Bleacher Report - Articles by Kyle Strittholt

Buckeyes Keys to Beating Oregon in the Rose Bowl

Kyle Strittholt — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 12:04:22 -0500

At the beginning of the season the Buckeyes were projected to finish second or third in the Big Ten, but for the fifth consecutive year they came out on top.

People have constantly been criticizing the Buckeyes for being to conservative of a team and it is true they are, but it's because of this that they have been in the BCS more than any other team in college football.

Early on in the season conservative play calling was the least of their worries, it was the misuse of Terrelle Pryor that dug them deep early on.

The thing that Jim Tressel and the offensive coaches need to realize is that Pryor is a plague for defenses that needs to be unleashed.

They tried really hard to make him a traditional pocket passer when they should have been utilizing his skills to make him affective instead of putting shackles on his feet.

When Pryor lets the game come to him and gets into a comfort zone that is when this offense will explode.

It wasn't until Troy Smith was a senior that he completely became an efficient passer, and it may take just as long for Pryor to develop.

Right now he needs to do what he can to put points on the board instead of this offense settling for field goals and punts.

Terrelle Pryor is the key for the Buckeyes winning even though it has been the whole running game for Ohio State that has won their games at the end of the season.

After a late loss against USC and an upset after playing Purdue the Bengals have turned it on and won the Big Ten and will now play in the Rose Bowl game against Oregon.

Oregon is a solid football program. They have a few solid running backs and a duel threat quarterback to worry about.

Out of the last four teams the Buckeyes have faced in the BCS this is their best chance of winning they have had.

Against Florida they had to deal with Chris Leak and Tim Tebow, along with a lot of young talent that always goes along with Florida.

Against LSU they couldn’t outscore a good offense with only Beanie Wells having a terrific game.

Last year against Texas they were going against perhaps the best quarterback in college football who led them down the field with less than two minutes left and scored with 16 seconds on the clock.

Now this season against the Oregon they don’t have anyone that stands out on the Heisman board. They aren’t playing the top three teams in the nation. They are up against a Pac 10 team that doesn’t have a dominant passing game like the other teams have had.

Yes, Oregon crushed a USC team that Ohio State lost to earlier on this year, but this offense is a run oriented offense in which the Buckeyes have strived to stop.

The biggest weakness in this game for the Buckeyes is whether or not Terrelle Pryor will be the dominating force that he should be instead of making mistakes that the team can’t come back from.

The Buckeye’s defense is as dominating as any defense in the nation. Their front seven have been able to get pressure on the quarterback in key situations like they did against Iowa early on in the season. They have stumped some of the more explosive offenses in the nation like Penn State.

The defense is the key to the Buckeyes winning this game, and Terrelle Pryor has to be turnover free and the Buckeyes have the upper hand in this BCS Bowl where I think they will be victorious for the first time in the Fiesta Bowl in 2006.

Ohio State Vs UC: Who's The Best College Football Team In Ohio

Kyle Strittholt — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 18:25:45 -0400

When you think of college football in the state of Ohio in the past, you very rarely think of the University of Cincinnati. UC is known more for their basketball team, except lately.

You usually have to think of Ohio State when you think of football, because of the seven National Championships, seven Heisman Trophies, and number five all-time most successful program in college football.

Lately you couldn't put these programs in the same sentence because Ohio State were on a whole different level to UC, but head coach Brian Kelly had something to say about that as he continued to foster the mentality that Mark Dantonio left.

In Coach Kelly's first year at UC he won 10 games beating big teams like Oregon State, Rutgers, and Syracuse. He followed that up with 11-3 season and making it to a BCS Bowl.

Now already the Bearcats are undefeated and have a big shot at being undefeated and making it to another BCS Bowl if not the National Championship.

Ohio State have had big games already this season, barely losing to USC, and they have a very young and talented team that can heat up at any point this season. They are not out of the title race yet this season, and I can definitely see them making it to a BCS Bowl game.

Since these two teams don't play each other, the question is which one is the better team. Ohio State is ranked ninth in the country, but UC are right behind them and climbing.

I think that right now UC have a better coach in Brian Kelly. Jim Tressel is an amazing coach and he wins a lot of games, but what Kelly does with the amount of talent he has is amazing.

He took Tony Pike, a player who was sitting the bench and expected to sit the bench his whole career, and he turned him into one of the best quarterbacks in the nation.

He doesn't have all the five star recruits or the most top 100 players in the nation, but he makes the players he does have play with five star caliber.

When you look at the quarterback position I think Terrelle Pryor is a better athlete, but Tony Pike is a complete quarterback and he gets wins with his golden arm he has. I think that if the Bearcats win all their games because of this quarterback he deserves a Heisman.

At the wide receiver position the Bearcats definitely outweigh the Buckeyes with Marshawn Gilyard. He's been compared to former Buckeye Santonio Holmes, and that's a fair comparison because he can single-handedly change a game.

In the running game there is no question this goes to Ohio State. UC are a spread team that love to throw the ball. The way the Buckeyes ran the ball against Illinois was a great testament to how much talent is in the backfield for Ohio State.

The Buckeyes only threw the ball two times in the first half, and were up at the half 13-0 because of the running of Brandon Saine and Dan Herron.

Defensively the Bearcats have had a lot of great things going on, but Ohio State are one of the best in the nation and they showed that against USC.

Besides the last drive the Buckeyes were solid against an always talented USC team. They made freshman quarterback Matt Barkley beat them and the defensive line wore him out making him unable to play against Washington which could have been the reason for the upset.

They held a great Illinois offense under 100 yards rushing and Juice Williams didn't reach the 100 yard marker passing either.

The Buckeyes defense was criticized for the Navy game, but people who didn't watch that game didn't see how Navy ran their triple option out of the wishbone formation. It was not a good team to schedule for your first game of the season.

I think this would be a very exciting game to watch and they both have mismatches that would keep the game close, but in the end I think that the Buckeyes would win this game.

The Bearcats have a good defense but containing Terrelle Pryor isn't a walk in the park, and they have two really good backs that would test the run stopping ability of Cincy.

Ohio State have the best defensive line in the nation which would heap a lot of pressure on Tony Pike and I think that the secondary would be up to the task of containing Gilyard.

I think that the Bearcats will have the better season, because Ohio State have a few road blocks that the USC game created. If Cincy can run the table they will be in their second BCS Bowl. If they can't beat everyone on their pretty easy schedule then they don't deserve to play against the best.

These are two programs that we will hear more and more about because they have such young talent and they will be building up. Ohio State will of course watch the growth of Terrelle Pryor, and UC have plenty of talent to continue winning even after Gilyard and Pike graduate this season.

On Second Thought, Cardinals RB Beanie Wells, Should've Stayed In School.

Kyle Strittholt — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 13:57:57 -0400

Last season, Chris “Beanie” Wells was considered to be one of the best running backs in college football. He just came off a monster sophomore season where he rushed for 1,609 yards, which was a Ohio State rushing record for a sophomore.

He hurt his foot in the Buckeyes season opener last year. This injury plagued the Buckeyes as they went down without a fight against USC, and it plagued him with a big question mark on whether or not he is injury prone.

He returned after a few games and continued the season gaining 1,197 yards and eight touchdowns.

Only being a junior, Wells could have returned to be a high favorite to win the Heisman- and it definitely would have helped this team get to another National Championship game- but he decided to leave early and try and make some money.

Jim Tressel stood beside him, but I wasn't so sold.

Beanie Wells came to Ohio State with the mindset that he wanted to win the Heisman Trophy his freshman year, and wanted to be on a team that could make it to a National Championship.

He had flashes of what was to come his freshman year, and his junior year, he just took off as one of the best backs in the nation.

His ability to run through the initial contact and the speed to get to the secondary, are ingredients for a dominating college running back. I have no clue why he would give up his last chance to get the Heisman and a National Championship, just to be a thirty first pick of the draft.

I think Wells does have the talent to be a top ten pick, but he couldn't hurdle the talk of him not handling injuries well, and in the end, it killed his chances. Now, he is on a team that will not use him just because he made a couple mistakes in the game before.

In the Cardinals loss to Indy last night, they had a lot of opportunities on third and short and near the goal line for him to come in and prove he's supposed to be here. Instead, they decided to throw the ball and run it with Hightower, and both decisions lead to as many fumbles as Wells had the week before. The difference is Wells only lost one of the fumbles.

Arizona is just not a great fit for Beanie Wells and they wasted their pick on him if they are not going to use him.

They have one of the biggest weapons coming out of college and he's been underutilised. If he didn't enter the draft so early, he could have been celebrating with a Buckeyes team that would be undefeated if he was on it.

This is just another case of a young talented player thinking with his pockets, instead of thinking of what would be best for himself in the end.

Bengals: Keys to Beating Super Bowl Champs

Kyle Strittholt — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 12:03:33 -0400

The last five times the Bengals have met the Steelers, it hasn't ended well. Ever since the 2005 playoffs, the Bengals have been in a losing slump against Pittsburgh.

After losing last week to the Chicago Bears, you know Pittsburgh is going to come into Cincinnati hungry and ready to play.

The Bengals have got to fix their mistakes from a close win last week and make sure they hold their home field better than last time they played at Paul Brown Stadium against the Broncos.

In order for the Bengals to beat the former Super Bowl Champs, they have to come in firing on all cylinders.

They can't shoot themselves in the foot with penalties like last week, and quarterback Carson Palmer has to make sure he gets the ball to his receivers and not the Steelers' defense.

This is certainly a winnable game for the Bengals because they have a lot of talent, but they have got to play 60 minutes of smash-mouth football instead of two or three quarters.

The Bengals' running game looks like they're picking it up from the 2005 season, and the they are undefeated when Cedric Benson rushes for over 100 yards. It is extremely important for Cincy to establish the run early and try to make it easier on Palmer in the passing game.

The biggest thing I haven’t seen the Bengals transition from preseason to regular season is the use of Chris Henry. He was the MVP of this offense in the preseason, but they haven’t used him like they should in the slot.

There has been talk about him being injured, but he has been coming on the field. I would really like to see the Bengals get him the ball, and in return I think it will open up other mismatches they can capitalize on.

Another player I’d like to see more of this game and more throughout the season is young Bernard Scott. It’s going to be a tough day for the offense going against one of the best defenses in the NFL, and they will need fresh legs.

Defensively, they have got to watch the Steelers' running game. It hasn’t been there and the Steelers haven’t been as productive without it. They might look to try and force the run in this game. If Cincy is worried about the pass too much then they will get burned.

I look for Antwan Odom to be a huge factor in this game. He drew a lot of eyes last week by recording five sacks, and the Steelers want to make sure this doesn’t happen to them.

I wouldn’t be surprised if they try and double team him, and it would be a mistake not to watch rookie Michael Johnson or Robert Geathers on the other end.

The Packers exposed the alkali’s heal of the Bengals safeties in the fact that they’re great in run support, but they haven’t been great at shutting receivers down.

This is a concern when you have two Super Bowl MVPs lined up at the receiver position on the other side of the ball.

The best way to cover Santonio Holmes and Heinz Ward is to make sure you disrupt everything with the pass rush. Ben Roethlisberger is known for extending the play, and the defense simply can’t let him do it.

They have been great at getting pressure on Kyle Orton and Aaron Rodgers, but they need to take it a little bit further this week in order to mess up Big Ben’s timing.

Special teams are also always a factor in games like this, and if Quan Cosby can have a game like he did last week, then it will help the Bengals just that much more.

Roethlisberger is undefeated when he has returned to his home state of Ohio, and the Bengals have got to do what it takes to make it a not so happy homecoming.

Give Beanie Wells the Rock

Kyle Strittholt — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 12:12:36 -0400

The Arizona Cardinals haven’t been known as a running team of late.

The last time they had a 1,000-yard runner was in 2007 with Edgerrin James. That season, the Cardinals were a mediocre 8-8 team.

Last season, they were brought to the playoffs on Kurt Warner’s 4,583 passing yards. They still barely got into the playoffs with nine wins, and it wasn’t until they found out how to establish the run that they made it to the Super Bowl.

This season, the Cardinals began with a loss to the San Francisco 49ers. Warner went 26 of 44 for 288 yards.

The next game, he rebounded with a phenomenal game in which he was 24 of 26 for 246 yards against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The big stat from the first game is that the Cardinals only had 17 rushing attempts, two of which were by quarterbacks. In turn, they only had 40 rushing yards for the whole game.

Against the Jaguars, the Cardinals had 28 rushing attempts, four of them by Matt Leinart and Warner. Tim Hightower had a game-high 72 yards, and the running game made this win happen.

Warner played great, but it always helps your play fakes if you can establish some sort of running game.

Despite Hightower’s 72 yards, Beanie Wells did a great job when he kept the ball in his hands.

In his first four rushes, Wells gained 40 yards, but went on a downhill slope after that, only getting three more carries and coughing up two fumbles.

There is definitely a lot of potential for Wells to be a great back in the NFL. Of course, he needs to keep his hands on the ball and not give it up like he did against the Jaguars.

The Cardinals have been a passing team, but when you have a weapon like Wells, you can’t simply put him in there for blocking and play fakes.

Wells wasn’t drafted for being a great receiver out of the backfield or a great pass protector. He was drafted because, with the ball in his hands, he is one of the deadliest weapons you can have on the field.

He’s got the power of a fullback and has speed to bypass defenders. He has a killer stiff arm, and is all around hard to tackle.

Using him will only help the passing game, because if you don’t put more men in the box to stop him, he will burn you.

When teams do put extra men in the box to stop Wells, Anquan Boldin or Larry Fitzgerald will be open in single coverage.

Once this team finally figures it out by putting Hightower in for more of the passing downs and Wells in for more of the running packages, there will be a lot of problems for opponents.

In the Big Ten, Wells was used to carrying the load for his team and that may have caused more injuries for him. In this type of offense, they don’t need the run...they have a great quarterback.

In a big win like they had against Jacksonville on Sunday, the Cardinals need to work Wells into the game a lot more, especially in the fourth quarter. When the defense is getting tired, this is the guy you want to get the ball to.

Ohio State Buckeyes Fall Just Short Again

Kyle Strittholt — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 00:40:53 -0400

After the Buckeyes escaped Navy in a game that went down to the wire a lot of teams thought that the USC Trojans would roll into Columbus and eat this Ohio State team alive, but that wasn't the case.

Last week said nothing to how good Ohio State really is, because Navy is not a normal team to play.

Navy ran the triple option offense, in a formation known as the wishbone. This is a offense that requires a lot of focus to defend. They have a very small offensive line, so instead of trying to drive people back they cut block.

People looked at some of the things that happened late in that game and thought that the Buckeye defense was too soft to run with the USC offense, but they were wrong.

The defense played fantastic against the Trojans, and they completely did what they were supposed to do putting pressure on the freshman quarterback, and holding him to less than 50 percent completions.

In the running game they didn't give up nearly as much yardage as people would have thought, holding USC to a 118 yards between six players.

The only drive that the defense looked bad was the game winning drive for the Trojans, but Pryor and the offense didn't help them with trying to stay rested.

The game was put on Pryor's shoulders and he needed to have a huge game for the Buckeyes to win. Pryor didn't execute as well as I think he could have and that was the difference in the game.

Often times Pryor looked like the freshman quarterback with both quarterbacks throwing interceptions on the same route.

In order for the Buckeyes to have success Pryor can't be making more mistakes than he did last season. Obviously he has a lot more pressure this season because he doesn't have Todd Boeckman to back him up, but that shouldn't matter.

It's been said of Pryor that he strives for these big games, but the only game he's driven the Buckeyes down the field to win the game was last season against Wisconsin.

When you look at Pryor's throws there were two or three that could have easily went the other way if the receiver didn't make the play on the ball.

This team is growing this season, and they have to win every single game from here on out to possibly make it to the National Championship.

They're not out of the title talks yet, but this is a game that if they would have won they would have been a pick to be a contender.

They weren't embarrassed this week, and in some sort of way the came out of this game a victor, but only because they almost did what they needed to do.

You have to hand it to the Buckeyes they aren't playing teams that no one has ever heard of, and in this game they have learned a lot about themselves and I think they will come out strong next week against Toledo.

Toledo is not a bad team by any means, but I do feel sorry for them because the Buckeyes will be looking to go the distance and this will be their bounce back week.

After losing to Penn State last season the Buckeyes crushed Michigan State 45-7.

These games keep getting closer and closer and it's only a matter of time before they finally put it together and win one of these big games.

Ohio State: Which Rival Posses More Of a Threat Illinois Or Michigan?

Kyle Strittholt — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 13:59:49 -0400

There is nothing quite like the Ohio State/Michigan game at the end of November. You have two programs with so much history and a game where rankings don’t matter.

A game where you could have a horrible season, but this one win can make the season a whole lot better.

In the last decade there has been some close games between the two schools, unfortunately for Michigan fans, Ohio State has came out on top nine times out of ten in the last decade.

The last time the Maze and Blue beat the Scarlet and Gray was in 2003 the year after the Buckeyes won the National Championship.

It doesn’t mean that Michigan has been horrible the last couple seasons, but Jim Tressel has been dominant over the Wolverines.

Despite the electric game in 2006, Michigan hasn’t played well against the Buckeyes the last two seasons.

In the last ten years Ohio State the Buckeyes have had another rival that has been trying to derail their seasons, and that team is the Illinois Fighting Illini.

It started in 2002 when the Illini tried to mess up the Buckeyes perfect season, in which they came very close.

When you think of the Buckeyes 2002 season they won the National Championship against a highly favored Miami (FL) team.

But before they made it to that game they had a tough battle against Illinois. This was the first overtime game the Buckeyes ever played, and the experience may have helped them win the National Championship.

Maurice Clarett was injured in the game and back-up running back Maurice Hall took his place along with Lydell Ross. Hall ended up scoring the game winning touchdown, after a Jon Beutjer pass was batted down at the goal line on fourth down.

In 2006 Illinois wreaked havoc on Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith holding him to a mere 108 yards passing, 13-23 passing, and one interception.

The Buckeyes came out of the game a victor of a 17-10 game, but they won the game on a great defensive effort.

That was the only game up at that point of the season that the Buckeyes won by under 17 points.

The next season the Buckeyes didn’t get so lucky, and were victims of a 28-21 upset that should have knocked them out of the National Championship game. Fortunately for the Buckeyes there was a lot of upsets the following weeks that had the Buckeyes back in the Championship game.

So the question is for this season is which team should the Buckeyes be more afraid of derailing their season?

Illinois has been a tough contender in these games, but like Michigan they have fallen short accept for in 2007.

Even though Illinois has came close they will be playing the Buckeyes too early in the season to really damage the season.

The Michigan game is the last game of the last game of the season, and if the Buckeyes were to lose this game they can kiss national title chances goodbye.

Illinois vs. Ohio State will NEVER be as exciting as The Michigan/Ohio State game for the fans or the players, because players come to these schools just to play in this game.

However Illinois has beaten Ohio State in the past few seasons and that has been something that Michigan hasn't been able to do in six seasons.

I don't think that Michigan or Illinois will beat Ohio State, but the Fighting Illini definitely have a better chance this season with Juice Williams being their quarterback.

Bengals: Pros And Cons Of Their Running Game, and Should Rudi Return?

Kyle Strittholt — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 15:00:28 -0400

Marvin Lewis has continued to stress the importance of a balanced running game in the time that he’s been coaching in Cincinnati. He knows that if the Bengals can have a good running game then it helps out the passing game that much more.

Bu the Bengals hasn’t had a thousand yard rusher since 2006 before Rudi Johnson injured his hamstring.

Since then the Bengals haven’t been able to do much on the ground. They expected big things out of Chris Perry, but he was a bust being injured most of his time in Cincy and fumbling the ball in key moments when he was on the field.

So far this season the running game looks to be pretty decent. The Bengals resigned Cedric Benson who was the only back to rush for over 100 yards for the Bengals last season.

They also brought in a controversial player in Bernard Scott who has a past that the Bengals were supposed to going away from.

He was a great division two college player rushing for 2,000 yards in two seasons and winning their version of the Heisman.

Last night was the Bengals first preseason game against the New Orleans Saints. Like any other preseason game you don’t really care about the outcome as long as your key players don’t get banged up before the games count.

Cedric Benson started at tailback and he looked pretty solid in his first preseason game with the Bengals. The only problem is he made the same mistake former first round pick Chris Perry did and he coughed up the ball.

The Bengals had a lot of turnovers and penalties in the game last night, and if they want to win they need to get more disciplined.

Benson ran well last night, but he needs to make sure he handles the ball a lot better from now on.

The player I was most impressed with last night was Bernard Scott. He was one of those players covered with questions, but I can see why the Bengals drafted him.

Scott ran the ball six times gaining 30 yards which is an average of five yards a carry, and he caught a screen pass and took it for twelve more yards.

I don’t think that Scott will be the starting running back just yet in Cincy, but that was certainly the effort fans are looking for.

The only thing I would like to see the team do is bring in a free agent running back. There are a lot out there that I’d like to see the team give a shot like Warrick Dunn. He would be a great asset for teaching the younger players and in the passing game.

A player that I really hated to watch leave last season was Rudi Johnson. The fans loved Rudi, and I was stunned when they let him go because there was no one to fit his role.

Now that Rudi is a free agent I think they need to bring him in and let him workout with the team to see if his hamstring is still an issue.

Having Rudi on this team was one of the biggest things that got them to the playoffs because he was such a bruiser and if you did not respect the run he would get the eight yards before you realized what happened.

I was an advocate of the Bengals drafting Chris “Beanie” Wells in the first round just because it takes a big back that can break tackles to play in this division.

Since they grabbed Andre Smith they still need a player that can break tackles when they need it, and if Rudi can be that guy then they need to bring him in.

I don’t think we will see over a 1,000 yards out of Rudi, but a lot of teams are going split backs and each of these players the Bengals would have would bring something to the table.

Scott is a speed guy who is very explosive, Benson is the guy who runs hard and has a great change in direction, and Rudi would be their guy who could pound it up the middle.

One of the things that has driven me nuts about the Bengals is they haven’t found a new offensive coordinator. Running the ball three times is not a great idea and he needs to figure that out. That is another reason that the Bengals haven’t been getting good yardage they don’t have a bruiser like Rudi anymore.

Overall I think so far the Bengals have a good running game, but we need one more player just to make it interesting. If Benson or Scott gets hurt then they have no one else because Dede Dorsey is not a running back that can take the load.

For the future, if Scott keeps on growing as a running back I think he will be the guy and this just shows you the value of the draft.

Troy Smith: Too Good To Sit The Bench

Kyle Strittholt — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 13:46:33 -0400

When I saw Troy Smith drafted in the fifth round by the Baltimore Ravens my jaw dropped. I thought how can a player with so many skills and assets be pushed back with the quarterbacks that I’ve never even heard of getting chosen before him?

Following Smith his entire senior year at Ohio State I saw a player that knew how to play the game of football. He knew how to lead his team down the field when they needed it the most.

As a quarterback he went from running first maybe passing it, to a guy that wanted to throw it and only ran it if nothing was open.

There was no doubt in my mind that Smith deserved the Heisman Trophy and despite his performance in the National Championship, he deserved a chance to start somewhere.

The big named quarterbacks that were picked in front of him were Jamarcus Russell and Brady Quinn who both have done nothing for their teams, and I look at those teams and I think how much better they would be with Smith.

In the games that Smith has played he hasn’t put up stats like he did in college, but he has been able to lead his team down the field and put points on the board.

As a rookie he was able to get the attention of the veterans and in return they responded to him. He was 1-1 as a starter, but he beat the Pittsburgh Steelers in a game that the Steelers never came close to winning.

If it were not for his setback last preseason I think that Smith would have started for the Ravens all last season, and there is no doubt in my mind that they could have had the same result as last season.

If the Ravens used Smith more in the AFC Championship game I think that they would have been in the Super Bowl instead of the Steelers because he would have added something new to the mix.

Last night Smith played two quarters in the preseason game against the Redskins and he played a great game. In his limited time on the field Smith went 14-30 passing and threw for a huge 200 yards. He threw for a touchdown and a big stat is that he did not run the ball.

When you look at his completions it may be misleading because there were a lot of dropped passes and Smith has been unfortunate to deal with that in Baltimore. But he had no interceptions on the night and his single touchdown could have beaten the Redskins, who did not score at all last night.

I don’t think this enough for the Ravens to sit Flacco and let Smith start, but they should definitely give Smith more time. I look for Smith to get a lot more playing time as preseason rolls along, and if Smith can prove that he is too good to sit the bench then he will find the field more often.

I don’t think that the Ravens will be able to keep Smith after his contract is up because he is completely able to start for someone. He needs to continue to play well despite mistakes from the second team offense and he will get his chance soon.

Michael Vick Almost a Bengal? Fans Give A Sigh at Signing With Eagles

Kyle Strittholt — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 13:01:43 -0400

Michael Vick has just been signed by the Philadelphia Eagles, which is surprising, as head Coach Andy Reid distanced himself in an early interview this week with ESPN.

He said that the Eagles are happy with their quarterback situation and he hoped that Vick would get a second chance with another team.

Now Vick is headed to Philly to become teammates with Donovan McNabb. This should help Vick with his character and in becoming more of a complete quarterback.

The Eagles weren’t the only ones in the hunt for Vick. It's not such a big surprise that the Cincinnati Bengals offered Vick a two-year deal.

If this would have taken place, I think that all the progress that Marvin Lewis has made would have went up in flames in the blink of an eye.

The Bengals have been known for trying to give players second chances, but most of the second chances they give have been on their own sidelines.

They signed Tank Johnson and drafted Bernard Scott, who has been arrested on more than one occasion, but that hasn’t really been an issue because the Bengals had a pretty solid offseason.

Bringing in a guy like Vick, who needs to be taught and be around good character people, would not work with the Bengals.

It would take just one incident for Vick to be kicked out of the NFL for good, and hanging out with Chris Henry and Chad Ochocinco would not help.

Vick is a good fit for the Eagles, only because they have a head coach that will help Vick with what he needs and he will be around guys who have enough sense not to go out and get arrested for stupid things like drunk driving and possession of weed.

I think all the Bengals fans should breathe a breath of relief that Michael Vick is not on this team.

From an athletic standpoint, if Vick is as good as he once was, it would be amazing move for the Bengals, but there is just too much controversy surrounding it.

Like McNabb said, it will only be a while until defenses find out how to stop the Wildcat Formation, and Michael Vick is a quarterback—not a receiver or a halfback.

The Bengals need to focus on getting another running back and there are a lot in free agency. I’d like to see Warrick Dunn make a visit to Cincy and also bring Rudi Johnson back for a workout.

The Bengals have done a pretty decent job this year in the draft. They need to continue and not make a move that will take more fans out of the stands this season.

Michael Vick with the Ravens? I Don't Think So

Kyle Strittholt — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 16:46:39 -0400

Michael Vick has certainly has went through a lot to make himself able to return to the NFL after being released from prison earlier this year.

There is no doubt in my mind that since he has taken all the necessary steps to return to the field, he should be given a second chance.

The question is who will be the person to give Vick this controversial second chance?

It has been said that Vick is expected to be signed by the end of the week, but no one knows to what team or who is interested.

Among the list that hasn’t completely shut the door on the idea is the Baltimore Ravens.

With everyone starting up this phase with the wildcat offense, it looks like Vick would be a boost to an offense, but for the people who say Vick fits in Baltimore, they are definitely wrong.

ESPN speculated that the team may be a good fit, but they are wrong in many different reasons.

First, the Ravens already have their franchise player in Joe Flacco and it doesn’t appear like they would give the job up to someone who’s been away from the game for so long.

It has been noted that Vick doesn’t expect to step in and be the starting guy from day one, but Vick would never be the starting guy in Baltimore and would sit the bench like former Heisman winner Troy Smith.

Which leads me to my next point. The Ravens have a Heisman Trophy winner already sitting on their sidelines who could complete a wildcat type of offense, so why would you bring in a guy who’s been gone for so long?

Smith has better arm strength at this point and is overall a lot more accurate than Vick ever was.

I can see why ESPN is playing guessing games because no one will know until Vick is signed where he will go, but one thing is for sure, that place isn’t Baltimore.

Terrelle Pryor vs. Juice Williams: Who Will Have the Better Season?

Kyle Strittholt — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 15:34:05 -0400

In the Big Ten there are two players that jump out at you as potential Heisman candidates this season. Both play the quarterback position and both have the ability to make plays and win games.

Both Isaiah “Juice” Williams and Terrelle Pryor are players that look like they will have successful seasons this year, and one of them could end up holding a Heisman at the end of the season.

The question is which one has the better chance at holding the Heisman or maybe even the National Championship trophy in their hands.

Juice Williams reminds me of a former Buckeye who was the last Big Ten player to win the Heisman, Troy Smith.

He started out being a scrambling quarterback, but has worked to be a quarterback who can drop back and throw with the best of them.

The difference between Williams and Smith is that Williams has more yards on his record, but has thrown a lot more interceptions than Smith did and hasn’t been as efficient as Smith was.

Juice completed 57 percent of his passes this season and will need to improve on that number if he wants to be effective this season. Illinois has been able to keep up with teams like Missouri, Penn State, and Ohio State, but Williams hasn’t been the guy to take control and lead his team to victory.

This season I see Williams improving on that a lot. I don’t think Illinois will make it to a national championship, but if Williams can lead his team to some of these key victories, he will at least have the opportunity to keep Illinois in the mix.

Illinois has some key games against Missouri, Ohio State, Penn State, and Cincinnati. He needs to do more than just have good performances in these games; he needs to do something great.

Juice is a good quarterback, but what makes a quarterback great is winning.

When opponents look at Terrelle Pryor and what he can do, they get a headache because he can beat you in so many different ways.

Like Williams, he can be compared to another great college quarterback, Vince Young.

Terrelle had a good freshman year where he started 10 games and won eight of them. Pryor is definitely a winning quarterback and he will do whatever he needs for his team to get a win.

He also shows great leadership and there is no doubt in my mind that he makes Ohio State a national title contender, just like Vince Young did for the Texas Longhorns.

Things that Pryor needs to improve on before you even mention him for the Heisman is his passing game. Pryor wants to be a drop back and throw kind of quarterback so that's definitely one aspect of his game he needs to work on.

He only threw for 1,311 yards last season, and only had one game when he threw over 200 in a loss to Penn State.

Just watching him last season you could see him improve. He went from taking too long to make a decision to deciding what he wanted to do with the ball quicker and executing.

He has shown the ability to make his team rally and lead them to victory, which, as I mentioned, was something Williams lacks.

He scored the game winning touchdown at Wisconsin, and nearly led his team to victory in the Fiesta Bowl with a couple trick plays where he caught the ball in the end zone.

When you look at both teams, Ohio State is the better team. Of course, we will truly see which team is better when they play each other September 26, but, at least on paper, the Buckeyes are the better team.

If you look at the last three seasons the Buckeyes played Illinois, the Fighting Illini are the only team to really give the Buckeyes a scare.

The Buckeyes only won by a touchdown against the Illini in ’06. The Illini almost knocked the Buckeyes out of the BCS National Championship Game in ’07 by beating them 28-21. And, last season, only 10 points separated the two, with Ohio State the victor.

In last season’s matchup, Juice Williams definitely had the better day passing, going 17-26 for 192 yards compared to Terrelle Pryor’s 6-10 day passing for a mere 49 yards, but that wasn’t Pryor’s key stat of the day.

Pryor ran for 110 yards and a touchdown, adding to Chris “Beanie” Wells’s 149 yards. Juice ran for 48 yards and didn’t score a touchdown rushing.

If I had to choose which one is better for the Heisman, I’d have to say Terrelle Pryor. Juice Williams loads up stats, and this season may be even better for him, but one of the keys to the Heisman Trophy is how many W’s you have in the win column.

I think that Juice will have the better year in stats, but Pryor will have the better season with wins, possibly carrying Ohio State to the national championship.

Terrelle Pryor: Speed Kills

Kyle Strittholt — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 14:25:13 -0400

In the past season, the biggest knock on Ohio State is that they just don't have the speed to hang with their out of conference opponents like Florida, LSU, or USC.

In the National Championship against Florida three seasons ago the only player on the Buckeyes team that could match the speed of Florida’s defense was Ted Ginn Jr. and he proved it on the opening kick-off taking it all the way for a touchdown.

Unfortunately, he was injured during the celebration and it took the Buckeyes’ offense down a few notches to where they no longer looked like the best in the nation.

People can argue that one man shouldn’t make so much of a difference, but that changed the games out come without a doubt.

It’s now three seasons later and the Buckeyes haven’t found a receiver as dominant as Ginn, instead they have a quarterback that’s the fastest guy on their sidelines.

Terrelle Pryor ran a 4.33 40-yard dash which was the fastest time recorded for the Buckeyes this season.

You could argue and say it was fake, but the one thing you can’t deny is that Pryor is a very athletic quarterback, and we haven’t seen someone like him since Vince Young.

Vince Young was dominant in the fact that he had so many ways to beat you. He had the speed, but it was accompanied by a big frame that was hard to tackle. On top of that he was a play maker with his arm and made the throws he needed to.

Of course, we know how that worked out for the Texas Longhorns going undefeated and winning the National Championship.

When you look at Pryor it looks like he’s slow, but he has such long strides that he’s there one minute gone the next. Something else that we seen is he can be aggressive and knock over the smaller corners and safeties.

Pryor wants to be a traditional quarterback that drops back and throws that’s why he didn’t go to Michigan, but he can’t turn his back on the gift that he has.

He is the key to this team being successful and that’s with everything he can do. He can run, throw, catch, lead, and anything else they need him to do.

Last season against USC he was the only player that could do anything against the Trojans defense. He went seven for nine passing for 52 yards, and on the running part he gained 40 yards.

He wasn’t sacked like Todd Boeckman was, and for his first huge game he didn’t seem flustered.

Terrelle Pryor will be a force to be reckoned with this year, and he will only be improving more and more.

USC will not have a cakewalk like they did last season and neither will any other team. This whole offense changes with Pryor because you will see the option, designed quarterback draws, and quarterback scrambles and even the best defenses can’t stop all three.

Terrelle Pryor: Stepping Up and Demanding Excellence

Kyle Strittholt — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 18:22:35 -0400

Last season at this time, Terrelle Pryor was coming into a Buckeye locker room expected to sit the bench for most of his freshman season. A lot of people expected for Todd Boeckman to keep his starting role and for Pryor to come in on special packages.

At the beginning of the season that is just what happened, but a USC game in which the gray shirt team leader fell apart against the Trojans, Coach Tressel had to try out his star recruit.

In Pryor’s first start for the Buckeyes, he completed 10 of 16 passes for 139 yards and four touchdown passes which is the most by any Ohio State freshman quarterback.

From then on, Pryor has been taking the first snaps from center and leading the Buckeyes to eight wins and two losses.

He was the Big Ten Freshman Player of the Year, and in the two losses the Buckeyes experienced while he was behind center for the most snaps, they lost by only 10 points.

Coming into this season everyone expects a lot out of Pryor, and he has already shown improvements in gaining weight and doing all he can to be the best he can.

He’s not that freshman quarterback that asked the coach to take him out if he makes too many mistakes, he’s taken on a new role and he has complete confidence in being able to lead this team.

In his practices he expects nothing but the best from himself and from his whole team.

It has been reported that Pryor has been kicking receivers out of the huddle who drop passes, and making this young receiver core respect him as their leader and to follow his commands.

Last season we saw a lot of Pryor blaming himself, but he’s finally reached the point where he can call players out who are not doing their jobs, because he wants players in there who want to win just as badly as he does.

He’s searching for the open receiver, not necessarily the key receiver, on the play which means we should see more tight end and back catches this season.

Pryor is on the Davey O’Brien Watch List which consists of the 33 top quarterbacks in the nation, and he’s also been named the Preseason Big Ten Player of the Year.

It wouldn’t surprise me if Pryor is one of the top finalists for the Heisman this season. I think if he is a key player in the Buckeyes big games like USC, Penn State, and Michigan, he will be a deserving young player as well.

I am looking forward to September 5th just to see how much Pryor has improved from last season, and of course the following week is the big game against USC where we will really see how much of a play maker and game changer Pryor can be.

Ohio State Vs. Texas: Why Fans Should Want to See This More Often

Kyle Strittholt — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 18:16:11 -0400

On September 10, 2005 the Ohio State Buckeyes and Texas Longhorns had never played against each other in each of the teams long and successful histories.

Texas was ranked second in the nation with a strong Heisman Trophy candidate in Vince Young.

Ohio State was ranked fourth and was a strong defensive powerhouse of a team with some uncertainty of who was going to play quarterback for them.

It was supposed to be one of the biggest games of the year, and it certainly was. It came down to a couple of late turnovers by Ohio State for the Longhorns to come from behind and for Vince Young to prove he had what it takes to win big games.

The final score was 25-22 in favor of Texas, but it wasn't a "gimme" game by any means. Vince Young was tested to the limit by the Buckeye defense led by A.J Hawk who had a big interception, and a couple of major hits on the Heisman candidate.

These teams would not see each other for another year. The Longhorns ended up beating the USC Trojans for the National Championship, and the Buckeyes beat the Fighting Irish in the Fiesta Bowl.

The following year the two teams met again on September 9, 2006 and a lot had changed from the previous season. Vince Young left early to be drafted by the Tennessee Titans and Ohio State had the Heisman candidate in Troy Smith.

Ohio State was ranked first and Texas second, and it was supposed to be another great game. Texas had the young offense going against the young defense of the Buckeyes, and whoever won that battle was assured to win.

It was all going the Longhorns way until the young linebacker James Laurinaitis caused a fumble and completely changed the game.

Troy Smith went 17 for 26 passing and threw for 269 yards being the biggest key in putting the Longhorns away. The final score being 24-7 in favor of the Buckeyes.

Once again one of the teams in this game made it to the National Championship, but unfortunately the results were different for the Buckeyes.

The next time these teams met was not in a regular season match-up, but in the Fiesta Bowl.

The Texas Longhorns were supposed to be playing in the National Championship, but the Oklahoma Sooners were sent instead so they faced the tenth ranked Buckeyes, being ranked third in the nation.

This was a game that came down to the wire. At half it seemed like anyone's game with a Buckeyes' lead of 6-3. But the Longhorns quickly scored two touchdowns in the third to make it appear that the Buckeyes would be crushed in their third consecutive bowl game.

The Buckeyes responded scoring two touchdowns of their own in the fourth, and if not for a phenomenal two minute drill by Colt McCoy scoring with five seconds left on the clock the Buckeyes may have upset the third ranked team.

In the two schools histories they're both on the top five list of most winningest programs, and I look forward to Texas being on the schedule more often for the future.

They have all been very great games, with even better players and this is a match-up that sports fans dream of.

Chris Wells: Beanie's Not a Bust Just Yet

Kyle Strittholt — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 15:54:15 -0400

In Chris "Beanie" Wells's three years at Ohio State he ran for 3,382 yards and 30 touchdowns.

His sophomore season, his best, he rushed for 1,609 yards, which was more than any other sophomore that went to Ohio State.

Throughout his career, he had a few injuries that cost him some playing time, the big one being last season when he injured his foot in the Buckeyes season opener against Youngstown State.

It affected the whole Ohio State team because he was injured during the most important game of the season against USC. In that game, the Buckeyes were crushed 35-3.

The game before USC, Ohio University went neck-and-neck with the Buckeyes, and Ohio State was lucky that they were not upset.

Wells still finished the season with nearly 1,200 yards, but his draft stock took a hit from the injuries, and a player that should have been a top 10 pick fell to the Cardinals at 31.

The Cardinals felt really great about having such a rare and talented back as Wells, but in his first training camp, Wells walked off the field with a sprained ankle.

Though it doesn't appear to be serious, with a guy who was such an injury risk in the draft it does have people wondering.

I don't think it will be much of a problem as Beanie Wells has made it through worse injuries, and I think that he has the potential to be the Offensive Rookie of the Year.

Wells just needs to try a lot harder to stay healthy and on the field where he will do a lot of damage to teams.

Even with an injured foot, Wells still rushed for 1,197 yards and that was in the 10 games that he did play this season.

Wells is arguably the best back drafted, and it's because of everything he brings to the table. He's a bruiser for linebackers and lineman, and he has the speed and burst on the outside to make all the defenders stand in his cloud of dust.

Watching Ohio State's games, you knew it was just a matter of time before Wells would burst out for a 30-40 yard gain.

He has lost some weight before training camp, but I expect that only to make him quicker which will be a problem for some teams that the Cardinals face.

Last season Kurt Warner carried this team on his back, but this season, I think that Wells can take some of that load off and this team is a Super Bowl caliber team once again.

It is way too early too call Wells a bust, and hopefully he proves his worth on the field, making this Cardinals team unstoppable offensively.

Like Father Like Son: Duron Carter Adding to Pryor's List of Weapons

Kyle Strittholt — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 16:46:11 -0400

Cris Carter was arguably one of the best receivers to put on a uniform for the Buckeyes. He was the first Ohio State wide out to become an All-American after his junior season.

It didn't take long for Carter to make an impact in Columbus, setting the Rose Bowl record with nine receptions for 172 yards as a freshman.

He left Ohio State after three seasons with a record 168 total receptions. In 2000, he was inducted into the Ohio State Hall of Fame.

Now his son Duron Carter looks to continue his fathers' legacy and become the next great receiver for the Buckeyes, and hopefully lead Ohio State to a National Championship.

He is an addition to some of the weapons Terrelle Pryor already has, the biggest man on the list being DaVeir Posey.

If Carter can do like his father and have an immediate impact, there is no question that this team will be loaded with talent once again.

The Buckeyes look like they will surpass the 2006 team that was just stacked with talent like Troy Smith, Ted Ginn Jr., Anthony Gonzales, and Antonio Pittman.

The Buckeyes now have three backs that can really make this running game confusing to defend.

They have a multi-threat quarterback in Terrelle Pryor who will have the ball in his hands on every snap.

Finally, they look like their receiving core will be really athletic and talented, with possibly more depth than the '06 season.

Carter will need to fight for snaps because he does have competition in Posey and Ray Small.

Carter is a tall receiver with great athleticism, and when he adds some bulk, he'll be one of the top receivers in the nation.

The Buckeyes can see he is dedicated to playing in Columbus because he lived in Florida and could have easily went to any school around there, but he chose Ohio State.

The one great thing the scouts have been saying about Carter is he has reliable hands. He reaches out to catch the ball and adjusts well to bad passes.

That will be a quality that Terrelle Pryor will need, because he is still developing as a passer.

He's great in yards after catch and can usually make the first defender miss and he breaks tackles in the open field. He's aggressive and is not afraid to go in the middle. He's a deep ball threat and, like his father, has great route-running ability.

He does not excel in speed, but he makes up for it in the key areas that the Buckeyes will need from their wide receivers.

"They told me one that they were very impressed with was Duron Carter and his route-running ability," Tressel said.

Carter could be a key part in whether or not the Buckeyes make it to a National Championship this season or not, and I have great expectations for this young player.

Buckeyes: Could Three Backs Be Better Than One?

Kyle Strittholt — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 14:52:50 -0400

Last season there was one Buckeye player that was certainly a problem for opposing defenses, and his name was Chris "Beanie" Wells.

This season would be Beanie's senior season, but he decided to go straight to the NFL and make his millions.

Without Wells, it is easy to think that the Buckeyes won't be as effective in the running game, but that is not the case for this season.

Dan Herron had a very productive season last year, rushing for 439 yards and six touchdowns.

He was really effective in the Michigan game last season, rushing eight times for 80 yards and galloping to a 49-yard touchdown in the Buckeyes 42-7 victory over their rivals.

In the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, Herron had a late touchdown that almost won Ohio State the game, if not for the heroics of Colt McCoy.

It would appear as if he will be the starter this season, and although he isn't Chris Wells, he will cause some problems for opposing defenses.

Wells did not have another player besides Herron to step in and take some heat off him, but Herron now has two other players that will make the Buckeyes' backfield effective.

Not only do they have an athletic quarterback in Terrelle Pryor, but they also have Brandon Saine returning from injury and the young freshman Jaamal Berry who was the Buckeyes' star recruit.

Brandon Saine has been plagued with minor injuries that have caused him to sit much of the last two seasons, but when he did play, he was a threat in the passing game.

His biggest strength is his catching ability out of the backfield, and he can also line up in the slot if needed—this opens things up for different trick plays if needed.

In 2007, he rushed for 267 yards, and like Herron last season, he was the backup to Wells during his best season in Columbus. He added 160 receiving yards in the '07 season, and he averaged 13 yards a catch.

He still has not shown his true potential, but this is the year he can show it. He will not be a backup to one of the best running backs in the nation, so he should get plenty of play-making oppurtunities.

I don't know if Jaamal Berry will redshirt this season, but he would be a valuable asset to the backfield.

He is a back that explodes with speed and has power to back it up. He has great vision, toughness, and power, which makes up for a loss of Chris Wells.

I don't think Berry will be as great as Beanie Wells because Wells had so many gifts and talents that couldn't be replaced.

This year is all about Terrelle Pryor. Teams will be focusing on Pryor and how they can contain him. In a week's time, you can't simulate how Pryor moves, not to mention the three running backs who all add a unique part to this offense.

I think a key to the Buckeyes' offense is to immediately take advantage of their opponents' lack of familiarity with the new Buckeye backfield. If they make defenses fear the running backs, it opens up everything for this offense.

With Wells, you know what you have to deal with, he's only one player. But when you have three running backs you have to prepare for, it will make it harder to defend.

Steve McNair: Tragedy on the Fourth of July Ruled a Murder-Suicide

Kyle Strittholt — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 13:41:28 -0400

Two days ago there was constant reports about celebrities meeting their end before their time should have been up.

On music television channels and news stations, stories about Michael Jackson abounded.

The only way you could find a channel that wasn't covering Michael, was to watch ESPN.

If you were watching in the middle of the day, a new development came out about former Ravens and Titans quarterback Steve McNair who was found dead with a young girl. This was not a freak act of nature, but a homicidal murder.

According to ESPN, new developments in the story have police believing Sahel Kazemi, the ex-NFL star's mistress, may have been the one to pull the trigger and then commit suicide.

Local police revealed the theory that Sahel thought McNair would marry her, but he was already married with four kids.

Investigators have found no evidence of a forced entry, and the door was locked when police arrived on the scene.

McNair had four gunshot wounds, two in the head and as many in the chest. Sahel had only one in the head.

The former NFL MVP was 36 years old. He was born on Valentine's Day, and unfortunately killed on Independence Day.

Air McNair will always be remembered as a great quarterback, and a great teammate.

For his career he had 31,304 passing yards, to go with 174 touchdowns. He was also a threat on the ground, rushing for 3,590 yards and scoring 37 more touchdowns.

This is a tragic story on the very day that we celebrate our independence as we also lose an incredible athlete.

Our hearts go out to the family and friends of Steve—this has been a sad week in sports.

ESPY's Top Male Athlete: Jimmie Johnson—For Real?

Kyle Strittholt — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:15:46 -0400

There are so many phenomenal athletes nowadays, it's hard to determine who really is the best.

So when I looked at this year's finalists for the ESPY's Top Male Athlete I was a little stunned.

I saw LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Michael Phelps and then thought, "This is a pretty good list," but then saw the final name, Jimmie Johnson.

I have nothing against racing—you have to be very talented to do it and I will admit there is no way I could go a lap. But to tell me Jimmie Johnson is on the top four list of all male athletes? You have to be completely out of your mind.

Jimmie Johnson won three straight Sprint Cup Championships, but does that say he's the best athlete?

I think he could be at the top for most talented, but not one of the most athletic guys in the world.

LeBron James and Kobe Bryant do unimaginable things on a day-to-day basis and both are the best basketball players in the world.

Look at Michael Phelps and what he did at the Olympics. He is the only person in history to win eight gold medals.

Do you really want to compare Jimmie Johnson to them?

How about Adrian Peterson, who has been a dominant football player?

I honestly don't know if they have to be from this country, but Usain Bolt is the fastest man on earth. Why isn't he on this list?

Jimmie Johnson is my choice for Best Driver, but as Top Male Athlete I don't think he should be compared to any of these stars.

I highly doubt that he will win with Michael Phelps on the list, but if he some how does that will be a huge disappointment.

What the Cavs Need To Do To "Win a Ring for the King"

Kyle Strittholt — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:49:06 -0400

The Cleveland Cavaliers have not been shy about how much they want to win a championship; they are the team that has made the greatest effort to build a championship team this offseason.

They have the best player in the league with LeBron James, a key acquisition from last season in Mo Williams, and one of the best centers of all-time in Shaquille O'Neal.

The Cavs are definitely not short on talent, and based on their aggressive offseason, they have the right attitude about winning a championship.

They have expressed interest in Trevor Ariza and Ron Artest. Both players are great defensively, which will help the Cavs against the Magic's athletic forwards.

Who fits best for the Cavs?

Trevor Ariza would be the best choice because he is younger and is still developing—but he may be too expensive.

James has been involved in the pursuit of Artest, and there is no doubt that Artest would be a great addition to the best defensive team in the league.

Artest is the most likely player to end up in Cleveland because the Cavs can't spend too much money. I think James would like to have Artest as a teammate (not an opponent) considering that Artest held James to 33 percent shooting in the Cavs' game against Houston last season.

I think either player would be a great asset for the Cavs. They have the size and strength to guard power forwards and small forwards. They would fit the missing piece.

Today, they introduced Shaq to Cleveland, and he made one thing clear: He wants to "win a ring for the king."

I think either Ariza or Artest increases those chances.

Shaq still lacks a nickname, but he still thinks he has what it takes to be a dominant big man this year. And when he talks, you can hear his eagerness to play with James.

Last year, Cavs fans were disappointed in the Conference Finals, but this offseason has me ready for the 2009-2010 season to start.

Thinking of King James, "The Big Buckeye" Shaq, Mo Williams, and Ariza or Artest being on this team may have Cleveland fans hoping to skip football season and go straight to basketball.

Cavaliers Get Their Man Of Steel: Shaq Joins King James In Cleveland

Kyle Strittholt — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 14:36:00 -0400

Wednesday night the Cavaliers sent Sasha Pavlovic and Ben Wallace to the Phoenix Suns. They also gave the Suns their second round pick as well as a half a million dollars.

It is obvious that the Cavaliers want to get to the Finals at any cost, and it looks like they will be the early favorites to go all the way this season.

If the Cavaliers can stay healthy all season I think that Shaq brings the potential of a seventy win season, as well as a NBA title along with it.

With the draft tonight it’s hard to see what the Cavs will pick, but I don’t think they could have chosen a better player for their team besides Shaquille O’Neal.

Shaq has proven he is a winner in this league, and he’s very rarely missed the playoffs. When you add that with another all-star, and the league MVP and this team will look invincible.

The question is who will get the most playing time between Shaq and Zydrunas Ilgauskas. Big Z has been a very valuable part of this Cleveland team being with the Cavs the longest. Will they share time, or will they use Big Z as a power forward and rotate soon after.

The acquisition of Shaq opens up many doors for the Cavs, as well as insurance that they have a better shot against a team like the Magic this season.

The only player that could match Dwight Howard was an undersized Ben Wallace, but now they have a player that can handle a post game like that.

With Zydrunas and Shaq it opens up two really tall players with two separate styles of playing. Ilgauskas is more of the shooter, when Shaq will use his gigantic body to back you up and get the post-up field goal.

I think this team will be even better defensively with Shaq’s shot blocking ability added with the top defensive team in the NBA.

This also opens so many doors for LeBron James, because you have to pick your poison. Do you want to double LeBron who has been nearly unstoppable when he decides to drive it in, or double Shaq who will out power you one on one?

This is going to be a nightmare for teams with James being so multi-talented and having an even better supporting cast this season there is no reason why the Cavs shouldn’t get their ring this season.

The Lakers won with two great athletic centers, but the Cavs are having two monster centers averaging 7’2 in height, and a lot of years of experience. Not to mention an all-star at point guard (Mo Williams) and MVP in LeBron James.

I thought that the Lakers would have had the advantage over the Cavaliers this season because of Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum, but now I definitely think that the Cavs have the upper hand.

The media will have all kinds of fun if the Lakers and Cavs make it to the Finals. Shaq vs. Kobe and Kobe vs. LeBron I can already see the headlines.

The draft is tonight, but if this is the start of what’s to come this season in the NBA, I can’t wait until the season starts.

Troy Smith: Triangle Offense All By Himself

Kyle Strittholt — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:29:44 -0400

Troy Smith hasn't had the most luck in his career at the quarterback position. He has proven himself to be a big time play maker, but nothing has come easy for the former Heisman Trophy winner.

He had his worst game of his career in the most important game of his life in the 2007 National Championship game when he threw for 35 yards on a 4-14 passing day getting sacked five times.

Then just as he's about to take the reins of the Baltimore Ravens offense he comes down with a rare tonsil infection, and loses his job to rookie quarterback Joe Flacco who stepped up big time for the Ravens last season almost getting them to a Super Bowl.

Troy Smith has had all the odds stacked against him, but the coaches see something in him that they love because they keep on playing around with the idea of using Mr. Smith in their offense.

This season their emphasis has been on expanding their roles, and a player that has stepped up and said okay is Troy Smith.

In his limited time last season, he threw a 45 yard dart to his quarterback, and ran the ball in what coaches called the "Suggs Package."

Terrelle Suggs had faith that Smith could play apart in the Ravens winning games, and I believe that he was their key to making it to the Super Bowl last season.

One thing about a key is if you don't use it, it won't open the door. The Ravens failed to use him against the Steelers, and the lost a nail biting game.

I think the coaches noticed that, because not only is Smith running and throwing, but he's added a third element which is pass catching.

The wildcat offense became famous when Miami defeated the Patriots with it, and Troy Smith is the Ravens wildcat player who will be able to do anything the coaches ask him because he's a leader as well as a stellar athlete.

With this third element in Troy it opens up a lot of possibilities for this offense, as well as Troy if he succeeds in doing it.

Originally, Smith didn't want to do anything with receiver, but I think he'll do anything just to get himself on the field so he can make a difference for his team.

When asked about expanding his role Smith said, "Well, it's expanded role camp, definitely, when they put you in a situation where you get a chance to do something different and expand your role, you just step up and rise to the occasion.

"I'm not opposed to it," he said. "I didn't get here catching balls. ... I play quarterback. That's what I do. I guess sometimes when you're blessed to a certain extent to do different things, the power of the pen and pad takes over.

"Coming from where I come from in Ohio - Columbus and Cleveland - it's about taking care of business with the task at hand. Everything in front of you is the most important thing. All of that stuff on the side will take care of itself. What's most important now is the Baltimore Ravens."

This is who Troy Smith is. He's not going to complain, he's not going to say how much he doesn't like it, he's going to go out there and give it all he's got. In that stand point he's more mature than most NFL players.

When head coach John Harbaugh was asked about Smith and his new position he said, "Troy looked very good, he made a nice catch over the middle. Without making a big, huge story out of it, I'm quite sure Troy will be lined up in some different places this year."

This is how much confidence Harbaugh has in his quarterback, he thinks he's a good enough athlete to line up anywhere he asks him to and make plays.

One day, Smith will be a starting quarterback for someone. He has the talent, the leadership, and the attitude that coaches love and it won't keep him on the bench for too much longer.

I think that he is a phenomenal player and will continue to get better no matter where he plays.

Would the Bengals Do Better in the NFC North?

Kyle Strittholt — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 14:45:23 -0400

The Bengals have been a team that has been very talented but have failed to bring that great talent on the field on a consistent basis, whether it's players not coming to play or players getting injured.

When you look at last season’s record, you see a team that struggled all season to win games, even against weak competition that they should have blown out of the water.

There is an interesting statistic from last season: Against NFC East teams, the Bengals were 1-2-1. This doesn’t look like much because they only have one win, but these are games you had to have watched.

Against NFC teams last season, the Bengals went neck and neck with Dallas, Philadelphia, and the New York Giants. They played hard in these games and came close enough to scare each team in one of the most competitive divisions in the NFL.

The Bengals have been struggling the past three seasons, but the one positive that remains is their success against NFC teams. They haven’t won them all, but a few losses have come down to the wire.

The division they dominated the most was the NFC North. In 2005, the Bengals were undefeated by NFC teams and caused an average of five interceptions in each game they played against the Lions, Bears, Vikings, and Packers, who were then quarterbacked by Brett Favre.

The Bengals, on the other hand, haven’t won their division since that fantastic season and have been embarrassing because of their lack of strength ever since.

Would it be better for competition if the Bengals were moved to the NFC North and a team like the Bears, who have been pretty good the last couple of seasons, into the AFC North division?

The Bears have a good defense and like to run the ball, which complements the AFC North’s toughness and could be more exciting for fans to see.

On the other hand, it would give the Bengals a chance for once to be in competition for the playoffs. Not only do I think they would be in competition, but I think they could dominate this division.

Instead of them only winning two games in their division, they would be able to win up to four or five games.

Bengals have been working on their defense, but when you think of the Bengals, you know Carson Palmer, Chad Ochocinco, and Chris Henry, who are all offensive players.

When you think of the Packers, it's Aaron Rodgers, for the Vikings it's Adrian Peterson, and well, when it comes to Detroit, you just think of losing.

The Bears player that first comes to mind is Brian Urlacher. The Ravens' Ray Lewis is brought up next. It would be the more appropriate switch, and it could help more viewers come to the games.

As a Bengals fan, I look at the team the Bengals have, and I have no idea how they don’t win at least nine games each season, but I look at some teams in the NFC getting into the playoffs with the same record as the Bengals.

You look at a division like the AFC East, and there were three teams that should have made the playoffs.

I think the NFL should try to switch up the competition, not only with the Bengals, but also within the entire league.

This will probably not happen, but it should be considered. There are teams other than the Bengals whose fans have had enough of watching their team be consistently one of the worst in the league.

Cavs Look for Their Man of Steel: Can Shaq Help LeBron Get a Ring?

Kyle Strittholt — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 14:01:59 -0400

The NBA Finals this season was supposed to be a battle between Kobe Bryant and LeBron James. The two best players in the world, along with the two best teams going head to head.

It would have been a great series and may have been talked about for years to come, much like the epic battles between Larry Bird and Magic Johnson are talked about today, but Dwight Howard and the mismatch of the Orlando Magic had something to say about that.

The Cavaliers couldn’t stop Dwight Howard or the perimeter shooters of the Magic, so Cleveland once again fell short of being the top team in the NBA.

Now with a brutal offseason of what ifs the Cavs have to make their team impenetrable and more unstoppable, and their biggest place of need is in the front court. They need to make sure that what happened this season never happens again.

Who would be able to match up with “Superman” Dwight Howard? what about the original “Man of Steel” himself Shaquille O’Neal?

Shaq is not in his prime, but has proved that he can still be a big time performer in the NBA. He has taken teams with big time stars and won them championships four times. He would be a huge asset to a team like the Cavaliers who desperately needed someone of his talents in the Conference Finals.

People say that Shaq carried the teams he was on to the Finals, but LeBron has been living proof that you can’t win on your own. Shaq didn’t make the amazing shots that Kobe and Dwayne Wade did to be a total nightmare for opposing teams.

The Cavs did a great job at acquiring Mo Williams, he fitted their needs and got them far, but he alone will not win the Cavs a championship.

If Shaq came to Cleveland there will be three all-stars on their team, and it would be the new “Big Three.”

This would help the media as well, can you imagine the headlines you would see if it was Cavs vs. Lakers in the Finals? Forget about LeBron vs. Kobe they would be talking about Kobe and Shaq.

The Cavs have expressed their interest in Shaq, but the question is how will they trade to get him?

A team with Žydrūnas Ilgauskas and Shaq would be trouble for people in the low post because they’re so different, but can the Cavs hold on to the player that has been playing with them since LeBron was in school?

They could give up Anderson Varejao and Ben Wallace, but will the Pheonix Suns bite on that combination?

There are a lot of questions in this conversation, but to say Shaq would not be a great acquisition is a horrible statement.

He helps win championships and still has gas in his aging tank.

Andre Caldwell: TJ Houshmandzadeh's Protégé?

Kyle Strittholt — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 16:53:50 -0400

Andre Caldwell arrived in Cincinnati last season coming from a talented Florida Gators team that a year before won the National Championship.

He was one of the many talented players on the team, and was a hybrid player with receiving and running ability.

He didn’t make the biggest impact as a rookie with stars like TJ Houshmandzadeh and Chad Ochocinco on the roster spot in front of him, and his main job was to learn.

He had to learn to be able to fill in the position when the time came. When his time did come, and both Chad and TJ were out with injuries, Caldwell had a very productive game with five catches for 34 yards, and four runs for 49 yards.

Now he is coming into his second season with the Bengals and says he feels like a better athlete based on what TJ Houshmandzadeh taught him.

Not only has he taught him how to play the position better, but also how to be a better player in general.

This season the Bengals will need one of their second year receivers to step up after shipping TJ off to Seattle, and I think that Caldwell can do the job.

In the news they’ve said that Chris Henry has had a very productive offseason and that Chad is looking as good as he once was. But those are the down field receivers that have been known to catch the deep ball instead of running into traffic for a third down catch.

Caldwell had a bigger frame than both Ochocinco and Henry and that can only help his chances at playing time.

The Bengals could utilize his abilities and I think he can be a great player for this team to compliment aging wide outs Ochocinco and Laveranues Coles.

Caldwell also opens up a wildcat offense for the Bengals, but that's only if the offensive coordinator (who should have been fired a couple years ago) discovers plays that work.

This season, even after the loss of TJ, the Bengals have a lot of talent on the offensive side of the ball and I think they will be a lot more balanced this season.

Bob Bratkowski needs to learn very fast how to use the weapons on his team instead of trying to force plays to happen. Mainly running the ball three times in a row, or everytime Carson calls an audible it not being a running play up the middle.

In losing TJ it may open a space for young Caldwell to step in and be very affective for a Bengals team who was cold last season, after being so hot in previous years.

If Caldwell, Ochocinco, Henry, and Coles can all be affective this season then the Bengals will be a force to be reckoned with on offense once again.

The Bengals made a gamble in grabbing Jerome Simpson in the second round last season, and that doesn’t seem to be paying off.

If they can somehow get Simpson to be disciplined and ready to go, then if injuries occur, this team will be ready for them. Something they have lacked in the former seasons.

Look for Caldwell to be making big third down catches this season, and for the Bengals to once again be in the talk of best offense in the league.

Chad Ochocinco: Best Receiver for the Bengals, or Ochostinko?

Kyle Strittholt — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 09:19:39 -0400

At one point and time, there was a point that no one wanted to guard Chad Johnson. He was a fast receiver with excellent hands and a threat for defenses in deep ball situations.

Everyone in Cincinnati can see that Chad has not been the dominant player he once was. Having more drops than touchdowns, it tarnished one of the best receivers in the NFL to another thing to laugh about the Bengals.

Last season, he tried to make a statement, but it failed miserably and his stats dropped lower and lower. Some was due to the injury to starting quarterback Carson Palmer, but then again he wasn’t having huge games before he was injured.

He changed his name, but last season, he didn’t change anything for the good. This year, you can sense some determination.

It’s been stated that Chad Ochocinco is in the best shape since the Bengals’ 2005 season, which was the last time the Bengals made it to the playoffs.

Chad has gained 17 pounds, now weighing 195 compared to last years 178. He’s back to a 4.5 40-yard dash time, which means on the field he’s going to be quicker this year.

A lot of people have criticized him not being at voluntary practice, and Carson has a right to make the statement, but he did it to work out by himself to make himself a better player.

Does that mean he’s making himself better for Cincinnati? No, it may have no affect at all. Chad has seen how much he’s dropped in the public eye, and with him always wanting attention it hurts him.

He’s looking for his ticket to get away from Cincinnati, but he’s got to perform well enough for the Bengals to get anything for him in a trade.

Last season teams were thinking of trading their first round picks, this season they were lucky if they heard a deal for a second round pick in the draft.

Who cares if he’s doing that right now if he’s a Bengals fan? This only means that the younger players are getting more reps in practice to get better and better. If Chad comes in and is better than he ever was, that only helps the team more on the way to the playoffs.

Another great thing you can notice is Chadhasn’t been in many if any interviews this offseason. He’s been focusing on walking the walk, because when he did all his talking nothing good came out of it. Maybe he’s finally reached the point to shut up and play.

Touchdown celebrations can be funny and entertaining, but I want to see him catch 10 touchdown passes before he does his next celebration. Chad hasn’t been in the news for his ankle injury he was suffering in last year’s offseason. Supposedly it has fully healed and he’s injury free coming into mandatory workouts.

There is no telling if Chad will be amazing this season, or if he’ll stink it up, but coming towards the end of the off-season he shows good signs that he will be better physically.

The next challenge he needs to achieve is catching the ball. Once the best hands in the league, last season and even the season before that he just wasn’t the same Chad.

Without T.J Houshmandzadeh being their clutch receiver, Palmer needs someone he can trust to catch the ball in a third and long situation. He needs to work to be a threat down the field, and everywhere else, because the Bengals are young in their receiving core.

The best view of this is that Chad is trying to get better; he’s not shooting his mouth off. I hope he can get the rest of his act together, because he could be a key player in the Bengals making the playoffs this season.

Superman and Magic Just Too Much for King James and Cavs to Handle

Kyle Strittholt — Sat, 30 May 2009 23:32:33 -0400

It's official. Orlando has prevented in making this a season to remember for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Orlando just wouldn't let this game go back to Cleveland, and instead will be taking it to L.A. to play the Lakers Thursday.

The Cavs looked like they could even this series out with their effort Thursday night in Cleveland, but they never led in the game and we won't get to see LeBron vs. Kobe.

The Cavs did not look like the aggressor in this game, and the Magic were in control the whole entire game.

Dwight Howard outscored LeBron for the first time this series. Howard had 40 points James had 25. It was as if someone switched the numbers for the two super powers, and for the second year in a row the league MVP has fallen to Defensive Player of the Year.

It was difficult for the Cavs to match-up with the Magic all around. They are two different style of teams and the Cavaliers had no one to stop their bigger players.

I don't think this series should take anything away from the Cavs, they still have the least amount of losses out of the teams that advanced, but the Magic made a statement that they are one of the best teams.

If you would have said it was going to be Lakers vs. Magic before this series I'd think you were crazy, because a lot of people thought that Denver had more of a chance at an upset.

On Thursday a battle will begin and for the second time in a row Kobe will have to take on the Defensive Player of the Year in the Finals.

I think LA has a better chance to win the title this series, because the Lakers can match what the Magic give them. I don't know if the Magic can match with the Lakers.

The Lakers have Andrew Bynum and Pao Gasol who can at least slow down Howard. Ariza who has been playing great as of late defensively and offensively. Not to mention the second best player in the league in Kobe Bryant.

The Lakers are so stacked with talent that they have to have Lamar Odom come off the bench.

I do think the Magic will fall to the Lakers. It may take seven games, or just four, but I think the Lakers have too much for the Magic to handle.

For certain this is looking to be a great series. I think Superman will finally meet his Doomsday. Everyone will have to wait and see on Thursday. Not the match-up we were looking for, but hopefully it'll be a match-up worth looking at.

Cavaliers-Magic: MVP's Offense Won Game Five, But Can It Win Game Six?

Kyle Strittholt — Fri, 29 May 2009 12:08:30 -0400

In a game that the Cleveland Cavaliers desperately needed to win, who other but LeBron James carried his team in the fourth quarter for a 112-102 win.

In the fourth quarter, James stood at the top of the key and let everything flow through him.

He ran the offense by running the clock, and making things happen in many ways. He would drive the lane making the lay-up and drawing the foul (which was a key to getting Dwight Howard out of the game).

If they would block his way he would pass it inside or kick it out to a wide open shooter, and they executed (mainly Mo Williams and Daniel Gibson) which they haven't been able to do in the previous four games.

James also stepped up and shot the mid-range jump shot when he needed to. He scored or contributed to 32 straight points in the fourth quarter, and had his first triple-double of the post season this year.

They didn't set up plays, they didn't call an offensive scheme, they just gave the ball to the best player in the league and let him work.

This offense was very affective, and was similar to what Dwight Howard has been doing, but LeBron had a lot more liberty and made a lot more plays.

This whole win wasn't LeBron's but he finished, what the rest of the players couldn't. He put the finishing touches on Orlando and held his home court.

Some may say that is way to much work for LeBron to do, and too much responsibility. Which it is too much work for one quarter, but what if they would spread it out and have little spurts where LeBron just takes over to get ahead so he can have extra rest on the bench.

I think this would be affective, and in the end it will help them bring the game back to Cleveland, where they've only lost one game in these playoffs.

If they can run this and have great results it could even carry on to the NBA Finals, if they would survive the Magic.

With LeBron being the ball handler, and the passer quarterbacking the team I think not only will it help put points on the board, but prevent turnovers which is a large part of the lead they gave up last night.

With LeBron getting a triple-double this team has been near unstoppable, and the Cavs will continue to live to fight another day.

The Cavaliers' Keys To Avoiding Embarrassment

Kyle Strittholt — Thu, 28 May 2009 12:16:58 -0400

The Cavaliers have been completely out-played in this Magic series. They haven't been able to successfully shut down Dwight Howard, accept for their win where they held him to 10 points.

The biggest thing that killed them in Game Four was the Magic's perimeter shooting. They've put Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Anderson Varejao on Howard, and one of two things happens. They give up an easy bucket and possibly a foul, or they try and double him and he kicks it out for an easy three.

What they need to do in this situation is put Ben Wallace in the game a lot more often. He has been the only one to at least cause some problems for Howard in the paint, and he had a great block with Dwight going to the rim.

Everything offensively that needed to happen for the Cavs happened, but they just couldn't stop the Magic's offense and the three-point shot that kept them in the game.

It doesn't look good for the Cavaliers in this series, and the odds are stacked against them. There have only been seven previous teams to come back and win from a 3-1 deficit in NBA Playoff history.

If the Cavs did not have home court I would count them out for tonights game, but I do think they will not dissapoint the Cavaliers fans and at least will win one more game.

Most teams can't come back from a deficit like this, but this isn't just an average team. They have the MVP of the league, two All-Stars, and the Coach of the Year.

They're not out of this years playoffs until the final buzzer sounds and the score has Cleveland down in points.

I've heard a lot of talk about Mike Brown not living up to his Coach of the Year award, and I think it's a stupid statement.

Mike Brown (with a large contribution from LeBron) has taken a team that was nothing, and has turned it into the best team in the NBA. One bad playoff game should not make him "unworthy" of his award.

I'm not saying the Cavaliers will win this series, but it would not suprise me a bit if they are still playing next Monday.

They have the talent to do so, with Mo Williams starting to be an aggressor and Deonte West learning where his range is for this series, they do have people who can score, not to mention the best player in the NBA.

LeBron needs to let his team get into a rythm. If at all possible try and get everyone to score before he attempts a single field goal.

LeBron was still trying to pass the ball around at the end of the game Tuesday, and give Orlando credit, they were making him stay outside the paint for most of the game. The time that he needs to carry his team is in the fourth quarter.

I'd like to see Wallace starting tonight, but at least give him some playing time, more than he's been getting.

If they continue, they have a possible chance of making this a series.