Salutations Buckeye fans and welcome to your Sunday Skull Session. Also, congratulations to those Buckeyes graduating today.
I personally made the trek from New York to Columbus to see my little sister graduate and am really excited to spend the day back on campus, even though it will be 100 degrees in the house of all holy (aka Ohio Stadium). It's been about a year since I've truly been on campus for more than a few hours and commencement is a great occasion for the re-visit.
I vividly remember my graduation like it was yesterday, okay, it was only two years ago today but that one final rendition of Carmen, Ohio was one of the craziest and mixed emotional moments of my life. I was happy to be moving on to the next step, sad that I would no longer be an OSU student, and just confused about what lied ahead.
Carmen, Ohio surely is the ultimate swan song.
WE'RE ON A BOAT, FOR REAL. According to Marquette coach Buzz Williams, the Golden Eagles and the Buckeyes tentative novelty game on a Naval Ship for Veteran's Day has been confirmed.
Much like last year's North Carolina and Michigan State game which drew record TV ratings, the game will be played right off the coast of Charleston, South Carolina in honor of the nation's holiday.
Marquette was one of the Big East's top teams last year and this game only strengthens the Buckeye's schedule. The Bucks will play marquee out of conference games at Duke, Kansas at home, and Marquette before entering Big Ten play. Don't be shocked if Ohio State has a top strength of schedule when it's all said and done.
OH WILLY BOY. William Buford has been the farthest thing from impressive so far at the NBA Draft Combine. Buford, who is projected to be a mid-second round pick, may be slipping off the charts completely. According to scouts, Buford is seen as the same inconsistent player that we Buckeye fans witnessed for four seasons.
Buford apparently is in poor condition measuring 11.3% body fat, second highest only behind Texas' J'Covan Brown. Jared Sullinger, Buford's former big boned teammate, came in at 10.3% body fat and will likely be picked in the top 10.
Buford also is legitimately 6'4 without his shoes on. Buford has been listed at 6'6 during his days at OSU.
Hopefully Will can impress in other ventures during the combine accenting his strengths in jump-shooting and can show the scouts that he can easily transition to be a Big Ten role player.
BEST COACH AROUND. There has been much debate spurred by a recent ESPN blog post on the top coaching jobs in the Big Ten, ranking the Ohio State basketball coaching job 2nd behind Indiana and in-front of Michigan State.
Thad has done wonders for OSU HoopsSoon after, ESPN released their rankings for the top coaching jobs in the nation ranking the OSU job at #8.
8. Ohio State
Ohio State may not have the king-of-campus moniker of so many of its brethren on this list, but what it does have -- as Thad Matta has so successfully shown since taking over in 2004 -- is awfully desirable. The Buckeyes maintain a unique form of cultural dominance over the state of Ohio, reside in the 32nd-largest market in the country (people forget how big Columbus really is), and have the kind of big-ticket financial support from its filthy-rich athletic department (thanks, football!) that perhaps only Texas can match. That means great facilities, a great arena and the ability to recruit from across the Midwest on a yearly basis -- exactly what Matta has done to establish the Buckeyes as a yearly contender for a national title. Football school? Sure. But the natural advantages that extend to the OSU hoops program are simply too great to ignore.
The list is dominated by basketball schools with the Buckeyes ranked right ahead of Louisville and Arizona and right behind Duke and Syracuse. North Carolina is first, followed by UK.
There is not another athletic program even close to comparable to OSU, that is for sure. Most schools have one program and although Ohio State will always be a football school, the basketball program has jumped into the prestigious ranks with Thad Matta.
It's a great time to be a Buckeye.
'XTRA 'XTRA READ ALL ABOUT IT. Stud shooting guard from Boston, Wayne Selden, has reclassified from the 2014 team to 2013 and has OSU on his short-list. Long time Board of Trustees Member and Ohio State household name Les Wexner stepped down on Friday. Yahoo! is unveiling a list of the top 10 records that'll never be broken (basketball). Beggars can't be choosers: IU and Crean turn down chance to play Louisville after UK denies IU-UK game. Wisconsin's Jarrod Uthoff is transferring to Iowa after the whole no-transfer debacle (take that Bo!).
Sappy sign off: remember graduates, the seasons pass, the years will roll and Columbus will always be a second home. Unless of course, you decide to live there..then it's your permanent home. Congratulations to the class of 2012.
