Good day Buckeye Nation and welcome to today's Skull Session. We hope it's been one heck of a weekend so far.
Also, happy Father's Day to those Padres out there and my father specifically. It is his love for sports that has fueled mine and that common bond we share is as incomparable as "Script Ohio".
So for all the fathers out there old and new, this one is for you.
In other news, the Reds swept the Indians, Lebron and the Heat face Durant and OKC tonight for game 3 (series tied 1-1), and Sunday Tiger should be out in his traditional red polo as we begin to count down the days until September 1st's kick off with Miami-OH.
We'll keep you occupied here at 11W.
URBAN THE REDLEG. Coach Meyer and his son Nate threw out the first pitch at Great American Ball Park on Wednesday for the Battle of Ohio (Reds vs. Indians for those of you who didn't know). Awesomely, he was able to stick around and chat with the Fox Sports Ohio crew after the pitch.
Meyer, an Indian fan, told the story of playing baseball at University of Cincinnati, getting drafted in the 13th round by the Atlanta Braves then chasing the sport he really loved afterwards (football).
He did have a very nice heartfelt quote about his beloved Buckeyes after being asked if it was destiny to end up as the Ohio State head honcho:
I really thought I was done coaching for a lot of reasons. When this one opened up, if it wasn't for Ohio State, I wouldn't be coaching. That's the love I have for this university. I have a degree from Ohio State. I'm sitting here watching the Indians play the Reds, I am an Indians fan, and I am the head coach of Ohio State. It's full circle and a pretty good deal.
Check the full video and commentary here.
HOOPS UPDATE VIA TXT. Starting at 12:01 am Friday morning, college basketball coaches became enabled to text message and make unlimited phone calls to recruits who finished their Sophomore years. It seems that Thad Matta was quick to his smart phone to try to get a first word in with multiple recruits.
His first call or text looks like it was to 2014 standout SG D'Angelo Russell (6-4/185) from Montverde, Florida:
Ohio State and Indiana both hit D'Angelo Russell right at midnight...
— Evan Daniels (@EvanDanielsFOX) June 15, 2012
Matta then checked in with 2013 F Jordan Mickey (6-7/210) from Arlington, TX (visited a few weeks ago):
Top 25 '13 forward Jordan Mickey just visited several schools and told InsideTheVille.com Louisville and Ohio State "really stuck out."
— Mike Hughes (@ITVHughes) June 15, 2012
And also wanted to get a first word in with another Florida SG in Orlando's Adonys Henriquez (6-4/180), who heard from Matta just after midnight:
2014 SG Adonys Henriquez @ProBound23 has heard from Alabama, Butler, FSU, Miami, Ohio St, Ole Miss, Stanford & others per @SECBballRecruit
— Hoops Recruits (@HOOPSrecruits) June 15, 2012
Matta seems to be really working hard to make a good impression on recruits down south. He has a lot of room to get a few early commitments from the class of '13 and '14.
I COULD CARE LESS. Jared Sullinger is projected to be a top-10 draft pick and could be the 7th first round pick for the Buckeyes since 2006, which is a tremendous feat for Thad Matta.
Just because Sullinger has such high ratings, it doesn't keep scouts and analysts from ragging on Sullinger's athleticism.
Sullinger had this response to critics in this Friday's Boston Herald:
"I was hearing it when I was in college, I was hearing it in high school, I was hearing it in middle school," Sullinger said. "I’m just one of those type of guys that’s never going to be athletic. Athleticism does not bother me. I don’t need it to be good."
Sullinger also had this to say to those who knock on his athleticism:
"I couldn't care less."
Maybe Zach Novak has something to say on Sullinger's athleticism.
CLICKS OF THE WEEK. The top 20 most meaningful bowl games of all time via CBS Sports (OSU wins make the top 10, twice!). If the B1G schools were Family Guy characters. Sullinger looks to be solid at #7 to the Warriors (Yahoo!). A history of #1 Rivals football recruits doesn't make Terrelle Pryor look that bad. A cool look at the top-10 college basketball players in the NBA Finals by ESPN. Nation's #1 football prospect commits to Clemson (at least it's not Alabama). Florida and Georgetown schedule a Naval Ship game that Makes OSU and Marquette's a little less exciting. Those of you who attended graduation in the 'Shoe can relate to this.
And once again... Happy Father's Day. We hope it's a great one.
