Hello and welcome to the Skull Session. What was your favorite part of Memorial Day weekend? Mine was beating some friends at mini golf, but barbecuing some veggies on the grill was a blast as well1.
The men's tennis program, which came very close to a national title last week, can now boast a national champion after Blaz Rola defeated Virginia's Jamere Jenkins 7-6, 6-4 to become the 2013 NCAA Men's Tennis Singles Champion.
Rola is a junior, which makes him coming back in 2014 to try to repeat a possibility.
One must keep up with the Joneses, and after Michigan scored a commitment on Sunday from Jabrill Peppers (ESPN's #2 overall 2014 prospect), OSU's pursuit of Da'Shawn Hand, the top recruit in the country, feels more like one-upsmanship. Fortunately, Hand visiting Columbus for Ohio State's Nike Football Training Camp this Saturday date is a sign that the Buckeyes are still in the running for his services.
As for present Buckeyes, Bradley Roby, who with Ryan Shazier is on some preseason watch lists, is trying to live up to the hype. Meeting Ray Lewis, as Roby did this weekend, helps the hype aspect of it. With any luck, Lewis passed on some good advice like, "when you tackle somebody, wrap them up but also try hitting them really hard."
OSU BASEBALL SNUBBED. The NCAA baseball tournament field was announced yesterday, and OSU baseball was left out in what felt like an inevitable outcome. OSU baseball was on the tourney bubble going into this weekend, but a 1-2 result at the Big Ten Tournament after a couple weeks of of anemic offense against top shelf competition kept the Buckeyes out.
In a disappointing result for the Big Ten, only Indiana and Illinois made the field, though Indiana did get its own regional. Some observers thought Ohio State had a better chance of getting into the tournament than Illinois, but Illinois's superior RPI made a difference. Like Ohio State, Michigan State and Nebraska were also in contention for the tournament.
For Ohioans searching for a rooting preference, look no further than Bowling Green. After winning the Mid-American Conference tournament, Bowling Green is both the only team from Ohio and the only team with a losing record in the field. It would take a minor miracle for them to reach the College World Series, but Kent State's run last year shows that it's possible.
RUTGERS AD STAYS ON. New Rutgers athletic director Julie Hermann, who has been accused of abusing players while coaching volleyball at Tennessee, has Rutgers's support and will not resign her post. From Rutgers's news release:
Rutgers was deliberative at every stage of this process. Over the course of the search, Julie's record established her as a proven leader in athletics administration with a strong commitment to academic success as well as athletic excellence, and a strong commitment to the well-being of student athletes. Since the announcement of her selection, some media reports have focused on complaints about aspects of her early career. Looking at Julie’s entire record of accomplishment, which is stellar, we remain confident that we have selected an individual who will work in the best interests of all of our student athletes, our athletics teams and the university.
Hermann replaced Tim Pernetti after his forced resignation in response to his handling of basketball coach Mike Rice's abuse of players. Hermann, who would be one of few female athletic directors at a major athletic program, has been backed by from former colleagues, but reconciling that with her resignation sixteen years ago after all of her players signed a letter accusing her of calling them "whores, alcoholics and learning disabled" is difficult.
Bradley Roby and Ray Lewis.I-71 SERIES GETS HEATED. The Indians and Reds played the first game of their interdivision series on Memorial Day. Two Ohio pro teams being good at the same time happens once in a blue moon, so the series has a bit more heat to it. A lot more heat, actually.
The Reds won 4-2 on the strength of a lead-off home run from Shin-Soo Choo (traded from the Indians to the Reds) and a two run Joey Votto homer in the eighth inning2. In the ninth inning, Aroldis Chapman's wild pitches near former Buckeye Nick Swisher's head ticked off Swisher and the Indians.
The Indians and Reds play three more games this week, so there could be some kind of retaliation for Swisher's near-beaning.
LUNT, THE HOTTEST NAME AROUND. Following quarterback Everett Golson's departure from the team, Notre Dame is in need of a quarterback. Enter former Oklahoma State player Wes Lunt:
The situation is tenuous, but Lunt is also rumored to be considering Illinois as a transfer destination. After being injustly barred from a bajillion schools by paranoid coach Mike Gundy, good for Lunt for being desired at a few major spots. And no disrespect to Cincinnati, but Gunner Kiel must be kicking himself right now (though he could still hypothetically play for Notre Dame this year).
EAT YOUR HEART OUT, NIELS BOHR. The SEC is better than anyone at shameless self-promotion, but it's not kumbayah all the time. The conference is losing attendance despite its fans being touted as the most passionate and loyal anywhere, and the conference's cross-division permanent games caused some concern about scheduling equality specifically from LSU. It was difficult to have fair scheduling with 12 teams and even more with 14 teams.
The crossover issue won't be as much trouble for the Big Ten under the new divisions, especially if the rumored parity-based scheduling comes to pass, but LSU's unhappiness could presage trouble in the soon-to-be 14 team Big Ten.
Noted wordsmith Les Miles had something to say on the subject (emphasis added):
Brando: If I would've told you in the last 13 years, you would've played non-divisional opponents Florida and Georgia, you've played them 17 times. And Alabama has played them eight times. What would you say to that?
Miles: I'd have to say we have a scheduling quark there...
Les Miles's lexicon is certainly strange, but you must admit its charm.
LINKS AHOY. This research paper on Kirk Herbstreit's departure from Columbus sounds pretty hacky... Mike Conley is out of the playoffs after the Spurs sweep to the Finals... Tim Duncan realizing he has arms... Spartan Stadium cake looks elaborate and delicious... Better than Marginally Tasty Crackers... Why must you vex Greg Oden, The Onion?... Could LeBron James be an NFL quarterback? Better that than an NHL player... and turning your back(side) on the opponent.
- 1 This isn't factual, it's intended meant to make barbecue purists twitch.
- 2 Paul Daugherty's piece in SI about Votto not being a great hitter looks even dumber, as it should.
