The Buckeye Blog

In a column titled “Blog…Enough With The Buckeyes!!!”, College Football News columnist Barette Sallee offers a preview of what we are up against this year.

And while I don’t really want to give him the honor of my comments, it pretty much outlines what I expect to hear echoed the entire season. No matter how well we do this season, no matter how badly we beat USC, the Buckeyes will need to overcome this sort of sentiment from the BCS voters.

Naturally, while Barrette points out that we travel to USC for what he terms an “early season beatdown” against USC, we only did it six years after the SEC began adding them to the schedule. He fails to forget however, that while his beloved SEC was playing USC, we were taking on a #1 or #2 ranked Texas.

He is right on one account — we’ve blown our last two shots at the BCS and having done so, no matter how bad we rampage through the season, we will have trouble convincing the rest of the world that we belong in the big game.

More than anything, I’m as frustrated by the schedule as anyone. I think the USC series is great. I only wish our other off-season games were as interesting. And yes, I understand the need for in-state charity games, but somebody please tell me how Troy University got on the schedule. (You have to give Troy credit though, they play LSU two weeks before they come to Columbus.)

Until the BCS initiates a playoff series (don’t hold your breath), the off season schedule is the one thing that we will have to go by. Unfortunately, in BCS terms, it doesn’t look much better down the road. In 2009, we’ve got the home game with USC, an opener against Navy and New Mexico State. While the Navy game is interesting, Navy’s got Notre Dame for their old school football fix. After the USC series, we open a two game series with Miami FL. Other games include Marshall and Eastern Michigan. I’m sure that when they scheduled Miami, they were a good team.

A couple of things have to happen for Ohio State to get the respect it deserves. This year, the Buckeyes need to walk through the season unquestioned. They need to put a serious hurt on USC but even that might not be enough. The Big Ten needs another ranked team and I don’t see one on the horizon (Illinois?). Even if the Buckeyes go undefeated and all other BCS contenders come out two-loss teams, it will only be used against us in the way the SEC claims that losing games proves they have a better conference.

Down the road, the Big Ten needs to get better. It used to be that winning a Big Ten championship was enough to put you in the hunt. Unfortunately, the Big Ten has let us down lately. Teams that could be counted on for a good game - Iowa, Wisconsin, Penn State, even Michigan - haven’t held up their end of the bargain. Until they do, it’s only going to get worse.

A couple of days ago, I posted the press release I received from ESPN about the big “pep rally” that was held yesterday…on a Thursday…at 10:30 in the morning…when most of the world is at work…and the students are out for summer break. And to be honest, I didn’t really read the press release too close.

Although I wasn’t the first to point it out however, the p.r. dept. at ESPN referred to two-time Heisman winner and president of the Ohio State Alumni Club Archie Griffin as “Archie Griffith.” I’m assuming that this is Andy’s illegitimate son and long lost half brother to Opie.

Those of you who read this know that I’m pretty good at making mistakes of this type myself. That has something to do with the first-draft nature of this blog (write, publish, edit in the morning). It may also have something to do with the fact that way too many of the posts you read here (this one included) are written well after I should be in bed. However, in my day job, I’m in public relations and business writing. Not really the type of mistake I would want to make in my other life.

(Oh, and by the way ESPN, if you’re looking for a good p.r. guy, I can be reached at…)

You can see the original post and press release here.

A post on the Bleacher Report recently ranked the 10 most hated college football teams in the past 25 years. Most of the teams are teams that were disliked because they were good. Personally, I can respect a good team. I usually have much better reasons for my “dislike.”

While the Buckeyes didn’t make it to number one, the writer felt the need to illustrate the post with a little scarlet and gray.

Personally, I’ve got no problem with our number three ranking. When you’re good enough to make it to the BCS Championship three times in five years and you’re in line to do it again, yeah, people are going to get jealous.

It’s also important to note that unlike many teams out there, Ohio State fans understand tradition and rivalry as opposed to some brief moment of shining glory in the national spotlight that will fade away not to return for another 20 years or so. Ohio State will always be a force, even during an off year.

Unlike those who envy however, if you’ve read this blog, you’ve probably noticed my certain…shall we call it distaste…for a handful of college football programs.

Since the Bleacher report did not properly stir my angst, I’d thought I’d present my most ha–I mean “disliked” college programs of the past 25 years. My date ranges may be a little off as I’m going on bitter, painful memories here - not researched fact.

9: Florida State Seminoles - Most of the Bobbie Bowden years but especially the late 80s.

Although Florida State is pretty much harmless these days, it couldn’t come to a better team or coach. However, during their “better” days, it always seemed as though they were running the score against a pansie for the sake of national ranking. Of course, I pretty much felt this way about all the Florida teams back then.

8: Nebraska - Late 80s/early 90s

Not a lot to say here. They were just annoying. This was also during the height of a very frustrating John Copper period so…well don’t make me go there.*

7: The entire SEC for about the past five years

First off, the SEC doesn’t deserve the honor of my ilk. And while the Buckeyes may be the thorn in the side of every SEC fan, they are a flash in the pan. Sooner or later the fallacy of “SEC speed” will be exposed for what it is, the ESPN commentators will be forced to move on and that will be about all we will hear of the SEC as a division. Sure, they’ll always have a couple of teams in the hunt but the myth that they deserve a BCS spot just because they are in the SEC will soon fade.

Meanwhile, Ohio State will always be a force in college football.

6: USC - the Pete Carroll years

This is probably has more to do with my frustration with ESPN and in particular Mark May than anything else. Sure, USC can be good but they can also be overrated. And boy, ESPN and the BCS sure love to over rank them. I am looking forward to the USC/OSU series. They are long over due for a good old Buckeye ass whoopin.

5: Notre Dame - Since Charlie Weis took over

Yeah, Notre Dame has always been annoying but I could tolerate Lou Holtz, and Tyrone Willingham was an interesting coach. However, these days Notre Dame is nothing short of pathetic. Regardless, they’ve given Weis a nice fat (no pun intended) contract and NBC has picked them up for who knows how many more years. This means that I’m going to have to watch Notre Dame get beat by Ball State (o.k. that is game I’d enjoy) instead of a college football game that actually accounted for something.

Not only that but the sweetheart deal they’ve worked with the BCS is disgusting. They can go an entire season without winning a game and they still bring in big bucks from the BCS. Not to mention that if they actually win a game, suddenly they’re contenders for a BCS Bowl game.

I love tradition as much as the next guy but Notre Dame needs to get rid of Weis now and bring this program back to their glory days.

4: Miami - no specific time period - just Miami in general

There aren’t many teams I “disliked” as much as I “disliked” Miami the day after the 2003 Fiesta Bowl. I have never seen such incredibly poor losers and crybabies as I did reading the papers the morning after. The Miami players talked as though Ohio State should never have been on the same field with them even though they got a quick, rude awakening the minute they got the ball. The Buckeye defense hit their offensive line so hard that Miami quarterback had to give his post game interviews from the hospital where he spent the night.

Even more absurd is the way people remember Maurice Clarett’s troubles yet Miami players were constantly trying to postpone legal battles until after the season was over — and Coker was known for looking the other way.

O.K. now I’m getting there. The old angst is alive and well. I’m still using the word “disliked” but I moved into hate on those last two.

3: Michigan - 1969 to 1978

What did you expect? It’s the 10 Year War!!! Even if I’m not old enough to remember all of it, I remember enough. With Bo, we take our hatred to an entirely new level. This is the hatred that I was weaned on. This is the hatred that all Ohio State fans know even if there aren’t old enough remember. They’ve seen the films. They know they story of Woody and Bo. I’m pretty sure it is tested in Ohio as a requirement of The No Child Left Behind Act. This hatred though is filled with respect. I would love to see Michigan find a coach worthy of another 10 year war. Tressel is up for it. Unfortunately, we all know Rodrigeuz isn’t.

2: Michigan - 1995 to 2007

Yeah, I skipped a couple of years in there. Does anyone actually remember Gary Moeller (even though like most Michigan coaches, he was an Ohio State grad)? Let’s jump ahead to the Llllllloyd Carr years. The early part of his tenure was frustrating not because of Michigan but because of Cooper. However, since the dawn of the Tressel era, he, along with the rest of the Michigan football team, was our whipping boy and a good one at that.

We all know that deep down inside, Carr’s biggest fans were in Columbus.

1: Michigan - 2008 to ?

Hey, you’ve dug your own grave Michigan. You sleep in it. There is no question that Rich Rodriguez is going to turn Michigan into one of the most disliked Ohio State fan’s teams. Not because they will be beating Ohio State but because it is doubtful they will be able to provide a worthy opponent for Ohio State. The Ohio State/Michigan game should be the greatest game in college football every year. It is a great rivalry based on tradition and a respectful hatred of your opponent. I want to see an honorable foe lined up across the field from Coach Tressel and his 11 warriors. However, from the way he left West Virginia and what I have seen so far at UM, it looks like he has a long way to go.

So there you have it. Feel free to let me have it. As an Ohio State Fan, who have I missed? Who is on your list? comment below.

* I actually considered putting John Cooper’s Buckeyes on this list. This took some soul searching and I’m still having trouble with it. I realized though that it wasn’t the team I disliked but the way Cooper and his coaching staff, but especially Cooper, would completely break down mentally. There was a time that if the Buckeyes fell behind, there was no hope of them coming back. He couldn’t prepare a team mentally and at that level of play, half the game is 90 percent mental (or something like that Yogi). As I said, some of the memories are just too bitter and painful.

According to Coach, we’ve got the maturity and the talent. Oh yeah, we’ve got Terrell Pryor also.

(a big ht to my friends at the BuckeyeDome)

Although it hasn’t been officially confirmed, it looks like Antonio Henton will return to Georgia to play for Georgia Southern next season. Today’s Columbus Dispatch is reporting that “sources say” he is going to go but he hasn’t actually told anyone at Ohio State about it yet.

I don’t know what to make of it. I thought Henton had potential but then suddenly there was this little misunderstanding with an undercover police officer and next thing you know…

But that’s water under the bridge. He was cleared and back on the team by the end of the season. All he needed to do know was work real hard and the quarterback position was his to grow into. Another year at backup and he’s in. And then along came Terrell Pryor. Suddenly, Henton is in the back of the line and a starting position as Georgia Southern is looking pretty good.

Eleven Warriors pointed out that his Facebook page says he’s going back (two days before the Dispatch mind you). Sure enough, although he’s not one of my 764,998,300,896 friends on facebook, when you do a search for his facebook page, this is what comes up. Note the logo…that’s a funny looking buckeye.

I’m sorry to see him go but you can’t knock it. He wants to play football. And it’s not like he’s a Notre Dame quarterback who is running away as an act of self preservation.

Finally, it really says something about the caliber talent we’re turning away. When a player like Henton leaves because he knows he won’t get a shot to play, think about what that says for the guys in front of him. And while a certain coach to the north would give his left nut for a quarterback that good, at least when our players leave, they don’t go to the other side. But then, taking over as water boy would be better than that.

Like most Ohio State fans, my cable provider doesn’t have the Big Ten Network. And no matter how many times I’ve said I hate it, when I do catch a glimpse, I like what I see. You will never see this kind of coverage on ESPN. Unlike the rest of the college sports world, the BTN understands that when it comes down to it, there is no football like Big Ten football, there are no fans like Big Ten fans, there is no tradition like Big Ten tradition. The BTN is the one media outlet that doesn’t continually drive the SEC or USC down my throat and I like it that way. All college football coverage should be so glorious.

Since my neighbor’s wife banned me from watching the BTN at her house early on, I have to catch it where I can. That’s why I was glad to see the video below on the Buckeye Commentary. I don’t know who the commentators they give an interesting breakdown of the Big Ten.

They both agree about Ohio State saying that, “They are loaded talent wise. There is a significant gap between their talent right now and everything else in the league.” They even go so far as to pick Beanie Wells as a top Heisman candidate.

When I first heard the prediction, I wanted to pump my fist in the air with a resounding “yeah” but then I realize that if you were to pull this comment out of the BTN and place it onto ESPN, it suddenly becomes our burden. In a world that believes in the myth of “SEC Speed” and the idea the USC will always deserve a shot at the national championship, the Big Ten has become our burden. If the Buckeyes romp through the Big Ten, in the eyes of the college football world, it will be due to a lack of quality in the Big Ten.

That basically means that we have one game this season to prove ourselves. We have one game to convince the rest of college football that Ohio State is here and belongs in the BCS championship for the third year in a row. That game of course is USC and an away game against USC at that. And to be honest, I’ve been dreaming of this game for years. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve wanted to get a piece of USC. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve wanted an opportunity to see Mark May stuttering through post game excuses for his beloved team as the slow motion shots linger on USC players sitting stunned on the bench, towels over their heads as they watch their preseason hopes go up in smoke.

And I can’t think of a better year for it to happen. The potential in this year’s Buckeyes is huge. If we “reloaded” last year than this year…well…I still need a metaphor but…wow.

Like the Texas/Ohio State series a couple of years ago, the USC/Ohio State game will establish the #1 ranking and it is the one game that can earn us the respect we deserve.

Oh, and did I hear him say that he thinks Michigan is going to be tough this year…naw, I must have misunderstood.

I’ve been meaning to get to this one for a while but so far, Michigan Coach Rodriguez’s arrival at Michigan has been nothing short of successful. So successful in fact that the BuckeyXtra (Columbus Dispatch) recently reported that former Michigan offensive linesman Justin Boren visited an Ohio State practice and is seriously considering a transfer to Ohio State. Boren has been released by Michigan leaving Michigan with only one returning offensive linesman.

The Detroit Free Press, in an article about the void created by the loss of Boren, said that Boren said that it had nothing to do with the challenge of playing center in a spread offense without an quarterback. Instead, he cited the lack of “family values” in the Michigan program.

Family values? Why would he think that? I mean, the entire coaching staff that recruited him and coached him for the past two years has been tossed and replaced by a coach who left his old school with nothing but the ashes of player records and a healthy lawsuit to boot.

On top of everything else, the Free Press reports Boren has a talented little brother Zach who had talked with Michigan recruiters. Dad says he will probably follow his big brother.

I’m just glad we have USC on the schedule this year because at this rate, Michigan may not even be able to field a team come November.

This about says it all about Ohio State and Michigan: The last Ohio State coach who couldn’t beat Michigan was fired and replaced by Jim Tressel, a man of dignity and character who pretty much owns Michigan and has taken us to three BCS Championship games. Michigan fired a coach who couldn’t beat Ohio State and replaced him with…well…they replaced him with Rich Rodriguez.

At least they still have a rivalry with Notre Dame.

It’s official. Terelle Pryor announced today that he is going to Ohio State. After holding up his decision because daddy wanted him to give Penn State a look, in the end it was all Buckeyes.

That should about do it for the preseason rankings. The biggest hurdle standing in the way of a Buckeye #1 ranking next fall is a general sense of amazement from those outside of Buckeye Nation who just can’t stand the fact that the Buckeyes are set and in position for another run at the BCS Championship game. If the Buckeyes can beat USC at USC in the second game of the season, there should be no question about where they belong in the rankings. The best thing Ohio State has going for them in that game is that it doesn’t take place six weeks after the regular season.

As for next year’s team, think this past season’s Buckeyes with Vince Young at the helm.

As good as seeing Pryor come to Ohio State is seeing him not go to Michigan. At one point, the Wolverines had pretty much banked everything on Pyor and they as are about to find out, it can be pretty difficult to run a spread offense without a quarterback. I’m going to love watching Rodriguez fall flat on his face in his opening season.

As for Pryor, he said he felt a little bad for Michigan. The Columbus Dispatch reported today that he told those gathered at today’s announcement, “It makes me feel bad that they had their hopes on me.”

Isn’t that nice…don’t worry Terrelle, those feelings will pass.

So with baited breath we all waited yesterday for the big announcement. Just after the crack of noon, we were going to find out if once again, we had defeated Michigan by signing the long sought after Terrell Pryor. But before anyone could break out the new Ohio State hat and sing a round of Hang on Sloopy, Pryor announces that he wasn’t going to announce.

Apparently, while Pryor was dreaming sweet visions of scarlet and gray, his father had been kidnapped by an aging coach with a bladder problem. Before you know it, dad is in love with his captors and suddenly Penn State is in the running. Or was that Oregon.

Ok, so Oregon is out and Penn State is back in but Ohio State and Michigan are still top contenders. Before I go any further, we need to realize that this could go on until sometime in April. And again, while it would be great to see the Buckeyes with a quarterback the likes of Vince Young at the helm, it won’t be the end of the world. The Buckeyes picked up three good offensive linemen in Micheal Brewster, Mike Adams (a homegrown boy out of Dublin Coffman…and the school where I did my student teaching) and J.B. Shugarts. Add to that a couple of good linebackers and a very strong returning defense and I don’t care what they rest of the world says — the Buckeyes will come into the season ranked high and if they get past USC at USC, good luck keeping them out of a fourth national championship game.

Terrell Pryor would just be icing on the cake.

So here’s his choices at this point:

1) Penn State

Sure, he’ll get to play and he’ll be welcomed as a saving grace for a program that wants way more than it can produce these days. The biggest problem with going to Penn State — Sure, you may play for Joe Paterno today but who do you think will be coaching the team when he really comes of age during his junior or senior year. It’s anybody’s guess.

As for going pro, he has a pretty good chance of going pro early with Penn State. I mean really, it’s not like he would be sticking around for a national championship shot or anything.

2) Michigan

Would you want to walk into that mess? At UM, he’ll have a coach wrapped up in a whole world of legal troubles, an entirely new coaching staff that is trying to make sense of a brand new program, an offensive style completely unproven in the Big Ten and the absolutely unrealistic expectations of the entire Michigan fan base.

Sure, Michigan sounds like a good choice.

3) Ohio State

With Ohio State he gets a team that will enter the year high on the national rankings. And while yes, they will need to overcome the BCS losses of the past two years, he will have the chance to play on a team that will be in the national championship hunt his freshmen year (and probably again in the years to follow). He’ll play for one of the best coaches in college football in some of the nicest facilities and finally, he will be walking into what is basically a pro football training ground. Ohio State produces professional football players and if he is looking for a NFL career, he can’t do much better then Ohio State.

In the end, I’ll be happy as long as Pryor doesn’t go to Michigan. Oh, the joy of seeing Michigan struggle next year without a quarterback…it just make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

And, you thought I’d end on lucky Number 13? Like Punxsutawney Phil, I thought I’d stick my head out to end your finger-pointing and crying. Erase everything from your minds. Cease and desist. You’re good fans and the Buckeyes are worth cheering.

It shouldn’t be a shock to anyone that OSU lost to LSU. We were rated 3rd preseason in the weak Big 10 with a patsy schedule. Serendipity or dumb luck allowed us to sneak in the back door. At least we didn’t get screwed like Georgia. They were 4th and OSU was 3rd going into the Missouri and the Mountaineers choking. The “Show Me State?” I’ll show you a spanking to Kansas. And, Pittsburgh beating WVA. Please… Where’d LSU come from?

As an English major it makes plain sense to me that 3rd goes to 1st and 4th goes to second. The University of Spoiled Children (USC) looked like axe murderers at the end of the season — a little too late. Pete Carol lobbied and cried like Oklahoma’s Bob Stoops (who was rated 9th in BCS strength of schedule going into their last game). Bob are you smoking dope or are you stupid?

Okay, the BCS isn’t perfect, but it’s all we have and we tweak it every year. If all you babies were in the championship game, you wouldn’t utter a freaking word would you? Pete needs to win another championship before the New York Jets offer him the coaching job to derail the guys who kicked him to the curb, Bill Belichek’s (I mean Mr. Kraft’s) New England Patriots. Good luck. You’d do a better job hosting The Price Is Right.

Michigan was preseason 5th in the country and look what Appalachian State did to them. Face it. It was a weird year as NostroCraigus stated earlier and repeatedly. How many times do I have to hit you on the nose with a newspaper to get the point across? I was as pensive and leery as every one of you.

Now, let me rub salve on your American Express Card — I mean wounds. Here’s the breaking and final news for the 2008 Buckeyes. We have 19 out of 22 starters returning for next year including James “Little Animal” Laurinaitis. Most teams are happy to return half their team, but 86%? Yes, I cheated with a calculator because I know one of you smarmy weasels would correct me and email bile my way. Where are you Nitany Cryin’s? I miss your spite. Gus and Ollie, you out there? I know better. They’re out ice-fishing (hiding from their wives until the Packers game on Sunday).

Anyway, other than exiting senior fullback Dionte Johnson, OSU needs to replace only two starters, DL Vernon Gholston who should be a 1st round Pro and MLB Larry Grant. You can’t blame Gholston for taking the money. But, hats off to the young gentlemen taking the high road that are going education first, then cash secondly. They’re pissed off and are on their way to a third BCS trip in 3 years. Where the heck are we going? Email me and I’ll reserve a Timeshare tomorrow.

So, we lost two championships back-to-back. Maybe we’ll win another national championship for our third try. But, hey, we’d be there 4 in 7 years. Gators and Tigers, SEC — shut up please. Notre Who? OSU might even be ranked the preseason #1 for next year. Great…

Michigan Freshman phenom, Ryan Mallet is considering transferring to A&M, Tennessee, UCLA — anywhere but Michigan. Is this writing on the wall? With yet another year of eligibility left, although he looked poised and tough winning the Alamo Bowl, we know Chad Henne is almost as bad as Chad “Choke” Navarre. With new run-and-shoot coach from West Virginia, Rich Rodriguez might win the battle for all-world QB, Terrelle Pryor — where Michigan can fully utilize his Vince Young skill set — and he can start on a hapless Michigan basketball team.

Bad news for Michigan though. Not only did mouthy running back (0-4) Hart graduate, but WR Mario Manninham and WR Adrian Arrington are leaving early for the Pros. Who’s Pryor going to throw to — his own shadow? If you’re going to run and suck, you might as well go to Penn State where they know how to run and suck. Pryor lives in PSU’s back yard too. Easy decision if it were me. Wow. And, Michigan’s new coach is being sued for $4 million for breaking his contract. Looks like bad theatre up North.

OSU’s 3rd-string “Gunslinger” Schoenhoft transferring to Delaware might be telltale as well as the Michigan QB gyrations. Antonio “I was set up for soliciting prostiution” Henton is a scrambling QB with about 30% less stuff than Pryor – and with starting QB Todd Boeckman leaving, Pryor could be king of the Horshoe.