Bella Buckeye’s Post Draft Pick Advice for Laurinaitis
April 30, 2009 by missbelladia · 2 Comments
Courtesy of ESPN
My sincere congrats go to James Laurinaitis and his 2nd round 35th pick in the NFL Draft. I sincerely think he could seriously do his thing for the Rams on any given Sunday. Only time will tell. But every former Buckeye that throws their well deserved buckeye leaves into the NFL draft to be picked, makes me think about what’s in store for them and for the other football fans of the world.
I happened to jump into a chat room former QB Justin Zwick was being interviewed in by a local CBS affiliate last weekend. One chat room member asked Zwick a viewpoint question. He asked what were Zwick’s thoughts on Laurinaitis’ low draft pick. Zwick responded by saying he thought that tends to happen to any football college player if they stick around and stay late into their career; that the scouts and clubs take a critical look at the players and pick apart and dissect their game, injury, flaws. He wished James the best and hoped he stays healthy. I thought that was some good insight. But James, I think we’ll be seeing plenty of you on Monday night football highlights.
Interestingly enough someone else asked Zwick what he’s currently doing in the work force now-a-days. Apparently selling medical devices. *crickets*
Hey, I can’t knock that. He’s probably doing more networking and seeing more paper than I am. But it made me think of the possible footsteps Laurinaitis could follow… Let’s explore a few, shall we?
Check it:
James could turn out to be like one of my all time favorite Buckeyes Mike Vrabel. Former #94 LB of the football Bucks. ( 91st pick in the 3rd round back in 1997) I used to hang this dude’s OSU stats and highlights from the Columbus Dispatch in my locker in middle school each week. Now he’s one of the most reputable Linebacker in the country, bringing the New England Patriots to many Superbowl victories. I believe he now will be with Kansas City though because of a trade involving a draft pick.
Or how about Pittsburgh Receiver Santonio Holmes? (25th pick in the 1st round in 2006) He started off a little rough with some legal troubles, but once he got past that, he turned around and made a game saving catch for the Steelers in the XLIII Superbowl gaining the MVP award. I recently heard him speak on BET’s 106 & Park encouraging young ones to be positive and strive for their dreams. Okay, we see you, good job.
One that’s dear to my heart, Andy Katzenmoyer. The Big Kat. From that dirty south, Westerville South that is. (Went in the 1st round in the 1999 Draft) One of the best linebackers to every grace OSU’s field. He was injured in the first season with the New England Patriots and never really recovered professionally. Sweet as all get out (met him once). Now he is a business owner in Westerville, Ohio with a personal training studio.
Craig Krenzel. (2004 Draft 5th round) To da Berrs. He won his first 3 starts in Chicago. Was traded to the Bengals and didn’t have much NFL success. Off the field this dude is Columbus’ homeboy. Bring home a National Championship to Columbus and the Buckeyes, you will forever be employed. Krenzel has all types of endorsements with Nissan and I think I even saw some type of John Deer commercial. By the way, you can catch him and Archie in a public gold outing/fund raiser May 11 at OSU on the Scarlet and Gray course.
Maurice Clarett. This Buckeye was instrumental in bringing home the National Championship but he’s not currently employed (He tried to get in the draft in 2004, but failed, but in the 2005 NFL Draft he was the final pick of the 3rd round) After all of that, he spiraled downward into some serious legal trouble and he’s incarcerated. He’s currently a writer of his own blog (via his momma by phone) and is studying while in prison. James, not the way to go.
Or, you can try your hand at being a restaurateur? 1995 OSU Heisman Trophy winner and Tennessee Titian 1996 NFL rookie of the year, reality TV star Eddie George setup camp on High Street with his bar & grill. It’s pretty packed on any game night. Also former OSU & Dallas Cowboys running back Michael Wiley opened a spot on Front Street over a year ago now by. Went passed After 5 the other day, and it’s under construction? So maybe not around anymore. So James if you go this route, I like seafood.
So James, the moral of the story is, it doesn’t matter when you got picked, or that you got picked at all. Make sure you stay healthy and you got some business savvy behind you, because the NFL is dog eat dog world. But if you have any snags on the field, you got a bunch of fellow Buckeyes that could give you plenty of pointers.
Drive-Thru: Let’s Party Columbus!
November 18, 2008 by feed · Leave a Comment
The Michigan game is nigh and in anticipation of Michigan — the very mention of whom makes me want to vomit my gizzards out in an unbridled rage — I have uploaded the 2002 Ohio State v. Michigan game (which I was at FTW) for the weekly, opponent-appropriate Drive-Thru YouTubery clip.
Mind you, I also uploaded the 1984 Michigan game that sent the Buckeyes to the Rose Bowl… something that I hope the 2008 game does as well. So this clip, far from a necessity, is just charity.
You’re welcome.
Anyways, I was at the game, front row as a freshman in Block O in the South End, but I never really watched the ABC presentation until a month or two ago when I uploaded a few clips to YouTube. Even then, I didn’t watch the game very closely until compiling this clip. Suffice to say, it’s always fun to re-watch these games when you know the story has a happy ending.
Entering the game, I remember the goal for the Buckeyes was to force Michigan into field goals. The kicking game for Michigan was a sore spot all season. It got so bad that Carr had to resort to the third option kicker, Adam Finley. Finley himself was no saviour for the special teams, as he was just 50 percent on FGs entering the season. If Michigan were held out of the end zone, they probably would be denied points altogether.
Yet, in spite of the obvious logic to this game plan, Adam Finley converted on all 3 of his field goals attempt. Coincidentally, all 3 came in the first half and came at the conclusion of Michigan’s 3 first half drives. Though they were kept out of the end zone, Michigan had driven the ball with relative ease throughout the first half. This was most obvious in Michigan’s final drive, where, starting from their own 8 yard line, the Wolverines closed out the half with a late field goal to take a 9-7 lead. The most important play of the first half came on this drive, as a Braylon Edwards touchdown grab was nullified by his offensive pass interference penalty on Chris Gamble. Instead of six points, the Wolverines got 2nd and goal from around the 20. They settled for 3 and a halftime lead over the #2 team in the country.
The second half belonged to the defenses, as neither Michigan nor Ohio State accomplished much. Ohio State had a drive that started off well with freshman tailback Maurice Clarett securing the all-time freshman rushing record. Yet, it too stalled. Crunch time came as Michigan was punting out of the deep end of their own side of the field with under 9 minutes left in the 4th quarter. Ohio State was guaranteed great field position, but got even better field position for a violation of the halo rule on the punt. The first play of the Buckeyes’ 4th second half drive was a Brandon Schnittker interception of a pass intended for Michael Jenkins, good for first down yardage. After moving the sticks, a 3rd and 9 scramble by Craig Krenzel set up a 4th and inches QB sneak, good for a first down. After moving the chains again, Craig Krenzel hooked up with Maurice Clarett out of the split-back shotgun formation for a first and goal within the Michigan 5. I remember that play fondly because, though we couldn’t see it particularly well from the South End, the playcall was more than amusing because none of us really saw it coming.
The drive resulted in the go-ahead touchdown, but I’ll remember fondly — at least until I get Alzheimers — how that play unfolded. Block O was particularly quiet as the formation shifted and the play clock winded down. We all watched with baited breath, mostly due to the anxiety but also partly due to the fact that the ball was on the opposite side of the field and we really couldn’t see. When the ball was snapped, I was the only one in the area that was totally shocked by the playcall. An audibly perplexed “OPTION?!” escaped my mouth, especially as they not only ran the option, but also ran it to the weak side of the line. It took us all a little bit longer to realize he scored. But when we realized Mo Hall made it in, we went ballistic. Granted, I haven’t been to a Buckeye game since the 2005 season, but the bedlam that ensued from Hall’s touchdown remains the second loudest moment in my experience with Ohio Stadium. In terms of sheer pandemonium, Gamble’s pick-six against Penn State will probably never be beaten.
Michigan, now behind in the ball game for the first time since the second quarter, mounted a drive with about 4 minutes left in the game. It ended in a fumble and, at least I thought, the game-sealer. Without 2:02 left, it was unfathomable to me that Michigan would get the ball back when all Ohio State needed was a first down to ice the game away. Still, they did get the ball back at around their own 20 yard line with 58 seconds left and no timeouts. Much to my chagrin, and to the worst anxieties of the more seasoned Buckeye fans around me, the ghosts of Ohio State-Michigan games past started to haunt them. The clock would never strike zero, it seemed. But when it came down to one second left, and one final heave for John Navarre, most of the people around me (myself included) seemed to choke on the moment… even in spite of the noise we tried to make. When Will Allen intercepted the pass to provide the game just closure, we all went nuts. Given my position in the south end of the stadium, my friends and I were some of the first to storm the pitch after the game.
Of course, my personal story doesn’t end there. After we all got on the field, a vortex seemed to develop that sucked me in from the middle of the field toward the south end goalposts. In spite of having no intention for misdeed, only to consume every bit of the moment, I got to the front of the line right as the cops lost their patience. Fortunately, the glasses took most of the pepper spray, but would I do it all again?
You bet I would.
On that note, I keep looking for myself in the crowd in Block O but can’t make myself out. If you have this game, or just have an amazing memory, I was front row with the other Block O types in that section because I helped distribute those little chip hats earlier in the day. I was wearing a very distinctive beanie, one my dad gave me and one that kept him warm when he was a student in the mid-to-late 1970s. The beanie itself came from Korea, where my dad was stationed while in the Army. It’s definitely an older looking beanie, a brown one with a white and red stripe. See if you can find me.
Anywho, the clip is displayed below. In spirit of the occasion, I’m also wanting to upload another Michigan clip, but I don’t know which one to go for. You have an option here, if you so choose: 1970, 1974, 1987 or 1994.
Buckeyes favored by more than 20
November 18, 2008 by feed · Leave a Comment
Is Ohio State getting too many points from oddmakers? Or will the Buckeyes destroy a woeful, shorthanded Michigan team?
COLUMBUS (AP) — What’s brewing today with the 2008 Ohio State Buckeyes:
MOST FAVORED: Ohio State was favored by 19 points by the Glantz-Culver line on Monday. That jumped to 20½ points — possibly because of word that Michigan QB Steven Threet (slightly separated shoulder) and RB Sam McGuffie (death in the family) might miss the game. That means the Buckeyes are giving more points in the betting line than ever before against Michigan.
BUCKEYES BUZZ: Ah, the paranoia of college athletics.
Woody Hayes was always spotting suspicious cars and people around his practices. He thought they were part of a large conspiracy to spy on the Buckeyes and steal plays and defensive sets. The old military expert must have believed what he was doing was of national importance.
And it’s not just old school, either. Let’s face it: One reason coach Jim Tressel closes all practices to the media is so nothing leaks out about injuries, trick plays, who’s there and who’s absent, and other information that he feels could compromise a game plan.
Some schools — USC, Tennessee, Florida, among others — don’t play such cloak-and-dagger games. Practices are open, the players freely chat with anybody before, during and after workouts, and no one wastes any time worrying about such gamesmanship.
Now the current Buckeyes are presented with a perfect way to get some insight into Michigan’s attack — without having to send a person to Ann Arbor.
A spy has come in from the cold. Justin Boren, from suburban Pickerington, left Michigan in a huff earlier this year and has enrolled at Ohio State. A big offensive lineman, he’ll be eligible to play next season (and, given the way the line has played this year, will likely be an immediate starter).
There’s two ways to look at any information Boren might provide. True, he might be able to provide Ohio State coaches with some insight into personnel. But, on the other hand, in his only year in maize and blue he played for Lloyd Carr, who resigned last year and was replaced by current coach Rich Rodriguez. So there’s a disconnect there.
Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said Boren was uneasy about his situation.
“I’m sure that he would be very happy when this weekend is over because he’s got a lot of dear friends (at Michigan) and he has a different scenario in his life,” Tressel said.
CB Malcolm Jenkins said Boren likely wouldn’t be that valuable of a defector.
“It’s different from when he was there,” Jenkins said. “We probably won’t get too much out of him. We’re not worried about getting secrets.”
Hayes is probably spinning in his grave.
MATCHING WITS: The game will pit Tressel, Baldwin-Wallace class of ‘75, calling plays against Michigan defensive coordinator Scott Shafer, Baldwin-Wallace class of ‘90.
Both were QBs while with the Yellow Jackets. Both had coaching fathers. Jim’s late dad, Lee, is a College Hall of Famer who went 155-52-6 at B-W. Shafer’s late father, Ron, was a longtime coach at Painesville Riverside HS and coached against the older Tressel when he was the coach at Mentor HS.
One way or the other, B-W will be proud on Saturday.
TAKE YOUR PICK: Something called Genius Products has come out with a three-DVD set on several college rivalries. The company sells the set for .95.
In Ohio, the set is known as “Rivalry Series: Ohio State Beats Michigan” and it features three big Buckeyes wins in the rivalry.
A different set with a flip-flop on the winning team, called “Rivalry Series: Michigan Beats Ohio State,” is available across the state line to the north.
GOING GLOBAL: It seems everyone is trying to grab a piece of the media glare surrounding the Michigan-Ohio State game.
In another gimmicky news release making the circuit on Tuesday, former Ohio State QB Craig Krenzel came out in favor of the “Save the Buckeye” campaign, an initiative to stop global warming.
The gist of it is that with the growing threat of global warming, buckeye trees may not be able to grow in Ohio and may become native to Michigan. At least, that’s what the release alleges.
SPEAKING OF GLOBAL WARMING: The forecast calls for a high of around 35 under partly cloudy skies on Saturday. There’s a 10 percent chance of precipitation.
PRYOR RESTRAINT: As he made his way off the field and through the tunnel to the Ohio State locker room after Saturday’s win at Illinois, QB Terrelle Pryor got into some verbal sparring with Illini fans. Observers said there was finger-pointing and profanity.
Tressel was asked whether he needed to address the situation with Pryor.
“He loves to compete and he loves people questioning whether he can get something done or not, but is that always the best thing to communicate back and forth? Not always,” Tressel said.
ALL-AMERICAN? Samsung Mobile is hosting the Rock N’ Rally concert event the night before the big game. The All-American Rejects will perform at Lifestyles Community Pavilion in the Arena District.
Scheduled to appear at the same venue on Friday night are the punk-rock group, “Dead Schembechlers.” The band’s Web site trumpets their new EP “Rodriguez to Ruin” featuring the songs, “O-H-I-O,” ”Rodriguez is a Weasel” and “I’m So Bored With the S.E.C.” Other song titles cannot be printed in a family publication.
Periscope bets those are all real toe-tappers.
It’s game night at Ohio Stadium
October 25, 2008 by feed · Leave a Comment
Posted by ESPN.com’s Adam Rittenberg
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Greetings from the banks of the Olentangy, where the stadium JumboTron is showing Ohio State’s national championship win over Miami in the 2003 Fiesta Bowl. Craig Krenzel was a beast in that game.
This has been the first true carnival-like atmosphere I’ve seen this season. Ohio State fans followed Jim Tressel’s advice and wore scarlet to the game. The parking lots surrounding the stadium are filled with scarlet and some blue-and-white. Several members of the Cleveland Glenville High School football team, which produced Ted Ginn Jr. and other Buckeyes standouts, were milling about one of the parking lots. Brutus the Buckeye also was making the rounds. And for the second time this season, I was recognized outside a stadium, this time by a Penn State fan who said he reads the blog daily.
OK, onto the game.
First, the all-important weather report. The forecast calls for chilly temperatures (45-53 degrees) throughout the game, but thankfully no rain. Most of the wet stuff cleared out of here last night, though it wasn’t a fun flight from Chicago.
Penn State enters the game 8-0 and ranked No. 3 in the BCS standings. The Nittany Lions have won all eight games by 14 points or more and rank among the top 25 nationally in rushing offense, total offense, scoring offense, rushing defense, total defense, scoring defense, pass defense, turnover margin and kickoff returns. In other words, this might be the most complete team in the country. We’ll find out tonight.
Ohio State comes in at 7-1 and ranked No. 9 in the BCS standings. The Buckeyes have won five straight since their disastrous loss at USC and played by far their best game of the season last week at Michigan State. Quarterback Terrelle Pryor hasn’t lost as the starter, and running back Chris “Beanie” Wells seems to be getting stronger after missing three games with a right foot/toe injury. The defense also has stiffened in the last two games, rising to 12th nationally in points allowed and 10th in yards allowed.
And finally, here are some things I’ll be watching tonight:
Quarterback play and pressure: Both Pryor and Penn State’s Daryll Clark haven’t looked like first-year starters so far. Neither has lost a game and both engineered big wins on the road. Pryor seems to welcome pressure, whether it was the be-a-man challenge from Wells before the decisive drive at Wisconsin or teammates speculating about a two-quarterback system last week. The freshman’s ability to limit mistakes and keep his cool will loom large tonight. Clark has brought a swagger to the huddle and answered questions about his passing ability (152.7 quarterback rating). But Ohio State is the best defense he’s seen this season, and his poise on the road will be tested.
Special teams: This is a truly fascinating component of tonight’s game. Tressel coaches special teams better than arguably any coach in the country, and the Buckeyes are always solid in the third phase. But it’s hard not to give Penn State the edge with senior return man Derrick Williams, who ranks fifth nationally in kick return average (32.2 ypr). The Lions also boast one of the nation’s top kickers in senior Kevin Kelly. The team that prevails in special teams likely will be the one walking away with a W.
Offensive line play: Several pundits have targeted Penn State’s offensive line as a potential weakness. I just don’t see it. The Lions rank sixth nationally in sacks allowed, and their primary running back (Evan Royster) averages 7.7 yards per carry and 111.6 yards per game. Ohio State’s front seven will provide a stern challenge, but Penn State’s veteran line should be up for it. The Buckeyes offensive line certainly stepped up last week, but this group has underperformed most of the season. Lions defensive Aaron Maybin will be tough to contain, and the Buckeyes need big games from tackles Alex Boone and Bryant Browning.
Intangibles: The stat has been stated throughout the week, and its bears repeating: Penn State has never won at Ohio State as a member of the Big Ten. These current players have nothing to do with that streak, but it could play a role. Ohio State hasn’t played a home night game since 2005, when it fell to Texas. But the Buckeyes are 6-1 in home night games since 1959.
Buckeyes get another shot in big game
October 20, 2008 by feed · Leave a Comment
Will the Buckeyes shake off their big-game woes against Penn State or is JoePa’s squad just too good?
COLUMBUS (AP) — What’s brewing today with the 2008 Ohio State Buckeyes …
BUCKEYES BUZZ: This is another chance for the Buckeyes to redeem themselves on a big stage.
No. 10 Ohio State has crawled back into the top 10 in the polls and the Bowl Championship Series rankings after those painful, lopsided losses in the last two national championship games, along with the 35-3 beating at USC. Now the Buckeyes need to take advantage of an opportunity to show that they can win a big game when No. 3 Penn State comes to town.
“On the team there really hasn’t been too much talk about what happened at SC and playing in the big games,” CB Malcolm Jenkins said Monday. “For us, we’re motivated enough just off of the fact that it’s a game that has Big Ten championship implications (and) it’s a night game at Ohio Stadium.”
Adding to the aura is how rare such games (8 p.m.) are at the Ohio Stadium.
“We haven’t had that since 2005, against Texas,” Jenkins said. “Penn State and Ohio State go back a while having great games. That’s going to be hyped up there. They’re a top-3 team in the nation and we’re trying to find our way back in the rankings. So for us there’s plenty of motivation.”
SORE BEANIE: TB Chris “Beanie” Wells said he’s still sore after carrying a season-high 31 times for 140 yards and two touchdowns in the 45-7 rout of Michigan State on Saturday.
Asked on Monday how his foot felt, he said, “It’s pretty sore.”
He said he had hoped that the foot injury that kept him out of three games might have healed faster, but he’s now come around to thinking that he may have to play with it all year.
“I hoped to be healthier. But it’s something I have to deal with,” he said.
CONFERENCE CHOICES: The Big Ten’s players of the week: Iowa RB Shonn Greene (career-high 217 yards on 25 carries and ties a school record with four TDs in win over Wisconsin; Iowa LB Pat Angerer (career-high 16 tackles with two interceptions); and Penn State K Kevin Kelly (kicked 3 FGs and 5 PATs to become the conference’s career leader in kicking points with 376.
BEST BUCKEYES: Ohio State’s staff selected its weekly award winners from the 45-7 blowout at Michigan State.
The defensive player of the game was LB James Laurinaitis, TB Chris “Beanie” Wells took the offensive honors and LB Austin Spitler captured the award for the special units.
Honored from the scout team were: WR Ricky Crawford on offense; DL Solomon Thomas on defense; and RB Joe Gantz on special teams.
The top player on the front seven was LB Ross Homan. OT Alex Boone was the top offensive lineman and the Jack Tatum big hit was not awarded.
GAMEDAY COMING: ESPN’s College GameDay will be televised live outside St. John Arena on Saturday morning for the game against the Nittany Lions. The show is hosted by Chris Fowler with analysts Lee Corso, Desmond Howard and former Ohio State QB Kirk Herbstreit.
COOOOOP! College Football Hall of Famer John Cooper, coach of the Buckeyes from 1988-2000, will be honored at both Ohio State and Tulsa this weekend in honor of his induction this year. Cooper, second on the coaching wins list at Ohio State to Woody Hayes, will be honored during the game against Penn State.
Cooper also was a head coach at Arizona State and Tulsa. He’ll be honored at Tulsa on Sunday during the Golden Hurricane’s game against Central Florida.
BCS NOTE: There are nine remaining undefeated teams among the Football Bowl Subdivision squads, the highest number ever in the initial week of the BCS standings. Texas is No. 1 in the standings for the second time in school history, and Ball State has become the 78th school to make the BCS standings at No. 20 this week. Previous numbers of undefeated teams in the first week of rankings include: Five in 2000 (Nebraska No. 1); seven in 2001 (Oklahoma No. 1); eight in 2002 (Oklahoma No. 1); five in 2003 (Oklahoma No. 1); seven in 2004 (Southern California No. 1); seven in 2005 (Southern California No. 1); seven in 2006 (Ohio State No. 1); and six in 2007 (Ohio State No. 1).
RED-LETTER NIGHT: All Buckeyes fans attending Saturday night’s game are encouraged to wear scarlet for the prime-time national television broadcast on ABC.
Scarlet rally towels, courtesy of Nationwide Insurance, will be distributed to the first 80,000 fans.
A lot of other things are also going on:
— Former Buckeyes QBs Bob Hoying and Craig Krenzel will be signing autographs starting at 2:30 p.m. at the FanFest location outside the south side of St. John Arena. Krenzel will be available from 2:30 to 4 p.m. and Hoying from 4 to 5:30 p.m.
— Following the game, 40,000 copies of an Ohio State football commemorative issue of Sports Illustrated “Game Breakers” will be handed out at Ohio Stadium exits.
— The Ohio State men’s basketball team will scrimmage from 4 to 5 p.m. Saturday at Value City Arena. The event is free and open to the public. Fans will be able sit anywhere in the lower bowl. The seating area will open at 3:30 p.m.
— The marching band will hold its skull session at 6 p.m. in St. John Arena.