Big win for OSU Saturday night at Crisler Arena, as they were in need of a good road win & this was a golden opportunity for it. This now makes Thad Matta 8-1 career against the Wolverines (Tressel is 7-1 – that's what I call dominance from OSU coaches).

If OSU can manage a win at Illinois next week (obviously a BIG "if"), then they'll get themselves back into position to contend for the Big Ten title.

A small recap: OSU only lead at the half by 4 after shooing 54% while Michiganshot 30%. Things really turned in OSU's favor down the stretch, and that's why they won the game. I think the win would've been easier had Jeremie Simmons not been in foul trouble, as he was playing pretty well & PJ Hill wasn't (hegave OSU some very valuable minutes, but he looks like such a spaz on the court). There were some plays when it would've been better had Hill not beenin the play at all (e.g., the play where Sims dove into Hill and PJ knocked the ball out of bounds when it would've been off of UM had he not been there),but he also had a great block mistakenly called a goal tend & he had a niceentry pass to BJ Mullens that Mullens wasn't quite able to convert on.

The Buckeyes victory last night was so impressive because they did it with 2 sophomores and a freshmen. The officiating in this game was god awful which resulted in the Buckeyes starting point guard Jeremie Simmons riding the pine for almost the entire second half (Kudos to Simmons by the way for his first half play, he finally is getting some confidence at the point guard position)and I thought it would really hurt them, but having the trio of Evan Turner,William Buford and BJ Mullens step up lead to a big victory for the Buckeyes.

So without Simmons, David Lighty still injured, Crater transferring and the loss Kecman for the season, Turner, Buford and Mullens took over this game for the Buckeyes. Keep in mind that it goes sophomore, freshmen, freshmen with Turner, Buford and Mullens. I would love to have all 3 back next season, but it seems highly unlikely. Although Mullens has not be as advertised, he is really coming on strong at this point of the season with a lot of basketball left to play. With a little more seasoning and a good showing down the stretch, in the Big 10 tourney and in the NCAA tourney, he will most likely bolt for the NBA draft. He could still have an outside shot at being a lottery pick.

William Buford has one of the sweetest shots I've ever seen. He is also very rangy for a wing and can drive to the hoop when he needs to. He is the one out of the 3 that I see staying another year.

Evan Turner is the kind of player that NBA scouts salivate over. He is 6'7 with a ridiculous wingspan and can do it all. He's played 3 different positions in 2 years now with Ohio State. Look at his #'s from the Michigan game last night: 19 points, 8 boards and 6 assists. That is a lot of production for a college basketball player. I watch a lot of college basketball, and I am a little bias towards OSU obviously, but I haven't seen a player able to slash through a defense like Evan Turner in a long time. He carved up Michigan's zone in the first 15 minutes last night which resulted inthem playing man-to-man the last 5 minutes of the first half (and went on a 9-2 run to make it close at the half) and the entire second half. Manny Harris and Turner put up similar numbers last night (Harris had 21 points, 7 boardsand 6 assists) but what separates them is defense. Manny Harris is a horribledefender. I don't know if it's just Beilen's overall defense (which I'm not afan of) but he got beat off the dribble last night several times (mainly by Turner which resulted in several alley-oops and easy buckets). Turner'swingspan helps him out tremendously defensively. Turner's biggest problem is turnovers. He has the tendency to commit some pretty dumb turnovers. He gets alittle too fancy sometimes and will travel or carry the ball. Manny Harris is a heckuva basketball player, but if the 2 went pro tomorrow, Turner would be a higher draft pick.

All in all, a good team win and a good resume win. This was a UM team that had beaten Duke and UCLA, so winning on the road there is a very solid win. In ESPN's most recent mid-season bracketology the Buckeyes are slated as a # 9 seed. Like I said above, if the Buckeyes can steal a win in Illinois next week and be 15-3 going into the end of January, they will have a good shot at aBig 10 title. After Illinois, the only tough remaining games are: hot MSU team at home (OSU beat them at home last year), Michigan @ home, Minnesota @ Home,Purdue @ Home and on the Road, and a trip to Madison to play Wisconsin in anight battle. Other then that, the schedule is pretty easy. Even if the Buckeyes split those games, that would leave them 18-6 with easy part of the schedule coming up AND David Lighty returning sometime in February. Things look very promising for OSU basketball.

Lastly, I have to give a shout out to James Chubbs Dunn on this one. I texted him after the game to give him a little shit about the game and of course he responded with the usual, "congrats, we played the worst game of the season" "you couldn't beat Duke or UCLA" "and Michigan is still the better team" … all that bullshit. Michigan the better team? Better team? I wanna say that like Jim Mora says "playoffs?" Chubbs-our best player and only upperclassmen (we don't have a senior on the roster) has a broken foot, ourpoint guard didn't play the whole second half because of the referees homering Ohio State and we STILL waxed you on your home court by a bunch of youngsters. You may once again be setting yourself up for failure in basketball (much like football) because Michigan's remaining schedule is brutal and they are going to need some solid wins in the conference to get into the big dance…

Thanks for the post Z.

For Browns fans the last weekend of every April seems to be that time of year where your heads are held highest. A time of year when it was a near certainty that a Browns draft picks career will quickly and painfully end in the city of Cleveland. Its the time of year where a top 10 draft pick is almost inevitable. (See 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2007) Often being referred as the Mel Kiper of my generation, I'm here to share some knowledge to all of you Cleveland Browns fans.

For years the Browns have wasted high draft picks and big money to players like Tim Couch, Gerard Warren, Willie Green (I'd smoke with him anyday)and who can forget Chaun Thompson of West Texas A&M... I know Zampini hasn't. But as of late the Browns have changed that tradition with players like Joe Thomas and Braylon Edwards. (When he doesn't try to catch the ball like Freddie Mitchell aka FredEX)

After another disappointing season... what a surprise, right? The Browns are sitting in the 5 spot with a chance to help out their team in a big way in Eric "Mangenius" first season at the helm. You Browns fans can be certain their is a defensive playmaker to be taken and his name is NOT Malcolm Jenkins. 

Everette Browns from Florida State is the defensive pass rusher the Browns need to fill Grandpa McGinest spot in the starting lineup and he will show us all why at the combine. With the 5th pick the Browns have the chance to take a player that can change their defense as fast as a south gust from TJ can close out your barrel.

BUT.... Don't get your hopes up Browns fans I'm certain you'll be drafting near the top of the draft again next year.

I’m man enough to admit when I have been a little, tiny bit wrong. Despite what I have been saying for the last 2 years, Tim Tebow is one best leaders I have ever seen on the college football field. The way he gets his team hyped up and ready to go is quite a site to see. I never have liked Tebow. I think it all started because I liked Chris Leak (pre-beating the shit out of the Buckeyes) and I think he got the shaft from all those khaki and sundress wearing poopdicks Florida calls their fans. From the time Tebow was a freshman, they would chant his name during games, begging for him to get in. How much confidence does that put in your starting quarterback? That lack of confidence will eventually bring down the whole teams confidence. I think my dislike came because here was a kid getting all the attention because he was a big dumb idiot sideshow and you have a quarterback in Chris Leak who went 29-9 as a starter with a National Championship and they are throwing him to the side for no reason. I think my dislike for Tim Tebow has started to fade however. Maybe it’s the fact that Ohio State hasn’t had to play him when he is the starter or maybe I am just growing up (Ha). I think the real reason is because he isn’t a bad guy. How do hate on a missionary? I would also say because the kid is an amazing football player. Now I know, and I would assume he knows, that he will not be a first or second round (or third or fourth) pick in the NFL draft. He is not an NFL quarterback. He might be an NFL tight end, but we’ll have to wait that one out. With that being said, I think it would be one of the dumbest moves for Tebow to enter the draft. If he stays he has the potential to become the most decorated college football player ever. Why not stay one more year, get your degree and then move on to the NFL or your career? Although, if past Florida quarterbacks are any indication of what’s to come, you may want to start looking towards the latter. Look at Danny Wuerffel, the dude won the 1996 heisman, then went undrafted and had a 7 year, 4 team “career” in the NFL. Chris Leak was a heisman candidate that led his team to a National Championship victory and then went undrafted and never played a snap in the NFL. Jesse Palmer was nothing more than a backup for 4 years in the NFL. Rex Grossman…I don’t think I need to elaborate on Sexy Rexy. It seems as though if you are a great quarterback who only wants to play college ball and have his schooling paid for without having to go to the NFL, then University of Florida is the right fit for you. What I am trying to say I guess is that Tebow should stay and enjoy playing football for one more season, because after that he will trade his cleats for dress shoes.

P.S. I was slightly off with my prediction of the game, then again if I were any good at betting I would have enough money to pay someone write my posts for me.