I noticed something pretty funny, and i was wondering if anybody else picked up on it. The 'block O' student section, the one right behind one of the hoops, well, theyre like any other student section at a college basketball game. except i see them all wearing big red scarves, and even chanting things like "oh when the bucks go marching in". now maybe theyve been doing this for years, and correct me if im wrong, but its the first time *I* noticed anything about it, or noticed any sort of "soccer-influence" or whatever. now, granted, im sure posting this will send andy (is he still around) into a flippin rage about how those devilish buckeyes have stolen something from the sacred sport of soccer. but i think its cool.
OSU basketball I know OSU is pretty bad this year, but wait until next year. Jamar Butler and Matt Terwillinger should contribute right away and maybe get OSU basketball on the right track again. I don't know if any of you go to the games, but just be patient, help is coming.
Re: OSU basketball Wasn't that the mantra for this year? Just wait for Stockman and Sullinger? They will still stink next year.
Please. I've been to all but a couple of his home games since probably about 7th grade. (I go to Shawnee). If you say he is the next Lebron, that's overrating him. But he is the best player in Ohio and should start for OSU right away, which isn't saying much.
Yeah, I don't get it. O'Brien was supposed to be the next great thing. Seems like the only thing he's ever done is recruit Scooney Penn at BC and then get him to transfer. Hell, I liked Randy Ayers better than this loser. How much longer before they pull the plug and admit he sucks?
how quickly OSU fans forget how much O'Brien has done with so little. True, this years team is talented. On paper. The Crew last year were supposed to be the most talented team in the league. On paper. One thing not going in O'Brien's favor is that the *top players* (Sullinger, Stockman) play nothing but street ball, consisting of off balance slop and a lack of defense. Watching Wisconson outplay, hustle, and defend us was just depressing. My glasses may be rose colored, but if this club ever becomes a team then i think they could make some noise. truth be told, i would boot off stockman and sullinger way before i give O'Brien walking papers.
As a IU fan, I'd like to thank OSU for giving our season the kickstart it needed. Not that I believe IU is actually very good yet, but somehow they are in first place.
Um...2 regular season Big Ten championships, 1 Big Ten Tournament Championship, 2 Big Ten Tournament Championship game appearances, 4 NCAA Tournament apperances in a row OSU record, 1 Final Four. Obbie has proven his worth, with and without Scoonie and Redd. If his message ever gets to the thick skulls of Stockman and Sullinger you better watch out for OSU. Easily the best coach in Big Ten, now that Knight is gone. Of course you would have fired Knight after that 83 or 84 season or whenever that was two years before he won the National Championship. I won't let you "Jeff Cunningham" my boy obbie. Hell If OSU was interested in recruiting the dregs of society, then yeah they could have kept Ayres or even worse they could have brought in that waste of life Bob Huggins like was talked about. I'd bet you'd be very happy with Huggins.
I miss Gary Williams. And Ayers is very well regarded in the NBA. He'll get a head coach spot one of these days (if the GM's and Owners decide to stop just swapping Van Gundy, Wilkins et al around and go get some fresh blood) Randy's main problem was he couldn't keep his guys out of jail, actually attending a class once in awhile and do something besides drive to the basket.
I'd take Obrien over Mike Davis, no questions asked. Ayers does have a head coaching job in the NBA, he and iverson are busy running the sixers into the ground.
I don't like OSU basketball, so I think it's funny watching them struggle and listen to fans start to rise up against O'Brien. I wonder if his assistants will get disciplined for confronting that fan last light with the "The wrong coach O'Brien resigned" sign.
Yeah, but at least the other one I feel sorry for: "Hey Coach, we're trading your best veteran leaders who play defense, rebound and play hard all the time, and you're getting Ricky "Take 50 shots a night" Davis in return" "Oh, and Chris "The White Manute Bol" Mihm too!" They're just lucky he resigned instead of blowing his brains out all over the parquet floor.
This issue with OSU Bball isn't O'Brien's coaching. He is a hell of a coach. Not the best coach in the Big Ten. Tom Izzo and Gene Keady (although Purdue isn't what they used to be) can claim that for themselves, but I would put him at least in a tie for 3rd. The issue with OSU B-Ball is O'Brien's philosophy. People in this town expect a winner. Geiger was sick of OSU cagers getting arrested, doing drugs, and not going to class, so he hired someone who wouldn't tolerate any of those things. However, O'Brien also won't tolerate recruiting any player who might leave the program in a couple of years. He wants 4 year guys. Only 4 year guys. He isn't willing to go after too many blue chip prospects like some other coaches in the Big Ten or in the country. O'Brien and Geiger have decided that mediocrity is acceptable for this program so thats what everyone will get. Don't get me wrong I think educating kids in college is more important than winning hoops games, but don't expect a winner. They also built a nice new arena and promptly took any emotion out of the crowd by the way its designed and where the students are sitting. Really, would you rather play in Cameron Indoor which only seats 9,000 but is the best atmosphere for college basketball in the country or play in a overly massive building (have you been in Nationwide? now that's more along the lines of how it should have been built) with crappy sight-lines, never sells out, and the students can't make much of an impact? So until the AD wises up and makes some serious changes to the program and its philosophy I don't think you will see a consistently competitive team.
After completely running Dayton's basketball program into the ground I can't ever feel sorry for him. I know that's mean and petty, but that's how I feel.
Whatever, I just don't see how 4 NCAA tournament bids out of 7 years is settling for mediocrity. Nor 2 big ten Championships and 1 Final Four appearence. You know how many NCAA schools would kill to be mediocre in your definition? What O'Brien realizes is this is a football school in a football state. He is neither given the resourses to go out and bring in 5 blue chipers a year, nor is he in a state that produces many blue chipers. O'Brien takes the best he can find with the resources he is given and for the most part wins with it. This year's team is extreamly talented, probably the most talented OSU has had since the Sconnie/Redd years, but they are missing a Sconnie Penn or Brian Brown that made those teams great. If someone steps up, this year or next year in that role OSU basketball will be right back on top with O'Brien.
If you think that O'Brien doesn't have the resources you are selling yourself short on that issue. OSU is the 2nd biggest university in this country, has one of the highest athletic apparel contracts in the country, and they still can't get top level recruits. Its not because they won't come here, its because they aren't being pursued. O'Brien has said publicly a number of times that he has NO desire to recruit guys that might bail in a year or two. I don't think anyone around here would have held any ill feelings for Carmelo Anthony had he led the Buckeyes to a national title and then bounced. Those aren't the guys he wants and he doesn't even pursue them. Also I don't think his record thus far has been mediocre but it sure is heading that way now that all he has to work with are guys he is recruiting. The final 4 appearance included only one starter that he recruited (and that was to BC), as did the Big Ten championship team the following season (granted he got them in the final four...but they haven't had any tournament success since). How did they celebrate their Big Ten title? They got beat by Penn State in their first game of the Big 10 tourney and then got bounced out of the NCAAs by Miami in the 1st round. This was the team that should have made a deep tourney run. In 2000-2001 they got beat by Iowa in the Big 10 tourney and then lost to Utah State, of the prestigious Big West Conference, in the 1st round of the NCAA. In 2001-2002 they won the Big Ten reg. season and tourney and then beat Davidson in the NCAA tourney only to lose to Missouri in the next game. Although they had Kareem Rush they were the 12th seed in the regional. I am not saying all is lost or wasted. Not at all. But they won't get over the hump and consistently be a contender in the Big Ten or the nation without getting some blue chip guys. They also need to improve that noiseless arena they have. The more talent you have that keeps people on the ends of their seats, the louder people get. Make the students the focal point of your arena, or at least make it look like they matter (this has improved slightly but is still miles where i think it should be). It may even get some of the blue-hairs out of the seats on occasion.
Yes, Yes, Yes. The University has a lot of money, but for Football. Which recruiting trip do you think Geiger is going to nix if it came down to one or the other between a 5 star LB and a 5 star PG? I'm freinds with a few people in the Athletics Dept there and you wouldn't believe how many times that happens. OSU does have limited resourses, those limited resourses are a hell of a lot bigger then other universities, but there still limited. I don't think you understand the economics of big school recruiting. It takes a load of cash to stay one up on your compeditors in recruiting. For OSU FB there isn't that many that are above them, if there is any at all, for OSU BB there's Kentucky, Indiana, MSU, Michigan(whos more then willing to break the rules to get what they want), and Purdue. And thats only in OSUs region alone, not including the Duke's, Kansas', and UCLA programs out there all going after that one or two Freshman a year that decide not to go pro and can make a huge impact their Freshman year like Carmelo Anthony. Are you telling me this team isn't more talented then the previous years roster or even the year before that one that won the Big Ten? Please Brian Brown was an O'brien recruit that started in the Final 4 year and the Reg. Big Ten Champ, as well and they got beat by Miami in the 2nd round not the first after they were screwd out of a 2nd place seed I might add. Talk all you want about Ayers recruiting, but what people don't talk about is how O'Brien came in OSU and cleaned house on much of the "Ayers boys." That more then Redd and Johnson's recruiting is what propelled OSU from worst ran team in the Big Ten to one of the best in one year's time. O'Brien got rid of more Ayers' recruits then he ever kept because most were scum of the earth holligans. Hopefully they went back to the 'hood and got shot on a corner before having kids. Yes, but you forgot to add with HIS players, except Johnson in 2000-2001, A Big Ten title, Tourny Championship, and a second round loss to a very good Missouri team isn't to be laughed at or explained away. This alone should quell all these idiots that are calling for O'Brien's head. If you really looked, this team is more talented then the year before and the year before that when they won the Big Ten. It's transistion time with OSU. O'Brien is bringing in Jamar Butler and Matt Terwillinger next year and have a strong bead on Malik Hairiston. O'Brien is building something great here brick by brick and when it comes together it's going to be like the Taj Mahal and all those O'Brien can't recruit idiots are going to have to suck his nuts. Then he won't have to GO TO blue chipers, they'll come to him. Don't think it will work...just ask Coach K how Duke started out. Totally agree. When did this become Bucknuts?