Although the College Football Playoff Selection Committee won't release their final set of rankings until Saturday, I'm going to go ahead and declare Ohio State's quest to claim back to back national championships over. If North Carolina upsets Clemson, I feel either team could be chosen to get in the playoff over the Buckeyes. If Stanford beats USC, the Cardinal's status as a conference champions would usurp the Buckeyes' position. And the only way Alabama loses to Florida is if Urban Meyer shows up on the sidelines in Atlanta with one of the teams that won a championship during his tenure in Gainesville. Nothing can take away the experiences of the exciting ride from last January, and Pasadena or Glendale on New Year's Day is not a bad consolation prize. Unfortunately in Columbus, where conference championships and national championships are the expectation, the long planned coronation for this group, the truly special and championship material team, will not take place. This brings me to the subject of this post: Who is most to blame?
5. Michigan
That Team up North deserves a spot on the list because the devil himself resides in the pure Michigan hell of Ann Arbor. In that spectacular October moment, Buckeyes everywhere were rejoicing the ineptitude of punter Blake O'Neill. Looking back now, had O'Neill been able to catch the ball and kick it high into the murky, dark sky that should permanently blanket the most overrated venue in collegiate athletics, Ohio State would be playing in Indianapolis this Saturday. A fan base that blasphemously praised new coach Jim Harbaugh as the messiah before the season began definitely deserved losing on such a miraculous display of karma. But why couldn't the special teams gaffe have happened against Indiana? The quantum of solace Buckeye fans can wallow in is the fact all the maize and blue clad "Victors" will have nightmares of Ezekiel Elliott running through and around their defense instead of visions of sugarplums this holiday season. Even better? The likelihood of a bowl matchup with LSU where Leonard Fournette could do the exact same thing. Better luck next year, Jimmy. John's a more elite coach anyways.
4. Mark D'Antonio
Is D'Antonio the best coach in college football? I think the argument could be made very easily, especially should the Spartans win their potential next three games. He's turned East Lansing into a football power following in the philosophy of basketball wizard Tom Izzo. Unlike Saban or Meyer who continually recruits high school football royalty, D'Antonio, like Izzo, recruits hard-nosed, physical players on both sides of the ball to break the will of opposing teams and pieces them together. His former quarterbacks (Hoyer, Cousins, Stanton, and soon enough, Cook) have gone on to mildly successful careers in the NFL, too. That's why it wasn't surprising to me when the Spartans came into Columbus in rainy conditions, with a couple backup quarterbacks at the helm, and walloped Ohio State. It's a sign of a good football team when you can plug in the next man up and still get the job done (See Ohio State, 2014). In the landscape of spread offenses, it's refreshing to see Michigan State win in the fashion they do. Plus, D'Antonio was the defensive coordinator for Ohio State during the 2002 championship season, so he's proven he can get the ultimate job done. I have a healthy respect for what D'Antonio has accomplished, I have a healthy disdain for his ability to end Urban Meyer's 20 game winning streaks (2x), and I heartily pray Ray Tanner pays him $9 million a year to come turn around the South Carolina Gamecocks.
3. Tennessee
Why do I hate the Volunteers? Maybe it's the gaudy shade of orange refused by Sandra Bullock in The Blind Side. Maybe it's because Rocky Top and Turn Down for What, the two most annoying songs in the world, are played in Knoxville on Fall Saturdays at a frequency that should be reserved only for Mariah Carey and Michael Buble during the month of December. Maybe it's the fact they're the only team South Carolina is 0-3 against during my time at the school. Maybe it's because of the upset they pulled against the second greatest Ohio State basketball team of my lifetime. Maybe it's a result of the bizarre coincidence of season ending injuries they inflict on great running backs. They crack the list, though, because Tennessee could have greatly helped out Ohio State based on the current playoff field. The Vols blew a huge lead against Oklahoma that would have given the Sooners a second loss. A few weeks later, they fell flat on their faces in a game that would have knocked Alabama out of the SEC Championship. The debate on "Who's In?" would be increasingly more uncertain had Tennessee lived up to the preseason hype Butch Jones generated all summer. Peyton Manning is the only redeeming association for your university, and he's growing more decrepit by the hour. Everybody tells me you being relevant is good for college football. I see it other ways, but some relevancy this year would have been greatly appreciated. Figure it out, Tennessee.
2/1. Tim Beck and Ed Warinner
If you were to tell me in August that Ezekiel Elliott would receive only two carriers in the second half of a game, I would have assumed one of the following situations occurred:
-Ohio State was blowing out Northern Illinois, Western Michigan, and/or Hawaii
-Ohio State was playing Tennessee in a playoff game, and a Volunteer defender tore his ACL
-Elliott was thrown out for targeting after leveling one of his devastating blocks on a helpless defender
A fourth situation emerged when Beck and Warinner decided in the most important game of the season that the best player on their offense would become a non-factor. Zeke had rushed for 100 yards in FIFTEEN STRAIGHT GAMES. THAT MIGHT BE A CLUE THAT HE DESERVES THE FOOTBALL EVERY ONCE IN AWHILE, ESPECIALLY WHEN JT BARRETT UP THE MIDDLE ISN'T WORKING. The more I think about it the angrier I become. Elliott would go on to rip his coaching staff and rightfully so. Had Beck and Warinner decided to not ignore the focal point of the offense for the PREVIOUS FIFTEEN GAMES, I wouldn't be writing this post, and Zeke would be booking his flight to New York. In 1975, Archie Griffin won the Heisman. In 1995, Eddie George won the Heisman. In 2015, Ezekiel Elliott could have very conceivably won the Heisman, but Beck and Warinner obviously don't believe in beauty, serendipity, and happiness. You want another reason to hate the two co-offensive coordinators? Ed Warinner's salary is $400,000. Tim Beck salary is $515,000. That's right, folks. Nearly ONE MILLIONS DOLLARS ARE PAID BY THE STATE OF OHIO TO THESE GENTLEMEN. CAN YOU IMPEACH YOUR OFFENSIVE COORDINATORS?!? CAN YOU IMAGINE IF PRESIDENT OBAMA MESSED UP SOMETHING THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN SO ELEMENTARY TO FIGURE OUT IN SUCH AN EMBARRASSING FASHION?!? AND HE GETS PAID LESS THAN BECK?!?
To make matters ever so slightly better, the next week against the aforementioned Wolverines, Elliott would get 30 carries, run for 180 yards, and score two touchdowns. Coincidentally, Warinner and Beck were both up in the press box for the Michigan game. I strongly believe Meyer was so fed up with the incompetency of his coordinators he placed them up their with headsets linked to the sidelines for a youth game in some Detroit suburb. Instead of calling yet another 'QB Draw' or 'QB Power' to result in virtually no gain for Barrett, poor Derek from Auburn Hills found himself running straight into the defensive line of the 4th Grade Jets in hopeless perpetuity. I feel bad for the kid, but Warinner and Beck probably wouldn't if they were made aware of the situation that took place. They have no souls. Hopefully for the bowl game, Urban "accidentally" gives them a plane ticket to the wrong city. Or maybe he just won't purchase them. They deserve to do nothing but sit at home on New Year's Day in silence with a plate of pork and sauerkraut wishing for new employment and better fortune in 2016. How much to get Tom Herman back? I'm sure a slight bump in tuition would be worth it.
J. Nave
Friday, December 4, 2015
Thursday, November 26, 2015
Even After Losses, I'm Thankful for Sports
Saturday morning, I had the opportunity to meet Heisman trophy winning quarterback , two time national champion, SEC Network analyst, possible figure of salvation, and one of my favorite athletes, Tim Tebow. The two of us were able to have a couple minutes of friendly conversation about football and Thanksgiving and get a picture together. It was hands downs one of the most surreal experiences of my life. In the subsequent few hours, my South Carolina Gamecocks would manage to lose to The Citadel, an FCS opponent who ran up and down the field on the Gamecocks' depleted and defeated defense. Then, when I thought things couldn't get any worse on the gridiron, my Ohio State Buckeyes got punched in the mouth over and over again by Michigan State and lost on a buzzer beating field goal because the offensive troubles that have haunted the team all season were exposed by the first elite team on the schedule. Both losses were depressing, frustrating, and heartbreaking in their own ways, and I went to bed conflicted over what to take away from the day.
Sunday morning, the sun came up, but the losses still stung. As I did some soul searching, I started to realize just how disappointing the college football season has been for myself because of the two teams I support. Outside of Braxton Miller's "You Can't Even Do That In Madden" spin move on Labor Day, there has been nothing but consternation for my teams. For South Carolina, Steve Spurrier abandoned ship. The team failed to win a single road game. They were unable to qualify for a bowl game for the first time in years. Then, the FCS Bulldogs beat us. For Ohio State, there were the suspensions of a few of the team's leaders over the summer. The offensive juggernaut prophesied since January couldn't reach its potential week after week after week. JT Barrett was pulled over and suspended for driving while intoxicated. Then, the Spartans rolled into the Horseshoe and dominated behind the play a pair of backup quarterbacks. I knew South Carolina would more than likely struggle again this fall. I knew Ohio State the unstoppable favorite wouldn't be nearly as fun to root for as Ohio State the taken for granted underdog. Yet this third weekend of November hurt more than I could have imagined.
Because of my decision to attend a university below the Mason-Dixon Line, I take quite a bit of crap for supporting my hometown's school. It comes with the territory, and despite an essentially nonexistent, logical rationale for this pure hatred for the Buckeyes, I deal with it. What I don't tolerate nearly as well is being mocked, or any die hard fan being mocked in general, for a response to his or her team's loss. I struggled with how to best put this grievance into words, so I went to the place that can answer any question with an inspirational phrase: Google. I ended up finding this quote from Dear John, one of Nicholas Sparks' novels.
“The saddest people I've ever met in life are the ones who don't care deeply about anything at all. Passion and satisfaction go hand in hand, and without them, any happiness is only temporary, because there's nothing to make it last.”
While I'd almost guarantee the quote relates to an enduring, romantic relationship that overcomes all odds and adversity, Sparks' simultaneously captures why a loss can impact the loyalest of fans all the way to their souls with those two sentences. Growing up, I played about a half dozen different sports at varying degrees of competitiveness. I can vividly recall how it felt coming up short in a game alongside my teammates and friends. I can remember the few clutch moments and far more numerous embarrassing mistakes in my athletic career. Whether your interest comes from playing the sport you loved as a kid, memories you made from attending games, fervent conversation with your friends and family about your local teams, or some combination of the three, many people, like myself, had sports become a huge part of their life as they grew up. I can't imagine my weekends in the fall if I was ignorant about where College Gameday was setting up or who I needed to pick up to secure a win in fantasy football. I can't imagine March without the impossible, annual quest to complete a perfect bracket. I can't picture myself spending money on tickets to the opera when I could spend a night at the ballpark instead. An undying passion for sports essentially became a core part of myself over 20 years and an indefinite number of experiences.
In context of the second half of Sparks' passage above, the satisfaction comes from winning. And for the teams I support, there has been a pathetically small number of wins. The great thing about sports, however, is the optimistic mantra of "There's always next year..." feeds my addiction, and the addiction of so many others, season after season. Year after year, a contender or two is able to rise from the depths of the defeated to become a contender. But when your team does win a championship, you figure out the hard way that happiness in sports persists for far shorter than in any other activity it can be derived from. As soon as a championship coronation concludes, every other team begins clamoring and fighting to get on the stage next year for their moment in the sun. Rival fan bases claim your title run as a fluke. Departed players and newcomers are analyzed. Excitement and hype build each day as the season inches closer. Finally, in a couple blinks of the eye, the grind to stay on type resumes before the last of the confetti can even be cleared from the field. All of this adds up to why the most ardent supporters will take the losses that rob their chances of reclaiming this short-lived euphoria so poorly.
Thanksgiving is built around refection and appreciation for the people, places, and passions that we have in our lives. It's easy to articulate and see the differences and importance of the physical factors, but explaining the most important intangible influences in your life to somebody else can be an incredibly difficult task. And why is this in a world where a debate on inclusion has consumed much of our affairs in the past few weeks? Many times when we see somebody react with a lot of emotion, either positive or negative, we tend to shy away from encounters in the moments after. As the holiday season gets into swing today, I challenge you to curb that reactionary habit. When we build our relationships and conversations around the most important parts of each other's lives, such as these passions that we occasionally can't control how they affect us, the benefit and feeling received by both parties is memorable and meaningful. You might see somebody like myself take his team's loss with an unhealthy amount of anger and sadness. But after talking to him, you learn some of his earliest and favorite memories took place in the local arena where they play with a family member that's no longer around. You might witness somebody crying during the middle of a song. But after talking to her, you discover those three and a half minutes on repeat got her through a battle she thought she was never going to win. You might hear a group of people singing carols with too much enthusiasm and noise in the mall. But after talking to them, you connect with the fact the friends met in college and have been reuniting annually ever since they all graduated. Give thanks for all of these stories you know about your closest friends and family, but don't be afraid to understand more about the neighbors and strangers around you.
Now, as some time has passed after the events of November 21, 2015, I realize that I will always recall this November day when I look back at my college years down the line with an exact system of prioritization. The shameful performance by the Gamecocks to a lesser, instate opponent won't be forgotten, yet the countless other experiences on Carolina Gamedays a bit further down on memory lane will overwhelm the effect of one embarrassing loss. I'll be able to visualize the Michigan State kicker's walk-off celebration in the Horseshoe, but I'll remind myself of the voices of Buckeye fans in AT&T Stadium chanting "ZEKE" to cap off a national title ten months earlier to cope. What will stand out most is a perfect recollection of my few minutes with Mr. Tebow. That conversation meant so much to me that I could never accurately capture it with a few sentence or paragraphs on the screen you are reading this on. I truly hope everyone reading this can enjoy a physical representation of one of your life's most driving influences, like this conversation was for me. And I long for the day where we can support and appreciate each other's passions no matter how foreign or intense they might appear at first glance.
J. Nave
In context of the second half of Sparks' passage above, the satisfaction comes from winning. And for the teams I support, there has been a pathetically small number of wins. The great thing about sports, however, is the optimistic mantra of "There's always next year..." feeds my addiction, and the addiction of so many others, season after season. Year after year, a contender or two is able to rise from the depths of the defeated to become a contender. But when your team does win a championship, you figure out the hard way that happiness in sports persists for far shorter than in any other activity it can be derived from. As soon as a championship coronation concludes, every other team begins clamoring and fighting to get on the stage next year for their moment in the sun. Rival fan bases claim your title run as a fluke. Departed players and newcomers are analyzed. Excitement and hype build each day as the season inches closer. Finally, in a couple blinks of the eye, the grind to stay on type resumes before the last of the confetti can even be cleared from the field. All of this adds up to why the most ardent supporters will take the losses that rob their chances of reclaiming this short-lived euphoria so poorly.
Thanksgiving is built around refection and appreciation for the people, places, and passions that we have in our lives. It's easy to articulate and see the differences and importance of the physical factors, but explaining the most important intangible influences in your life to somebody else can be an incredibly difficult task. And why is this in a world where a debate on inclusion has consumed much of our affairs in the past few weeks? Many times when we see somebody react with a lot of emotion, either positive or negative, we tend to shy away from encounters in the moments after. As the holiday season gets into swing today, I challenge you to curb that reactionary habit. When we build our relationships and conversations around the most important parts of each other's lives, such as these passions that we occasionally can't control how they affect us, the benefit and feeling received by both parties is memorable and meaningful. You might see somebody like myself take his team's loss with an unhealthy amount of anger and sadness. But after talking to him, you learn some of his earliest and favorite memories took place in the local arena where they play with a family member that's no longer around. You might witness somebody crying during the middle of a song. But after talking to her, you discover those three and a half minutes on repeat got her through a battle she thought she was never going to win. You might hear a group of people singing carols with too much enthusiasm and noise in the mall. But after talking to them, you connect with the fact the friends met in college and have been reuniting annually ever since they all graduated. Give thanks for all of these stories you know about your closest friends and family, but don't be afraid to understand more about the neighbors and strangers around you.
Now, as some time has passed after the events of November 21, 2015, I realize that I will always recall this November day when I look back at my college years down the line with an exact system of prioritization. The shameful performance by the Gamecocks to a lesser, instate opponent won't be forgotten, yet the countless other experiences on Carolina Gamedays a bit further down on memory lane will overwhelm the effect of one embarrassing loss. I'll be able to visualize the Michigan State kicker's walk-off celebration in the Horseshoe, but I'll remind myself of the voices of Buckeye fans in AT&T Stadium chanting "ZEKE" to cap off a national title ten months earlier to cope. What will stand out most is a perfect recollection of my few minutes with Mr. Tebow. That conversation meant so much to me that I could never accurately capture it with a few sentence or paragraphs on the screen you are reading this on. I truly hope everyone reading this can enjoy a physical representation of one of your life's most driving influences, like this conversation was for me. And I long for the day where we can support and appreciate each other's passions no matter how foreign or intense they might appear at first glance.
J. Nave
Wednesday, October 7, 2015
Recovery in the City of Dreams
Last month, I read a very powerful article on Grantland, a sports website in my daily queue, about George W. Bush's first pitch before Game 3 of the 2001 World Series. President Bush, only weeks after visiting the city following the attacks on September 11th, commented on the nerves he felt standing on the mound in Yankee Stadium. Whether you liked Bush or not, there was mention of his core rhetoric in the weeks following the attack that I feel would be impossible to disagree with:
After 9/11, [Bush] urged people to go shopping, to go to Disney World, to play baseball. “I made the case that, if you really wanted to send a message to the terrorists, get back to normal life and we’ll do the best we can to protect you,” he said. “And so going to a baseball game was kind of symbolic of getting back to normal life.”
This passage came to mind today when I heard the University of South Carolina's game against Louisiana State will be moved to Baton Rouge in light of the historic flooding that has drowned the state. More than a dozen people have lost their lives, and the death toll will likely rise. Hundreds, if not thousands, have been displaced from their homes. Billions of dollars in damage are being estimated across the Midlands. Right now, Columbia is in no shape to realistically hold a college football game. But right now, a college football game would be just about the only thing to return South Carolina's capital city to a state of normalcy.
Sports, at their core, serve as nothing more than a source of entertainment. While die-hard fans and certain communities might disagree with this notion, the sentiment is true a vast majority of the time. However, with the widespread and communal support a lot of teams receive, that entertainment can become a source of healing when needed. And sometimes, feeling like they are playing for something bigger than themselves, teams rally behind the energy to elevate their play. The aforementioned Yankees would go on to win Game 3 that night after losing the first two games of the series. After Hurricane Katrina, the New Orleans Saints were forced away from the Superdome during the 2005 season. In their first game back, Steve Gleason's blocked punt sparked the Saints to a victory. New Orleans would reach the NFC Championship for the first time in franchise history. After winning the Super Bowl in 2009, the team immortalized Gleason;s block with a statue outside the stadium. Its name? Rebirth. Following the Boston Marathon bombings, David Ortiz gave a speech before the first game back in Fenway where he famously announced to the crowd, "This is our fucking city". The 2013 Red Sox would go on to win the World Series, and Boston Strong became a quantifiable concept. There are more examples out there. When your team, town, or country is backed up against the wall and in the national spotlight, what better way to embody your resiliency than a competitive outlet like athletics?
It has been a struggle for the South Carolina Gamecocks to this point in the season. A 2-3 record, a brutal schedule, and a lack of momentum seem to indicate South Carolina will be home for the holidays. Containing Leonard Fournette is arguably the toughest task the team will have faced to date. Nobody is expecting a competitive game, and with the game moved to Baton Rouge, the challenge will only be more difficult because the Gamecock community won't be there in full force. Most importantly, the players and coaches will likely find it difficult to focus on football with much more important facets of life still looming large because their city and their state still has much healing left to do.
On October 17th, though, South Carolina is set to host Vanderbilt. Hopefully, waters will have subsided, the first responders will be finished with their work, the sounds of trains will have replaced dual rotor helicopters, and an infrastructure somewhat resembling the status quo will be back in place. It will be the coronation of Homecoming week on campus, the grand opening of the new Alumni Center will have taken place, and the Commodores will offer the Gamecocks a chance to pick up a much needed win. The environment inside Williams-Brice will likely be composed of immense reverence for the service given by so many. There will probably be more tears shed than usual during the benediction and alma mater. The chorus of Gamecock chants will hopefully ring a few decibels louder. Even the 82,000 inside might find it just slightly more difficult to complain about an official's bad call when they remember the conditions from two weeks ago. But around 4:00 PM, when the first note of Sandstorm plays and thousands of white towels begin waving around, Columbia will finally find itself feeling like Columbia once again. And if an important lesson from history repeat itself, an odyssey to reaching a bowl game might just begin.
J. Nave
Sports, at their core, serve as nothing more than a source of entertainment. While die-hard fans and certain communities might disagree with this notion, the sentiment is true a vast majority of the time. However, with the widespread and communal support a lot of teams receive, that entertainment can become a source of healing when needed. And sometimes, feeling like they are playing for something bigger than themselves, teams rally behind the energy to elevate their play. The aforementioned Yankees would go on to win Game 3 that night after losing the first two games of the series. After Hurricane Katrina, the New Orleans Saints were forced away from the Superdome during the 2005 season. In their first game back, Steve Gleason's blocked punt sparked the Saints to a victory. New Orleans would reach the NFC Championship for the first time in franchise history. After winning the Super Bowl in 2009, the team immortalized Gleason;s block with a statue outside the stadium. Its name? Rebirth. Following the Boston Marathon bombings, David Ortiz gave a speech before the first game back in Fenway where he famously announced to the crowd, "This is our fucking city". The 2013 Red Sox would go on to win the World Series, and Boston Strong became a quantifiable concept. There are more examples out there. When your team, town, or country is backed up against the wall and in the national spotlight, what better way to embody your resiliency than a competitive outlet like athletics?
It has been a struggle for the South Carolina Gamecocks to this point in the season. A 2-3 record, a brutal schedule, and a lack of momentum seem to indicate South Carolina will be home for the holidays. Containing Leonard Fournette is arguably the toughest task the team will have faced to date. Nobody is expecting a competitive game, and with the game moved to Baton Rouge, the challenge will only be more difficult because the Gamecock community won't be there in full force. Most importantly, the players and coaches will likely find it difficult to focus on football with much more important facets of life still looming large because their city and their state still has much healing left to do.
On October 17th, though, South Carolina is set to host Vanderbilt. Hopefully, waters will have subsided, the first responders will be finished with their work, the sounds of trains will have replaced dual rotor helicopters, and an infrastructure somewhat resembling the status quo will be back in place. It will be the coronation of Homecoming week on campus, the grand opening of the new Alumni Center will have taken place, and the Commodores will offer the Gamecocks a chance to pick up a much needed win. The environment inside Williams-Brice will likely be composed of immense reverence for the service given by so many. There will probably be more tears shed than usual during the benediction and alma mater. The chorus of Gamecock chants will hopefully ring a few decibels louder. Even the 82,000 inside might find it just slightly more difficult to complain about an official's bad call when they remember the conditions from two weeks ago. But around 4:00 PM, when the first note of Sandstorm plays and thousands of white towels begin waving around, Columbia will finally find itself feeling like Columbia once again. And if an important lesson from history repeat itself, an odyssey to reaching a bowl game might just begin.
J. Nave
Wednesday, September 30, 2015
Left in the Cold: The Columbus Blue Jackets' Quest for Success and Respect
Why do we like what we like? It's a question you probably don't ponder very often, but after thinking about that idea in context to the subject matter of this post, I jumped into a rabbit hole. There were existential Google searches at the start. I then read a few articles on NPR. I watched a couple TED talks to top it off. A lot of the discussion made very little sense to me, and I left a little disappointed with the seemingly unsolvable and vexing nature of the mystery (Basically, the theories all tie back to the idea that humans possess an innate set of pleasures we all seek that have been derived through evolution, but on an individual basis, there is little understanding). What caused me to travel along this path of contemplation? A quest to understand why I was so captivated by the Columbus Blue Jackets as a five year old kid.
I don't think it's any secret that I am a pretty big sports fan. Forty five posts about sports on a blog I'm not compensated for and countless hours of my life spent watching games are just two examples on a list of thousands. What does confuse me, though, is the idea that a kindergartner with absolutely no experience or exposure to a sport would latch on so tightly to a team. Within weeks of their inaugural season, I had nearly the entire roster memorized. Now in a world without rabid internet use and my aforementioned age, this might appear blasphemous, but a testimony from my teacher that year or my parents would prove this as the truth. I scoured the newspaper for recaps, stats, and any news about the team. I watched every game on television where I could stay awake. For the next several seasons, I would follow the team with the same sort of religious zeal. I took a year of skating lessons with the goal of playing hockey. I would make the short trip to downtown and Nationwide Arena a couple times each year and be amazed at the pace of the game, the crushing hits along the boards, jaw-dropping goals like this one, and root for celebratory chili like it would be my first meal in weeks.
Following the Blue Jackets for three quarters of my life has been the cause of a lot of disappointment. I've watched Marc Denis, Ron Tugnutt, Espen Knutsen, Tyler Wright, Geoff Sanderson, Jean-Luc Grand-Pierre, Rusty Klesla, Nikolai Zherdev, Manny Malhotra, Lyle Odelein, Ray Whitney, David Vyborny, and so many other players struggle to produce a winning season. I saw the city view Rick Nash as a savior, worship him like a hero, and cast him off as a villain within the span of a decade. I grew intrigued by veteran acquisition after veteran acquisition only to have each player hit a roadbump in Columbus, and more times than not, return to a tremendous level of play in a different city. I celebrated the Jackets' trip to the playoffs back in 2009 like they had won the Stanley Cup, only to have the hated Detroit Red Wings sweep the series. The dejection seemed to only find new and improved ways to crush my fandom.
The million dollar question remains whether Columbus can actually rally behind the Jackets in this manner. I would answer with an emphatic yes. Historical evidence is there to justify my answer. Back in April 2014, everyone in the Buckeye State talked, tweeted, and supported the team like never before. The Fifth Line was born. Thanks to the underdog Jackets' stealing two wins against the Penguins, the NHL, and a substantial portion of Ohio residents, began to notice the state's long established afterthought might warrant some attention after all. Furthermore, when events like the Women's World Cup are played, viewership in Columbus outranks nearly every other city in the country. Ohioans aren't afraid to embrace new things. They're not afraid of change either, as the residents of the crucial, political swing state often help initiate the trek down a new path in Washington. The proof seems to be in the pudding: Columbus, like so many other places, will eagerly accept and support a resurgent and victorious team.
Next Friday, I will be fortunate enough to be home in Ohio for the season opener. I'll wake up to The Whip, a song by Locksley played following a goal for the good guys- not a popular dance move. I'll don my jersey, make a short round trip to the Tim Horton's drive thru for breakfast, and crack open the Dispatch to see what Aaron Portzline has to say. I might even journey down to the Arena District and scalp a ticket to boo Rick Nash with the rest of the Columbus faithful. Part of this will be to pay homage to that five year old kid and not let him down. But a larger part will be because of a renewed belief in what this team seems ready to accomplish. If you've been a loyal Jacket Backer, get ready to fire the cannon once again. If you've never paid much attention to the Jackets, purchase a ticket to a game or two. That will keep a Pittsburgh, Chicago, or Detroit fan out of the arena, if nothing else. But I think watching one of the NHL's most intriguing teams will be worth the price of admission.
The night is darkest just before the dawn, and the sun is getting ready to rise in Columbus.
J. Nave
PS; After my last post, this blog has somehow surpassed 5,000 pageviews. After starting out of senioritis in high school, I would've never thought I'd still be writing as a junior in college. Truly, thank you for reading this, whether it's your first time, or you're 45th time on this site. Since this offers a more productive(?) outlet than watching The Office for a fourth time, I don't plan on stopping anytime soon. I promise you'll never see "17 GIFs That Describe What Twenty-Somethings Need to Stop Doing With Their Lives " on here, and I hope you'll stay along for the ride.
I don't think it's any secret that I am a pretty big sports fan. Forty five posts about sports on a blog I'm not compensated for and countless hours of my life spent watching games are just two examples on a list of thousands. What does confuse me, though, is the idea that a kindergartner with absolutely no experience or exposure to a sport would latch on so tightly to a team. Within weeks of their inaugural season, I had nearly the entire roster memorized. Now in a world without rabid internet use and my aforementioned age, this might appear blasphemous, but a testimony from my teacher that year or my parents would prove this as the truth. I scoured the newspaper for recaps, stats, and any news about the team. I watched every game on television where I could stay awake. For the next several seasons, I would follow the team with the same sort of religious zeal. I took a year of skating lessons with the goal of playing hockey. I would make the short trip to downtown and Nationwide Arena a couple times each year and be amazed at the pace of the game, the crushing hits along the boards, jaw-dropping goals like this one, and root for celebratory chili like it would be my first meal in weeks.
Following the Blue Jackets for three quarters of my life has been the cause of a lot of disappointment. I've watched Marc Denis, Ron Tugnutt, Espen Knutsen, Tyler Wright, Geoff Sanderson, Jean-Luc Grand-Pierre, Rusty Klesla, Nikolai Zherdev, Manny Malhotra, Lyle Odelein, Ray Whitney, David Vyborny, and so many other players struggle to produce a winning season. I saw the city view Rick Nash as a savior, worship him like a hero, and cast him off as a villain within the span of a decade. I grew intrigued by veteran acquisition after veteran acquisition only to have each player hit a roadbump in Columbus, and more times than not, return to a tremendous level of play in a different city. I celebrated the Jackets' trip to the playoffs back in 2009 like they had won the Stanley Cup, only to have the hated Detroit Red Wings sweep the series. The dejection seemed to only find new and improved ways to crush my fandom.
The million dollar question remains whether Columbus can actually rally behind the Jackets in this manner. I would answer with an emphatic yes. Historical evidence is there to justify my answer. Back in April 2014, everyone in the Buckeye State talked, tweeted, and supported the team like never before. The Fifth Line was born. Thanks to the underdog Jackets' stealing two wins against the Penguins, the NHL, and a substantial portion of Ohio residents, began to notice the state's long established afterthought might warrant some attention after all. Furthermore, when events like the Women's World Cup are played, viewership in Columbus outranks nearly every other city in the country. Ohioans aren't afraid to embrace new things. They're not afraid of change either, as the residents of the crucial, political swing state often help initiate the trek down a new path in Washington. The proof seems to be in the pudding: Columbus, like so many other places, will eagerly accept and support a resurgent and victorious team.
Next Friday, I will be fortunate enough to be home in Ohio for the season opener. I'll wake up to The Whip, a song by Locksley played following a goal for the good guys- not a popular dance move. I'll don my jersey, make a short round trip to the Tim Horton's drive thru for breakfast, and crack open the Dispatch to see what Aaron Portzline has to say. I might even journey down to the Arena District and scalp a ticket to boo Rick Nash with the rest of the Columbus faithful. Part of this will be to pay homage to that five year old kid and not let him down. But a larger part will be because of a renewed belief in what this team seems ready to accomplish. If you've been a loyal Jacket Backer, get ready to fire the cannon once again. If you've never paid much attention to the Jackets, purchase a ticket to a game or two. That will keep a Pittsburgh, Chicago, or Detroit fan out of the arena, if nothing else. But I think watching one of the NHL's most intriguing teams will be worth the price of admission.
The night is darkest just before the dawn, and the sun is getting ready to rise in Columbus.
J. Nave
PS; After my last post, this blog has somehow surpassed 5,000 pageviews. After starting out of senioritis in high school, I would've never thought I'd still be writing as a junior in college. Truly, thank you for reading this, whether it's your first time, or you're 45th time on this site. Since this offers a more productive(?) outlet than watching The Office for a fourth time, I don't plan on stopping anytime soon. I promise you'll never see "17 GIFs That Describe What Twenty-Somethings Need to Stop Doing With Their Lives " on here, and I hope you'll stay along for the ride.
Wednesday, September 9, 2015
Enough is Enough: On Ohio State's Schedule and the SEC's Supremacy
Growing up in the state of Ohio when I did, I grew very familiar with the state's disdain towards the media's praise of the SEC during the conference's reign of terror on college football. It seemed whatever ESPN affiliated channel you turned to another analyst would be on air proclaiming any football team outside of the conference as basically irrelevant. Now, over two years during my time attending the University of South Carolina, I've experienced the annual, Southern obsession with the lack of quality opponents on the Ohio State schedule. Clay Travis and Paul Finebaum make a living and wrote a book, respectively, on the sentiment. It's only September 9th, and I'm already tired of the complaints from both sides. Buckeye fans, the SEC is the most talented and deepest conference in football. Whether you want to look at recruits that come in each fall or draft picks that depart each spring, that fact can't be successfully disputed no matter how hard you try. SEC fans, Ohio State is built like one of your best teams and recruits better than most of your teams, but since the school is located in the Midwestern United States, their schedule isn't going to get more difficult until Purdue starts pulling in recruits from Florida. However, not a single eighteen year old football player dreaming of the NFL is going to choose to spend a few years, and what he believes should be the best years of his life, in West Lafayette, Indiana. Since this seems to be confusing to both parties and the source of fiery debate year after year, I've decided to take my stand. Embrace each other for what you offer and move on. It really shouldn't be that hard. Read your appropriate letter, or read them both, and let's end this ridiculous topic once and for all.
Dear Buckeye Nation,
In this week's Associated Press Poll, 10 of the 25 teams ranked play in the SEC. TEN!!! FORTY PERCENT!!! AN ENTIRE DIVISION OF THE CONFERENCE IS RANKED!!! And one week into the season, that's exactly how it should be, Buckeye Nation. Who should be in there, especially from the Big Ten? Northwestern might have a case after beating Stanford. Minnesota held tough against TCU, but ended up falling short of pulling the upset. Wisconsin got steamrolled by Alabama. Penn State conceded 10 sacks to Temple's defense and lost by 17. Michigan lost in Jim Harbaugh's highly touted debut. Indiana needed a failed two point conversion by Southern Illinois to escape with a win. The SEC's cannibalization will take place soon enough. If a 6-6 Ole Miss is ranked at the end of the season, your gripes will hold more merit, but for now, don't waste your breath.
Sure, the SEC had a terrible bowl season. But anybody familiar with statistics would tell you drawing a conclusion that the SEC is dead or overrated with such a small sample size would be extremely ignorant and mathematically flawed. The SEC's depth was vindicated this past Saturday in an impressive fashion. Texas A&M embarrassed an Arizona State team our own Kirk Herbstriet picked to make the College Football Playoff. Texas A&M was picked 6th or 7th in their division in just about every single preseason poll (If you're looking for a solid value bet, I'd recommend taking the Aggies to win the SEC or the National Championship FWIW). Over the next several weeks, expect to see the undefeated SEC teams shoot up the rankings. It's an autumn tradition as well entrenched in American society as the Pumpkin Spice Latte at this point. Come November? Remember Mississippi State and Ole Miss? The weakest of the bunch will get exposed over time, and other conferences will be better represented in the polls. However, the teams that do run through the gauntlet of the SEC will be deservedly rewarded with a spot towards the top of the poll.
Many of you likely believe the SEC's rankings are attributed to some sort of inherent bias. Think about it for a second, though. The best of the best is always favored and more beloved by the media in sports. The Western Conference has a much more compelling playoff picture than the Eastern Conference in the NBA each year, and the coverage and discussion reflects this. The ACC and Big Ten are the two deepest conferences in college basketball and rightfully get more attention in March. A team with a losing record won the NFC South last year, so little attention or respect was given to the Carolina Panthers for their "feat". The great thing about sports is the undeserving underdog is given a chance to prove themselves when it matters most. And in the grand scheme of things, David beats Goliath quite frequently in the big games. Look at your own team from last year. Be thankful there aren't a lot of strenuous tests along the way for the Buckeyes. Ohio State should get to November unscathed, and most likely, unchallenged. Then, if The Grind continues to go according to plan, come New Year's Eve, a quality opponent will await. Until then, mute Clay Travis, ignore Paul Finebaum, and give a Joey Bosa sized shrug to all the haters. Your team and your band are still the best in the land. Rest easy on those facts and graciously await the next battle of Ohio versus the World.
O-H!
J. Nave
Dear SEC Supremacists,
In this week's Associated Press Poll, 10 of the 25 teams ranked play in your conference. TEN!!! FORTY PERCENT!!! AN ENTIRE DIVISION OF YOUR CONFERENCE IS RANKED!!! And one week into the season, that's exactly how it should be. Alabama's defense seems primed to invoke the dominating play of teams from a few years prior. Texas A&M delivered arguably the most complete performance of the weekend. Ole Miss hung 76 on poor UT-Martin. South Carolina and Auburn both beat quality opponents. Florida looked great in their first game under Jim McElwain. The laurels could go on for several paragraphs. Except for lowly Vanderbilt, the SEC did a perfect job of crushing the Pac 12's claim for the (grid)Iron Throne. The competition for the Western division will be a hellacious marathon. The Eastern division race will benefit from an improved Tennessee. The next twelve weeks will be incredibly fun, overwhelmingly stressful, and deliver some of the best and most competitive games of the season.
Sure, the Big Ten had a horrible first week, but anybody familiar with statistics would tell you drawing a conclusion that Ohio State's schedule is nothing more than roadkill with such a small sample size would be extremely ignorant and mathematically flawed. Teams improve over the course of the season. Albeit the likelihood of an opponent outside of Michigan State improving to LSU, Auburn, or Alabama's level might seem slim, you never know what can happen. Even if nobody else in the conference does rise to the challenge, it's not like Ohio State can ask for a different schedule. Trust me, their fans don't want to go watch Ohio State beat Indiana, Rutgers, Penn State, and Maryland by fifty points. They would love marquee opponents and close games. Urban Meyer and the coaching staff would love to be challenged by more competitive opponents to serve as better preparation for the College Football Playoff. Meyer figured out how to solve what Nick Saban, Les Miles, and Steve Spurrier threw at him. Creating a game plan against Kevin Wilson, Randy Edsall, and Bill Cubit just isn't the same thing. Cardale Jones, Ezekiel Elliott, and the rest of the players would love to prove themselves against other highly ranked NFL Draft prospects. Did you see their Twitter accounts after the win against Virginia Tech? They talk trash like a high school team. It's refreshing and hilarious. They'll get bored putting up ridiculous numbers against mediocre opposition the next two months. And luckily for "y'all", that might increase the chances of one of your teams beating the Buckeyes come New Year's Eve.
Many of you hate Ohio State after developing some sort of internal bias, based on my conversations. Maybe you think they're overrated? Losses to Florida, LSU, and other similar teams on the big stage used to be associated with Buckeye football, but those games took place nearly a decade ago. Maybe you think Urban Meyer is a coward for fleeing to the Big Ten? Well, he left Florida when Jim Tressel was still the beloved figurehead of the university and the namesake for countless dogs in the Buckeye State, so that logic doesn't hold up. Maybe you hate them because you don't think their weak schedule is fair? Well, life isn't fair, especially in sports. Teams have weaker schedules than their competitors all the time and that won't ever change. Maybe you hate Ohio State because you just love to hate them? Well, that's perfectly reasonable, but focus your hate on the program and what it can control, instead of their schedule which is severely predicated by the other teams in their conference. Maybe you hate Ohio State because it's basically located in the birthplace of Civil War general William Tecumseh Sherman? Well, that's probably the most reasonable justification you can have. He didn't treat the South very well.
At the end of the day, the champion of the SEC is practically guaranteed a playoff berth. That means one of your teams will get a shot at Ohio State this year, and every year in the foreseeable future, should Urban Meyer's recruiting continue. And if they don't? That means Ohio State probably lost a game to an inferior opponent, which means you'll have more fuel for the Buckeye hate machine for years to come. Until New Year's Eve, pray your team survives the cannibalization, root for Illinois to shock the world, and if Ohio State awaits, seize the opportunity to bring the Buckeyes back down a peg. But please spend your fall weekdays analyzing Chick-Fil-A's menu instead of Big Ten football. The former is much more fulfilling than the latter anyways.
Hotty Toddy
J. Nave
Dear Buckeye Nation,
In this week's Associated Press Poll, 10 of the 25 teams ranked play in the SEC. TEN!!! FORTY PERCENT!!! AN ENTIRE DIVISION OF THE CONFERENCE IS RANKED!!! And one week into the season, that's exactly how it should be, Buckeye Nation. Who should be in there, especially from the Big Ten? Northwestern might have a case after beating Stanford. Minnesota held tough against TCU, but ended up falling short of pulling the upset. Wisconsin got steamrolled by Alabama. Penn State conceded 10 sacks to Temple's defense and lost by 17. Michigan lost in Jim Harbaugh's highly touted debut. Indiana needed a failed two point conversion by Southern Illinois to escape with a win. The SEC's cannibalization will take place soon enough. If a 6-6 Ole Miss is ranked at the end of the season, your gripes will hold more merit, but for now, don't waste your breath.
Sure, the SEC had a terrible bowl season. But anybody familiar with statistics would tell you drawing a conclusion that the SEC is dead or overrated with such a small sample size would be extremely ignorant and mathematically flawed. The SEC's depth was vindicated this past Saturday in an impressive fashion. Texas A&M embarrassed an Arizona State team our own Kirk Herbstriet picked to make the College Football Playoff. Texas A&M was picked 6th or 7th in their division in just about every single preseason poll (If you're looking for a solid value bet, I'd recommend taking the Aggies to win the SEC or the National Championship FWIW). Over the next several weeks, expect to see the undefeated SEC teams shoot up the rankings. It's an autumn tradition as well entrenched in American society as the Pumpkin Spice Latte at this point. Come November? Remember Mississippi State and Ole Miss? The weakest of the bunch will get exposed over time, and other conferences will be better represented in the polls. However, the teams that do run through the gauntlet of the SEC will be deservedly rewarded with a spot towards the top of the poll.
Many of you likely believe the SEC's rankings are attributed to some sort of inherent bias. Think about it for a second, though. The best of the best is always favored and more beloved by the media in sports. The Western Conference has a much more compelling playoff picture than the Eastern Conference in the NBA each year, and the coverage and discussion reflects this. The ACC and Big Ten are the two deepest conferences in college basketball and rightfully get more attention in March. A team with a losing record won the NFC South last year, so little attention or respect was given to the Carolina Panthers for their "feat". The great thing about sports is the undeserving underdog is given a chance to prove themselves when it matters most. And in the grand scheme of things, David beats Goliath quite frequently in the big games. Look at your own team from last year. Be thankful there aren't a lot of strenuous tests along the way for the Buckeyes. Ohio State should get to November unscathed, and most likely, unchallenged. Then, if The Grind continues to go according to plan, come New Year's Eve, a quality opponent will await. Until then, mute Clay Travis, ignore Paul Finebaum, and give a Joey Bosa sized shrug to all the haters. Your team and your band are still the best in the land. Rest easy on those facts and graciously await the next battle of Ohio versus the World.
O-H!
J. Nave
Dear SEC Supremacists,
In this week's Associated Press Poll, 10 of the 25 teams ranked play in your conference. TEN!!! FORTY PERCENT!!! AN ENTIRE DIVISION OF YOUR CONFERENCE IS RANKED!!! And one week into the season, that's exactly how it should be. Alabama's defense seems primed to invoke the dominating play of teams from a few years prior. Texas A&M delivered arguably the most complete performance of the weekend. Ole Miss hung 76 on poor UT-Martin. South Carolina and Auburn both beat quality opponents. Florida looked great in their first game under Jim McElwain. The laurels could go on for several paragraphs. Except for lowly Vanderbilt, the SEC did a perfect job of crushing the Pac 12's claim for the (grid)Iron Throne. The competition for the Western division will be a hellacious marathon. The Eastern division race will benefit from an improved Tennessee. The next twelve weeks will be incredibly fun, overwhelmingly stressful, and deliver some of the best and most competitive games of the season.
Sure, the Big Ten had a horrible first week, but anybody familiar with statistics would tell you drawing a conclusion that Ohio State's schedule is nothing more than roadkill with such a small sample size would be extremely ignorant and mathematically flawed. Teams improve over the course of the season. Albeit the likelihood of an opponent outside of Michigan State improving to LSU, Auburn, or Alabama's level might seem slim, you never know what can happen. Even if nobody else in the conference does rise to the challenge, it's not like Ohio State can ask for a different schedule. Trust me, their fans don't want to go watch Ohio State beat Indiana, Rutgers, Penn State, and Maryland by fifty points. They would love marquee opponents and close games. Urban Meyer and the coaching staff would love to be challenged by more competitive opponents to serve as better preparation for the College Football Playoff. Meyer figured out how to solve what Nick Saban, Les Miles, and Steve Spurrier threw at him. Creating a game plan against Kevin Wilson, Randy Edsall, and Bill Cubit just isn't the same thing. Cardale Jones, Ezekiel Elliott, and the rest of the players would love to prove themselves against other highly ranked NFL Draft prospects. Did you see their Twitter accounts after the win against Virginia Tech? They talk trash like a high school team. It's refreshing and hilarious. They'll get bored putting up ridiculous numbers against mediocre opposition the next two months. And luckily for "y'all", that might increase the chances of one of your teams beating the Buckeyes come New Year's Eve.
Many of you hate Ohio State after developing some sort of internal bias, based on my conversations. Maybe you think they're overrated? Losses to Florida, LSU, and other similar teams on the big stage used to be associated with Buckeye football, but those games took place nearly a decade ago. Maybe you think Urban Meyer is a coward for fleeing to the Big Ten? Well, he left Florida when Jim Tressel was still the beloved figurehead of the university and the namesake for countless dogs in the Buckeye State, so that logic doesn't hold up. Maybe you hate them because you don't think their weak schedule is fair? Well, life isn't fair, especially in sports. Teams have weaker schedules than their competitors all the time and that won't ever change. Maybe you hate Ohio State because you just love to hate them? Well, that's perfectly reasonable, but focus your hate on the program and what it can control, instead of their schedule which is severely predicated by the other teams in their conference. Maybe you hate Ohio State because it's basically located in the birthplace of Civil War general William Tecumseh Sherman? Well, that's probably the most reasonable justification you can have. He didn't treat the South very well.
At the end of the day, the champion of the SEC is practically guaranteed a playoff berth. That means one of your teams will get a shot at Ohio State this year, and every year in the foreseeable future, should Urban Meyer's recruiting continue. And if they don't? That means Ohio State probably lost a game to an inferior opponent, which means you'll have more fuel for the Buckeye hate machine for years to come. Until New Year's Eve, pray your team survives the cannibalization, root for Illinois to shock the world, and if Ohio State awaits, seize the opportunity to bring the Buckeyes back down a peg. But please spend your fall weekdays analyzing Chick-Fil-A's menu instead of Big Ten football. The former is much more fulfilling than the latter anyways.
Hotty Toddy
J. Nave
Thursday, August 27, 2015
My College Football (Political) Playoff Preview
I wanted a fresh and unique way to preview the college football season. Ranking teams 1-25 is an impossible task since every team is 0-0, and there is so much to find out about each program's new players still. That's why I settled on trying to form analogies between what we do know about certain favorites for one of the four coveted playoff berths and candidates for the 2016 Presidential Election. Is this odd? It sure is. But in a summer dominated by Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, and Bernie Sanders headlines, I thought it was more than appropriate. So whether you lean left or right, you love or hate politics, or you couldn't pick any of these people out of a police lineup, I hope you leave this page better informed on who to vote for and/or who to place a wager on.
1) Ohio State- Hillary Clinton
The presumed front runner since day one, Ohio State, like Hillary, has more experience than just about every other team. Both the football team and former First Lady have had success in the past, and their expectation is win it all or experience a disappointing feeling. There has been some adversity for both parties recently- Hillary Clinton with her email account, and Ohio State with four suspensions they'll have to deal with in week one. Ultimately, I don't see either party being derailed. Hilary seems primed to win the Democratic primary, and Ohio State seems primed to win the Big Ten and have a fantastic shot at going back to back.
2) TCU- Rick Perry
Last season, TCU finished as the odd man out. All autumn long, they seemed destined to get into the College Football Playoff, but the final poll saw them suffer a catastrophic drop. In response, the Horned Frogs went out and embarrassed Ole Miss. Now, Gary Patterson hopes to get his air raid attack on the right side of the cut line. During the last presidential election, Rick Perry was gaining a lot of support and positive attention. Then, a disastrous debate night left him hopeless to winning the nomination. TCU's loss to Baylor last season, when they held a double digit lead in the second half, as just as significant of a gaffe. Both Texans have given themselves a chance to rebound, but they'll have to get over their pasts if they want to reach new heights this time around.
3) Alabama- Jeb Bush
A dynasty if there ever was one, both the Crimson Tide and Bush family have left a mark on their respective fields. This time, though, doubters and critics seem to have more firepower than ever to expose the two as insignificant. For Jeb, he doesn't even seem to be the most popular candidate from his home state of Florida. For Alabama, questions about the skill positions and a lackluster showing in the Sugar Bowl have resulted in the other team from the Yellowhammer State being declared the division favorite by many. Nobody should ever sleep on a Nick Saban coached team or a presidential candidate from such a prestigious family, but eyebrows could definitely be raised at the legitimacy of both parties this year.
4) Baylor- Ted Cruz
Art Briles is a maniac and still bitter about Baylor's exclusion from the College Football Playoff. He has sounded off countless times on the topic, and very few people are still willing to take him seriously. However, his ability to turn a Big 12 dormant into a dangerous contender is testament to a job well done. The same could be said for Cruz. His election to the US Senate back in 2012 was a surprise very few of the politically savvy saw coming. His rhetoric is far too extreme for most, but he still has a realistic shot at winning the nomination. Now, the only question that remains is whether both Briles and Cruz can avoid any costly tongue-in-cheek slip-ups on their way from the bottom to hopefully the top.
5) UCLA- Marco Rubio
If you're a fan of coincidental trends, the Bruins and Rubio are for you. UCLA will start true freshman Josh Rosen at quarterback this fall. Many of the football fans might be skeptical of a freshman's ability to lead a team to a great season, but look at the past few seasons. Johnny Manziel, Jameis Winston, and JT Barrett were all unknowns at this time the past three seasons. Last time I checked, Josh starts with 'J'. I like his chance to continue the trend, and he has plenty of talent around him on both sides of the ball. Comparisons of Marco Rubio's seemingly overnight rise in the US Senate to Barack Obama's own pathway have plenty of justification as well. A charismatic and textbook presidential candidate, don't be surprised if both Rubio, and Rosen, makes it a lot further than anybody was expecting.
6) Auburn- Bernie Sanders
Right now, both the Tigers and Sanders have a lot of hype. Auburn is supposed to be drastically improved on defense because of the hiring of Will Muschamp, while Gus Malzahan's offense is supposed to perform at Cam Newton like levels with Jeremy Johnson at the helm. Sanders' focus on issues prevalent amongst young voters is supposed to help issue in a new era in Washington. Here's the thing, though. The addition of two people isn't going to turn an 8-5 team into one of the nation's four best, especially since they'll have to run through the gauntlet that is the SEC West. For Sanders, you don't go from a tenured, "people call me a Socialist" senator to President. As the fall goes on, look for both entities to suffer a decline in the public's eye.
7) Clemson- Donald Trump
If you ask a Clemson fan about their season's outlook right now, I'd expect back a few minutes of passionate yelling about how Deshaun Watson is going to lead the Tigers to a 15-0 season where they win every game by 25 points. If you ask Donald Trump about what he's going to accomplish as president, you will receive an equally ridiculous list of things that the President of the United States is actually incapable of doing. It's truly a minor miracle to me that Trump has stayed as the front runner for so long, and who knows, he might just be able to pull this thing off. However, something is telling me that Watson's knee injuries during freshman year will flare up once more, Trump will make a fatal statement about the wrong person, and both will be derailed and crash before they reach their dream destination.
8) USC- Carly Fiorina
Like the Trojans, Fiorina used to be on top of the Californian power structure. As CEO of Hewlett-Packard, she was a major player in the Silicon Valley's early days. After disappointing results forced her to resign, she tumbled from her pedestal. Fiorina was dismissed in 2005, right around the time Reggie Bush and a host of other violations would star an investigation into the USC football program causing a serious reversal in the perception of the program. Today, though, using a strong performance in an early debate for momentum and an experienced, Heisman candidate quarterback as cause for hope, both Fiorina and USC are right back in the national spotlight. The next few months will be crucial to see if the two can rebound from their rocky, recent histories to accomplish great things once again.
9) Notre Dame- Rand Paul
Notre Dame used to be a trademark college football program. There have been some brief ascents towards the top of the polls in recent years, but the program still finds itself unable to permanently elevate themselves past mediocrity. This year, the Irish faithful truly believe Malik Zaire, and a crop of returning players can get Notre Dame into a playoff. Here's the thing about that proposition. Anybody under a certain age laughs at Notre Dame's inclusion as a college football power. Meanwhile, anybody over a certain age thinks of Rand Paul as Ron Paul's son who has simply rode his dad's coattails and policies to this point in his political career. Both the Irish and Rand better hope for something new and fresh to propel an escape from the shadows of their lineages.
10) Arizona State- Martin O'Malley
Many of you are probably asking "What?" and "Who?" by these mentions. O'Malley is a former governor of Maryland who has only the most of the politically inclined feeling obligated to pay him any attention. The Sun Devils could pity O'Malley's lack of attention. With UCLA, USC, and Arizona all in talks to win the PAC 12 South, the Sun Devils get left out. Although I can't name or endorse any of O'Malley's policies, I can say I have a lot of confidence in Mike Bercovici and DJ Foster scoring a lot of points in an offensively focused conference. It's going to be a challenge for both Arizona State and O'Malley, but who knows. Crazier things have happened.
11) Georgia- John Kasich
Ohio's John Kasich has more tenure and accomplishments than just about every single GOP candidate. He won his last gubernatorial election in a landslide, which is an accomplishment in the swing state of Ohio. However, he hasn't really been able to gain much traction in comparison to the rest of his opponents on the campaign trail. Mark Richt and the Georgia Bulldogs have been pegged as a championship contender several times over the past decade. However, an injury or an unexpectedly poor showing on one Saturday always seems to end their chance. I'm not sure why John Kasich hasn't gotten more respect in the polls, and I'm not sure what keeps such a talented team from winning the SEC and getting a crack at a title. I am sure, though, John Kasich has the record to win the Republican nomination, and Nick Chubb can lead Georgia to a playoff berth, if they are just able to live up to their billing and talent.
12) Michigan State- Ben Carson
The Spartans have gone from an underrated football power to a respected football power because Mark Dantonio continues to turn in double digit win campaigns season after season. This year, Sparty brings back their most important player on offense, quarterback Connor Cook, and their most important player on defense, end Shilique Calhoun. In an era of high tempo spread offenses, it's refreshing, yet somewhat unprecedented, to see a pro-style system built on toughness find a way to succeed. It's also unprecedented that a neurosurgeon has worked his way into becoming one of the frontrunners for the Republican nomination. Carson is an extremely intelligent individual, but will his unconventional background come back to haunt him? Only time will tell.
What teams do I ultimately like to make the playoff? I'll take Ohio State and TCU as #1 and #2. They're too talented and too pissed off respectively not to get the job done. For #3, we'll go to the PAC 12. I like UCLA for some reason. A true freshman quarterback scares me to death, but I'm intrigued by Jim Mora and the rest of the Bruins' roster. For #4? You have to pick a SEC team, right?Auburn, Alabama, LSU, Georgia(?). Yeah, I'll go with Georgia. Let's see how long it takes for each of those four teams to lose their first game now...
J. Nave
Teams are in no specific order. When I thought of a "good" analogy, I wrote about it.
1) Ohio State- Hillary Clinton
The presumed front runner since day one, Ohio State, like Hillary, has more experience than just about every other team. Both the football team and former First Lady have had success in the past, and their expectation is win it all or experience a disappointing feeling. There has been some adversity for both parties recently- Hillary Clinton with her email account, and Ohio State with four suspensions they'll have to deal with in week one. Ultimately, I don't see either party being derailed. Hilary seems primed to win the Democratic primary, and Ohio State seems primed to win the Big Ten and have a fantastic shot at going back to back.
2) TCU- Rick Perry
Last season, TCU finished as the odd man out. All autumn long, they seemed destined to get into the College Football Playoff, but the final poll saw them suffer a catastrophic drop. In response, the Horned Frogs went out and embarrassed Ole Miss. Now, Gary Patterson hopes to get his air raid attack on the right side of the cut line. During the last presidential election, Rick Perry was gaining a lot of support and positive attention. Then, a disastrous debate night left him hopeless to winning the nomination. TCU's loss to Baylor last season, when they held a double digit lead in the second half, as just as significant of a gaffe. Both Texans have given themselves a chance to rebound, but they'll have to get over their pasts if they want to reach new heights this time around.
3) Alabama- Jeb Bush
A dynasty if there ever was one, both the Crimson Tide and Bush family have left a mark on their respective fields. This time, though, doubters and critics seem to have more firepower than ever to expose the two as insignificant. For Jeb, he doesn't even seem to be the most popular candidate from his home state of Florida. For Alabama, questions about the skill positions and a lackluster showing in the Sugar Bowl have resulted in the other team from the Yellowhammer State being declared the division favorite by many. Nobody should ever sleep on a Nick Saban coached team or a presidential candidate from such a prestigious family, but eyebrows could definitely be raised at the legitimacy of both parties this year.
4) Baylor- Ted Cruz
Art Briles is a maniac and still bitter about Baylor's exclusion from the College Football Playoff. He has sounded off countless times on the topic, and very few people are still willing to take him seriously. However, his ability to turn a Big 12 dormant into a dangerous contender is testament to a job well done. The same could be said for Cruz. His election to the US Senate back in 2012 was a surprise very few of the politically savvy saw coming. His rhetoric is far too extreme for most, but he still has a realistic shot at winning the nomination. Now, the only question that remains is whether both Briles and Cruz can avoid any costly tongue-in-cheek slip-ups on their way from the bottom to hopefully the top.
5) UCLA- Marco Rubio
If you're a fan of coincidental trends, the Bruins and Rubio are for you. UCLA will start true freshman Josh Rosen at quarterback this fall. Many of the football fans might be skeptical of a freshman's ability to lead a team to a great season, but look at the past few seasons. Johnny Manziel, Jameis Winston, and JT Barrett were all unknowns at this time the past three seasons. Last time I checked, Josh starts with 'J'. I like his chance to continue the trend, and he has plenty of talent around him on both sides of the ball. Comparisons of Marco Rubio's seemingly overnight rise in the US Senate to Barack Obama's own pathway have plenty of justification as well. A charismatic and textbook presidential candidate, don't be surprised if both Rubio, and Rosen, makes it a lot further than anybody was expecting.
6) Auburn- Bernie Sanders
Right now, both the Tigers and Sanders have a lot of hype. Auburn is supposed to be drastically improved on defense because of the hiring of Will Muschamp, while Gus Malzahan's offense is supposed to perform at Cam Newton like levels with Jeremy Johnson at the helm. Sanders' focus on issues prevalent amongst young voters is supposed to help issue in a new era in Washington. Here's the thing, though. The addition of two people isn't going to turn an 8-5 team into one of the nation's four best, especially since they'll have to run through the gauntlet that is the SEC West. For Sanders, you don't go from a tenured, "people call me a Socialist" senator to President. As the fall goes on, look for both entities to suffer a decline in the public's eye.
7) Clemson- Donald Trump
If you ask a Clemson fan about their season's outlook right now, I'd expect back a few minutes of passionate yelling about how Deshaun Watson is going to lead the Tigers to a 15-0 season where they win every game by 25 points. If you ask Donald Trump about what he's going to accomplish as president, you will receive an equally ridiculous list of things that the President of the United States is actually incapable of doing. It's truly a minor miracle to me that Trump has stayed as the front runner for so long, and who knows, he might just be able to pull this thing off. However, something is telling me that Watson's knee injuries during freshman year will flare up once more, Trump will make a fatal statement about the wrong person, and both will be derailed and crash before they reach their dream destination.
8) USC- Carly Fiorina
Like the Trojans, Fiorina used to be on top of the Californian power structure. As CEO of Hewlett-Packard, she was a major player in the Silicon Valley's early days. After disappointing results forced her to resign, she tumbled from her pedestal. Fiorina was dismissed in 2005, right around the time Reggie Bush and a host of other violations would star an investigation into the USC football program causing a serious reversal in the perception of the program. Today, though, using a strong performance in an early debate for momentum and an experienced, Heisman candidate quarterback as cause for hope, both Fiorina and USC are right back in the national spotlight. The next few months will be crucial to see if the two can rebound from their rocky, recent histories to accomplish great things once again.
9) Notre Dame- Rand Paul
Notre Dame used to be a trademark college football program. There have been some brief ascents towards the top of the polls in recent years, but the program still finds itself unable to permanently elevate themselves past mediocrity. This year, the Irish faithful truly believe Malik Zaire, and a crop of returning players can get Notre Dame into a playoff. Here's the thing about that proposition. Anybody under a certain age laughs at Notre Dame's inclusion as a college football power. Meanwhile, anybody over a certain age thinks of Rand Paul as Ron Paul's son who has simply rode his dad's coattails and policies to this point in his political career. Both the Irish and Rand better hope for something new and fresh to propel an escape from the shadows of their lineages.
10) Arizona State- Martin O'Malley
Many of you are probably asking "What?" and "Who?" by these mentions. O'Malley is a former governor of Maryland who has only the most of the politically inclined feeling obligated to pay him any attention. The Sun Devils could pity O'Malley's lack of attention. With UCLA, USC, and Arizona all in talks to win the PAC 12 South, the Sun Devils get left out. Although I can't name or endorse any of O'Malley's policies, I can say I have a lot of confidence in Mike Bercovici and DJ Foster scoring a lot of points in an offensively focused conference. It's going to be a challenge for both Arizona State and O'Malley, but who knows. Crazier things have happened.
11) Georgia- John Kasich
Ohio's John Kasich has more tenure and accomplishments than just about every single GOP candidate. He won his last gubernatorial election in a landslide, which is an accomplishment in the swing state of Ohio. However, he hasn't really been able to gain much traction in comparison to the rest of his opponents on the campaign trail. Mark Richt and the Georgia Bulldogs have been pegged as a championship contender several times over the past decade. However, an injury or an unexpectedly poor showing on one Saturday always seems to end their chance. I'm not sure why John Kasich hasn't gotten more respect in the polls, and I'm not sure what keeps such a talented team from winning the SEC and getting a crack at a title. I am sure, though, John Kasich has the record to win the Republican nomination, and Nick Chubb can lead Georgia to a playoff berth, if they are just able to live up to their billing and talent.
12) Michigan State- Ben Carson
The Spartans have gone from an underrated football power to a respected football power because Mark Dantonio continues to turn in double digit win campaigns season after season. This year, Sparty brings back their most important player on offense, quarterback Connor Cook, and their most important player on defense, end Shilique Calhoun. In an era of high tempo spread offenses, it's refreshing, yet somewhat unprecedented, to see a pro-style system built on toughness find a way to succeed. It's also unprecedented that a neurosurgeon has worked his way into becoming one of the frontrunners for the Republican nomination. Carson is an extremely intelligent individual, but will his unconventional background come back to haunt him? Only time will tell.
What teams do I ultimately like to make the playoff? I'll take Ohio State and TCU as #1 and #2. They're too talented and too pissed off respectively not to get the job done. For #3, we'll go to the PAC 12. I like UCLA for some reason. A true freshman quarterback scares me to death, but I'm intrigued by Jim Mora and the rest of the Bruins' roster. For #4? You have to pick a SEC team, right?
J. Nave
Monday, August 3, 2015
The Grandeur of Carolina Football and College Football
As a tour guide at the University of South Carolina, there is one stop I eagerly look forward to sharing with prospective students above the rest. It takes place besides Sumter Street and behind Longstreet Theatre where the occasional bus, truck, or a "Go Cocks!" chant from a passing student in a car forces me to raise my voice up to a yell. Considering the information I'm privileged to share, though, I really don't mind the minor inconvenience. Gazing down the divided road, split by a row of scenic palm trees, I'm able to point out the dominating upper deck of Williams-Brice Stadium off in the distance. While services offered by the career center, library, or academic advisers might pique the interest of the parents and a small portion of the true scholars in the group, the imposing stadium seems to always capture everybody's attention.
For the next few minutes, I'm able to discuss the pageantry of a Saturday in South Carolina framed within the context of the sensory overload you experience several times each fall. First off, and most intimidating, are the captivating sounds in the minutes leading up to the game. The Mighty Sound of the Southeast gets the process going with the brass and woodwind sounds expected in any college football environment. Next, the opponent is given a history lesson and their final warning of what is to come throughout "Welcome to Williams Brice". The crowd joins the symphony for the first time immediately following the video, as a loud "GAME" is echoed by an infinitesimally louder "COCKS!". When he's decided he's heard enough, the Head Ball Coach greets the crowd as a prelude to the 2001: A Space Odyssey theme. This familiar sound reverberates throughout every corner of the stadium indicatingblastoff kickoff is right around the corner. Finally, the most iconic of the sounds begins with a piercing ring. For approximately the next minute and a half, Sandstorm sends the stadium into a frenzy to announce the game has begun, and when played following any South Carolina score for the rest of the game, it breathes even more life into the 80,000+ garnet and black clad fans.
Nearly all the sounds compliment picturesque sights in this spectacle of a pregame routine. The Carolina band forms the gates of the Horseshoe on the perfectly manicured, stadium grass. Videos of Gamecocks from past and present play on the "Beast Board" to remind opponents of the imminent battle. A notable alumnus, beloved athlete, or combination of the two gets his or her moment under a Carolina sky to lead the chant every native fan learns from birth. The powder from several fire extinguishers shrouds each player on the team for a brief second as they run out on the field for the start of the game. Finally, a seemingly rehearsed choreography of waving, white hand towels begins to cover every inch of the bleachers, hinting that surrender would be the opposing team's best bet.
As the game goes on, the tastes and smells of the student section begin to consume you. A neighbor to your right brings back a box of Bojangles' chicken and a buttery biscuit. To your left, three students fight over the last slice of a Little Caesar's pizza. A flask, previously hidden well enough to be sneaked into the stadium, clanks off the bleachers behind you, and while you might get a brief whiff of booze from the owner's breath, all you really crave is a bottle of cold water to save you from a long afternoon of tailgating and Columbia's daunting and famous heat. In front of you, a student sips a Coke hoping it provides herself temporary relief, and your mind momentarily wanders to wherever those polar bears in the commercials hang out and desperately longs for cooler temperatures.
While your emotional feelings might be dependent on the game's result each week, you'll physically feel certain things every time you step foot in Williams-Brice. Your towel's cotton will feel natural in your palm by the third time Sandstorm plays, but your dominant arm might become numb by then. The bleachers will shake beneath your feet after each Carolina first down. Beads of sweat will drip down your face for three and a half hours, even if the game doesn't get started until 7 PM. Your legs will become weary, and blisters, from either boat shoes or cowboy boots, will leave you longing for a brief time off your feet in the form of a timeout. In a loss, these factors could add up to hours of miserable complaining. However, if the Gamecocks manage to pick up a win, you don't mind them at all. In fact, you'll happily embrace them.
Why did I choose to write about my love affair with Williams-Brice Stadium? The sentiments and experiences I shared above exist on every campus with a powerhouse, college football program in the country, but each has its own unique culture and rituals. The tradition of these programs goes back over a century in some cases, and children grow up hearing stories of all the legends who have suited up to entertain past generations. The passion displayed by college football fans is insatiable, and their fervor can turn a mundane, February day into a national holiday when top ranked recruits pledge loyalty to establish a brighter future for their team. Lively stadium atmospheres full of fans who stand for nearly the whole game make it much more appealing to experience the action firsthand, rather than watch it all unfold nestled on your couch at home. Now in the second year of the playoff format, the fans' obsession is even more maniacal as more programs can hold onto their national championship aspirations into December and January. This leads to more intense schedule scrutiny, a deeper reading into the weekly rankings, and closer attention paid to practices in anticipation of next week's game. This energy needs to be recharged and conserved for three months and hopefully will be rewarded by fulfilling the dream of landing one of the bracket's four coveted slots.
College football might have the shortest season of any of the major sports in the United States, but its rabid fans make it one of the most fun. Luckily for us, that fun resumes this week with fall practices. A month from the today, the first games will arrive. Whether you prefer "Roll Tide" or "War Eagle", "Boomer Sooner" or "Hook 'Em Horns", "Geaux Tigers" or "Go Blue", enjoy your Saturdays this fall. Before you know it, another winter will have settled in, and another class of your favorite players will have moved on.
J. Nave
For the next few minutes, I'm able to discuss the pageantry of a Saturday in South Carolina framed within the context of the sensory overload you experience several times each fall. First off, and most intimidating, are the captivating sounds in the minutes leading up to the game. The Mighty Sound of the Southeast gets the process going with the brass and woodwind sounds expected in any college football environment. Next, the opponent is given a history lesson and their final warning of what is to come throughout "Welcome to Williams Brice". The crowd joins the symphony for the first time immediately following the video, as a loud "GAME" is echoed by an infinitesimally louder "COCKS!". When he's decided he's heard enough, the Head Ball Coach greets the crowd as a prelude to the 2001: A Space Odyssey theme. This familiar sound reverberates throughout every corner of the stadium indicating
Nearly all the sounds compliment picturesque sights in this spectacle of a pregame routine. The Carolina band forms the gates of the Horseshoe on the perfectly manicured, stadium grass. Videos of Gamecocks from past and present play on the "Beast Board" to remind opponents of the imminent battle. A notable alumnus, beloved athlete, or combination of the two gets his or her moment under a Carolina sky to lead the chant every native fan learns from birth. The powder from several fire extinguishers shrouds each player on the team for a brief second as they run out on the field for the start of the game. Finally, a seemingly rehearsed choreography of waving, white hand towels begins to cover every inch of the bleachers, hinting that surrender would be the opposing team's best bet.
As the game goes on, the tastes and smells of the student section begin to consume you. A neighbor to your right brings back a box of Bojangles' chicken and a buttery biscuit. To your left, three students fight over the last slice of a Little Caesar's pizza. A flask, previously hidden well enough to be sneaked into the stadium, clanks off the bleachers behind you, and while you might get a brief whiff of booze from the owner's breath, all you really crave is a bottle of cold water to save you from a long afternoon of tailgating and Columbia's daunting and famous heat. In front of you, a student sips a Coke hoping it provides herself temporary relief, and your mind momentarily wanders to wherever those polar bears in the commercials hang out and desperately longs for cooler temperatures.
While your emotional feelings might be dependent on the game's result each week, you'll physically feel certain things every time you step foot in Williams-Brice. Your towel's cotton will feel natural in your palm by the third time Sandstorm plays, but your dominant arm might become numb by then. The bleachers will shake beneath your feet after each Carolina first down. Beads of sweat will drip down your face for three and a half hours, even if the game doesn't get started until 7 PM. Your legs will become weary, and blisters, from either boat shoes or cowboy boots, will leave you longing for a brief time off your feet in the form of a timeout. In a loss, these factors could add up to hours of miserable complaining. However, if the Gamecocks manage to pick up a win, you don't mind them at all. In fact, you'll happily embrace them.
Why did I choose to write about my love affair with Williams-Brice Stadium? The sentiments and experiences I shared above exist on every campus with a powerhouse, college football program in the country, but each has its own unique culture and rituals. The tradition of these programs goes back over a century in some cases, and children grow up hearing stories of all the legends who have suited up to entertain past generations. The passion displayed by college football fans is insatiable, and their fervor can turn a mundane, February day into a national holiday when top ranked recruits pledge loyalty to establish a brighter future for their team. Lively stadium atmospheres full of fans who stand for nearly the whole game make it much more appealing to experience the action firsthand, rather than watch it all unfold nestled on your couch at home. Now in the second year of the playoff format, the fans' obsession is even more maniacal as more programs can hold onto their national championship aspirations into December and January. This leads to more intense schedule scrutiny, a deeper reading into the weekly rankings, and closer attention paid to practices in anticipation of next week's game. This energy needs to be recharged and conserved for three months and hopefully will be rewarded by fulfilling the dream of landing one of the bracket's four coveted slots.
College football might have the shortest season of any of the major sports in the United States, but its rabid fans make it one of the most fun. Luckily for us, that fun resumes this week with fall practices. A month from the today, the first games will arrive. Whether you prefer "Roll Tide" or "War Eagle", "Boomer Sooner" or "Hook 'Em Horns", "Geaux Tigers" or "Go Blue", enjoy your Saturdays this fall. Before you know it, another winter will have settled in, and another class of your favorite players will have moved on.
J. Nave
Monday, July 27, 2015
The Quarterback Conundrum
For as many summers as I can remember, an annual rite of mine is meticulously searching the local grocery store for the college football preseason magazines (It used to delectably pair with purchasing NCAA Football from Best Buy, but unfortunately, the legal system has robbed me of this). Scouring the predictions for the upcoming year, I couldn't help but notice all the attention given to Ohio State. From disbelief still remaining from their implausible run to the national championship, to discussing all the firepower returning to Columbus this fall, to looking ahead to all the top ranked recruits who have committed since January, I realized scarlet and gray stock has never been more bullish. Can anything buck this trend?
Last January, I wrote at length about how much fun it was rooting for the Buckeyes. To recap:
-"Ohio Against the World" wasn't just a clever slogan atop a gray sweatshirt on New Year's Day in New Orleans. It seamlessly became a mantra that every fan could connect with and rally behind after the questions and doubts that rained down on the Buckeyes throughout the season.
-I'm not sure if we'll ever see a third string quarterback light up the football field, regardless of the level of competition, as well as Twelve Gauge. Cardale Jones is not only a folk hero in Ohio now, but he's quickly grasping the pros social media can offer athletes.
-Joey Bosa trademarked his celebratory shrug with his play on the field, but Buckeye fans could emulate it off the field with their own pleasurable message of gesticulating to the skeptics they were going to be silenced by these players.
Of course, it ultimately wound up being the perfect script to watch unfold, ending with Ohio State being named the first, true "Undisputed Champions."
-"Ohio Against the World" wasn't just a clever slogan atop a gray sweatshirt on New Year's Day in New Orleans. It seamlessly became a mantra that every fan could connect with and rally behind after the questions and doubts that rained down on the Buckeyes throughout the season.
-I'm not sure if we'll ever see a third string quarterback light up the football field, regardless of the level of competition, as well as Twelve Gauge. Cardale Jones is not only a folk hero in Ohio now, but he's quickly grasping the pros social media can offer athletes.
-Joey Bosa trademarked his celebratory shrug with his play on the field, but Buckeye fans could emulate it off the field with their own pleasurable message of gesticulating to the skeptics they were going to be silenced by these players.
Of course, it ultimately wound up being the perfect script to watch unfold, ending with Ohio State being named the first, true "Undisputed Champions."
Many of the same cast of characters will return to try and claim consecutive College Football Playoff championships when fall practice begins in a couple of weeks. There appears to be no lack of focus or celebratory hangover from the program going all the way back to the winter. As soon as the clock in Arlington showed all zeros, Meyer declared "The Chase" complete. Now, "The Grind" to stay on top of the college football universe will serve as the Buckeye's mission. With this theme, Ohio State embraced the fact the hunters from last year will become the hunted this fall. Will it even matter for the Buckeyes during their regular season? Aside from Michigan State, their predators will be armed with not nearly enough ammunition to kill the Buckeyes' dreams of a repeat. I'd say there's about a 95% chance of Ohio State blowing out every opponent in their path on the way to the number one seed in the playoff. The 5% chance of derailment would result from either a Herculean effort from one of their opponents or complacency replacing competitiveness. Luckily, Ohio State's biggest question regarding the 2015 season is going to come down to a competition. And what a competition it's going to be.
That question, of course, is who will be the starting quarterback come September 7th? The quandary became less complicated with Braxton Miller's decision to change positions last week. The proven playmakers in Ezekiel Elliot, Michael Thomas, Curtis Samuel, Jalin Marshall, Dontre Wilson, Nick Vannett, and now the 2x Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year, being on the field with the victor might render the decision meaningless. Joe Bauserman might look competent in this system for God's sake! The defense returns leaders across the front, in the linebacker corps, and in the secondary meaning the Silver Bullets have a chance to be among the national leaders in a variety of categories. If the Buckeyes have a chance to dominate on both sides of the ball, does it matter what proven, beloved, Heisman candidate, player takes the reign? I don't think so. First, both players are incredibly talented, which I'll get to in a little bit. Secondly, Urban Meyer's track record with quarterbacks is almost as impressive as the coaching tree he is beginning to plant. At Utah, Alex Smith became the number one pick in the NFL Draft. At Florida, Tim Tebow became one of the most decorated players in college football history. At Ohio State, Meyer's guise and acumen helped JT Barrett and Cardale Jones prepare for their respective calls of duty last season. Now, during the offseason, Barrett and Jones have both been seen taking larger leadership roles, gaining a greater knowledge of the playbook, and taking the battle and notoriety in stride, backed by the attitude and energy Meyer has pumped into the program. Come September 7th, only one man will ultimately get the nod from him to take the field for the first possession.
I believe that man is going to be JT Barrett. He stepped in last year at basically a moment's notice and became one of the most poised quarterbacks in the country. His name is etched in the record books, not only for Ohio State, but across the conference after only one season. He is mentioned in the same sentence as Drew Brees in regards to his accomplishments from last year. He finished fifth in Heisman voting. He combines Miller's ability to create explosive plays with his feet with Jones' ability to sling the ball around the field, albeit not quite as far. He glides across the field with the natural moxie of Russell Wilson. He has worked with Braxton Miller during his transition to receiver, showing the desired team first attitude a leader should have. As for Jones, he has just as good of a shot at winning the job. He performed above what was expected of him in the most important three game stretch in Ohio State history. He can run over linemen, run past linebackers, and throws the ball over the heads of defensive backs... from a knee. Oh, he can also unleash the hit stick on a defender should he make a mistake. His game doesn't illustrate quite as beautifully and naturally to the eye as Barrett's does, but the brute force and intense passion he plays with gets the job done just as well. He has matured off the field, evident by his Twitter account. He has a great chance of success in the NFL modeling Ben Roethlisberger, after his own ability benefits from more polish and experience.
I could go on, and every notable, college football journalist will the next few weeks, so I'll stop now. I think I've explained the point Meyer's decision won't have horrible consequences regardless of what direction he goes. He's choosing between watching Game of Thrones and watching Breaking Bad. When you look at a single point in time, one might be better than the other on that given day. But when you examine the whole work, you end up splitting hairs on what aspect of greatness you would be better off indulging.
J. Nave
That question, of course, is who will be the starting quarterback come September 7th? The quandary became less complicated with Braxton Miller's decision to change positions last week. The proven playmakers in Ezekiel Elliot, Michael Thomas, Curtis Samuel, Jalin Marshall, Dontre Wilson, Nick Vannett, and now the 2x Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year, being on the field with the victor might render the decision meaningless. Joe Bauserman might look competent in this system for God's sake! The defense returns leaders across the front, in the linebacker corps, and in the secondary meaning the Silver Bullets have a chance to be among the national leaders in a variety of categories. If the Buckeyes have a chance to dominate on both sides of the ball, does it matter what proven, beloved, Heisman candidate, player takes the reign? I don't think so. First, both players are incredibly talented, which I'll get to in a little bit. Secondly, Urban Meyer's track record with quarterbacks is almost as impressive as the coaching tree he is beginning to plant. At Utah, Alex Smith became the number one pick in the NFL Draft. At Florida, Tim Tebow became one of the most decorated players in college football history. At Ohio State, Meyer's guise and acumen helped JT Barrett and Cardale Jones prepare for their respective calls of duty last season. Now, during the offseason, Barrett and Jones have both been seen taking larger leadership roles, gaining a greater knowledge of the playbook, and taking the battle and notoriety in stride, backed by the attitude and energy Meyer has pumped into the program. Come September 7th, only one man will ultimately get the nod from him to take the field for the first possession.
I believe that man is going to be JT Barrett. He stepped in last year at basically a moment's notice and became one of the most poised quarterbacks in the country. His name is etched in the record books, not only for Ohio State, but across the conference after only one season. He is mentioned in the same sentence as Drew Brees in regards to his accomplishments from last year. He finished fifth in Heisman voting. He combines Miller's ability to create explosive plays with his feet with Jones' ability to sling the ball around the field, albeit not quite as far. He glides across the field with the natural moxie of Russell Wilson. He has worked with Braxton Miller during his transition to receiver, showing the desired team first attitude a leader should have. As for Jones, he has just as good of a shot at winning the job. He performed above what was expected of him in the most important three game stretch in Ohio State history. He can run over linemen, run past linebackers, and throws the ball over the heads of defensive backs... from a knee. Oh, he can also unleash the hit stick on a defender should he make a mistake. His game doesn't illustrate quite as beautifully and naturally to the eye as Barrett's does, but the brute force and intense passion he plays with gets the job done just as well. He has matured off the field, evident by his Twitter account. He has a great chance of success in the NFL modeling Ben Roethlisberger, after his own ability benefits from more polish and experience.
I could go on, and every notable, college football journalist will the next few weeks, so I'll stop now. I think I've explained the point Meyer's decision won't have horrible consequences regardless of what direction he goes. He's choosing between watching Game of Thrones and watching Breaking Bad. When you look at a single point in time, one might be better than the other on that given day. But when you examine the whole work, you end up splitting hairs on what aspect of greatness you would be better off indulging.
J. Nave
Thursday, June 25, 2015
The Poison of Nostalgia
For the next several weeks, the driest stretch of the sports calendar will leave fans longing for football season. Jordan Spieth's quest to capture golf's Grand Slam, Wimbledon, and the Women's World Cup will captivate certain groups of fans, but unfortunately that will be the only escape from baseball highlights dominating SportsCenter's Top Ten. It has been an exciting and championship filled past few weeks in the world of sports, though. Golden State beat Cleveland in a great NBA Finals. Chicago won another Stanley Cup establishing another dynasty in the Windy City. The aforementioned Spieth outlasted Dustin Johnson to win the US Open. All of those stories are great, but there is another theme from this summer, lurking beneath all the glory, that I feel needs some commentary.
It started in May with the "Fight of the Century" between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao. There was little to no chance the fight would live up to its tremendous level of hype. However, I don't think anybody expected the dud we got. Mayweather toyed with Pacquiao for twelve rounds and won by a comfortable margin via unanimous decision. The few flurries of punches thrown by Pacquiao were easily countered by the bigger Mayweather, and it was clear Pacquiao's last couple fights were not flukes. His time as a dominating force in boxing was over.
It continued in early June on two different continents in the same week. In my hometown of Dublin, Ohio, Tiger Woods teed it up on Saturday afternoon of the Memorial. Throughout his career, Woods has dominated the tournament. Huge crowds followed around the multiple time winner, hoping this would be the tournament to jumpstart his run at a long awaited major championship. Instead, patrons were treated to Woods shooting an 85, the worst round of his career. A few weeks later at Chambers Bay, Woods would fail to break 80 in the first round. Hopes of passing Jack Nicklaus' mark of 18 majors seemed faint, event among the loyalest of Woods' worshipers, before the season. Now, I would wager many of them are seriously questioning whether he can even capture one more.
Across the Atlantic, Rafael Nadal faced off against Novak Djokovic in a French Open quarterfinal. Even the least knowledgeable of tennis fans know of Nadal's mastery of the red clay at Roland Garros. Although his play had been on the decline in recent years, Nadal lost in straight sets, a result nobody would have predicted. It was only his second lost in the tournament. Previously, he had racked up 70 wins. Djokovic is arguably the best player in the world right now, but to watch him remain one shot ahead of Nadal during the entire match was an unexpected spectacle. Questions about Nadal's future soon replaced plans for another coronation for another French conquest.
I bring these events up to illustrate the unfortunate, yet inevitable, decline of greatness. It happens across every area of life and to everyone, but in sports, the fall from grace takes on a different character. At the first sign, we try and rationalize the event as an outlier. It won't happen again, we tell ourselves. He'll bring his A game next time around. Then, another defeat comes along. Is this the new normal, we wonder. Is it because of an injury? Finally, we accept that one of our legends is no more. They might still be competing, but it's fueled by a need to write the epilogue of their story, not a burning, competitive drive to win. The chapters of greatness came and went right before our eyes. We long to go back and add more treasured tales, but time's steady crawl has closed that door, leaving YouTube highlights and memories as the only options to relive the glory days.
In individual sports. there are few casualties besides the athlete. A decision to finally call it quits can be made at any time, and there's a good chance no fans will abandon the athlete until the last game, match, or tournament. Woods, with his sex scandal in addition to his decline, attracts TV ratings and followings any other golfer would dream to experience. In team sports, though, many people can suffer from a decision to refuse mediocrity has replaced excellence. Whether it be a player, coach, or executive, the choice could potentially doom future seasons, cripple relationships between teammates, or lose the faith of fans. Last year, Derek Jeter played his final season with the New York Yankees. He played the worst season of his career (especially if you're a fan of sabremetrics), and since one of the wealthiest franchises in sports stuck with the legendary shortshop throughout his farewell tour, they prevented themselves from moving on and acquiring a replacement with their checkbook. Of course making Jeter ride the bench last year would not have gone over well- I get that, and I get Didi Gregorius hasn't lived up to his billing this season. Still, if more athletes and coaches would decide to go out while they're still on top, or at least near the top, it would greatly benefit their respective team.
This brings me to a precarious case for one of my own teams. The South Carolina Gamecocks spent much of their football history as an afterthought. That all changed, however, when they convinced Steve Spurrier to come coach in Columbia. Now, nearly eleven years later, the program has been taken to unprecedented heights. Double digit win totals are now expected by Gamecock fans. Revenge against long hated rivals has been joyously felt numerous times. Recruits want to experience the thrill of Sandstorm and 2001. New facilities and stadium renovations seem poised to keep the program near the top of the SEC East. This all was the case even in light of a disappointing 7-6 campaign last year. Before the season, I remember reading articles predicting an SEC title, and a trip to the College Football Playoff. Afterwards, hindsight showed the fact losing the most successful quarterback in school history and several defensive stars was too much to overcome to attain those lofty goals. Gamecock fans accepted the season for what it was and were ready to have their team make a statement in 2015 that the defensive collapses of 2014 were nothing more than an inconsistent blip on the team's radar of things to come.
The road got a little more complicated when the Head Ball Coach made an off the cuff remark about not knowing how much longer he wanted to be the Head Ball Coach during this past bowl season. Recruits and opposing coaches took notice of this, and commits soon jumped ship. Spurrier would eventually retract his statement, but the damage was already done. Then, this past week, ESPN insider Travis Haney shared Spurrier wanted to call it quits last November on the Paul Finebaum Show. It took close family and friends to convince him to not give up on his love of football. This is a much more troubling sign of things to come in Columbia. I am rather bearish on the upcoming season of Gamecock football. The defense has to improve (right?), but the offense will likely experience growing pains behind whatever quarterback lines up under center (Actually, in this day and age, stand five yards behind the center). If Spurrier isn't showing the fiery energy and enthusiasm that has taken college football by storm ever since his playing days at Florida back in the 1960s, one more middling season might lead him to decide on working on lowering his handicap full time.
South Carolina will not and should not fire Spurrier. That would be a ludicrous move and horrible treatment for the winningest coach in school history. However, trying to devise a contingency plan to provide easy relief from this conundrum would be incredibly beneficial. Whether that is to have talks with Spurrier about finalizing his personal plans for the coming few seasons or hiring a coach in waiting and giving Spurrier freedom, ushering in the post-Spurrier era needs to be done seamlessly. Attracting a big time coaching commodity, who will keep the recruiting pipeline flowing, will be a much easier task than it was a decade ago, all thanks to him. However, letting the respect for South Carolina football slide back towards pre-Spurrier levels would be crushing to these tasks and to a fanbase now grown accustomed to winning.
It's possible the Gamecocks will find a way to return to the decade's earlier successes this season. It's possible I'm overanalyzing nothing more than an unlucky stretch of thirteen games. However, it's possible last season was Steve Spurrier's first step on an inevitable journey away from college football. The 2015 season will be one of the most important seasons in team history, whether it functions as adding to Spurrier's successes or laying the path for the program to move on from him in the future. I pray it turns out to be the former. Should it be the latter, hopefully one of my favorite personalities in college football will realize handing off his headset to a qualified replacement, rather than spending a few more frustrating seasons spiking his visor into the ground, will let Gamecock fans see his legacy continue to blossom in Columbia, South Carolina.
J. Nave
Wednesday, June 3, 2015
The Tale of One City (And Its Improbable Quest for a Championship)
If there's one lesson I have learned during my lifetime, it's that there are certain moments you will never forget. Once it happens, the memory can be triggered by the slightest thing; a sight, a sound, or a smell can become a powerful reminder for years to come of either tremendous happiness or crushing horror. Certain events can even bond together large populations of people.
July 11th, 2014 was one of these moments for the state of Ohio. Four years after "The Decision", LeBron James announced to the world his intentions to come home and play for the Cleveland Cavaliers beginning with the 2014-15 season. I will never forget where I was that afternoon (Trapped inside my cramped, drive thru "office" at work as a bank teller. I can recall the announcement of the hosts on 97.1 The Fan speaking in a tone of equal parts elation, surprise, and relief about the breaking news. It's probably a minor miracle I did not screw up any transactions for the rest of the day...). Many people within the Buckeye State could do the same exact thing if asked. The acquisition of perennial All-Star Kevin Love followed in the coming weeks. For the next couple months, anticipation and hype built throughout the state to what should have been an inevitable breaking point. Instead, that climax never arrived. The excitement continued to crescendo all the way up to opening night in late October. When LeBron did his trademarked chalk toss for the first time, the city could finally acknowledge the moment was real; it wasn't just a fantasy forged throughout four losing seasons. The Cavaliers, plagued by sloppy play by James, responded to the hype by falling flat on their faces and lost. The starting lineup that night was composed of James, Kyrie Irving, Dion Waiters, Anderson Varejao, and Love. For the next few months, similar disappointing efforts followed. At one point in January, the Cavaliers owned a 19-20 record. Varejao was lost for the season due to an injury. Rumors of Love opting out of his contract after one season raged amongst the media. Calls for David Blatt to be fired furiously grew. Injuries continued to pile up on James leading many fans to wonder if his decline from omnipotent, league dominance had begun.
Now, fast forward a few months. The Cavaliers are facing the Atlanta Hawks in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Kevin Love had suffered a shoulder injury after being put into one of the nastiest arm bars this side of the UFC, but the Cavs hold a 3-0 series lead and are looking to capture the franchise's second appearance in the NBA Finals. The starting lineup for the Cavaliers would consist of James, a limping Kyrie Irving, and Tristan Thompson. One more player that was in Quicken Loans Arena several months ago in October held the fourth spot. However, Iman Shumpert, was wearing orange and blue, instead of wine and gold back then. Another key role player, JR Smith, was in the same position as Shumpert. Finally, Timofey Mozgov, acquired via trade with the Denver Nuggets, would start the game at center. Cleveland's most beloved new athlete, Matthew Dellavedova, would bring his hustling effort off the bench. The Cavs, as you already know, would go on to get the sweep with a resounding 30 point victory.
Tomorrow, the Cavaliers will begin their series with the Golden State Warriors in LeBron James' (and James Jones!) fifth consecutive NBA Finals appearance. To say this appearance would be his most impressive would be a gross understatement. Yes, the Eastern Conference offered very little in terms of quality opposition, but this team took more tweaking than the previous four combined where James sat at the helm. An unknown coaching entity from international play had to learn how to handle three of the sport's most talented players. Draft picks would be wagered to mortgage the team's future on ending Cleveland's long and infamous championship drought this summer to pick up missing pieces. James would have to understand his own aging body learning when to press and when to relent. The roster upheaval alone during the course of the season would have been enough of an unprecedented challenge for any team to overcome to find success. As pointed out earlier, it was not always pretty, but watching this team finally blossom during the playoffs has been a treat. Shooting threats surround the best player on the planet forcing opposing teams to never take a possession off defensively. The aforementioned play of Dellavedova, as well as strong effort by Thompson and Shumpert, have created the solution to earlier problems regarding the Cavaliers' defensive ability.
Now, one of the NBA's most successful teams of all time is what stands between LeBron James and his desperate city from a long developed hunger for championship glory. Should the Warriors win the series, they will finish the season with the third most wins in NBA history. They are led by the league MVP, Stephen Curry, and his backcourt running mate, Klay Thompson. Curry's shot is one of the prettiest sights in the league, he makes behind the back passes look effortless, and his floaters leave big men unable to protect the rim. Their starting lineup also boasts a defensive pest in Draymond Green, whose life's purpose for the next two weeks will be to annoy LeBron James. Their depth and health currently trump the Cavaliers, even when factoring in the concussion like symptoms Thompson has been dealing with (All indications point to him suiting up in uniform on Thursday night). Golden State has won 46 of 49 games in Oracle Arena, giving them a home court advantage on par with college basketball's most dominant blue bloods in a series they hold the actual home court advantage. Their coach, Steve Kerr, picked the brain of Michael Jordan and Phil Jackson during his playing career as a reserve guard with the Bulls. Trends throughout NBA history also suggest there is a strong correlation the Warriors will win the series with what they accomplished during the regular season. Convinced this will be a challenge for the Cavaliers yet?
On a deeper level, it's rather fitting a finely tuned and flashy product from Silicon Valley will face this ruggedly pieced together bunch from the Rust Belt. Equally scrutinized along with Cleveland's failures in the world of sports is the decline in the city's economic activity. Anyone who has visited the city in recent years, including yours truly, can speak to the disheartening scenes throughout the city. Abandoned factories dot the outskirts of downtown. Minus certain blocks around the arena and stadiums, the rest of the downtown streets yearn for their glory days of yesteryear. Hardship and Cleveland have developed a symbiotic relationship in recent decades, and the blue collar spirit ingrained in the city's culture has fought to overcome the economic obstacles related to Cleveland's manufacturing past. It might sound ludicrous to certain people, but LeBron James elevated those optimistic efforts with his proclamation last summer because the city received something to believe in again. A glimmer of a new, promising future emerged for the city with his return to replace obsolete dreams from the 20th century, and even his previous time in Cleveland. Even Nike realized this spirit with a powerful ad they released just before the beginning of the season, showing the whole city of Cleveland preparing to go on this journey together. As blasphemous as all that sounds, this tale for Cleveland's championship is one of biblical proportions. The Prodigal Son might have initially taken his wealth elsewhere, but when he found himself and needed to return home, he was greeted with immense love. LeBron James caused the city of Cleveland devastating heartbreak when he took his talents to South Beach, but he has received nothing but respect, love, and admiration during this wild season. Even the fans who could be seen lighting his memorabilia on fire, like the bitter older brother, have come around to acknowledge the rebirth of the Cavaliers (Some might call these people fair weather fans, but if the heart and soul of your team decided to leave on national television, wouldn't there be some hard feelings?). The only question remaining is will the streets of Cleveland be able to erupt into a celebratory parade to rival the party thrown in the Book of Luke?
Back in January, I would have been ecstatic to see the Cavaliers simply make the NBA Finals in LeBron's first season back home. Momentum would be achieved for Cleveland's drought to come to an end next summer, following Kevin Love's recovery from injury and another season of figuring out the team's strengths and weaknesses for every piece of the puzzle. While definitely influenced by bias and fandom for the general underdog story, as well as this underdog in particular, I'm picking LeBron James and the Cavaliers to end Cleveland's half-century of suffering. The plays and games haunting fans of the Browns, Cavaliers, and Indians will be replaced by memories of the Larry O'Brien Trophy being hoisted into the air by Northeast Ohio's native son. 2015 has already shown us a third string quarterback can win a championship for an Ohio team. In this underdog world we seem to be living in, I like the chances of The King winning a long overdue trophy for his home's mantelpiece.
J. Nave
July 11th, 2014 was one of these moments for the state of Ohio. Four years after "The Decision", LeBron James announced to the world his intentions to come home and play for the Cleveland Cavaliers beginning with the 2014-15 season. I will never forget where I was that afternoon (Trapped inside my cramped, drive thru "office" at work as a bank teller. I can recall the announcement of the hosts on 97.1 The Fan speaking in a tone of equal parts elation, surprise, and relief about the breaking news. It's probably a minor miracle I did not screw up any transactions for the rest of the day...). Many people within the Buckeye State could do the same exact thing if asked. The acquisition of perennial All-Star Kevin Love followed in the coming weeks. For the next couple months, anticipation and hype built throughout the state to what should have been an inevitable breaking point. Instead, that climax never arrived. The excitement continued to crescendo all the way up to opening night in late October. When LeBron did his trademarked chalk toss for the first time, the city could finally acknowledge the moment was real; it wasn't just a fantasy forged throughout four losing seasons. The Cavaliers, plagued by sloppy play by James, responded to the hype by falling flat on their faces and lost. The starting lineup that night was composed of James, Kyrie Irving, Dion Waiters, Anderson Varejao, and Love. For the next few months, similar disappointing efforts followed. At one point in January, the Cavaliers owned a 19-20 record. Varejao was lost for the season due to an injury. Rumors of Love opting out of his contract after one season raged amongst the media. Calls for David Blatt to be fired furiously grew. Injuries continued to pile up on James leading many fans to wonder if his decline from omnipotent, league dominance had begun.
Now, fast forward a few months. The Cavaliers are facing the Atlanta Hawks in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Kevin Love had suffered a shoulder injury after being put into one of the nastiest arm bars this side of the UFC, but the Cavs hold a 3-0 series lead and are looking to capture the franchise's second appearance in the NBA Finals. The starting lineup for the Cavaliers would consist of James, a limping Kyrie Irving, and Tristan Thompson. One more player that was in Quicken Loans Arena several months ago in October held the fourth spot. However, Iman Shumpert, was wearing orange and blue, instead of wine and gold back then. Another key role player, JR Smith, was in the same position as Shumpert. Finally, Timofey Mozgov, acquired via trade with the Denver Nuggets, would start the game at center. Cleveland's most beloved new athlete, Matthew Dellavedova, would bring his hustling effort off the bench. The Cavs, as you already know, would go on to get the sweep with a resounding 30 point victory.
Tomorrow, the Cavaliers will begin their series with the Golden State Warriors in LeBron James' (and James Jones!) fifth consecutive NBA Finals appearance. To say this appearance would be his most impressive would be a gross understatement. Yes, the Eastern Conference offered very little in terms of quality opposition, but this team took more tweaking than the previous four combined where James sat at the helm. An unknown coaching entity from international play had to learn how to handle three of the sport's most talented players. Draft picks would be wagered to mortgage the team's future on ending Cleveland's long and infamous championship drought this summer to pick up missing pieces. James would have to understand his own aging body learning when to press and when to relent. The roster upheaval alone during the course of the season would have been enough of an unprecedented challenge for any team to overcome to find success. As pointed out earlier, it was not always pretty, but watching this team finally blossom during the playoffs has been a treat. Shooting threats surround the best player on the planet forcing opposing teams to never take a possession off defensively. The aforementioned play of Dellavedova, as well as strong effort by Thompson and Shumpert, have created the solution to earlier problems regarding the Cavaliers' defensive ability.
Now, one of the NBA's most successful teams of all time is what stands between LeBron James and his desperate city from a long developed hunger for championship glory. Should the Warriors win the series, they will finish the season with the third most wins in NBA history. They are led by the league MVP, Stephen Curry, and his backcourt running mate, Klay Thompson. Curry's shot is one of the prettiest sights in the league, he makes behind the back passes look effortless, and his floaters leave big men unable to protect the rim. Their starting lineup also boasts a defensive pest in Draymond Green, whose life's purpose for the next two weeks will be to annoy LeBron James. Their depth and health currently trump the Cavaliers, even when factoring in the concussion like symptoms Thompson has been dealing with (All indications point to him suiting up in uniform on Thursday night). Golden State has won 46 of 49 games in Oracle Arena, giving them a home court advantage on par with college basketball's most dominant blue bloods in a series they hold the actual home court advantage. Their coach, Steve Kerr, picked the brain of Michael Jordan and Phil Jackson during his playing career as a reserve guard with the Bulls. Trends throughout NBA history also suggest there is a strong correlation the Warriors will win the series with what they accomplished during the regular season. Convinced this will be a challenge for the Cavaliers yet?
On a deeper level, it's rather fitting a finely tuned and flashy product from Silicon Valley will face this ruggedly pieced together bunch from the Rust Belt. Equally scrutinized along with Cleveland's failures in the world of sports is the decline in the city's economic activity. Anyone who has visited the city in recent years, including yours truly, can speak to the disheartening scenes throughout the city. Abandoned factories dot the outskirts of downtown. Minus certain blocks around the arena and stadiums, the rest of the downtown streets yearn for their glory days of yesteryear. Hardship and Cleveland have developed a symbiotic relationship in recent decades, and the blue collar spirit ingrained in the city's culture has fought to overcome the economic obstacles related to Cleveland's manufacturing past. It might sound ludicrous to certain people, but LeBron James elevated those optimistic efforts with his proclamation last summer because the city received something to believe in again. A glimmer of a new, promising future emerged for the city with his return to replace obsolete dreams from the 20th century, and even his previous time in Cleveland. Even Nike realized this spirit with a powerful ad they released just before the beginning of the season, showing the whole city of Cleveland preparing to go on this journey together. As blasphemous as all that sounds, this tale for Cleveland's championship is one of biblical proportions. The Prodigal Son might have initially taken his wealth elsewhere, but when he found himself and needed to return home, he was greeted with immense love. LeBron James caused the city of Cleveland devastating heartbreak when he took his talents to South Beach, but he has received nothing but respect, love, and admiration during this wild season. Even the fans who could be seen lighting his memorabilia on fire, like the bitter older brother, have come around to acknowledge the rebirth of the Cavaliers (Some might call these people fair weather fans, but if the heart and soul of your team decided to leave on national television, wouldn't there be some hard feelings?). The only question remaining is will the streets of Cleveland be able to erupt into a celebratory parade to rival the party thrown in the Book of Luke?
Back in January, I would have been ecstatic to see the Cavaliers simply make the NBA Finals in LeBron's first season back home. Momentum would be achieved for Cleveland's drought to come to an end next summer, following Kevin Love's recovery from injury and another season of figuring out the team's strengths and weaknesses for every piece of the puzzle. While definitely influenced by bias and fandom for the general underdog story, as well as this underdog in particular, I'm picking LeBron James and the Cavaliers to end Cleveland's half-century of suffering. The plays and games haunting fans of the Browns, Cavaliers, and Indians will be replaced by memories of the Larry O'Brien Trophy being hoisted into the air by Northeast Ohio's native son. 2015 has already shown us a third string quarterback can win a championship for an Ohio team. In this underdog world we seem to be living in, I like the chances of The King winning a long overdue trophy for his home's mantelpiece.
J. Nave
Tuesday, March 17, 2015
The Third Annual March Madness Preview of All Previews
Christmas in March to many people in the United States is St. Patrick's Day. A holiday built around drinking green beer to celebrate a patron saint and channeling your inner Irish alcoholic, however, has no business competing with the actual day that is Christmas in March. That day is Selection Sunday. If you believe there is a better postseason tournament in sports than the NCAA Tournament, or as it more affectionately known March Madness, you better be thinking of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. If not, stop reading this blog. Your opinion regarding sports is invalid. Only in March can a team like Florida Gulf Coast captivate the entire country. Only in March can the underdog be given a fair shot. 68 teams right now stand six-or seven, if they play in the first round- wins from a national championship. Now, some of my professors would not advocate using this busy week of mine to publicly announce and analyze my predictions. Anybody can fill out a bracket and just about everybody I know does. Predictions on this blog don't have the greatest track record of getting tournament picks right, either. But the third time is the charm, right? It's Saint Patrick's Day, right? I can write down Kentucky to win it all and finally get the ultimate prediction correct without concern, right? Let's dive in and look at the 2015 field and my bracket.
MIDWEST REGION-Will Anybody Stop Kentucky? No.
It's no secret I despise the Kentucky Wildcats. Just take a look at the blog archives for a post I wrote the day before Kentucky played in the National Championship game last year. As I've tried to understand the core nature of my hatred it hit me- John Calipari is the Tywin Lannister of college basketball. Fans of Game of Thrones will come to see this is a brilliant metaphor. People who don't watch the show should stop reading this and go immediately start watching Game of Thrones, as you have 26 days to watch 40 episodes in preparation for Season Five. At his previous two stops, illicit activities took place vacating both Massachusetts and Memphis of Final Four appearances. Calipari was never personally indicted, though. You know who that sounds like? Tywin Lannister. The patriarch of House Lannister never gets his hands dirty, but only the naivest of the naive would argue Tywin is a saint. Both men come off as smug and arrogant whenever they are on screen. Tywin's relatives have long practiced inbreeding. I'm sure some people would argue the same could be said about a population of Kentucky fans. Both men are creepily obsessed with their legacy- Tywin, with his family and maintaining rule of Westeros; Calipari, with his players becoming high NBA draft picks. Both men have a lot of power, but little control of their situation- Tywin must trust Joffrey and his kids; Calipari must trust his players. In Season 4 of Game of Thrones, the Lannisters mighty rule slowly and surely tumbled into absolute chaos after a steady three season rise to the top. The Lannisters ultimately did themselves in. Will Kentucky crumble under the pressure of a 40-0 season? Will Devin Booker, AKA the grown up, boy scout from Up, stop scoring? Will the Harrison twins shoot Calipari with a crossbow in the team hotel? Any of these could happen, and for the sake of completing this analogy, I hope they do. But I don't see that happening. Talent, height, length, depth, great defense, a vastly improved offense, NCAA tournament experience. The list of reasons goes on and on for why Big Blue Nation cuts down the nets. Watching Calipari go 40-0 would suck until the season gets vacated seven years from now. Having a team beat Kentucky would take a Herculean effort likely resulting in one of the greatest college basketball games of all time. Either way, it's a win/win.
WEST REGION- Arizona Gets Revenge On Wisconsin
Last year, Wisconsin beat Arizona in the Elite Eight in one of the most entertaining games of the NCAA tournament. This year, Arizona will beat Wisconsin in the Elite Eight in one of the most entertaining games of the tournament. This region was by far the easiest for me to fill out. In my opinion, these two teams are playing better than anyone not named Kentucky. These are also the two teams I think have the best shot at beating Kentucky. It's a shame only one will get the chance. Arizona, under Sean Miller, has become a perennial power in the desolate wasteland that is college basketball out west. Stanley Johnson might sound like one of the plainest names of all time, but his game is far from plain. Watching TJ McConnell play is like watching a more offensively potent Aaron Craft come to life. Arizona has size that will suffocate Wisconsin's Player of the Year candidate, Frank Kaminsky. The Wildcats reward will be to play the Wildcats for a shot at the National Championship.
EAST REGION- Michigan State Is My Cinderella Final Four Pick
Villanova might be one of the most underrated one seeds of all times. Virginia basketball is the Michelangelo-esque masterpiece of what college basketball should look like. It pains me to not pick either team to have a crack at the National Championship. But there's something about this Michigan State team. The Spartans have been a virtual non-factor all season, but after taking Wisconsin to the brink in the Big Ten tournament, they appeared back in the national discussion. The Spartans are never a team you want to face in March, and this team seems to be no exception to this classic rule. Tom Izzo is personally my favorite coach in college basketball. His grimaces on camera are hilarious. His ability to continually get more out of his teams than he should is downright miraculous. He could lead the Michigan State managers to the second weekend of the tournament. This in many ways reminds me of Michigan State Final Four teams in years past. Travis Trice has morphed into a type of guard like Keith Appling or Drew Neitzel that pulled off a deep run for the Spartans before. Brendan Dawson has become an enigmatic mismatch. Denzel Valentine plays with incredible confidence. Matt Costello is better than you think he is. I picked the Spartans to make the Final Four last year, and they made the Elite Eight after beating the #1 seed in the region, Virginia. Another upset over the Cavaliers starts the run for the Spartans back to the Final Four, where Tom Izzo hasn't been since 2010. That's a long time in Izzo years. The Final Four's prodigal son comes home in Indianapolis.
SOUTH REGION- The Mayor Brings Hilton Magic to the Final Four
Every basketball analyst in the country has been drooling over the inevitable title game between Kentucky and Duke since November. I've got news for you. That game isn't going to happen. The selection committee obviously wanted it to happen based on the draw the Blue Devils were given. In all likelihood, Duke won't break a sweat until at least the Elite Eight. Typing that sentence is exactly why I can't pick Duke to make it to the Final Four, however. When a sixteen seed finally beats a one seed, it will be Duke to lose. Mercer? Lehigh? VCU before they were a national brand? North Florida plays in the same state as Florida Gulf Coast. Robert Morris beat Kentucky in the NIT a few years ago. The winner awaits Duke. Is this going to finally be the year? Duke's rotation depends on Grayson Allen, who looks suspiciously like Freddie from iCarly, and Marshall Plumlee, who is the ugly stepsister of the Plumlee family in terms of basketball ability. The lack of depth is frightening should Duke find themselves in a physical game against San Diego State in the third round. Factor in the allergy to playing defense and some of the losses Duke has had this year, and I can't bring myself to pick Coach K to advance this team too deep.
That brought me to the issue of who to pick to replace them in the Final Four. Gonzaga is talented, but they're Gonzaga. They don't have a good track record for lengthy tournament runs. Georgetown should be about a #6 or #7 seed, and they have a reputation for upsets in the tournament as well. Eastern Washington will score a ton of points and might upset the Hoyas. Utah might get beat by Stephen F. Austin. I contemplated picking Davidson or Iowa to make the Final Four. Ultimately, I decided this has got to be Iowa State's year. Fred Hoiberg has turned Ames, Iowa into one of college basketball's most passionate hotbeds. The Cyclones are firing on all cylinders with their offense like always, and they have a much needed interior presence that has been lacking in years past. Also, there's the fact Iowa State won the Big 12 tournament WITHOUT EVEN TRYING IN THE FIRST HALF. Hoiberg's starters acted like they wanted to go eat Kansas City barbecue, listen to TLC, and/or watch Netflix for the first half of every game, and they still won their second consecutive conference championship. The Mayor is a good enough coach to fix this intensity and effort issue if it still needs addressed. Iowa State has their own serious concerns, none bigger than the fact they lost to my South Carolina Gamecocks. The South Region is a total toss up, but I'm going with the team that has made me believe Iowa State's famed Hilton Magic has spread out of Ames. The Cyclones then would get the Spartans in a classic clash of styles and pit a veteran coaching icon against a likely future one.
Other Tournament Tidbits
-A long standing joke about the Mormon faith is the practice of polygamy. Brigham Young University, a predominantly Mormon institution, has a player in Kyle Collinsworth that practices polygamy- on the stat sheet. The guy has six triple doubles THIS SEASON. In addition, the Cougars have Tyler Haws, who can channel his inner Jimmer Fredette on any given night. BYU will have to to win three games to get there, but they could be a double digit team still playing during the second weekend.
-The 5/12 upset has by far become the most commonly picked tradition in the NCAA Tournament. However, this year, I don't see a single 12 seed getting the job done. This basically is picking an upset! Don't get me wrong, the twelve seeds all pose interesting threats. The five seeds all have a player, though, that can take over any game, which is not always the case, especially when you observe the field from last year where every five seed played a dogfight. For West Virginia, Juwan Staten's skill set combined with the Mountaineers' pressing defense will be tough to overcome. Arkansas has the SEC Player of the Year in Bobby Portis, and Wofford doesn't have the size to contain him. Northern Iowa has Seth Tuttle, one of the most underrated forwards in the entire country. Lastly, Utah has Delon Wright. If you decide to pick an upset, I'd choose Buffalo over West Virginia or Stephen F. Austin over Utah. Staten has been hobbled from injuries in recent weeks, while Utah as a team has struggled recently.
-If you like bold upset predictions, I'd like to introduce you to two intriguing options. Belmont over Virginia and Georgia State over Baylor. Belmont shoots A LOT of threes. They have a tendency to make A LOT of threes. Virginia's pack line defense is built around allowing teams to take perimeter shots. This allowed Duke to beat them after being outplayed for 38 minutes. Combine this with Justin Anderson's seemingly inability to play at 100% from injury, and the Cavaliers might be ripe for an upset. Virginia has only lost three games on the season, and like I said before, I believe at full strength they are the epitome of college basketball excellence. If Belmont isn't making their shots, they might not score more than 45 points. I advanced UVA, but I thought about pulling the trigger. Meanwhile, Georgia State has one huge intangible advantage over Baylor. A mention in a Drake song. Ohio State is mentioned in a Drake song, and they won it all in football this year. Georgia State also has former Louisville player, Kevin Ware (Leg injury picture not included because NSFW), and former Kentucky player, Ryan Harrow on the roster. NEWS FLASH: Those programs are good at basketball. The advanced stats say Georgia State has the potential to pull off the stunner as well, if you are a math guy or gal. Plus, I hate Baylor after ending the career of Doug McDermott last spring. Yet again, couldn't bring myself to pull the trigger.
-Wichita State should not be discounted as another seven seed that can make a run. A match-up with Kansas is what Shocker fans have been pleading for ever since Gregg Marshall took the program to new heights a couple years back. Fred Van Vleet and Ron Baker have a lot of tournament experience, and backcourt play is normally crucial in terms of a team advancing in March.
-Ohio State will go only as far as D'Angelo Russell can carry them. Beating VCU is one thing, but beating Arizona will literally, and figuratively, be a tall task for the undersized Buckeyes. If there's any consolation for hope, UConn, behind the play of one really good guard last year, made a fairly deep tournament run from a very similar spot on the bracket last year.
-I have a personal history with one player in the field this year. I attempted to get into a fight with Davidson guard Jack Gibbs after a high school basketball game between his school and mine. I was not on the team, and I'm not sure why I thought I could take him. However, in the moment, I was ready to move past verbal heckling for the only time in my student section career. It would have probably ended very poorly for me. Anyways, the guy plays with grit toughness and when you combine him and A-10 Player of the Year Tyler Kalinoski in the same backcourt, the Wildcats could easily become a tough out. They lack strong frontcourt play, which is going to be problematic, but Davidson as a 10 seed with competent guard play has led to something special before in the tournament. Isn't that right, Steph Curry?
-I'm picking Kentucky to win it all solely hoping that doing so will result in them not getting the job done.
-I picked against Ohio State hoping that will allow them to win at least one game.
-The one prediction I can guarantee? March Madness will once again live up to its name.
-When Iowa State gets beaten by UAB, and Virginia enacts revenge on Michigan State by beating them by 20 points, don't tweet hateful things at me.
THE BRACKET
J. Nave
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