I'm pleased to announce that I am alive.
For those of you who woke up and waited expectantly for a Saturday Skull Session that never published, I am truly sorry.
I assume most of y'all concluded I was dead, fired or forgot to schedule it, but none of those are true! The Saturday Skull Session is simply a casualty of the offseason. We won't be running it until the Bucks are back on the field.
I know, I know. But it's Monday now, so let's get to it.
ICYMI
- Damon Arnette's change of plans.
- Ohio State beats Indiana.
- The Buckeyes won because of "a prayer" and a dunk.
- Expect big things from Ohio State's less heralded prospects.
- Jack Miller is headed to the Elite 11 Finals.
Word of the Day: Baleful.
BUCKEYES GOING DANCING? I'm no bracketologist – or bracketeerer if you're a Fox Sports loyalist – but I thought this weekend's game was enormous for Ohio State's NCAA Tournament chances.
Win, they're probably in. Lose, they're probably out.
And as you know...
ANDRE WESSON HAMMER FOR THE WIN! BUCKEYES ESCAPE BLOOMINGTON WITH ANOTHER W!#WWWinningStreak pic.twitter.com/w1Vsp9C1JI
— The NutHouse (@BuckeyeNutHouse) February 10, 2019
Before that win, ESPN's bracketology had Ohio State projected as a No. 9 seed (with a potential second-round matchup with Duke, which I imagine would go splendidly). And a road win against a bubble team adds to that resume.
If the Buckeyes win the games they should win in the next month or so, they should be in good shape. If they can steal some they shouldn't, they could be even better shape.
AAF AF. Maybe it's the football withdrawals talking, but I can't say enough good things about the new Alliance of American Football.
And it starts with Jalin Marshall absolutely owning the Alliance while playing for a team conveniently named after my favorite campus gyro location.
Marshall scored the first touchdown in AAF history:
Jalin Marshall scores the first touchdown in AAF history. pic.twitter.com/pd7xZZmu5e
— Eleven Warriors (@11W) February 10, 2019
But people forget he played quarterback in high school:
The Orlando Special
— Orlando Apollos (@aafAPOLLOS) February 10, 2019
#TakeAim | #ORLvsATL pic.twitter.com/AiDcvILBF7
But even if a former Buckeye didn't establish himself as the league's commissioner in week one, I would still be in love.
For starters, they refer to the booth referee as the "Sky Judge," which is essentially a loose synonym for God, and they broadcast the entire review process for extreme transparency, which we all know the NFL wants absolutely no part of.
In @TheAAF, you'll get to hear the referees during a replay review. pic.twitter.com/PdDsTTmQdx
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) February 10, 2019
And perhaps the best part: Christian Hackenberg is ass in this league as well! Who would have thought?
Imagine not having football in mid February. What the hell did we do?
IT WAS AN ACCIDENT! Here I was thinking Clemson got caught giving its players performance enhancing drugs, but boy did I rush to judgement. It turns out, it was all just an accident.
Gene Sapakoff of The Post and Courier:
CLEMSON — Clemson officials still don’t know or aren’t saying how three football players tested positive for an illegal performance-enhancing drug prior to the Dec. 29 Cotton Bowl. But as the program continues to appeal the suspensions, head coach Dabo Swinney acknowledged it could have come from within — mistakenly.
...
“Oh yeah, I mean, there’s a chance that it could come from anything,” Swinney said when asked if it’s possible the players ingested ostarine in a Clemson-issued supplement. “They’re going to test everything and look at everything. And that’s the problem. As you really look at this stuff, it could be a contaminant that came from anything, that was something that was cleared and not a problem, and all of a sudden, it becomes there was something."
I have nothing but empathy and would like to formally apologize for ever doubting Dabo.
I'm sure they keep all sorts of supplements and medications around for perfectly legitimate and innocent reasons, including ... *squints eyes* ... "a product used to boost muscle growth and prevent muscle wasting, which is a result you would normally expect from steroids."
Dabo's clearly a frustratingly good football coach and recruiter and I'll always remember him greeting me at the end of a cross-country road trip by napalming my favorite sports team right before my eyes, but he'll never earn my begrudging respect until he ditches his honest and humble schtick and embraces the vile villain role.
MATT BARNES DOES A GOOD TWEET. If y'all were worried the football staff's Twitter game would take a hit under the new regime, I don't really think that's a concern.
Hoping to clarify some of the questions from Wednesdays press conference... @CoachJeffHafley #assistantsecondarycoach? #assistantTOTHEsecondarycoach #gettingusedtothewholeextremelylonghashtagthingbutalsolovingit pic.twitter.com/2fwEhPNJSp
— Matt Barnes (@CoachMattBarnes) February 9, 2019
I think he's going to fit in just fine.
A LEGEND PASSES. It's my extreme displeasure to share with y'all that the world's most legendary Michigan beater has passed.
I cant tell you how upsetting this is to write.
— Jerod Smalley (@JerodNBC4) February 10, 2019
Our friend, Grant Reed, passed this morning. After several bouts with cancer over the course of nearly a decade, hes finally at peace.
He fought Michigan & never lost. Never.
Spare a kind thought for his family. Screw cancer. pic.twitter.com/KqFsvELW6Z
If you remember, Grant once named a tumor "Michigan" as motivation to beat it. And he did.
Salute, Grant. Your legend will live on, I'll make sure of that.
LINK LOCKER. Columbus man overdoses, then steals police car after they revive him... Scientists worry brain-wasting "zombie deer" disease could spread to humans... Why the Grammy's sound amazing and sometimes go wrong... Heat slows you down, even when it's not real...
