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Afternoon Sports Notes: Ryan Shazier, Divisional Names and Terrible Uniforms
David ThurmanDec 17, 2010
1) The big news this afternoon is that OLB/DE Ryan Shazier has decommitted from Florida. After visiting LSU this last weekend and being on campus at OSU the last few days, he has decided to choose between those two. Shazier seemed like nothing more than a pipe dream a week ago, and it is crazy that the Buckeyes could steal a huge prospect from Florida.
He is supposedly announcing his decision tonight around 10 pm Eastern Time at his graduation party, and the experts believe that the safe pick is Ohio State. Not only is he coming off a two-day visit to Columbus, but his teammate Jeremy Cash is also a Buckeye commit. Don't count out LSU, though. I have seen more than one SEC insider who feels the Mad Hatter could just pull another one out of his butt. Stay tuned...
2) It's nice to know the fans really do have a voice. Jim Delany acknowledged in an interview on WGN Radio in Chicago that the response has been overly negative to the new divisional names. In fact, there has been a 90 percent non-approval rating. The great news is that he admitted that they could be re-evaluated and possibly changed in the near future.
"I think we have enough experience with names, and expansion and development of divisions, to know that you never, rarely, get 90 percent approval rating," Delany said during the interview. "But to get a 90 percent non-approval rating was, you know, really surprising."
Now if we can only get them to hire a new firm for the logo, all will be well.
He is supposedly announcing his decision tonight around 10 pm Eastern Time at his graduation party, and the experts believe that the safe pick is Ohio State. Not only is he coming off a two-day visit to Columbus, but his teammate Jeremy Cash is also a Buckeye commit. Don't count out LSU, though. I have seen more than one SEC insider who feels the Mad Hatter could just pull another one out of his butt. Stay tuned...
2) It's nice to know the fans really do have a voice. Jim Delany acknowledged in an interview on WGN Radio in Chicago that the response has been overly negative to the new divisional names. In fact, there has been a 90 percent non-approval rating. The great news is that he admitted that they could be re-evaluated and possibly changed in the near future.
"I think we have enough experience with names, and expansion and development of divisions, to know that you never, rarely, get 90 percent approval rating," Delany said during the interview. "But to get a 90 percent non-approval rating was, you know, really surprising."
Now if we can only get them to hire a new firm for the logo, all will be well.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
3) The NikeBlog.com has posted a fake Oregon uniform for the National Championship, hoping someone posts it as the real thing. Not only is this one of the weakest attempts at a practical joke, but the uniform is flat ugly. The sad thing is that the uniform is pretty believable in itself because of how many times Nike has screwed with it. Check it out—it may just blind you.
4) Well, it appears the staff wants to use some of the same strategy in the Sugar Bowl that led to the victory over Oregon a year ago. The goal is to chew up clock on offense and not give Ryan Mallett and the Arkansas offense ample time to get in rhythm. Dane Sanzenbacher had this to say on the subject:
"As an offense, we want to be able to control the game," Buckeyes star receiver Dane Sanzenbacher told me this week. "In games like this where the other team has an explosive offense, one of the best things we can do is hold the ball and keep that other offense off the field. Doing that while staying in our own scheme is always our goal."
5) Jim Tressel's latest motivational ploy has made a lot of headlines this week. This time he produced a fan's email that said the team didn't belong on the same field as an SEC team. While it seemed like a weak attempt to me, the reaction from the players shows they were quite bothered by the whole thing. I guess whatever works. I did enjoy Brandon Larrabee's version of the email, though I don't think he totally embodied what I think an Arkansas fan would sound like.
Dearest Ohio State coaches and players:
The Buckeyes are not quite as good as you might believe. In fact, on some days they are merely average. It will be difficult for them to compete with an SEC team. I hope you're not offended by my saying so.
It's not just that Ohio State is not as good at football as Southerners, with their intimidating SEC quickness. Our coaches are far better dressed, and are better about ironing their slacks than yours. We saw how much lint was left on Tressel's sweater during the Wisconsin game. A DISGRACE!
And the players? Well, let's just say that if Jack Mewhort ever hopes to play against SEC competition, he should've listened to his offensive line coach last Wednesday, because otherwise he won't stand a chance against superior SEC discipline and conditioning. In fact, all of your players must start practicing hard -- immediately -- if they hope to put forward their best effort in New Orleans.
No, we in the South do not fear your Northern football players. We think that we are easily the superior team. We anticipate an easy game, sitting at home and drinking a pop as we watch our Razrobacks coast to victory.
Sincerely,
Adrian Wizzlekowski
Fayetteville
4) Well, it appears the staff wants to use some of the same strategy in the Sugar Bowl that led to the victory over Oregon a year ago. The goal is to chew up clock on offense and not give Ryan Mallett and the Arkansas offense ample time to get in rhythm. Dane Sanzenbacher had this to say on the subject:
"As an offense, we want to be able to control the game," Buckeyes star receiver Dane Sanzenbacher told me this week. "In games like this where the other team has an explosive offense, one of the best things we can do is hold the ball and keep that other offense off the field. Doing that while staying in our own scheme is always our goal."
5) Jim Tressel's latest motivational ploy has made a lot of headlines this week. This time he produced a fan's email that said the team didn't belong on the same field as an SEC team. While it seemed like a weak attempt to me, the reaction from the players shows they were quite bothered by the whole thing. I guess whatever works. I did enjoy Brandon Larrabee's version of the email, though I don't think he totally embodied what I think an Arkansas fan would sound like.
Dearest Ohio State coaches and players:
The Buckeyes are not quite as good as you might believe. In fact, on some days they are merely average. It will be difficult for them to compete with an SEC team. I hope you're not offended by my saying so.
It's not just that Ohio State is not as good at football as Southerners, with their intimidating SEC quickness. Our coaches are far better dressed, and are better about ironing their slacks than yours. We saw how much lint was left on Tressel's sweater during the Wisconsin game. A DISGRACE!
And the players? Well, let's just say that if Jack Mewhort ever hopes to play against SEC competition, he should've listened to his offensive line coach last Wednesday, because otherwise he won't stand a chance against superior SEC discipline and conditioning. In fact, all of your players must start practicing hard -- immediately -- if they hope to put forward their best effort in New Orleans.
No, we in the South do not fear your Northern football players. We think that we are easily the superior team. We anticipate an easy game, sitting at home and drinking a pop as we watch our Razrobacks coast to victory.
Sincerely,
Adrian Wizzlekowski
Fayetteville
Harper Homers Off Skenes 🔥
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
