Happy Saturday y’all. I’d like everyone to go ahead and virtually raise your hand if you’re as excited as I am that in six weeks Buckeye football will be here in full force. Less than 2 months, BELIEVE IT.
The offseason has been long and arduous, but the light is at the end of the tunnel folks. That’s real talk and I aint playin wicha.
THROWS CHAIR IN EXCITEMENT. Recently it was announced Buckeye basketball great and coaching legend Bob Knight would be enshrined in the 2012 Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame. He will be joining the 2012 class as the hall’s first ever recipient of the “lifetime achievement” honor.
Knight was a three year letterman for the Buckeyes where he averaged 3.8 points and 2.1 rebounds per game as a forward off the bench. Knight left Ohio State in 1962, enlisted in the Army and became an assistant coach for the Army Black Knights (fitting). Knight went on to become the head coach at West Point before accepting the head coaching position at Indiana University in 1971.
It was there that Coach Knight truly began to build his legend. This from the Ozone’s Brandon Castel:
Intensity personified.
Nicknamed “The General” for his harsh coaching methods and disciplinarian nature, Knight would become one of the most divisive figures in all of college basketball. He led the Hoosiers to 662 wins, including 22 seasons of 20 or more wins—a remarkable .735 winning percentage.He led Indiana to five NCAA Final Four appearances and three NCAA Championships (1976, ‘81 and ‘87), including the last undefeated season (32-0) in major college basketball back in 1975-76.
Knight will add the hardware to his growing collection of hall of fame swag. In 1991 he was enshrined in the Naismith memorial Hall of Fame and in 2011 he was inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame.
The class, which includes Buckeye great Mike Vrabel, will be inducted on Sept. 14th and introduced during halftime of the Cal game on Sept. 15.
THINGS YOU'RE OBLIGATED TO SAY. During day two of SEC media days in Hoover, Ala., Alabama Head Football Coach Nick Saban was quoted as saying the following regarding the Crimson Tide’s first game on the schedule:
“Playing a great opponent like Michigan the first game of the season really enhances your players’ work ethic and preparation in the off-season, because they know they’re going to play a top-notch team right off the bat, and that’s very challenging…That’s been the reasoning behind it, and it’s worked out well for us. But we know that Michigan’s going to have an outstanding team, and it’s going to be a very challenging game for us this year.”
Alright, I’ll admit that UM as the first game on the schedule is more challenging than the cupcakes most powerhouses play in early September, but seriously does anyone think this is even going to resemble a game?
It’s been said time and time again on this site, but Michigan might be the most overrated team in college football heading into the 2012 season. They played a schedule full of down teams and cupcakes and came out with an 10-2 regular season record (that could have been 8-4 had the miracle at Notre Dame not happened and Braxton connected on any of a number of throws to wide open receivers streaking past UM DB’s…but I digress).
The boys up North then went on to play a Virginia Tech team that was easily the softest BCS opponent in the mix, where they squeaked out an OT victory to crown Brady Hoke as the greatest NCAA college football coach over 600 lbs.
Saban and Bama know Michigan is confident, but I also think they know UM isn’t a great football team. Saban is in full coach speak mode, when saying the whole “a very challenging game for us” bit, but my guess is he can’t wait to knock UM off their high horse.
What’s your prediction for this game? I wont give mine just yet, but I will tell you I think Michigan loses big (along with three other games on their 2012 schedule).
DID YOU SEE WHAT SHE WAS WEARING!?. Ozone guest contributor Andrew Lind put together an interesting piece compiling a conference-by-conference gander at the myriad new uniform looks fans will see from teams in 2012.
Highlights include Rutgers’ chrome helmets, Illinois minimally slick matte blue domes and Notre Dame’s Irish flag cleats.
The WOW I CAN’T BELIVE THEY’RE CONSIDERING WEARING THAT award goes to Iowa’s disgusting throwback unis, Maryland’s “State Pride” Jerseys (not new but they still make the players look like QR codes so we'll keep making fun of them) , and Ohio State’s rumored chrome diamond plated helmet. If the Buckeyes actually wear these I’ll probably boycott the game (for at least the first few minutes) while Woody tosses in his grave. UGH.
POP UP VIDEO. Cleveland.com’s Glenn Moore recently spoke with the Plain Dealer’s Buckeye beat writer Doug Lesmerises to discuss who he’s got winning the leader’s division, the excitement around Urban Meyer in Columbus, and what should be done regarding Joe Paterno’s Statue in Happy Valley.
Take a look see.
COME ON DOWN TO THE SKATIN' LINK. The Kool-Aid Man visits the Great Wall of China...just to show self-restraint. This is what you call misguided social media management. MMMMMM Burger King lettuce with a hint of sneaker salt. Babies dressed as food. Here's a bit of real talk for your Saturday.
