The NFL is back, thank God Almighty, the NFL is back. Some folks — like Hypocritical Me when it comes to NBA and NCAABB — think fandom of NCAAF and NFL can't coexist within the same person. I appreciate both games for their differences and their perks.
For me, crystballing the NFL is about as easy as CFB this year. I'm on record saying the Ohio State Buckeyes will finish 14-0. Let me go on and also say this: the Cleveland Browns are about to gang-bust on the NFL this year. People have been asleep on the Browns since they've made their gallant return affixed to white steeds, and that ends this year.
It's a golden era for Ohio football; so I see why Brady Hoke carries slabs of salted beef about it. Somebody toss me my shades before I go blind looking at these trophies headed to the the Great River. Damn, it feels good to be Buckeye.
URBAN MEYER CALL-IN SHOW INFO DUMP. Yesterday, Urban Meyer had his call-in show where he said some things:
On call-in show, Urban Meyer said Michael Bennett is Ohio State's best practice player. Said D-line will continue to get better and better.
— Kyle Rowland (@KyleRowland) September 5, 2013
Meyer said Joey Bosa and Dontre Wilson were the true freshmen that really stuck out to him on Saturday.
— Kyle Rowland (@KyleRowland) September 5, 2013
Interestingly, Bosa and Wilson didn't grade out as champions. Vonn Bell did. Bell finished with three tackles on special teams.
— Kyle Rowland (@KyleRowland) September 5, 2013
"I expect them to be the best in the Big Ten, and they were not on Saturday." -Urban on the offensive line.
— Kyle Rowland (@KyleRowland) September 5, 2013
Meyer said Jordan Hall is the best practice player on offense. Obviously it translated to the game against Buffalo.
— Kyle Rowland (@KyleRowland) September 5, 2013
Meyer said Eli Apple did not have a great training camp. Apple isn't on special teams, still a ways away from playing on defense.
— Kyle Rowland (@KyleRowland) September 5, 2013
Meyer said Tim Tebow's jump pass will be seen this season, possibly Saturday against San Diego State.
— Kyle Rowland (@KyleRowland) September 5, 2013
Urban said you can disregard SDSU's loss to Eastern Illinois. "We'll see a top 25 team come in here."
— Kyle Rowland (@KyleRowland) September 5, 2013
Jalin Marshall dealt with a concussion during camp, which put him behind. But Urban Meyer has good things to say. He'll be a contributor.
— Kyle Rowland (@KyleRowland) September 5, 2013
Urban says there will be more aggressive coverage this week with return of Roby (and Barnett). Players said the same thing this week.
— Kyle Rowland (@KyleRowland) September 5, 2013
The only caller to grade out as a champion this week was this guy:
Caller on 97.1 The Fan ends his question to Urban Meyer with, "Love you, brother."
— Lori Schmidt (@LoriSchmidt) September 5, 2013
OHIO STATE IS DEGRADING THE BEST UNIS IN COLLEGE SPORTS AGAIN. The most troubling news to come out of Urban's call-in show, however, was Ohio State will again be wearing "alternate" uniforms against "a rival" this year. We all know "alternate jerseys" are a euphemism for some abomination fresh off a Nike design intern's canvas, and I am "sports pissed" about it. I'm normally one to spit on tradition, but Ohio State's jerseys are borderline military regalia. There's no reason to ever alter them in any major way. (I do like the Buckeye leaves across the collar, for what it's worth.)
This story, however, gets even graver:
New Ohio State Black jersey available now!! Special retail edition! @Uniformswag @buckeye_nation pic.twitter.com/Y3WTR6BD6d
— The Buckeye Room (@BuckeyeRoom) September 5, 2013
Is this a money grab by Ohio State and Nike, or is this the future "alternate" jersey and Ohio State is moving on the "black jersey" fad nearly a decade after it was cool? Either way, I'm disgusted. The fact "@uniformswag" was tagged in this tweet tells you everything you need to know. This looks like something Justin Bieber rock in the club before passing out in the VIP area after three shots of 60-proof Smirnoff Vodka.
Look, I get recruits and grown men who buy jerseys are bedazzled by these things, but seriously, teens' tastes are inherently awful and adults who buy jerseys think Miller Lite ranks above deer urine as an acceptable beverage of choice. Are these the tastes to which Ohio State wants to cater? Especially when it tramples over the greatest uniforms in college sports?
YOU'RE. GOD. DAMN. RIGHT.#1 POUND-FOR-POUND BUCKEYE FAN? Here's an interesting story, via the Dispatch, that involves an Ohio State superfan that doesn't paint himself like a clown and have a knack for always being in front of a television camera:
Neither snow nor sore knees nor out-of-town weddings can keep John Crawford from an Ohio State home football game.
His attendance streak entered its 71st year at the Buffalo game on Saturday. He has been at every home game since Ohio State beat Illinois on Nov. 13, 1943.
“It just got to be a habit, I guess,” said Crawford, 82.
He skipped weddings to attend football games? What a boss. I've never understood people who complain about fall weddings — one, because only a few folks have ever been foolish enough to invite me to their wedding and two, because there's no way I would attend a fall wedding in the first place. Sorry, but you're obviously no kin of mine. I'll send you some Tupperware and scrawl "MAZEL TOV!" onto a napkin or whatever it is people gift to people getting married these days.
Seventy-one straight years of attending home football games is something I can't even fathom. Those expenses have to run in the tens of thousands of dollars don't they? (I've never had a comma involved in my bank account so it's tough for me to project these numbers.)
HE'S THE ONE WHO GOES FOR TWO. I love t-shirt peddlers on Lane Avenue during game days because they're trying to capture the American spirit in a bottle and run with it. I think these street hustlers have really outdone themselves with this one. (H/T to @buckeyejammer):
A LOOK AT THE ENEMY. It might be hard for Ohio State fans to envision, but Urban Meyer has indeed lost a football game in his career. Rocky Long, who will lead the San Diego State Aztecs into the Horseshoe on Saturday, is one of the few men to have claimed victory over Urban Meyer (albeit when he was at Utah and Long was at New Mexico; final score: 47-35).
The San Diego Union-Tribune's and 11W Dubcast guest, Stefanie Loh, had an article looking back at it:
Meyer remembers the game, and willingly admits that Long’s defense got the better of his offense.
“They got after us pretty good, and our defense took a beating on that day that I’m not sure our defense has ever taken before,” Meyer said. “(Long) has a very creative, disruptive style of defense and that hasn’t changed now. I have a lot of respect for him as a head coach.”
Long, however, won’t take credit for having beaten Meyer.
“That’s a fallacy, that we out-schemed them,” Long said. “It’s funny how different coaches see those things differently. I have yet to see a coach win a football game… Players have to execute your schemes. I didn’t have anything to do with beating Urban Meyer that day, that was all the players.”
Rocky Long seems like a pretty classy guy, but here's to hoping his team is reduced to an ashen heap on Saturday.
YOM KIPPUR BET'NOT SPOIL ALABAMA OR AUBURN FOOTBALL. I'm not Jewish, so I don't know how Yom Kippur ranks compared to college football. I'm just going to leave this here without comment:
GREG ODEN HAUNTS ROY HIBBERT. Finally, this makes me laugh:
People show me a lot love. Then 2 mins in2 the convo they realize I'm not Greg Oden. Yup story of my life at any airport outside of Indy.
— Roy Hibbert (@Hoya2aPacer) September 5, 2013
THOSE WMDs. Columbus man takes to YouTube to admit to DUI killing... Students at OSU can tryout for the women's basketball male practice squad... Who said it: an NFL coach or dictator?... 13 schoolworkers, librarians charged in textbook-theft ring... NFL offenses are "specifically creating plays to exploit new safety rules"... #1 Stunna Vin Scully will be the Rose Parade Grand Marshall... Doug Lesmeries talks with #2 Stunna Jim Tressel... Phones are better than people... BANGER SONG OF THE SUMMER... Declassified FBI vault reveals files on Hemingway, Marilyn Monroe and other icons... 15 historical complaints about young people ruining everything... A Russian family was cutoff from communication for 40 years... How Ohio is keeping snakes off the highway...
