to Clemson. Which would have been fine, had Boyd not called the Ohio State coaching staff to commit, yesterday morning. Not only that, but apparently Boyd was speaking with the coaching staff of Oregon telling them the same sort of thing. This, of course, was after Tajh initially committed to West Virginia, and then to Tennessee.

While I respect Boyd's final decision, I cannot condone how he handled his recruiting. It's one thing for a player to keep his options open, to visit a number of schools and to express his honest interest in each one. It's another to flat out lie to several programs, impacting not only the program itself but other high school players whose offers may have been affected by your actions. For example, OSU offered QB Austin Boucher a scholarship last night, after he had committed to Miami of Ohio earlier in the week, even though Boucher has expressed interest in OSU for awhile now. Boucher was most likely told that with Boyd presumably committing to OSU, the Buckeyes had no place for him. Now OSU is forced to go back to Boucher and say, you know what, we want you after all. And Boucher, who will be playing with his brother at Miami if he remains there, has to decide if he's willing to pull a "Boyd" break his own commitment, and be satisfied being the Buckeyes' second choice. I wouldn't blame him for telling OSU to shove it. Don't tell me you don't want to go to prom with me because you're going with head football player, only to come back to me later in the day to see if I'm still interested because he's now going with your sister.

The reaction of the Boyd situation by posters on the OSU message boards is comical. Prior to his commitment, Boyd was the second-coming, this year's Terrelle Pryor, and the next in a great line of quarterbacks at Ohio State. After his announcement, Boyd became a headcase, immature, and someone else's problem, as the boards began to melt down. Again, I'm not above the emotion exhibited by countless other Buckeyes' fans. I consistently refreshed my browser, hoping to get news of Boyd's decision before he went public. I even stayed late at work to listen to him announce. And I felt the pit in my stomach when he said he would be spending the next part of his life at Clemson. However, to be that affected by the decision of a 17 year-old or 18 year-old kid, well it's rather ridiculous.

The Boyd saga made me think back to Pryor's own recruitment last year. The love he showed Michigan, WVU and Oregon at various times. The contradictory statements he made, the colors he donned. The fact that he didn't commit until after National Signing Day because he was still "unsure."But in the end, when chose Pryor OSU, all the wavering was forgotten because he became our guy. Had he ended up at Michigan though, many of the same people who currently praise him, most likely would be trashing him as "stupid" and heaping on many of the same criticisms currently being heaped on Boyd.

I guess the point that I'm trying to make, as that as grown men and women, we shouldn't allow our emotions to be controlled by the fickle desires of high school kids. The whole recruiting network is built on experts attempting to figure out what a 17 year-old or 18 year-old kid is going to do, when that kid probably hasn't even decided who he's going to take out on a date that weekend. Many of these kids are being told for the first time in their lives how special they are, with exuberant promises being made. With all the attention, who can blame some of these individuals from falling in love with a number of schools, or being unsure of where they'll end up? And usually, our opinion of a kid is colored by our scarlet and grey glasses - if he chooses another program over OSU, there has to be something wrong with him.

Each athlete ends up making the decision which he believes to be the best for himself. In the end, we should rejoice and support the kids who commit to OSU, while respecting those who make other decisions. And we should not allow the Tahj Boyd's of the world to control our lives. At least that's the decision I'm making for myself. Read the rest of this article

Random Thoughts from a Random Day

*The poll to the right of this column asks "what is the biggest reason that OSU lost the Fiesta Bowl?" Of the six options, none of them have anything to do with Texas being very good, Colt Mccoy and a pair of thousand yard receivers cutting up the Buckeye defense like they did to everyone this year, or the Texas coordinators mixing up their game plan just enough to keep the Buckeyes slightly off balance. While I agree that there were many things OSU could have done better (and by many I mean maaaaaany), credit is due to the Longhorn squad, so let us give it to them.

*This Texas team has been lauded by some as being the best in the land. National Championship quality. If football games were 58 minutes long, the Buckeyes would have beat them, no question. I know I know there is a reason they are 60, great teams come from behind to win big games (a la Brett Favre... or maybe that was because he put himself in a situation to come from behind so many times...), and so on and so on. But Ohio State played them much much better than anyone else this season. Better than theoretical national runner-up Oklahoma. There are going to many holes to fill for next season, but Tressel's recruiting classes are top notch. One of the differences I see in the way OSU recruits compared to USC is the number of "5 Star" players. OSU seems to get 3 and 4 star guys and turn them into NFL prospects, college stars, etc, while sprinkling in a Terrelle Pryor, Beanie Wells, or Ted Ginn five star type (AJ Hawk was only a 3 star guy), while USC rakes in the 4 and 5 stars and throws them out there. I am not saying either is wrong or right, I am just saying it's a little bit different in my eyes. And I am also saying, I am very excited for next season.

*With a history of getting beaten like a red headed step child (popular insult circa 1996), Alex Boone's name was not called all that much for anything negative, which I can remember at least. If you were to put together a survey of why OSU lost the previous two national championship games, one of the choices undoubtedly would have been "Alex Boone shrinks from big games like the Indians shrink from signing big name free agents." But on the night of the Fiesta Bowl Boone did not openly try to sabotage the Buckeyes like he has in the past. Perhaps that has something to do with Pryor being able to move around, unlike an anchor-footed Todd Boeckman, or a weighed-down-by-the-banquet-circuit Troy Smith... but the world may never know.

*I am a little surprised about the outcome of the "nAtional cHampionship gAme" and I will write it like that just once to express my displeasure about the fraud that this game has become. However, Oklahoma kept it much closer than I thought they would. Injuries + coming from an inferior conference + Bob Stoops + no Superman = 41-14 type drubbing from Urban Meyer's squad in my opinion. Florida -4 seemed like the lock of the century. Not the NY Giants +400 Super Bowl money line in which case it was a 'hey lets throw some cash on them because it's a good value bet.' No this seemed like an enormous sucker's bet. And it almost turned out that way. Luckily, for my bank account's sake, Tebow really is the man.

*Mangenius, Mangina, Ball Boy, Coffee Boy, Caucasian Crennel, Whistle Blower... All the various nicknames for the new Browns head coach. While this hiring has been covered by anyone and everyone with ties to Cleveland Sports, please allow me a short take on this from the perspective of living 20 minutes from where Mangini last worked, the decrepit waste land known as the Meadowlands. There is no way to properly evaluate his time as an NFL head coach. He took over a 4 win team in 2005 and led them to a bitter first round exit of the 2006 playoffs to the bitter rival NE Patriots. In 2007 he didn't have a healthy quarterback, and in 2008 he was held hostage by Brett Favre. There are potential flaws about Mangini, most notably his lust for the 3-4 defense, which probably scares every Browns fan to the high heavens, but for better or worse he has come through adversity already. That means that when the sh*t hits the fan here, and it inevitably will as the Browns hired him with NO GM IN PLACE(another thousand word essay all together), hopefully he won't have the let's go for a field goal down by 3 touchdowns with under ten minutes remaining deer in headlights look on his face.

*Bart Scott was on PTI the other day and was asked about Albert Haynesworth shooting off at the mouth. Scott brushed it off saying he has Haloti Ngata on his side and therefore he is not scared of anyone. Do you think if you asked D'Qwell Jackson that same question he would have the same answer regarding Kam Wimbley? It was nice trading down to make the Ngata Wimbley exchange.

*From the time it was clear that Carl Pavano was healthy at the end of last season, and knowing that the Yankees would not sign him, I was secretly hoping the Indians would give him a shot. The Yankees gave him a 40million dollar contract that he certainly did not earn. But they also gave Jaret Wright a 25million dollar contract that he certainly did not earn. And we can go on all day about the Yankees giving out unearned money, but the fact is that Pavano had a good season, and a little bit of potential working for him. He ran into an unfortunate string of events that you can't really make up. He had baseball related injuries. He had non-baseball related injuries. He lied about it. He played in New York, which made everything worse. And he was shunned by the evil empire. Part of me wants him to succeed for the sole reason of sticking it to my Yankee loving friends out here. The contract that the Indians gave him is great. Realistically, he is only really blocking David Huff at this point from the rotation. He has a World Series ring. And if he has any marbles, he should have an enormous chip on his shoulder.

*One of the few things that the Captain could not erase from my New Year's memories was the Indians trading for Mark Derosa. Another solid move in my opinion, as he routinely made it on Baseball Tonight for coming through in clutch situations. May not put up gaudy numbers, but I do believe CSP (clutch situation performance) is immeasurable statistically. There is a school of thought that there is no such thing as CSP, and that statistics always revert to the mean, no matter what. I can tell you that as a former professional baseball players, offspring of a psychologist and psychiatric social worker, and reader of long statistical studies, that there are definitely players who have an affinity for coming through in clutch situations. What defines clutch? When the game is on the line, RBI situations, or starting a rally are a few of the examples, but everyones definition of that word varies. I believe, though, through experience, that there are clutch players and there are non-clutch players. And having a guy like Derosa in the lineup is an upgrade over having Andy Marte.

*The Cavs are great. Mike Brown is great. Mo Williams is great. Wallace and Varajeo are great. Lebron singing Time After Time is great. Lebron playing basketball is otherworldly. Lebron is 24 years old. The best player on the planet is not even close to his prime. That is fun. There are teams in the NBA that are unwatchable. Just the nature of the beast in the NBA. The Nets? Unwatchable. Bucks? Bulls? Bobcats? No chance. ESPN had Dick Vitale and the college crew doing the NBA game the other night and constantly were disgusted by the lack of rotational defense, etc. That is one of the reasons why the NBA is unwatchable, not many play passionately on defense. The Cavs certainly do. Lebron has decided that he wants to be the best defensive player on the planet. And that my friends is great. Read the rest of this article

Buckeye Fiesta Bowl Diary: Or My Love Affair with Todd Boeckman

In an “ode” (rip-off) to Bill Simmons, CMCR brings you our very first “live” blog during the Ohio State vs. Texas Fiesta Bowl. Will Ohio State once again crumble in the national spotlight? Will Texas show the nation that they deserved to play in the National Championship game? Will I even want to watch the 4th quarter? Let’s find out:

7:30: Watching college football on Fox just doesn’t seem natural. Does Fox even broadcast college football during the regular season? It’s like MTV rolling out the political coverage. Something feels off.

7:32: The commercialism of college football is absurdly obvious – with the Tostito’s logo dominating over Texas’ and Ohio State’s. I’m going to buy my Motor City Bowl sponsored by Alltel jersey tomorrow.

7:34: Don’t you feel that Barry Switzer should be doing cocaine off a hooker’s back right now, wearing a six-gallon hat and shooting guns in the air? Or on his knees thanking Jimmy Johnson for handing him a loaded Cowboys team that even Butch Davis could have taken to the Super Bowl?

7:40: Who names their kid Quan? Are people reaching blindly into a bag of punctuation marks, numbers and letters to come up with their children’s names? I tried it out to see what I would get. I can’t wait to introduce the world to little Tz3’bo-x!. By the way, I wonder what Foot Locker God Shammgod is working at now.

7:43: Colt McCoy is an ugly man. He sort of looks and talks like he has a permanently runny nose. Meanwhile, it was nice of Mack Brown to dye his face a lovely shade of burnt orange in honor of the game.

7:46: There are two guys just sitting in the background of the Fox Studio behind Jimmy Johnson. I hope they’re trying to locate less feminine outfits for the Texas band. Seriously, they look like a bunch of five-year olds dressed by their moms as cowboys for Halloween. Freaking adorable, every single one of them.

7:50: Jim Tressel should be outlawed from wearing anything other than a sweater vest. He has singlehandedly brought the sweater vest back in style. He should consider growing a mustache.

7:52: Pryor “phenom” count: 1.

7:58: It makes me sad that this is the last game Beanie Wells will play for Ohio State. I’ve really enjoyed watching him, however I think his career somewhat of a disappointment given the hype surrounding his recruitment. Obviously, when Beanie is healthy he is dominant. But preseason, Beanie was on almost every Heisman list – and in the end, he wasn’t even invited to the ceremony. I keep hoping a part of him can resist the money and return for his senior season, but I think the chances of that happening are as close to 0% as you can get. I just would like to see the full Beanie experience for one year because I know it would be great to watch.

8:05: Did American Idol really need to add a 4th judge? Couldn’t we have just counted Paula Abdul’s three other personalities and called it a day?

8:08 And we have our announcing team, Tim Ryan and Matt Vasgersian. I love how every broadcast team is a pairing of a former athlete, trying to maintain a foothold in the game, and a nerdy, well-spoken, obviously asthmatic, mathlete.

8:13: You have to feel for Todd Boeckman, who is still a captain of this Buckeye team. Buckeyes’ fans remain supportive of him basically because he gracefully stepped aside and let the Pryor wave roll through (though I wonder how often he curses the fact that he waited around six years for his opportunity, only to be pushed aside without a second thought). I think Boeckman could have successfully started for a number of Big Ten schools this season – including the Buckeyes. Had Beanie been healthy for the USC game, Pryormania may have been put off until next year.

8:18: And on cue, Boeckman at QB, Pryor as a receiver, beautiful play call, beautiful design, I hope we see more of it. Who saw that as the first play of the game? My money (and I’m sure Texas’) was on a Beanie handoff.

8:20: It must be a BCS game because Alex Boone is getting abused already and gets whistled for the hold. Has there ever been bigger disappointment of a supposed playmaker at OSU in recent memory? I think whatever team drafts Boone will be sorely disappointed.

8:22: They say it every game, but Pryor’s speed is illusive. I don’t know how he’s faster than half the defensive players on the field, but I’ll take it.

8:23: Another penalty, four plays in. I’m glad we’re focused.

8:24: An OSU receiver dropped the ball? No way. The Brians have been very disappointing this year. I think they miss some of the comfort they had with Boeckman and his downfield passing abilities, an area in which Pyror is lacking currently.

8:28: Nice 3 and out for the Buckeyes’ defense. I’d like to thank Mack Brown for calling a bubble screen on 2nd and 1.

8:31: Two drives, neither starting with a Beanie run on first down. This is the beginning of a wonderful pattern.

8:32: DeVier Posey is going to be an exciting player to watch over the next few seasons at OSU. I wish Tressel had figured out how to get him involved in the offense more over the course of this year.

8:34: And twenty-two yard run is a shining example of why I’m disappointed that Beanie will be leaving after this season. He could have set all sorts of records.

8:37: A Pryor sack by Sergio Kindle takes us out of field goal range. I wish Pryor would learn to sometimes admit defeat and throw the ball away rather than losing costly chunks of yards in key situations.

8:40: Or does it? A 51-yard field goal attempt from Aaron Pettrey is pure. A good college kicker is a beautiful thing. Buckeyes lead 3-0.

8:46: Colt McCoy just got decked by Cameron Heyward, but completed the 3rd down pass. This up-tempo offensive of the Longhorns could give the Buckeyes some problems in the long run, especially since the Buckeyes like shuffling players in and out.

8:47: Nice open-field tackle by Kurt Coleman. The Buckeyes defense bends a little, but thus far, I’m very impressed with how this team is playing. Maybe not being expected to succeed has lifted the burden off this team.

8:49: Another 20-yard gain for Beanie. I take it back, Beanie could never disappoint me.

8:51: Just as Pryor takes big losses, he gives big gains in a nice 3rd down run. His ability to escape from pressure is amazing.

8:53: And the inevitable Pryor Vince Young comparison. Let’s hope that Pryor doesn’t score a 6 on his Wonderlic and contemplate suicide in a few years.

8:54: Apparently there is a reason kickers cannot consistently make 51-yard field goals. Bad snaps don’t help.

8:58: I never thought 24 was as great a show as everyone made it out to be, but hasn’t it gotten to the point where it’s just sort of a parody of itself? Maybe this is the year Jack Bauer will have to kill a robotic version of himself, by making love to himself dressed in a wig? Can they at least bring back Elisha Cuthbert?

9:02: 3rd and 10, and Colt McCoy completes a pass to Quan Cosby for the first down. Plays like those kill me – 3rd and long and you can’t hold. Sucks the momentum away. At least one play later, Doug Worthington puts McCoy to the turf. More of that please.

9:04: Field goal by Hunter Lawrence makes its 3-3. Colt, Hunter, Quan, … can you find me a Michael on this team anywhere?

9:07: Looked on Wikipedia during the commercial break. Apparently, Elisha Cuthbert is coming back to 24 for five episodes this season. Now, I might have to actually watch.

9:10: This is looking more and more like Beanie’s farewell gift to all of us Buckeyes fans. Is it even possible to take Beanie down with out gang tackling him or forcing him out of bounds?

9:12: The fact that I haven’t had to mention Bryant Browning once yet this evening is only a positive.

9:13: Nice close up on the Gatorade logo, Fox. Got to pay the bills somehow, right?

9:18: Shammgoddammit! I knew I shouldn’t have jinxed the team by mention Browning. That false start is going to change a touchdown into a field goal.

9:20: At least both our kickers have gotten into the scoring column, with a Ryan Pretorius field goal. How about a touchdown boys? On the whole however, a nice 11 play, 68 yard drive, which ate up a large chunk of clock. Is this the return of Tresselball?

9:22: 200 yards and 6 points? I don’t know if I should feel glad to be ahead, or disappointed that we aren’t ahead by more.

9:24: Shaun Lane is hurt. I don’t think there was a special teams tackle made this season by anyone else on the team. I have no doubt that he will be back. Shaun Lane could play on my team any day.

9:26: I don’t have any idea what drinkability is, but I think I would enjoy the commercials more if they were all about detachability. I do know that Bud Light tastes like piss water.

9:28: I see the cart on the field for Shaun Lane. I still think he comes back… rather, I hope he comes back. Shaun Lane may be my most favorite least known Buckeye ever. Him and Antonio Smith.

9:32: The Buckeyes secondary looks very, very soft. I sense a big play coming.

9:37: I don’t know if that’s Colt McCoy’s sister or girlfriend. Wow. Someone should call Brady Quinn and tell him that’s what a sister should look like, rather than some half-bred horse anomaly.

9:38: Thanks again Mack Brown. 4th and 7 and you go for it. James Laurinaitis with the sack. This would be huge if the Buckeyes could use the rest of the clock and put some points on the board.

9:42: I took a break from the half-assed Buckeyes' drive to research the girl sitting next to Colt McCoy’s dad. Apparently her name is Rachel Glandorf (from Baylor University) and she works for CBS affiliate KEYE42-TV in Austin, Texas, and she is Colt’s girlfriend. I should have been a quarterback.

9:44: And we have our big play. McCoy passes 37 yards to Chris …. Ogbonnaya. I suppose his first name is Chris. Somehow the Buckeyes took a perfect opportunity to kill any life in Texas before the half and allowed Texas the chance to score and go into the locker room feeling pretty good about themselves.

9:46: Scratch that – first huge play of the game as Anderson Russell (or Russell Anderson according to Tim Ryan) comes away with an interception at the goal line. 6-3 Buckeyes at the half.

Halftime thoughts: This game has to be going close to perfect in Tressel’s eyes. No turnovers, controlling the clock, and the defense keeping the Longhorns out of the end zone. What is really being shown in the first half is that Texas did not belong in the National Championship. I look for Texas to come out slinging for the big plays in the second half. I just hope Tressel doesn’t play not to lose, as I’ve witnessed too much this season.

10:08: Beanie Wells and 95 yards in the first half. The Buckeyes are 15-1 when Beanie has rushed for over 100 yards, with the only loss coming last year against LSU. Something to think about.

10:10: Good news, Shaun Lane is alright. Though, since he is at the hospital, I’d say a return is doubtful.

10:11: Another 3rd and long conversation by the Longhorns. Awful, just awful.

10:13: It appears that Texas, and Colt McCoy especially, maybe trying so hard to prove that they should have been playing Thursday that they are playing tight. The pass by McCoy over the middle to his tight-end was terrible. The Longhorns can thank Chimdi Chekwa and his pass interference for bailing them out.

10:19: Mack Brown going for it again on 4th down with a fake punt. I guess poor decision-making had to pay off at some point.

10:21: Great open-field tackle by Chekwa. Possibly makes up for the pass interference. Possibly.

10:22: Another fourth down conversion.

10:24: Questionable roughing the passer call on Thaddeus Gibson. This drive is turning sour quickly.

10:25: Longhorns take the lead on a nifty Colt McCoy run. Too many second chances for Texas on this drive. Penalties and allowing 4th down conversions never equal success. Texas 10-6. I just worry that this drive gives McCoy and Texas the confidence back that they seemed to be lacking initially.

10:29: I agree with Tim Ryan after seeing the replay of the Gibson hit. It wasn’t helmet to helmet, it was helmet to shoulder. Unless it was considered a late hit, I think OSU got hosed.

10:30: You cannot win football games completing only 4 passes with your starting quarterback. I want to see more Boeckman, otherwise the Longhorns have no reason to respect our passing game.

10:34: You’d think at this point, the camera operators would be aware that Texas is running a hurry-up offense. I really enjoy catching the end of plays.

10:36: Intentional grounding called on McCoy, on about a 5 second delay. Maybe the Refs were watching on TV and we have the camera operators to thank. Buckeyes need a stop here.

10:38: I really hope Ray Small and Ohio State have put them problems behind them from earlier in the season and that Ray returns next year. Without the Brians around (if Hartline leaves as expected), Small would have a chance to be a big time player next year.

10:41: Speaking of – is Brian Hartline even playing tonight? Maybe Tressel is keeping him out of the game plan in hope that he’ll return for his senior season. Has OSU ever had a more boring tandem at wide receivers than the Brians. I don’t blame Tressel, I forget they’re on the team sometimes too.

10:44: The Defense is looking tired. Tackling is getting sloppy, holes are getting larger, and the tide appears to be turning for the worse. The Buckeyes need a big defensive play to turn this game around.

10:47: "Penalty-assisted" is a good way of describing this second half. Penalty-assisted and pretty much what everyone expected.

10:48: What an awful drive. The team looks like it pretty much just gave up. This has been the hallmark of this squad – failing to live up to its potential and its talent. This next quarter will go a long way to determine the seniors’ legacy at Ohio State. Do they want to be known as underachievers, or do they want to show that they have heart? Texas -17 OSU – 6.

10:52: The frustrating thing about this game is that the Longhorns don’t seem like they are a vastly better team than Ohio State. Texas has played as though they expected to win despite being down, whereas Ohio State has fallen behind and appears to have abandoned all hope. There is an obvious question of leadership with this squad.

10:55: Todd Boeckman comes in and makes a play. I know I’ve been tooting the Todd Boeckman horn all game long, but, if Ohio State wins this game, I bet it will be in large part because of Boeckman.

10:58: Pryor comes back in and makes an awful throw that should have been picked off. At least the Buckeyes managed a field goal, Texas 17, OSU -9. Let’s see if the defense has decided to rejoin the party.

10:59: Glad to see Darryl Dawkins and Vlade Divac are doing well for themselves, staring in a Taco Bell commercial. Was Gheorghe Muresan not available? And score one for the kids. And why isn’t it mentioned more about what an awful deal it was for Charlotte to trade the rights to Kobe for Vlade. Who wants a Hall of Famer when you can have Eurotrash?

11:04: Tim Ryan is correct - the hurry up offense is killing the Buckeyes defense. They look confused and frustrated. Monster hit by Malcolm Jenkins – unfortunate that no one could recover the fumble. Only one pass thrown Jenkins way all game so far. That’s mad respect.

11:13: Ok, here’s my frustration with Beanie – we only ever get a glimpse of him. Beanie limped off the field a little earlier and now is sitting on the bench in crunch time. I wonder if Beanie will ever be healthy enough to be a big time NFL back. Fantastic grab by Robiskie by the way.

11:15: Simple pass by Pryor to Jake Ballard that was poorly thrown. Is that Derek Anderson I see back there? Now, he follows it up with a great run, but I really hope Pryor spends all summer working on his throwing.

11:17: I should have shirts made up – No Mo’ Wells, No ‘Mo Wells. It could have a picture of Maurice Wells falling to the ground at the slightest contact.

11:19: Two huge penalties against the Longhorns, a pass interference and unsportsmanlike conduct. Let’s see if the Buckeyes can use the Longhorns’ mistakes to their advantage and put this in the end zone.

11:20: Boeckman to Pryor. Who had that for the first Buckeyes' touchdown in the game? I knew Boeckman was going to factor into this game at the end somehow. And Pryor skips the 2-point conversion. His throws are horrible. Ugh. I would have kept Boeckman in there for the attempt. However, we have a game again. The Buckeyes are showing signs of life.

11:26: BIG, BIG, BIG 3 and out for the Buckeyes Defense. Does Colt appear shaken again? This is where Beanie is needed – to eat some clock, drive down the field, and set up the game winning field goal.

11:29: Almost a Penn. State déjà vu moment, with the mishandled snap. Thank God Boeckman is
back in the game. And making plays –finding who - the tight end? I vaguely remember him in this offense. His name is Hamby – right? (Just kidding, sorry, sorry).

11:32: This game makes me extremely happy for Todd Boeckman, even if Ohio State ends up losing. He has taken control of this game. And if Ohio State wins, Boeckman goes out a hero.

11:33: Boom Herron touchdown run. Boeckman back in for the 2-pt conversion – and Pryor pushes off for offensive pass interference and pass interference on the defense…. I keep Boeckman back there for the attempt. However, I’m not Tressel and Pryor comes in and surprise, surprise, incomplete pass. Put that one on Rory Nicol though. OSU 21, Texas 17.

11:39: Third and 8 and a penalty that doesn’t matter as Texas converts anyways. Longhorns are driving down the field. And I’m getting nervous.

11:41: Fourth down – catch made – is it a first down or is it the ball game? Tressel is going mad on the sidelines -

11:44: Tressel challenges for the first time all season and losses - this one is going to come down to the wire.

11:46: Cosby - wide open touchdown. Unbelievable. Our defense, which has looked confused all game - caves in once again. I'm in shock. Letting the Longhorns drive down the field and shove it down our throats, it highlighted the problem with our defense all game.

11:50 Boeckman goes down in a heap - enough time for one play. Hail Mary - incomplete. Final Score: Texas -24 OSU -21

Final thoughts: The Buckeyes put up a better display than most people thought they would. Texas arguably could have been in the National Championship game, and OSU matched them play for play. This team has nothing to be disappointed about in the end. I am especially proud of Todd Boeckman coming in and playing as well he did. OSU has a good base to work off of for next season. This loss is not like the LSU or Florida losses. Despite the outcome, I'm proud to be a Buckeye tonight.
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Weekend Thoughts

Cavs:

1. The Cavs mailed it in for 3 quarters and dropped another game in Washington this afternoon. I think there are a few things going on with this team. On offense, I think they've just gotten out of sync. I hate watching them run high screen after high screen when we've all seen that they're capable of doing so much more. On defense, I think it's January and the Cavs are having trouble getting up for bad opponents. They showed again today that are perfectly capable of turning the screws on a team when so inclined, but unfortunately, this team is not to the point yet where playing all out for 48 minutes is a given.

2. If I had to make a prediction, I'll take the Cavs to win the next two. I think they are completely psyched to get Boston at home and will use the Bobcat game to re-establish their offensive flow so that they're clicking on all cylinders by Friday. The Cavs may be playing poorly right now but I really think they win out the rest of the week.

3. There's an obvious silver lining with the injury to Z. The extra rest for Z won't hurt come playoff time and Hickson should benefit from the additional minutes. That said, these advantages may be negated by the fact that the Cavs may lose some seeding ground this month. January wasn't going to be a picnic, even with a fully healthy roster. Playing shorthanded, I could see the Cavs having a .500 month. They're going to drop, at least for a while, but then Boston has a very tough February.

4. If I had to predict what the rest of this season will look like, I would say we're in store for a rough January followed by a resurgence leading up to the trade deadline. After that, it all depends on whether or not there is a major move to be made. If the right guy with the right contract becomes available, I expect Ferry to move quickly.

Browns:

1. I'm not going to go into a long Browns discussion because frankly, this organization gives me a headache every time I think about it. Seriously, WTF are they doing? Does anyone else find it a little discouraging that for the second time in as many tries, the Browns are hot on the trail of another coaching candidate that NOBODY ELSE SEEMS TO WANT? Listen, I don't have any beef with Mangini but if people around the league really thought he had head coaching talent, spygate wouldn't prevent them from pursuing him. Isn't this the same red flag we ignored with Romeo? And who is this personnel guy from the Ravens? Has anyone even heard of him before? And didn't we just fail with a Belichick disciple and a Ravens exec? My head hurts.

2. At least if we hire Mangini, we won't be bringing in Pioli, who (and this is not a joke) apparently wants to bring in Kirk Ferentz to be the new head coach. This is the same Kirk Ferentz who has done nothing in the last five year at Iowa except preside over a program that has had a lot of player discipline problems. Of course, he also hasn't been on an NFL sideline in over a decade so maybe he could bring some new ideas to the table? If that made no sense to you, it's because it doesn't make any sense in general. The Browns are a rudderless ship. God I hate them.

3. Watching Baltimore play defense today made me insanely jealous. Those dudes are the real deal. But on the bright side, the Browns are really only about 9 players away from having that type of defense themselves. After watching Ed Reed and Ray Lewis destroy a playoff team today, I've decided I want Ray Maualuga or Taylor Mays in the draft.

Indians:

1. I think Shapiro has done a solid job this offseason but when you look at the Indians lineup, it still seems like something is missing. I guess a lot of it has to do with the giant hole in the middle. Who bats cleanup? I know Peralta hit well in that spot last year but he's....he's Peralta! Unless Hafner un-dies (or re-roids?), I see this being a bit of a problem until Matt LaPorta, the only high-level power prospect in our system, is ready to play, and that probably won't be any time soon.

2. I need someone to explain to me why the Indians plan to play DeRosa at 3rd instead of putting him at 2nd and letting Cabrera and Peralta slide over. Why isn't this the obvious move?

Ohio State:

1. The Buckeyes' starting O-line for this game is projected to be: Boone at LT, Rehring at LG, Brewster at C, Person at RG, and Browning at RT. That's just not good enough. The Buckeyes definitely have a shot in this game against a very beatable Texas team but if they're going to get it done, it will have to be with a lot of misdirection and a little trickery. With that o-line, I can't see Ohio State just lining up and pushing the Longhorns around. Moreover, if they're put into obvious passing situations, I think Pryor will be running for his life. Not a pleasant thought.

2. It's amazing how much psychological damage the last couple of years have caused. I remember when OSU played Notre Dame in the 2006 Fiesta Bowl, I fully expected Ohio State to go out there and dominate (Notre Dame being horrible and overrated certainly helped). The same was true with Florida in 07. Yet, as we head into this game, I've envisioned only two scenarios: 1) Ohio State is blown out by halftime and I go to be early or 2) it's a close game that turns on a couple of key plays. I haven't even considered the possibility of Ohio State just showing up and delivering a beatdown. I'm not saying its likely to happen, but I do find it telling that this doesn't even seem like a remote possibility anymore.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend everyone and GO BUCKS!

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Ohio State - Texas Fiesta Bowl Preview

Ohio State chokes in every big game. The Big Ten is a joke. Speed Kills. Tressel needs to be replaced - the game has passed him by.

For the past three seasons, OSU fans have had to listen to some variation of these criticisms and this bowl season has been no different. Whether it's Mark May and the geriatric bashing of the Buckeyes or Bachelor Palmer putting 30 confidence points on Texas beating us.

Call me naive, call me a blind OSU homer, call me whatever you want, but I give OSU a good chance of beating Texas in the Fiesta Bowl and here is why:

1) OSU is the best all-around defense Texas will face this season.

We've all seen how great those Big 12 defenses are. Can we all say "EXPOSED" when they were matched up with teams outside their conference. OU gave up 21 to UC at home (and UC was down to their third male cheerleader playing QB in the second half). Missouri struggled to stop a Northwestern team that OSU manhandled at home. And, Mississippi put up a million against TTU. I'm not worried about OSU's defense losing the game for the Buckeyes.

Yes, OSU has struggled against spread offenses and mobile QBs, giving up tons of 8-12 yard passes, getting no pass rush and losing containment on the QB and allowing him to pick up vital first downs. I see this game being different because OSU's pass rush has improved, Texas doesn't have a serious running threat and their WRs, despite great numbers, are not game breakers who require extra attention. If Texas thinks that having their star QB run 15 times against OSU is a good plan, in the words of Judas Priest "You got another thing coming." If Texas relies on McCoy to carry the load, they might just find him on the sidelines before things are said and done.

Don't get me wrong, I think Texas will put up 17-21 points, but if they think they're gonna stroll in and hang up 35...not gonna happen. Many will cite the USC game and say I'm crazy. But, OSU's best player didn't play a down in that game. Todd Boeckman gave USC 10-14 points and it was Mr. Pryor's first significant action. Mark my words: OSU's defense will not be the reason if OSU happens to lose to Bevo.

2) Texas has not faced a running game like OSU's.

Beanie Wells is arguably the best running back in college football. He has now had a month and a half to get completely healthy. The country hasn't seen a healthy Beanie since the first half of the Youngstown State game. It's a scary thing. Not only does OSU have a top running back, they've got a top rushing QB paired with him. If Texas thinks Frankie Muniz is a running threat, wait until they see Pryor sprinting down the sidelines, stiff arming their linebackers to the ground.3) Tressel finally appears to be at least sampling the Kool-Aid.

For years Tressel has called spread offenses and trick plays a "gimmick." I am on of the few that still loves Tresselball and I get a little excited when we cover a 50 yard punt well, but I even I understand the need for diversity and unpredictability on offense. Lately, OSU has become fairly predictable on offense. But, I'm giddy about something that happened very recently...something magical...the words came scrolling across the ESPN Bottom Line, "OSU may use Terrelle Pryor and Todd Boeckman on the field at the same time in the Fiesta Bowl." Even if they never see the field together, it's something that Texas has to prepare for. And I suspect that Tressel means business this year. He's widely known to be loyal, sometimes to a fault, to his seniors. That isn't going to change in this game. Bedshitter Boeckman is going to see the field, but instead of a reason for OSU fans to cringe, I see him as the X-factor in this game (I'll wait for the laughter to die down).

If given time, he's a great passer. Yes, if he's pressured, he looks like a scared puppy who's not sure what to do besides lay down and curl up in the fetal position (sprinkle in some throws to the wrong colored jerseys). But, if Tressel runs some spread offense and can give Boeckman short to mid-range throws OSU is in business. When Boeckman is in OSU can't have him faking the option read on pass plays. This gives the defensive pass rush too much time to get in Boeckman's face and Texas isn't going to believe or cares that Boeckman is going to hold onto the ball and run. I can see OSU exploiting a very suspect Texas secondary without allowing Texas enough time to get pressure on Boeckman if they put him in the shotgun with 4-5 receivers spreading the field and the ball is out of his hand quickly. OSU's receivers Brian Robiskie and Brian Hartline are future NFL receivers. They've just been forgotten because OSU has focused almost exclusively on running the ball. I see that changing against Texas. There will be plenty of running, but Tressel is going to throw the ball more often than OSU fans have become accustomed to and that will lead to OSU getting into the endzone more than OSU fans have become accustomed to against elite teams.

Texas is a great team and in my opinion should be playing against Florida in the national championship game. Their offensive stats are impressive and their only loss was due to a freshman defensive back missing a gimme interception. But, I see weaknesses that OSU can take advantage of and I don't think Texas respects OSU's physicality as much as they should. Above all, I have no faith in Mack Brown's big-game coaching. Could Jan. 5 be just another in a growing list of big game losses by OSU? Sure. But, for some reason I just don't see it this year. Pryor coming to OSU was the start of a new era, and the nation will be put on notice of his arrival on January 5th at 8pm.

Predicted Score: tOSU: 27 Texas: 20 Read the rest of this article

Rationalizing My Buckeye Apathy

As we're now just a couple of weeks away from the OSU-Texas BCS clash, the staff here at Cry Me A Cuyahoga River will soon be rolling out its 09 Fiesta Bowl Previews. I, however, will probably pass on the opportunity. Like several of my fellow CMCR writers, I have at least one degree hanging on my wall from The Ohio State University, and at times in my life, I would've placed the Buckeyes right up there with the Browns, Cavs, and Indians among my greatest passions.

Yet, as another apparent shot at redemption approaches, I can't help but notice that I'm just not that in to the Buckeyes right now. It's like a marriage that has suddenly gone stale. Long past that hot steamy days of undefeated seasons and National Championships, the Buckeyes and I are now methodically passing the days, exchanging pleasantries, and sleeping in separate bedrooms. It's not that I don't love the Buckeyes anymore. I know the feelings are still in there somewhere. I'm just not IN love with the Buckeyes right now. Does that make sense?

The loyal OSU fan in me wants to scold myself for having these cold distant feelings toward my beloved team, and in all fairness, the argument for OSU is quite compelling. Ohio State is set to play in yet ANOTHER BCS Bowl game, they just won a share of their fourth straight Big Ten Title, and they have accomplished all of this with Freshman both under and playing center. Moreover, they are set to sign their second straight top 5 recruiting class. None of this should be taken for granted. And yet, they're just not doing it for me. I'm interested but I'm nowhere near my typical level of infatuation. So, this begets one simple question: Why? The answer has several components.

1. I'm weary from years of defending this team:

Just about every Ohio State fan knows what I'm talking about here. Since that fateful day in Glendale, every Buckeye fan has had to answer the onslaught of critics that just love to take shots at OSU and the Big Ten. I, like most loyal fans, have come up with every excuse under the sun to defend our team.

"OSU big-timed it against Florida. Our Heisman winning QB had put on 25 lbs on the banquet circuit by the time that game was played. Plus, we lost our downfield threat 15 seconds into the game."

"It's just not fair that Big Ten teams have such a long layoff before bowl games."

"Don't tell me we play an easy schedule. I don't see other school scheduling major nonconference games like Texas and USC every year."

"The Big Ten isn't as bad as you think. Hell, the team we lost to went to the Rose Bowl."

"Those SEC school oversign all their classes. That gives them an unfair recruiting advantage."

"Maybe if the SEC had to play every bowl game in the midwest, things would be a little different."

"Of course we lost to USC. We were missing our best player. Take Tebow away from Florida and see how well they play in the Coliseum."

Listen, some of these excuses might even have some merit but it doesn't matter anymore. I'm tired of making them. I want my dominant football team back. It's exhausting trying to defend a team that does nothing but shit the bed on the big stage. I can't carry the burden of defending them anymore. It's time for their play to speak for itself again.

2. More than a little doubt has crept into my mind:

Aside from the exhaustion I feel from having to fight off the critics, a lot of my apathy stems from the fact that I'm legitimately questioning aspects of the program myself these days. You listen to Ohio State insiders and they all say that OSU's offense is outdated...that the coaches are telegraphing the plays. You can see it on the field. Compare Ohio State's offensive scheme to Florida's or USC's. Are they comparable? I'd have to say no. Now, on the flip side, Ohio State is a much more disciplined and fundamentally sound team (hence the reason they don't lose to teams like Ole Miss and Stanford), but until they modernize their attack, they're going to get smoked in a lot of big games.

Also, the elephant in the corner of the room with Ohio State is that they are always getting manhandled on the offensive and defensive lines. For whatever reason, Ohio State can rarely match the talent of the other big programs in the trenches. In the coming years, that may change (Adams, Shugarts, Brewster, and Boren are all going to be studs on the offensive side alone) but until it does, I'm not exactly holding my breath for a breakthrough win.

3. College Football in general has lost some of its luster:

I know, I know, when you're playing for National Championships, you don't care that the BCS system is an indefensible money grab. You don't care that the sport you love has a month and a half break before its last game. You overlook the fact that big games are unwatchable because of the commercials (as my co-writer just discussed). But when you stop drinking the Kool-Aid for a moment, you see a seriously flawed game. I still love all the pageantry and grandeur of college football. I'm just not as enamored with all the politics and commercialism that have infiltrated the game anymore.

4. I'm hungover from the Pryor recruitment:

I dedicated the better part of my final year of law school to the recruitment of Terrelle Pryor. I was absolutely obsessed. When he finally signed with Ohio State, it was probably one of my 10 happiest days as a college football fan. But a funny thing has happened as a result of the way I approached the Pryor recruitment. The bar has been set too high for him. I don't care that he has led us to a BCS game as a freshman. I want more. I want the greatest college football player ever and I want him now. I want what I was promised, damnit. I don't care, as a friend recently reminded me, that Vince Young was atrocious as a redshirt freshman. Pryor was billed as a cross between Vince Young, Randall Cunningham, Mike Vick, Walter Payton, and Jesus. I don't have time for anything less.

5. I've had enough of some of these guys:

James Laurinaitis, thanks for your contributions but get the hell out of here. You're not as good as A.J. Hawk and whenever I see you, all I can think of is how many big game losses you've been a part of. Alex Boone...leave....now. I'm tired of your choker ass too. The Brians, please move on. I like my Wide Receivers bigger, faster, and sexier than you guys.

Listen, I realize that the above paragraph is completely unfair. All of these guys have made great contributions to Ohio State. I'm just trying to explain why I feel so disenchanted with this program right now. It might not be fair and it might not be right, but for me, and I suspect a lot of other Buckeye fans out there, it's reality.

I'm sure as the Texas game grows closer, I will get geared up for another shot at redemption. Until then, while my co-writers are penning their game previews, I will sit here and sulk...left to reminisce about days long ago when Ohio State and I were hot, heavy, and on top of the college football world.

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TP

What TP means to me

Pryor is amazing, but he needs to improve in two key areas. One is to accept

that he can't run out of everything. There are times when you just have to throw the ball away. I also noticed in the Badger game that he got a little bit of the happy feet. Although there was little or no pressure, he was looking to run out of the pocket instead of standing tall and throwing the ball. Two is to run run over tiny defensive backs instead of running out of bounds. All to often he is afraid to get hit even though he would be the one delivering the hit as he is about 40 pounds heavier than the little corner back in front of him. It costs yards. This could be something the coaches tell him to do to avoid injury.

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TP's late TD beats Badgers

Terrelle Pryor is fun. Even when he is taking 15 yard sacks, he is fun to watch. Aside from Vince Young, his body control is far superior to any quarterback his size in recent memory. It is not just his size, strength, and speed. Athleticism in sports has as more to do with body control than it does physical ability.

A prime example of this can be found if you watch HBO's Hard Knocks onDemand. One of the "stars" of the Cowboys training camp was Todd Lowber. I had the pleasure of attending Ramapo College (or Rama-whaat in the words of Patrick Crayton) when Lowber was making highlight reel dunks off every opening tip of Roadrunner basketball games. He dunked on my head numerous times in pickup games. I have seen his 6'4'', 225lb frame up close and personal. He won the NCAA high jump contest after not having participated in track and field since high school. He ran a documented sub 4.3 forty at NFL workouts. He possibly was the most "athletic" player in NFL training camp this summer. He got cut. He may show up again because of his freak of nature type traits, but he got cut nonetheless. He was not able to control his body enough coming into his routes.

The thing that is so impressive about Pryor's ability is being able to control such a big body moving so fast. He is able to change direction in an instant, while brushing off a wouldbe tackler. Another impressive feature is that, at quarterback, he is in every play. He routinely is battling against 2, 3, or 4 tacklers, fighting for every yard. When Beanie does this, the next play can be a pass, or Herron can spell him. Pryor has to line right back up, and get it going again. This is often taken for granted, but it is very important to recognize.

There has been some doubt over his throwing motion, and the Buckeyes have even tinkered with his arm slot on his delivery. Either the cut on his hand last night forced him to make some adjustments, or he went back to his old style of throwing. Whatever the case may be, it was effective. He is tall enough to throw 3/4 motion over the line, therefore I do not have much problem with it.

He is going to have to continue to impress because...

The defensive line is a joke. This point has been beaten deader than dead, but the interior line is awful. They make Laurinaitis look like a bum. A lot has been made over him not being in on as many plays as in the past, but when you see running backs busting through for a 5 10 or 15 yard games the offensive linemen don't stop running. They come off their blocks and headhunt for number 33. It would be nice to find some guys who can occupy offensive linemen, let alone demand a double team.

The playcalling on both sides of the ball has been pretty putrid. In the second half of the game last night they let Pryor open it up a bit, and on the game winning drive, he made huge strides for Tressel having confidence in him to let him throw down field. Defensively, either the personnel is bad, or the scheme is bad, or both. The soft coverage is frustrating, and the lack of being able to stop anyone running the ball is infuriating. The fact that the opposing quarterback has all day to throw is annoying to say the least. This all goes back to having four competent and capable downlinemen.

Someone needs to show up with a pair of hands to catch Pryor's "frozen ropes." It looked like Hartline until he almost fumbled away the game. Some speed on the outside would help, keeping the DBs back a bit so Wells and TP can get a few extra yards.

All of this being said, The Buckeyes held the Badgers to 17 points. You can look up Wisconsin's home winning streak, record in night games, recent success over the Buckeyes, etc., but the fact of the matter is OSU won the game. Nobody bit on a double move by a guy with a new knee like Gamble, no one tried to choke the opposing quarterback like Reynolds, and the Buckeyes did not fade in a primetime national game(USC, LSU, Texas, Penn St.).

After the game at USC, every fan was left wondering... "what the hell is going to happen in next season's rematch? The starters will pretty much be gone, so the players that couldn't play over them this year are going to play. Pryor will still be green because of Tressel's loyalty to Boeckman. This is going to be a disaster." This game should be the start of hopefully putting some minds at ease.

For now OSU has to look forward to the Boilermakers at home, and a tough game against a former Tresselite in Dantonio, and OSU-shunned Ringer, before the game that will hopefully decide the Big 10 Champion against Penn State. It will be fun watching the maturation of not only Pryor, but his good buddy who may have been the deciding factor in bringing TP to Columbus, new starting center Mike Brewster. Their relationship on and off the field will hopefully catapult OSU over the proverbial hump.

Go Bucks. Read the rest of this article