Confirmed, LB Mike D'Andrea Done at OSU

I talked about linebacker Mike D'Andrea in this previous post. He has been sidelined since my entry on August 18th. This highly recruited linebacker in the 2002 class has been plagued with injuries since 2003. To give you some perspective, D'Andrea was considered a more highly rated recruit than Hawk or Carpenter. He will likely have another knee surgery which will end his career.

Receiver Roy Hall Injured

Roy Hall was spotted yesterday wearing a yellow "no contact" jersey. According to reports, tight ends coach John Peterson would not disclose the injury, but he said Hall is day to day. I'll post an update as more news is released. Roy Hall was listed on Monday of this week as first team at the split end position.

Notre Dame Overrated?

After seeing some negative comments from the panel regarding the upcoming Notre Dame vs. Georgia Tech game, I thought I might post a link to this article from Fox Sports. I personally am not a fan of Notre Dame, and I was quite proud that we beat them in the Fiesta Bowl. Do I think Charlie Weis as a head coach is overrated, yes. I need to see him coach and recruit for a few more years. I don't follow the NFL, but even I know that he was a great offensive coordinator. However, no matter what Brady Quinn does this year, remember that Quinn along with almost all of the returning starters were recruited by Tyrone Willingham, not Weis. If, I should say when, Notre Dame loses this year, and an Irish fan defends themselves by saying ND plays a difficult schedule, remind them they are not in a conference so they should blame their own athletic director. The game at Georgia Tech this Saturday will give us some idea of what to expect from the Irish this season.

Blundo's Take on Tailgating

Joe Blundo writes humorous articles for the Columbus Dispatch. In this article he scouts tailgating for the 2006 season. The laser guided cornhole after the 4th beer is an interesting idea, although like billiards, some people perform better with beer. Does anyone have any memorable tailgate moments?

N. Illinois vs. OSU Preview Part 3

Northern Illinois vs. OSU, September 2, 3:30 ABC

Meet the Ohio State Buckeyes

OSU-Quaterback

Troy Smith enters this season knowing he is the starting quarterback, which should help OSU excel early in the season, unlike last year when he was forced to sit out and share duty with Zwick. As a starter he is 13-2. He seems to do best in the big games, having rushed for 145 yards against Michigan in 2004, 237 completions for 300 yards against Michigan in 2005 and 342 yards against Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl. It is clear he is a dual threat QB, but I think he has become more selective when it comes to tucking the ball and running. He wants to be known as a QB that can run, not the opposite. He has been mentioned in the preseason as a top contender for the Heisman Trophy as well as numerous other honors. Zwick, assuming his shoulder is ok, is a great backup. Not many teams have a backup with his experience and accuracy. All of you Zwick fans don't need to worry, NFL teams are still very interested in his size and accuracy.

OSU-Running Back

Junior Antonio Pittman returns after having over 1,300 yards last year. He also had 17 receptions for 161 yards. Backing up Pittman is sophomore Maurice Wells and freshman Chris Beanie Wells, no relation. The coaches have made it clear Pittman will be the starter, but look for both Wells to get into the mix. Stan White returns as the fullback.

OSU-Receivers

Not only do the Buckeyes have a top QB, but he has some great targets. Santonio Holmes will be missed, but left behind is Tedd Ginn at Flanker, Anthony Gonzalez at Slot, Roy Hall at Split End, and Rory Nicol at Tight End. Ginn has been mentioned in Heisman talks, although it is rare for the Heisman to go to anyone that isn't a quarterback or running back. Many considered last year a slump for Ginn, but how could he ever live up to the expectations, Heisman talk and a Sports Illustrated cover early in his sophomore year? As a backup to Holmes he had 51 catches for 804 yards and 4 touchdowns. He was his best at the end of the season catching 17 in the games against Michigan and Notre Dame. Gonzalez "Gonzo" has proven to be a great route runner and solid receiver. Who could forget Gonzo's acrobatic catch on the 3 yard line to set up the winning touchdown drive in the last minute of the Michigan game last year? Not only is he smart on the field, this three time Scholar Athlete philosophy major has his eyes on law school, oh and he is a Rhodes Scholar Candidate.

OSU-O-Line

OSU has a solid offensive line with three returning starters, Doug Datish moved to center, Kirk Barton at right tackle and TJ Downing at right guard. Filling the other spots are sophomores Tim Schafer and Alex Boone.

OSU-Kicking

Sophomore Ryan Pretorius, a 27-year old former Rugby player from South Africa had a great spring, but due to a strong fall practice by his teammate, freshman Aaron Pettrey will start as place kicker. The coaches want to settle on a kicker, since the position is built on mental confidence, but this battle may not be settled yet. We may see Pretorius take the role later in the season, or we could see one kicker handling kickoffs and the other doing place kicking. Sophomore AJ Trapasso returns as punter, having averaged 40.4 yards as a freshman.

OSU-Linebackers

At Sam (strong) we see sophomore Marcus Freeman, who sat out last year with a knee problems. At Mike (middle) James Laurinatis steps up after playing backup on strong linebacker last year. At Will (weak) 5th year senior John Kerr will start after playing backup last year. He is a transfer from Indiana, where he recorded 114 tackles in his freshman year.

OSU-Secondary

There are some young players in this unit. Malcolm Jenkins, at corner, is the top returning tackler, recording 37 tackles in three starts with nine of those against Notre Dame, all in his freshman year. Senior Brandon Mitchell has played several defensive back positions, but this year he will start at strong safety. At the other corner we will see senior Antonio Smith, who earned a scholarship after being a walk-on. Sophomore Nick Patterson has the tough job of replacing Nate Salley at free safety.

OSU-D-Line

The defensive line has the only two returning starters on the defense, senior David Patterson and Quinn Pitcock at the tackle positions. Senior Jay Richardson has some starting experience, but injuries kept him from taking the role full time, he will start at defensive end. At the other end position is sophomore Vernon Gholston, who sat out last year with a hand injury.

Guest Panel Week 1 Predictions

1. Northern Illinois at OSU

Northern Illinois ( )     OSU (GREEK, FUNK, OLD BAG, CLEATUS, GUAPO, BAT, DEERE, PHILLY, XBOX, SPAM, SHADY)

GREEK- Ohio State; and Joe complains about getting his alumni ticket bumped from Penn State to Northern Illinois...some of us never
even had that chance Joe. WE NEVER HAD THE CHANCE!!!!

FUNK- Garrett Wolfe and the Huskies look past the Buckeyes to Iowa, an upset they might at least have a shot at.  Why do we even pick the OSU game?  We should at least pick against the spread or something.

OLD BAG- Do I have to even waste my time to type in the winner of the first game. Come on your wasting my precious bag finding time (I change outfits as often as homer simpson). OSU will be the obvious winner.

CLEATUS- Look for Troy Smith to have 4 or more touchdown passes in a completely one sided victory for OSU.

GUAPO- Would you say Ohio State has a "plethora" of offensive weapons?

SPAM- osu will definately triumph over the huskies.  i will be looking for the smith-ginn one-two punch to put some points on the board.  i will also pour one out for my hommie clarret...

SHADY- Don't be surprised if the OSU defense plays crappy.  No way Jim Tressel will show his formations for this game when he can get them ready for Texas.  That's when he'll show his big guns.  Also, don't forget that NI is projected to win the MAC either so this game really won't be that much of a blowout.  I guess they have a superstar running back.
 

 

2. Notre Dame at Georgia Tech

Notre Dame (GREEK, FUNK, OLD BAG, CLEATUS, BAT, DEERE, PHILLY, XBOX, SHADY)    Georgia Tech (GUAPO, SPAM)

GREEK- Notre Dame; as much as I hate Notre Dame, I can't pick against them. Plus Brady Quinn's sister (aka AJ Hawk's fiancee) is
really damn hot.

FUNK- Notre Dame's suspect defense is probably going to cost them against someone, but it's not going to be Georgia Tech.

OLD BAG- I hate to pick Notre Dame to win, but they will. Last year the ND defense was as fast as the coach, but I'm sure things have changed (team and coach no longer are sponsored by the Tee-Jaye's barnyard buster).

CLEATUS-   Notre Dame wins but Brady Quinn gets hurt late in the game knocking him out for the rest of the season.  He'll then turn to his pro football player brother-in-law, A.J. Hawk, to cover his medical bills.  

GUAPO-  Ball and Johnson, what a package!

SPAM- i hate notre dame.  not only that, i'm hoping notre dame is still shaken up from the beating we laid upon them in january, so i'm picking georgia tech as a sleeper to upset the irish.  did i mention i hate notre dame??

SHADY- I really don't like them but this will be a good warm up for Brady Quinn.  I actually think they'll be down at the half though.
 

 

3. California at Tennesee

California (GREEK, OLD BAG, GUAPO, DEERE, PHILLY, XBOX )    Tennesee (FUNK, CLEATUS, BAT, SPAM, SHADY)

GREEK- California (in a slight upset); look for the "Vol Navy" to plunder the California Golden Bears' booty after they win the game.

FUNK- Marshawn Lynch has a Rocky start to his Heisman campaign.

OLD BAG- What the blue bags is a volunteer? Are they the suckers who get paid...oh wait don't get paid to do work. Heck even Wal-mart pays me and all I do is crap in their bags. I'm going with the Bears on this one.

CLEATUS- Cleatus predicts this first upset of the season.  Yee-Haw!!!

GUAPO- Let it not be said that El Guapo has an East Coast bias.

BAT- Tennessee needs to win, Rocky Top will find a wat to get it done.

SPAM- with the game being in rocky top and cal missing mixon, i think tennesse will be able to rally for a win.
SHADY-  It's the start of the season and no one for the Vols has gotten injured yet.  It will be difficult for Cal to compete with the change in timezone and the crazy Rocky Top crowd.

 

4. Florida State at Miami (FL)

Florida State (FUNK, CLEATUS, GUAPO, DEERE )   Miami (GREEK, OLD BAG, BAT, PHILLY, XBOX, SPAM, SHADY) 

GREEK- Miami; Bobby Bowden is still alive?! You're s***tin' me!! For real?!

FUNK- The real question after last year's game is, "Is anyone taking the over?"

OLD BAG- Wow.....can they both lose? I'm gonna say this game is not about points but about who has the least amount of rape and assault convictions before gametime. I'm going with Miami on this one, they will out shoot the Seminoles. ( no pun on shooting)

CLEATUS- This game could go either way but when I'm going with Florida State.   

GUAPO- No matter the result, El Guapo will hate the winner.

BAT- I enjoy watching the FSU v Mia game each year as much as any other.  I always root for Miami and will pull for them again this year.  Last year was sloppy because it was the first game for both teams.  Watch Bobby Bowden's expression at the end of this one.

SPAM- based of the lucky penny i stumbled upon at the treebar last friday... miami will take this one.

SHADY- They're playing at home, they're good, they have sexy cheerleaders, and they are known for their "soldiers."

 

and the oddball game this week:

5. Alcorn State at Louisiana-Monroe

Alcorn State (CLEATUS, GUAPO, BAT )    Louisiana-Monroe (GREEK, FUNK, OLD BAG, DEERE, PHILLY, XBOX, SPAM, SHADY)

GREEK- Louisiana-Monroe; the Greek does not believe in college football teams named after nuts. Oh wait...my bad, I do (see pick #1).

FUNK- Indians, Braves??  I'm still not happy about Steve McNair leaving the Titans for the Ravens, so I'm taking it out on Alcorn State.

OLD BAG- If your school sounds like a nut or represents one (see game 1) I vote for you. But not this time. I don't know what Alcorn or Acorn State is but I'm going with Louisiana-Monroe.

CLEATUS- The name "Louisiana-Monroe" is like a married woman's hyphenated name.  Either keep your maiden name, "Louisiana", or adapt your husband's name, "Monroe". Come on Mrs. Louisiana-Monroe, sh*t or get off the pot when it comes to choosing your name. For this reason alone, I pick Alcorn State.  

GUAPO- Alcorn sounds like acorn, which is a nut, which is sort of like a Buckeye.
SPAM- louisiana-monroe warhawks will prevail!  for many moons they were known as the Indians.  i belive these indians share a common thread with the cleveland indians, and they are on a winning streak... so boo-hiss to all the so-called politically correct universities who are changing their names...  go indians!
SHADY-  Who the hell?  I don't think they're the Ragin' Cajuns but you gotta have love for the Louisiana home team.

N. Illinois vs. OSU Preview Part 2

Northern Illinois vs. OSU, September 2, 3:30 ABC

Scouting the Huskies

Quarterback
On Monday of this week Coach Joe Novak finally named his starting quarterback, Phil Horvath. Here is a direct quote from the coach, "I could go with either Phil or Dan (Nicholson) but one of them has to start. I do not have a lot of reasons, but it will be Phil." He went on to say that backup Nicholson could see some significant playing time this season. For some reason or another the coach had reservations with Horvath, or I imagine he would have picked him a long time ago. Last season Horvath led the NCAA in completion percentage, 70.6% and he was 6th in passing efficiency, 159.45 before he was injured. Horvath set many school records last year. He had 486 yards passing and 13 straight completions in a conference game. He had a broken left arm in early November, which sidelined him for the rest of the season.

Running Back
Senior Tailback Garrett Wolfe is the Huskie's best weapon. He has gained national attention by being one of 35 players listed to the 2006 Walter Camp Player of the Year Award. He has been mentioned as a black horse Heisman candidate. He has been listed as preseason first team All-American by Playboy and Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook. The Sporting News, Lindy's and CBS Sportsline have listed him as the Mid-American Conference Offensive Player of the Year. His team has voted for him to be a team captain. All of this support is based on the fact that he is the leading returning rusher in the nation, having averaged 175.6 yards/game last season. He had two games with 277 and 270 rushing yards. In his career he has 3,286 yards in 20 games. However, his 5-7, 177 frame has been banged up over the years, having battled injuries with his knee and shoulder.

Receivers
The top two receivers from last year are gone. Britt Davis returns after having a great season with a school record 42 receptions for 441 yards and three touchdowns, catching a ball in all 12 games. He mostly played at flanker last year. Before last season he was a contender for the quarterback position. The Huskies sometimes go with a two-tight end set and they are lead by Senior TE Jake Nordin who had 26 catches for 266 yards and one score last season.

Kicking
Junior kicker Chris Nendrick is ranked among the Div I-A leaders and number one in the MAC with 94 consecutive PATs. He was 9-13 on field goals last year and hit a school record 52-yarder. At punter is sophomore Andy Dittbenner. Last year he had 54 punts with an average of 38.6 yards per kick.

Return Game
There are some big shoes to fill in this department since Shatone Powers and AJ Harris have left, both averaged over 25 yards per kickoff. Powers averaged over 8.3 yards per punt. Looking to fill the role is Marcus Perez and Britt Davis.

Defense
The Huskies return three seniors in the secondary, twins Adriel and Alvah Hansboro are at the corners. They also return senior Dustin Utschig at free safety, who led last year's team with 121 tackles and three interceptions. They will have to replace first-team All-MAC strong safety Ray Smith, with junior Mark Reiter. At Mike (middle) linebacker they return sophomore Tim McCarthy, who finished last year with 101 tackles and two fumbles. Filling the other linebacker spots is Keenan Blalark at Sam (strong) and Josh Allen at Will (weak.) On the D-Line the most experienced players returning are senior defensive end Ken West and sophomore Larrry English. The Huskies must replace two first team all-MAC tackles.

O-Line
Returning is senior left tackle Doug Free, who has started 36-straight games. They must replace a first-team guard, the two year starting center and the starting right guard from last season. Sophomore Jon Brost returns will be at right tackle and senior Matt Rogers will play right guard after taking a year off for academics. The left guard will be filled by Chris Acevedo and center will be red-shirt freshman Eddie Adamski.

Add This to Your Grocery List

Do you remember that letter campaign to get more OSU licensed items at Kroger? Don't you recall the letter you wrote asking for official OSU Hotdogs, Mustard, Salsa and Chips? Ok so maybe there weren't any letter campaigns, but in any case a new "official" OSU food item has been added to the store inventory, and by official I mean OSU gets 8% of the sales. OSU cereal, "Buckeye HerOes" will hit shelves tomorrow statewide at Kroger for $3.49 for a 14 oz box. Oh and don't worry, Brutus Buckeye Milk is in the works. The OSU official was quoted as saying, "Milk and cereal go together like scarlet and gray." The box will feature Anthony Schlegel, AJ Hawk and Bobby Carpenter. If enough nuts, I mean Buckeyes, buy the item future boxes will feature other past athletic stars at OSU. Due to NCAA rules, you won't see current players. Maybe we should start a letter campaign for Brutus Beer because, "OSU Football and beer go together like scarlet and gray."

New Uniforms

Many of you have heard about the new uniforms. Some of you may have seen them at the open practice at Ohio Stadium. Perhaps you have already bought one from the campus bookstore. If you have no idea what I am talking about, read this article in today's dispatch. The article makes it clear that the new form-fitting uniforms will prevent cheap jersey pulling tackles. We will also see some beer bellies on some of the lineman. I still am looking for the gray on the sleeve, anyone find that yet? Do you have any thoughts on the new uniform? Will you still wear the old one? I hope to get some more life out of my 47, Chic Harley/AJ Hawk jersey.

N. Illinois vs. OSU Preview Part 1

Northern Illinois vs. OSU, September 2, 3:30 ABC

 

Series History

This is the first matchup between these two schools. The Big Ten has added a lot of games against the Mid-American Conference, since the regular season has been expanded to 12 games. Every Big Ten school plays at least one MAC team, with seven teams playing two teams. OSU will have two games against the MAC, with a game on October 7th against Bowling Green. OSU is 20-1 against teams in the MAC with the only loss being Akron in 1895.

 

Coaches

Jim Tressel returns for his sixth year at Ohio State with a record of 50-13. That record ranks highly and it compares well to the first five years of legends Joe Paterno at Penn State, Tom Osborne at Nebraska, Bobby Bowden at Florida State and Barry Switzer at Oklahoma.

Joe Novak is entering his 11th year at Northern Illinois, where he has spent his entire head coaching career. He has compiled a record of 54-60 over those years. Under his direction they have had six straight winning seasons and four of the last five MAC West Division Crowns. Novak is product of Ohio, having played football at Mentor High School. He coached at Western Reserve High School (OH) and won the state title in 1972. He went to Miami (OH) to earn his bachelor and master's degrees. As an assistant at Indiana and Illinois he made eight trips to Ohio Stadium.

Guest Panel Games to Consider

The Guest Panel is currently considering the following games:

 

1. Northern Illinois at OSU

2. Notre Dame at Georgia Tech

3. California at Tennesee

4. Florida State at Miami (FL)

and the oddball game this week:

5. Alcorn State at Louisiana-Monroe

 

Check back later this week for their picks and unique commentary!

 

 

Buckeye History

This is the first of what will become a regular feature on this blog. Today we visit the 1998 Buckeyes.

OSU vs. West Virginia, September 5, 1998
OSU was ranked number one for the first time, since 1980, in this season opener . West Virginia came into the game ranked 11th. Demand for the game was so high that some OSU fans bought season tickets from WVU just to get a ticket to this game in Morgantown, WV. The two teams traded field goals, putting the score at 3-3. A 55-yard drive was capped off with a 18 yard run by Michael Wiley. QB Joe Germaine passed to Dee Miller for a 14-yard pass and another touchdown, putting OSU up 17-3 early in the second quarter. Kicker Dan Stultz hit a 36-yard field goal to make the score 20-3. The Mountaineers pieced together a 81-yard drive with a touchdown right before halftime, making it 20-10. OSU had two successful drives in the second half with David Boston catching a 39-yard pass and Jonathan Wells running a seven yard touchdown. West Virginia was able to score in the closing seconds, but OSU came away with the victory 34-17. Even though the two schools share a border, they had only played five times before this 1998 match, back in 1897, 1900, 1902, 1903 and 1987.

(research assisted by "The Official Ohio State Football Encyclopedia")

Guest Panel Introduction- Old Bag of Man

Ok I lied, here is the last guest panel introduction. Check back this week for predictions and comments for some of the football matchups this week.

Old Bag of Man hails from the Wal-mart in Southern Alabama. People thought he was just a wandering man of sorts talking to himself and shaking (thanks to being struck by lightning 46 times). But thanks to the lightning strike he was given the ability to predict football futures (and sh*t himself constantly, that's why he has chosen the bag to wear, its where you put dog sh*t anyways). People learned of this feat and betting circles starting using this "Swami" to make money. Obviously he hasn't received a dime of that money yet. So now he's moved up to the north, to try his luck north of the dixie line.

Captains Announced

The captains for this year have been announced, quarterback Troy Smith, center Doug Datish and defensive tackles Quinn Pitcock and David Patterson. All are seniors and Smith, Datish and Pitcock are fifth-year seniors.

OSU Bball Update

The "Thad Five" is still intact. That was not the case until 6'9" Forward Othello Hunter graduated from Hillsborough Community College in Tampa, FL last week. The other four members of the incoming class are stars Greg Oden, Mike Conley Jr., Daequan Cook and David Lighty. I have personally seen Cook and Lighty play high school basketball and I can't wait untill they play at OSU. Preseason is set to begin on October 14. If you haven't seen their schedule for this season, check out my other  entry.

Some of you have asked about Oden, who is said by many to be the best player coming out of high school. ( Thank you NBA ) Oden had surgery for a torn ligament in his right hand back in June and it is still uncertain when he will be allowed to practice or play basketball.

Guest Panel Introduction- Philly Cheese

The last guest panel introduction. Check back next week for the panels predictions for the first week of games.

Philly Cheese hails from the "City of Brotherly Love." The Philly Cheesesteak sandwich is far superior to all other food items, so he is not concerned over the challenge of a gyro, burrito or SPAM sandwich. PC is back to defend his title as champion of the Guest Panel. He is used to seeing people cry when they cut the onions over at Pat's famous steak joint in Philly , so he will show no mercy for the panelists that cry when they lose each week.

Guest Panel Introduction- XBOX

The next introduction.

XBOX has only been following college football since 2004, but he has analyzed many teams and potential matchups. Unlike any other panelist XBOX has knowledge of all 100+ Division 1-A teams. This season he will run a simulation of each game to pick his winners for the previews. XBOX believes his knowledge and logical thinking will help him defeat the human panelists. He lists Deep Blue as his hero. ( Deep Blue (IBM) beat the world champion chess player Gary Kasparov back in 1997.)

Pettrey Kicking Butt

Aaron Pettrey looks to be the favorite for the kicking position after yesterday's kicking scrimmage. He was 9 of 9 on his kicks, with a 47-yard kick sealing his win. Previously it had been assumed that Ryan Pretorius was the new kicker. Pretorius was 12 of 17 yesterday. As you may remember Josh Huston now plays for the Chicago Bears, and these two have been competing to replace him. It is still possible that one kicker will handle kickoffs while the other does field goals and PATs. We may also see one kicker at the beginning of the season and another for the rest of the games.

Aaron Pettrey is a red-shirt freshman, 6-1, 184 lbs. He walked on last year and was converted to scholarship after showing some potential. In last spring's kicking scrimmage he kicked a 59-yarder. In high school in Kentucky he handled quarterback, kicking and punting duties. He has two Kentucky high school records, 58-yard field goal and career completion percentage for quarterback. If Pettry is kicking, we could run a trick play with him passing.

Ryan Pretorius is a red-shirt sophomore, 5-10, 180 lbs. He played soccer and rugby in South Africa. Former NFL great, Kicker Gary Anderson, from Ryan's hometown and a friend of the family, helped him make a tape of himself kicking field goals and send it out to colleges. OSU offered him a walk-on scholarship in 2004. He made brief appearances last year in the Indiana and Northwestern games. He is the oldest player on the team at age 27.

Guest Panel Introduction- Shady

Another introduction, two more to go.

Shady is a hardcore gambler and everybody knows his name. He is called this because no one ever knows what he is going to do and when he actually does it, you can bet that it's shady. He even has his own entrance music, Eminem's "The Real Slim Shady."

Guest Panel Introduction- Spam Sandwichsan

The next panelist introduction. Three more to go.

spam sandwichsan (also known as mr. spam sandwich) has no football skills. he doesn't even have eyes or ears to watch or listen to football, let alone a central nervous system to even comprehend simple games such as sheep or video olympics! but there is one trait that allows him to excel in gameday predictions... the theory of ones: 'a one that is not cold is scarcely a one at all.' and since football would not exist without cold beer, and cold beer would not prevail without football, spam sandwichsan has a direct and untainted view of all that is football! his smooth gel-like texture makes him a hit with the ladies, and he is well known around the globe! his major predictions for this year include a reality tv/prison break show featuring our favorite ex-buckeye and that 'team-up-north' getting another 'drug search' upon their arrival at the shoe! be sure to watch his mid-season antics as the theory of ones gets proven on the field and in the frying pan!

Guest Panel Introduction- Dr. Funkenstein

Another guest panel introduction. More to come.

Dr. Funkenstein was raised on the mean streets of Music City. He realized at a young age that the homegrown country music was in need of a blast from the Bop Gun and has been doing the Aqua Boogie ever since. His first job was asking Do Fries Go with that Shake? In 2000 he moved to Chocolate City and thus began his Groovallegiance to One Buckeye Nation Under a Groove. Last year, he completed his Supergroovalisticprosifunkstication and is now Tearin' the Roof off the Mother Sucker with the Party People on the east coast, but he will always bleed Scarlet and Gray. Dr. Funkenstein says, "If Anybody Gets Funked up, It's Gonna Be You."

Guest Panel Introduction- El Guapo

Here is next guest panel introduction. Keep checking back this week for the rest of the members.


Ricardo “El Guapo” Jesus Fernando de los Juevos Azules is passionate about the Ohio State football. The football, she is like a woman,verdad? So elegant and graceful yet she pound your teeth in when you fail to pick up the blitz of the safety. El Guapo cares not for hairy greek prognosticators with bad breath and smelly food. El Guapo likes the fiestas with pretty ladies, especially the Fiesta de Bowl, of which the Ohio State is champion of the world. Ever since growing up on the goat farm with his Papa, El Guapo has dreamed of picking the football for a living. Now his dream is true, Mr. Joe has been very kind. Go the Buckeyes!

Guest Panel Introduction- John Deere Man

Here is another guest panel introduction. Check back for the rest of the panel.



John Deere Man Bleeds Green during the week but as the weekend nears, there is a transformation that changes his blood to Scarlet (thinned by a few adult beverages). Now do not make the mistake, this is not RED, it is SCARLET!!! But be advised he (the brawn) does not act on his own, he is backed by his Basket Case wife (the brains). Together they frequent the home games tailgating along Riverside Drive. Both with scarlet cup in hand!!!

Notes from Open Practice

The evening started out as a typical OSU sporting event, drinks and food at the Varsity Club. The pizza was good and the beer was cold. There was a decent crowd, all mostly wearing OSU attire. I was joined by Jeremy and Kevin and panelists Cleatus McBuckeye and Batman.

Here are some quick stats from VC, 2 pizzas, 4 pitchers, and 5 OSU fans.

 

As soon as I walked into the stadium I realized that I had left my team roster and other papers back at VC, but luckily the "Caped Crusader" grabed the items for me, he's always around to save the day. There was an autograph session prior to the practice, with the players and coach available. The teams came out with the defense in Scarlet (read this entry to find out why they have the scarlet jersey) and the offense in white. One of the first things our group noticed was that all the quarterbacks(Smith, Zwick, Boeckman, Schoenhoft, and Henton) had black "no contact" jerseys. Perhaps Zwick's injury last Friday during the scrimmage convinced the team to be cautious, although Zwick played without any sort of brace on his shoulder, so perhaps he is ok. The team split into groups across the field, running different drills all at the same time. One group had four or five QBs behind two offensive lineman facing one defensive lineman, with the QB throwing the ball across the line five to ten yards to a player that simply caught the ball. Another drill had the QBs practicing the snap. The lineman also practiced pushing each other. We saw drills with tight ends hitting blocks and running out for a pass. Some of the more interesting drills were the kicks. Both place kickers, Pretorius and Pettrey had a fairly equal number of plays. I did not see a major difference between the kickers, but I am sure the kicking scrimmage later this week will help clear up the picture. We did see one punt blocked and a couple decent returns. In each drill the players were rotated out after one play. We were able to see players at all positions. I found myself referring to the roster, to familiarize myself with some of the newer players. Smith and Ginn had some great connections. I was most impressed by the play of split end Roy Hall, and I see this fifth year senior having an important role in this team. Due to the low impact of the practice, we really did not see a lot of running by any of the backs.

 

The crowd was estimated to be 28,000 (yes, for a practice.) Even with concession sales, OSU officials believe they lost money on the event, since it cost $20,000 to bring in the lights. Here is a photo slideshow from the Dispatch. Overall it was an entertaining night and well worth the price of admission. Perhaps Cleatus, Batman or Jeremy can provide their own observations?

Guest Panel Introduction- Batman

Here is the third guest panel member to be introduced on the blog. Stay tuned for the rest of the panel's bios and pictures.




Name: Batman
Quote: "Whatever is fair in love and war is also fair in crimefighting."

Guest Panel Introduction- Cleatus McBuckeye

Here is the second Guest Panel Introduction. As mentioned in the introduction of Ari "the Greek" this panel predicts the winners of football games each week and provides their own commentary. Look for information on the rest of the panel throughout this week.


Cleatus McBuckeye is a relocated former WVU fan. He now resides in Groveport Ohio and has become an avid tailgater at OSU home football games. As seen in the picture, Cleatus’ traditional tailgating attire is accented with an elegant drawstring hat and iced cold Coors Light. The high-water pants keep Cleatus from waiting in the long bathroom lines during the pre-game drinking festivities. Look for this new fashion statement to be a big hit at Joe’s tailgate parties this year. (Underwear optional)

What Happened to my Penn State Ticket?

Since I graduated, I have bought tickets each year and I started the process of becoming a life member of the OSU Alumni Association. Yes, I want to support my school, but I also knew that over time my status would increase and perhaps I would get decent tickets to a football game. I was willing to deal with the occasional mid-major conference game, knowing that someday I would get a great ticket. This year I got Penn State, alright my luck had turned! Well, that soon changed when I received a letter from the OSU Athletic Ticket Office telling me my game had been changed to Northern Illinois. Yes I think the Huskies from the fair city of DeKalb, Illinois are one of the better teams in the MAC, and it is the home/season opener, but what happened to my Penn State ticket? Well I didn't feel so bad after reading this article in today's dispatch. Evidently they are moving some people from Penn State that have less than 15 consecutive years of buying alumni tickets. There are three lessons to learn from this, don't miss a year buying tickets or turn in your application late, neither of which is my situation, and your ticket status, like wine, only gets better with age.....

Scrimmage Notes and Injury

The defense plays the offense in an annual event called the Jersey Scrimmage. The winning team gets bragging rights and they will wear the scarlet jersey during practices. The defense won in the spring and they won again yesterday. It rained heavily during the three hour event. The defense had a commanding lead after intercepting a number of gray's passes. Gray did rally and had it tied at 65, with one play remaining. Gray had the ball inside the five. They sent four receivers out and Smith's pass to the middle was batted down by Brandon Mitchell, giving the scarlet defense the win, 66-65.

 

Chris Beanie Wells was the leading rusher with 100 yards on 23 carries.

 

Justin Zwick was injured during the scrimmage. While scrambling for a fumble, Zwick was hit by LB John Kerr. He suffered a left shoulder injury. It appears he is still fighting for his place as backup to Smith, and this certainly won't help. Smith was the only QB allowed to wear the black "no contact" jersey.

 

 

AP Poll Released

OSU is number one in both the AP and USA Today/Coaches Poll. For what it is worth the AP poll is still not used in the BCS Formula. Some interesting differences between the two polls is that Notre Dame is second in the AP, but third in the USA Today. USC is down at six in the AP, but third in the USA Today. The AP poll had the advantage of knowing Oklahoma was losing their starting QB, so they placed them at ten, while USA Today (voted before he was suspended) had them at five.

Guest Panel Introduction-Ari "the Greek"

It is time to introduce a member of the guest panel. For those of you new to my football coverage, I have a guest panel that will pick winners each week during the football season. Since the panel has grown this year I wanted to start the introductions today.
Today I introduce Ari "the Greek" Here is his picture and information. Some of his jabs and jokes will make more sense as you meet the rest of the panel. Stay tuned for more introductions!

Ari "the Greek", (although the nickname in reality should be Ari "the GreekGOD"), was, and continues to be inspired by his namesake, Jimmy "the Greek"Snyder. Like Jimmy, Ari loves all manner of Greek food, especially gyros.Hmmmmm...gyros; the Greek just can't ever get enough of that feta cheese andtzatiki sauce. As for the Greek's predications for the upcoming season, look for Ohio State and West Virginia to meet in the Fiesta Bowl, and for El Guapoto continue to change his nickname, yet again, halfway through the season to"El Nino," when he finds himself languishing slightly above a friggin'computer game.

Troy Smith and Tedd Ginn for Heisman

OSU has started their "official" push for Troy Smith and Tedd Ginn for Heisman. It is common for schools to promote their players that are being considered for major awards, such as the Heisman. Sometimes the publicity can be as simple as an article in the media guide or the game day program. In the case of the Heisman it has become more common for schools to put up websites dedicated to the player. OSU has posted the following websites, Troy Smith and Ted Ginn. These website are not very fancy, but they do give you player bio info, stats, audio/videos and photos. Now things may change by the end of the season, but can anyone recall a team in recent times that had two players both considered strong candidates for the award? What are your thoughts, who is the better player and more deserving of the award at this point? I will ask this question a couple times this season to see if the answers change.

Some Updates and News

The linebacker picture is starting to become clear. Unfortunately, Mike D'Andrea, a fifth year senior, may not play again for OSU. He came to OSU as one of the most highly rated linebackers in the country. He played 12 games as a true freshman on the 2002 Championship team, but he has only played in 17 games in the past three seasons due to injury. His shoulder and knee injuries have limited his playing time. It appears freshman Tyler Moeller will be the backup for John Kerr at Will (weakside position.)

 

I still have not heard what TE Marcel Frost did to get suspended, but he has been seen practicing with Jackson State. You may remember Erik Haw already transferred to that team. Players transferring to a Div I-AA can play immediately, instead of sitting out a year at a larger Div I-A school. 

 

I have more details on the autograph session taking place before the practice Monday at Ohio Stadium. The players will be in alphabetical order around the concourse level, but the more popular names such as Smith, Ginn, Pittman, Pitcock, Patterson, Gonzalez, as well as Coach Tressel will be separate due to longer lines. The event is free, and I found out that parking is free. I imagine there will be signs directing people out to West Campus and the lots near the Schott. I have not heard if there will be a bus service from the lots. They anticipate at least 30,000 fans, but that number could increase if the event is advertised well and there is good weather.

Free Football Night Practice Moved to Stadium

Ok, disregard some of the details in my previous blog entry. The night practice open to the public is still planned for this Monday, August 21, but the location and time have changed. The gates open at  Ohio Stadium at 6:00 PM and the hour long autograph session starts at 7:00 and the practice will run from roughly 8:00 to 9:45. Evidently there was concern over the seating capacity at the track, which was the original location. The stadium will provide adequate seating. Note there is a limit of one autograph item per player. Oh and players have been informed to not sign old design jerseys........just kidding.

OSU Bball Faces Tough Schedule

Even though we are excited about football, Thad Matta's latest recruiting class has raised expectations for the basketball team. For the first time in years the team will play a decent non-conference schedule, which includes a game at North Carolina, Iowa State in Columbus, a game at defending champion Florida, one with Cincinnati, and Tennessee in Columbus. Those games are enough of a challenge for what is expected to be one of the most talented teams OSU has ever had. Unfortunately the Big Ten has made things even more difficult by scheduling OSU's home opener with Indiana, and then the Bucks hit the road for games at Illinois and Wisconsin, two of the more difficult places to play. This will be an exciting team, and if OSU can win most of those high profile matchups, there will be high expectations for the post season. Here is 2006-2007 schedule.

NCAA Rule Changes for this Season

There will be some rule changes in effect for all football teams this season. I don't think any of the changes are major, but you may want to know them so you can be the expert in your section at the stadium or in the bar where you watch the games. Here are some of the changes.

 

- Game clock will start when the ball is marked after a change in possession (before it started when the ball was snapped)

- Game clock will start on kickoff (before it started when the ball was received)

- Kickoff tees have been cut in half to 1-inch to cut down on the number of touchbacks (are you thinking what I am thinking....Ginn)

- It will be more difficult for players to get tinted eye shields on helmets, requires an eye condition (ah too bad, those were kind of intimidating)

- Coaches have the option of an instant replay challenge, but it can cost a time-out if the play is not overruled (Big Ten had this last year)

- Receiving teams can opt for five yard penalty against the kicking team on the return instead of a re-kick

- Clarification of celebration, to prevent teams from getting unnecessarily penalized when celebration is spontaneous and not excessive

- A list of unsportsmanlike conduct (see below, some of these are funny)

[Imitating a slash of the throat, Resembling the firing of a weapon, Bowing at the waist, Punching one's own chest excessively, Crossing one's arms in front of the chest, Placing one's hand by the ear as if to indicate that the player cannot hear the spectators, Diving into the end zone when unchallenged by an opponent, Entering the end zone with an unnatural stride ( e.g., high stepping), Going significantly beyond the end line to interact with spectators, Standing over a prone player in a taunting manner, Attempting to make the ball spin as it were a top, Performing a choreographed act with a teammate(s) ( e.g., pretending to take a photo, falling down in unison) and Entering the field of play by coaches or substitutes in protest of officials' calls."]

Dials and Foster Will Play Bball in Europe

Even though we are heading into football season I still hope to pass on updates about OSU basketball. Terence Dials and Je'Kel Foster were not invited to any of the NBA training camps. Dials will play in France and Foster will play in Germany.

Some other Buckeye stars from the past are playing in Europe. Scoonie Penn will play this season in Greece, George Reese in Germany, Brian Brown in France and Brent Darby in Italy.

Mark Your Calendars for Free OSU Event

NOTE: THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CHANGED, CHECK MY ENTRY ON 8/17/06.
If you want to see the Buckeyes in an open practice, mark your calendars for Monday, August 21. There will be an hour long autograph session beginning at 7:00 at the 10,000 seat Jesse Owens Stadium (the track right by the baseball diamond, near the Schot.) After that the team will have a two hour practice under the lights. It appears they want to gain more experience in night situations, since there are at least two night games this year at Iowa and Texas. Admission will be free, but bring some money for concession and parking. Oh, and if you want a jersey signed, you may want to stop by the bookstore and get a new one, since it is completely changed from previous years. The change in uniform is a topic of discussion for another day......

Pittman's Job is Safe

Well, perhaps one of my questions from earlier this week is answered. In today's Dispatch running backs coach Dick Tressel, yes he is related, said Chris "Beanie" Wells will not challenge Antonio Pittman for the starting position. Pittman says he is 100% after recovering this past spring from a hamstring injury. During spring training we kept hearing about the dominance of incoming freshman Beanie, who entered OSU early. It appears that was a tease, and we will only see him in a limited role, unless Pittman should get injured. I am 100% behind Pittman. It is always a good thing to have such talent at one position, since it raises the level of expected performance. Pittman will be challenged to play his best. Also, assuming no unforeseen events, we should have a replacement for Pittman when he heads to the NFL.

TE Marcel Frost Suspended for Season

Well, now OSU can be added to the list of teams with a player suspended for the season. Here is the article from today's Dispatch . There aren't a lot of details, but Marcel Frost, listed as the starter at tight end has been suspended for the season. Sophomore Rory Nicol is expected to take his place on the lineup. I'll pass on details as they are released.

The Tragedy Known as Maurice Clarett

I really debated putting up an entry regarding Clarett. I assume most people have heard the news, I mean I initially heard the news from someone in DC! (thanks Mike) If you haven't heard the latest, check out NBC 4's article and footage.
We have seen Clarett get in trouble more than once since he first appeared in Columbus. So who is to blame for such a troubled individual. It is easy to say one is in control of his or her own actions. I mean he is a grown adult, right? Well I don't think it is that simple. I think he is a product of his environment, in the sense that for a long time he was told he would grow up to be a great football player. No one can deny his talent. He may not have looked in top shape at the NFL combines, but at one point he was one of the best running backs in the country. How could we forget his gamebreaking plays in the Michigan and Fiesta Bowl wins. I still get excited when I think about the time when we lost the ball and he tore it back out of Miami's hands.
However that was years ago, and even then there was controversy. Going back to his early days, long before OSU, Maurice was molded into a football player and basically allowed to do anything. Once you take his professional football dream out of his life, what is he supposed to do? I am not defending him, but he needed someone in his life to provide him with good advice. He is a tragic picture in today's sports. We will always have the memories of his incredible freshman year, but I sure hope he can get his life together after he serves his time for his arrest.
CORRECTION/UPDATE-Previously this post stated Clarett was done with football. He has plans to play this January for the Mahoning Valley Hitmen, an indoor team based in Youngstown, OH. The team owner claims his arrest will have no effect on his status with the team.

What are your thoughts on Clarett?

Cornhole!

Ok, so since the title of this blog includes the word "Pregame" I thought it would be appropriate to discuss a typical pregame activity, cornhole. Most of you have probably played this at a tailgate party. It is a simple game, think horseshoes, involving two boards with a hole and two sets of four cornbags (same as beanbags, but with corn.) Everyone has their own version of the rules, but here are the rules from the American Cornhole Association. I tend to trust those rules, since the group was started in West Cincy, which most agree is the birthplace of this game. Well you could go on ebay to buy a set or hit the garage sales in your neighborhood. But if you have some basic tools you can make the set yourself. I made my set based on the these plans. If you use those plans, you may consider altering the legs since most people like them to fold in for easy storage. I am putting up this post now so that you have plenty of time to get your set ready for the first tailgate. Enjoy!

Questions Going into Fall Training

Summer is over for the football team, but this Dispatch article states that training really does not take a break. Spring Training and the Spring Game are fun to watch, but in the weeks leading up the first game, many of our questions will be answered.
1. What role will incoming freshman Chris "Beanie" Wells have in the running game? Yes, Pittman ran for over 1,300 yards last season and Maurice Wells provides some experience as a back-up, but how can you hold back a talented individual like Beanie?
2. Who will become the next stars on defense? At safety will we see Nick Patterson, Jamario O'Neal, Brandon Mitchell or Anderson Russel? What about the linebackers? We will have to watch the progress of John Kerr, Marcus Freeman, James Laurinaitis, Curtis Terry, Larry Grant, Ross Homan and Mike D'Andrea.
3. Who will replace Josh Huston? There is sophomore Ryan Pretorius and redshirt freshman Aaron Pettrey. Only Pretorius has seen game time, which only amounted to one kickoff in 2005.
There may be more questions that arise as Fall Training starts....

2007-2010 Football Schedules

Well, if anyone wants to schedule anything between now and 2010 in the fall, perhaps a wedding, here are the football schedules. I am sure we all have had to attend a wedding planned during football season. At one wedding I stayed in my car as long as possible listening to the radio before going to the ceremony, in another instance the reception hall's bar was filled with football nuts like me watching the game and another time I had to keep checking my cell phone to update everyone sitting near me. Do any of you have a funny story about missing a game for an event like a wedding? Or have you skipped an important event for a game? What are your thoughts on formal gatherings being planned on Saturdays during the fall? Feel free to comment and share your opinions or stories. Oh, and you don't have to mention any names involved if you are afraid the wedding party will read your post, haha.

USA Today Preseason Poll Released

Yesterday the preseason poll was released. The top five has OSU at #1, Texas at #2, Notre Dame and USC tied at #3 and Oklahoma at #5. Other Big Ten teams listed were Michigan at #15, Iowa at #17 and Penn State at #19 with Minnesota, Purdue and Northwestern unranked but with votes. Do I think OSU deserves #1? Yes, anyone that watched the team at the end of last year knows they were one of the strongest teams in the country, possibly the best team. However a #1 ranking puts a big target on the player's backs, and every opposing team will give OSU their best effort in an attempt to bring down the highest ranked team in the country. Now most of you can probably look ahead to September 9th and see the potential for a #1 OSU at #2 Texas. I won't speculate on that game yet, but I am sure the folks at ABC are ready to cover that night game.

Welcome!!!

Thanks for checking out my blog! Those of you that know me are aware of my love for college sports, especially Ohio State football and basketball. I have setup this blog as way to display news, updates, opinions, etc regarding OSU sports.
I will provide my analysis of the teams throughout the season. Please remember I have a real job, so I will do my best to provide constant coverage but there are constraints. Oh and from time to time there may be grammatical or spelling errors. Your posted comments are welcome. I don't mind people with opposing opinions to my posts or to comments from other people, but be kind with your choice of words.
If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions please contact me.

Disclaimer: I do not work for Ohio State University and I am not connected to the Ohio State Athletic Department. I also do not work for any newspapers, radio stations, TV stations, or websites connected to college sports. This blog is purely for entertainment. I am not an expert, so please don't use my information for gambling purposes.