Monday Skull Session

First order of business: Shoutout to Michael T., a reader who came to my aid yesterday moving my mom's felled ash tree. He was the true M.V.P.

In other news: What's the opposite of a shoutout? Because that's what I give to the emerald ash borer, which is a dumb bug who should feel ashamed.

EXPECTATIONS DON'T MEAN JACK. If there is a historical parallel to the 2015 team, it's 1969.

From Bob Hunter of Dispatch.com:

The unofficial record for Ohio State football expectations was set in 1969. A 1968 team led by the so-called super sophomores had won all of its games, the Rose Bowl and the national championship, and everyone expected the Buckeyes to do it again.

The team is legendary in Ohio football circles. Until 2002, the ’68 team was Ohio State’s last football national champion, the first of three teams from 1968 to ’70 that went an incredible 27-2 and some actually think underachieved. 

It is nothing short of amazing, then, that the record on expectations already is being shattered by the 2015 team, months before the opener. But anyone who has lived through both eras knows that the times are mostly responsible.

Expectations don't mean shit, but then again, I don't get the feeling that the football team is looking to be crowned by media publications in May.

I feel the lesson of 1969 won't be lost on this team, because Urban Meyer is a student of history. Plus, ain't no way he's losing to Jim Harbaugh in their first showdown. (Fave this Tweet.)

A 2015 HYPE VIDEO. Folks... I'm going to play this one straight: It's the middle of May, and there isn't much going on that you haven't already read about. So here, take another 2015 hype video.

From Kevin Dunphy:

Here's a fact: The 2015 season is already closer now than before you watched that video.

FAUST WINS B!G GOLD. Another day, another Ohio State B1G title.

From OhioStateBuckeyes.com:

Senior Timothy Faust won the second Big Ten 200-meter title of his career on the final day of the 2015 Big Ten Outdoor Track & Field Championships Sunday at Ralph Young Field. Ohio State placed fourth as a team with 78 points.

Faust edged DJ Zahn of Illinois at the wire to win in a personal-best time of 20.34 seconds, the No. 3 time in the OSU indoor record book and the ninth-fastest time in Division I this season. The win marks the first individual outdoor title of the senior's career -- he previously won a gold medal in the indoor 200 as a sophomore in 2013. A native of Harvey, Ill., Faust also added a bronze medal in the 100-meter dash to his haul, posting a personal-best time of 10.32 seconds.

As a team, Ohio State collected a total of seven medals on the final day of competition -- one gold, three silver and three bronze. The team closed the meet with nine medals total, as senior Jackson Neff and freshman Zack Bazile won bronze medals on Saturday. 

If I ran 200 meters I would die. (Hot tip for the kids reading: When in doubt, self-deprecate.)

KELSEY MITCHELL BOWS OUT OF PAN-AM GAMES. Kelsey Mitchell was the other talented basketballing freshman at Ohio State this year, but it looks like she won't participate in the Pan-Am or World University Games.

From Jim Massie of Dispatch.com:

Ohio State guard Kelsey Mitchell withdrew this week from the USA Basketball trials for the upcoming Pan American and World University games.

"(She) wanted to focus on the classes she is taking this summer ... and didn't want to miss time away from the team," OSU coach Kevin McGuff said. "It was her decision, which I fully support."

Mitchell's Ohio State teammates Ameryst Alston and Alexa Hart are attending the trials in Colorado Springs, Col., at the United States Olympic training center.

At this point, I can't say I blame her. The Pan-Am Games and University World Games are not the Olympics, and Mitchell isn't yet compensated in American dollars. This is a no-brainer.

JOSH PERRY PLANTS A FLAG IN COSTA RICA. Here's Josh Perry bringing international Buckeyes into the fold during his charity trip to Costa Rica:

Here is one from yesterday- The kids about killed me for this flag... They love the Bucks too! pic.twitter.com/kMDrKzkSkm

— Joshua Edward Perry (@RIP_JEP) May 18, 2015

"Urban Meyer recruits thugs."

Never forget that was a real thing people tried to "warn" us about when Urban Meyer was hired.

THOSE WMDs. 36 Hours in Medellín, Colombia... The mathematically proven winning strategy for 14 of the most popular games... Other People's Playlists... Punchakshari... The Most Diverse Cities Are Often The Most Segregated.