Dave's IMO: What's in a name?

"What's in a name?  That which we call a rose would by any other name smell as sweet." (William Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet)

What's in a name?  With recent news that two Buckeyes might not be eligible this fall, I took a moment to reflect on this question:

Robert Rose - I guess most women would say that a rose is the "diamond" of the flower family. But this "Rose" hasn't smelled too sweet in his OSU career. I saw one post on another site where someone commented that he "looks like Tarzan, plays like Jane." Unfortunately, that has been the case.

He arrived amid great fanfare, having wreaked havoc at the 2005 U.S. Army All-American game. But he has never been a difference maker in his Buckeye career. To be fair, Rose has suffered from an assortment of injuries, and it was my hope that he might be healthy this year and have a great senior season.

I hoped he might even help the Bucks get to the "Rose" bowl! Now it looks like he might not play at all.

Ray Small - Unlike Rose, Small has had no problem living up to his name.  His talent is large but his contributions on the field have too often been small.

It would also seem that he spends far too small an amount of time hitting the books. This one could really hurt, so all Buckeye fans are holding their collective breath, hoping that he will be clear to play.

Although he has not maximized his talent and has often been in the doghouse, there is no doubt that Ray can be a difference maker as a wideout and a punt returner. It would really help the OSU chances of winning another Big Ten title if he would come up "big" in '09.

Let's keep our fingers crossed that this Glenville duo can take care of business and get back on the field right away!