Good morning Buckeye faithful and welcome to your Tuesday Skull Session.
Well, life without football begins. Proceed to your hibernation chambers until the pig skin season is back upon us.
In all seriousness, though, if anyone has any suggestions on how I can entertain myself this time of the year, feel free to chime in.
Anyway, enough moping around, let's get started:
PLAYOFFS GAIN MOMENTUM IN B1G. Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany has been responsible for shooting down the idea of a college football playoff since taking over as commissioner many times, but it appears as though his thoughts may be changing.
The Plain Dealer reports that the B1G conference is open to the idea of a four-team playoff to determine who gets to play in college football's national title game.
The idea being pondered right now is very similar to what most have expected. Instead of the #1 and#2 teams in the BCS going to the title game, both teams would host the #4 and #3 teams at home, respectively.
Doug Lesmerises writes in his article about the exciting prospect of SEC teams playing at Big Ten stadiums during the cold of winter. This new format would certainly create some incredible matchups and memorable games.
Unfortunately, however, the Big Ten first needs to get back into the national title picture to be involved in such a playoff. As Lesmerises points out, the B1G conference hasn't had a team finish in the top four of the BCS final standings in the last four years.
Either way, I am for this new idea because the BCS Bowl system is currently unfair the way it stands. The national title game is always usually a hot debate in which someone always feels cheated. This playoff proposal will at least get things moving in the right direction.
I LIKE THIS MEYER GUY. Ever since Meyer accepted the head coaching job at OSU, no one doubted he would be a great recruiter. But if you ever wanted to know the magic behind how he gets his recruits, you should just read his quotes from a recent speech he gave to approximately 1,000 Ohio high school football coaches.
Tim May of the Columbus Dispatch wrote about the passion with which Meyer spoke to the groomers of football talent in the state of Ohio. May writes that Meyer's speech gave high school coaches a glimpse of the intensity of playing for the two-time national championship winning coach.
In his speech, Meyer stressed the importance of being a teacher and not just a presenter. It seems as though Meyer was recruiting these coaches just as he was a player, even frequently asking coaches questions about his presentation he was giving in the middle of it.
This is why I love Meyer as a recruiter. He understands the key to attracting top talent is not just speaking to the players themselves, but also letting their coaches know that the player they worked so hard to develop will be playing for the right guy. This speech he gave will hopefully be the beginning of Meyer's efforts to keep the best Ohio players home for their college careers.
"He said, 'No lawyer or doctor ever approached the top of the ladder in his profession who did not have a love, and have an enthusiasm, and a self-constant urging him higher,' " Meyer said. " 'Likewise, no man can be a football player who does not love the game.' "
I have learned to love the playoff.
HOW THE MIGHT HAVE FALLEN, AGAIN. Former Buckeye quarterback Art Schlichter will have his sentencing postponed in a case of a ticket-selling scheme so he has more time to have his mental health assessed.
Schlichter is currently being held in prison after violating his bond conditions when he tested positive for cocaine. The former Indianapolis Colts quarterback is also requesting to receive drug abuse counseling after his sentence becomes official.
Hopefully, after Schlichter serves his time, he will be able to put his criminal past behind him just as Maurice Clarett has been able to.
DECISIONS, DECISIONS. Four-star prospect Stefon Diggs will make his decision on where he will play college football on Friday, according to Gatorsports.com.
Diggs is reportedly choosing between front runners Ohio State, Florida, and is also now considering Maryland after a visit to the school last weekend. The wide receiver out of Good Counsel High School in Maryland last visited OSU on Jan. 27.
Diggs would be a welcome addition after the Buckeyes discontinued their courtship of wide receiver Davonte Neal.
BUCKEYE BASKETBALL. Ohio State is ranked #3 in this week's edition of the NCAA Men's Basketball Coaches Poll. The top five rounded out with #1 Kentucky, #2 Syracuse, #4 Missouri, and #5 North Carolina.
The Buckeyes will face off against Purdue tonight, and will play #12 Michigan State in a highly anticipated matchup against what many consider the Big Ten's next best team behind OSU. Both of these games will be played at the Schottenstein Center.
LOS LINKS. Buckeye baseball, anyone?... Missouri creates three-way tie in Big 12 in hoops... Rivals.com includes Fickell and Vrabel as nation's top 25 recruiters... Ohio State basketball features power game over shooting finesse... Is there anyone else you can look up to, Kyrie Irving?
