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May 2008
Even politicians can’t resist OSU ticket profit
Ohio State football tickets are valuable. For those with access to them, thoughts might emerge about selling them for profit, maybe even a big profit.
Even if you’re a state representative.
State Rep. John Widowfield, R-Cuyahoga Falls, abruptly resigned his legislative seat Wednesday amid allegations he purchased Ohio State University football tickets with campaign funds and sold them for a profit.
In a brief letter to House Speaker Jon Husted, R-Kettering, Widowfield said he was resigning effective 1 p.m. Wednesday.
Not long ago, I wrote a story about the Ohio State Alumni Association changing the way it hands out tickets because it was receiving less from the university this year. One of the groups that can request more tickets per game to cut the alumni association piece is politicians.
But it’s not like they were cheap.
Widowfield’s campaign committee spent $1,664 on April 3, 2006, and $1,636 on April 20, 2005, on OSU season football tickets, according to the most recent campaign finance report filed with the Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner’s office.
He also paid $1,398 for tickets in 2004. Reports that would outline ticket purchases in 2007 and this year were not available.
The buying and reselling of any tickets, especially for Ohio State football, is becoming bigger business every year. Some reselling might be very innocent, done because someone can’t make it to a game and wants another fan to be able to go.
But sometimes, that reselling is strictly for profit, which can be difficult to stomach by those who ache for tickets access.
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Ohio State adding to Michigan’s recruiting woes
Ohio State always has to contend with at least one or two high school prospects crossing the border for another school each year — not even the great Woody Hayes batted 1.000 with home-grown recruits — but Michigan has had to deal with those same leaks of late and has even started to lose a few gems to its cross-state rival.
The Buckeyes picked up their second verbal commitment from Michigan in the 2009 class (seniors-to-be) by landing tight end Reid Fragel this week. And while the Wolverines hadn’t yet made an offer, they reportedly were looking at Fragel as a possible offensive tackle — and it’s easy to see why.
At 6-foot-8 and 258 pounds, he fits the mold of other OSU tight ends like Rory Nicol and Jake Ballard, players who have established themselves more as blockers than receivers. Fragel is rated among the top 10 players in Michigan and the No. 3 tight end in the Midwest, and he’ll be joined at OSU by receiver James Jackson, who is the No. 3 overall prospect in Michigan.
Losing Fragel and Jackson won’t torpedo Michigan’s recruiting class, but falling behind Michigan State in the chase for top talent certainly might.
The Spartans, coached by former OSU assistant Mark Dantonio, have landed a pair of top-100 national recruits from the state in running back Edwin Baker and linebacker Chris Norman. The Wolverines, meanwhile, have just one top-100 recruit from Michigan, defensive tackle William Campbell.
New coaches usually get to enjoy a honeymoon period at their new schools, but Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez has had to face a sobering reality almost from the start: Even if he manages to convince recruits not to leave the state, that’s still no guarantee they’ll end up in Ann Arbor.
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Other Big Ten fans feeling ticket pain
Interesting find from the Wizard of Odds, one of my daily reads, about Minnesota football fans upset about paying extra for season tickets. It’s a story that shows everyone in the Big Ten, even one of the most unsuccessful teams of late, is asking a lot from supporters.
Basically, for the first time, Minnesota will require a donation to keep season tickets when it opens its new on-campus stadium in 2009.
Although preferred-seating costs are common in the Big Ten, most Gophers fans have never paid anything above the price of the ticket for the best seats in the house. That relates to basic supply and demand.
The Gophers were 1-11 a year ago and haven’t been to a major bowl since 1962 — the longest such drought in the Big Ten. The university offers the best seats at the Metrodome to customers willing to pay extra, but the current preferred plan has about 100 members who have claimed fewer than 500 seats — not enough to nudge longtime Gophers fans such as Wilson out of their prime locations.
We all know that many sports work like a 13-year-old trying to convince his parents of something: Well, everyone else is doing it. Minnesota sees plenty of other schools making bundles of money from the season-ticket holders who have to make donations or pay extra fees, and the Gophers want some of the action.
They also have a new stadium to pay for, of course. But, I would be more worried about filling the seats you have rather than counting on the season-ticket holders to be so excited about the one-win team (by the way, the one win came in overtime against Miami University).
I’d like to see just how many renewals reach the Minnesota athletic department with that extra check enclosed.
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One columnist says Koufos isn’t bull-headed enough
Interesting this today from Bill Livingston of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, although it was near the end of his column on Kosta Koufos. Could he be too soft in the head for the NBA?
Koufos might also have the unfortunate problem of being soft in the mental sense. He is a nice young man. He answers “Yes, sir” and “No, sir” to reporters’ questions. He seems to lack the ego you could see in Redd’s bull- headed determination to prove himself, or even in the self-assurance of Daequan Cook, the third, almost forgotten, OSU first- round pick last year.
Granted, this isn’t Livingston’s only point. He does discuss Koufos’ on-court abilities as also questionable in the pro game, and that he might realize this because he hasn’t hired an agent and could still return to Ohio State.
He uses Michael Redd and Daequan Cook as examples of players who also shouldn’t have left Ohio State, but at least they were full-go about it. Redd, although a second-round pick and a dud his first year, has made himself into a strong NBA player. Perhaps Cook’s determination can do the same, especially if you’re reading daequancook.com.
But does Koufos basically being a nice guy hurt his chances in the league? If so, what does that say about professional basketball?
Or maybe it’s another way of saying that he’s just too soft and he couldn’t get Ohio State to where Greg Oden did last season.
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Are the Buckeyes the second-worst champions of the BCS era?
ESPN.com is celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Bowl Championship Series with several stories surrounding its history, including many rankings.
In today’s offering, Mark Schlabach offers his ranking of BCS champions in order of first to worst. Maybe a surprise to Ohio State fans but not to many around the country: Ohio State is ranked No. 9:
Why they’re No. 9: It’s hard to believe a team that nearly lost to 4-5 Purdue and needed overtime to win at Illinois could beat one of the greatest teams in college football history. But that’s exactly what Ohio State did when it prevented Miami from winning its second consecutive national title. It wasn’t Ohio State’s greatest team and it didn’t overwhelm many opponents, but the Buckeyes finished unbeaten and pulled off one of the biggest upsets in college football history.
For Buckeyes fans, the 2002 team was very special because it didn’t always win on talent, but sometimes on effort. Its defense was stunning and its offense was serviceable, and Mike Nugent cleaned up the rest.
But this is how the rest of the country sees it: It was a team that lucky enough times to go undefeated and become the national champion. Do the two other title game losses make the 2002 team look worse? That’s tough to say, but it could lead many to feel OSU was even luckier that season.
Even worse for Ohio State is that the Florida team that beat the Buckeyes in 2007 is No. 8 on the list and the LSU team that won last January is No. 10. So, not only is the OSU champion No. 9, but the two teams that blew the Buckeyes out are the two others in the bottom three.
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Darkhouse Heisman candidate: James Laurinaitis
Why not? People are already talking about it, and he’s making the Top 10 of preseason Heisman lists:
7. James Laurinaitis, Ohio State, LB, Sr. 2007 Stats: 121 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, 5 sacks, 2 interceptions. Heisman-o-meter: Will he win it? Considering only one primarily defensive player (Michigan’s Charles Woodson) has earned the Heisman, it’s a safe bet that he won’t, but that’s no reason to leave the Butkus winner off the list. This linebacking animal has a knack for always being around the football, and he’s the best player on what should be the nation’s best defense on a team that should again be in the hunt for the BCS title. Another defensive player to consider is USC linebacker Rey Maualuga.
Not that this comes into consideration, but isn’t Laurinaitis exactly the type of player who could win public favor? Stayed for senior season. Excellent interview. For those who like defense, there isn’t anyone better in the country.
Laurinaitis has already been forecast as a potential No. 1 overall pick in next spring’s NFL draft.
Like any great player, he’s getting his share of devotion websites, and a popular aspect of them is making his last name sound like a disease:
I’ll describe the more pleasant and quirky side of having “Laurinaitis”. Generally, you have a cheering disposition. You have a frequent tendency to start “O-H-I-O” cheers. Each fall, your Saturdays are spent practicing your faith along with the rest of Buckeye Nation. You also display some undeniably eccentric behavior, such as:
* Chewing all of your food 33 times before swallowing instead of 32.
* If you live in Columbus, you go out of your way so you can drive on Route 33 every day.
* You start and circulate a petition to Baskin Robbins demanding they add two more original flavors so there are 33 total. From there you demand they rebrand their company and promotional materials.
* Your favorite restaurant is Boston’s 33 Restaurant & Lounge.
It happens and it cannot be explained. Just accept it and know that you are not alone.
One fan, apparently from Dayton, started a website just to sell “I’ve got Laurinaitis” T-shirts. But, Ohio State shut that fan down with a cease and desist order.
Expect many more such products as Laurinaitis begins one of the most anticipated senior seasons in recent Ohio State history.
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Two OSU-USC tickets can run you $3,799.99
The Ohio State-USC football game is about four months away, but tickets are already on sale. In fact, you can get some for the bargain price of $3,799.99. (To be fair, it is for 2 tickets.)
Enjoy some pigskin as we welcome another glorious season while seeing the game of the year at one of the most historic venues in all of sports; and do it from some of the best COMMITTEE/SCHOLARSHIP DONOR seats available (see below).
As we get closer to the game that could help define the national championship race in 2008, we’ll see more tickets are similar prices. The price is another example of how desired and important these early-season non-conference power games are.
The fans, of course, will go to any game on the schedule to see Ohio State. They’ll pack Youngstown State and Ohio U. Home Big Ten games are even better.
Two weeks ago, I reported on a story about the Ohio State Alumni Association changing its ticket distribution policies. The association will get fewer tickets this season, and it canceled seniority in the process to make it more fair. It doesn’t want the newest members to continually miss out on tickets.
During interviews, I ran into a number of folks who lamented the high ticket prices. Not just for Ohio State, but any sport. But, if these schools and teams can charge those amounts and still sell out or gain high attendance, why wouldn’t they continue to do so?
Granted, eBay sales aren’t done by the schools, so those prices are individually set.
Still, is seeing any sporting event worth spending $3,800 before any air fare or hotel costs?
To many, absolutely.
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Derek Jeter wants Michigan bragging rights
Not only is Derek a Michigan fan, he thinks new coach Rich Rodriguez can help the Wolverines get over the hump against Ohio State. It was mentioned as part of an interview with the Detroit Free Press, in which Jeter — a Michigan native — was asked about Rodriguez and the Wolverines.
Q: With you being a Michigan football fan, what do you expect out of the team this season?
A: You always expect them to be competitive. You expect them to win. I mean — that’s the bottom line, sort of like how it is here (with the Yankees). Regardless of who the coach is or anything, people still expect the team to be good. So, I’m sure they will be fine.
Q: Are you happy with the Rich Rodriguez hire?
A: I didn’t really pay much attention to it. But everything I’ve heard about him is that he’s a great guy, he’s a great coach, and I’m sure he’s going to do a great job.
Q: Does his new offense give Michigan a better chance of beating Ohio State?
A: Hopefully. (George) Steinbrenner is an Ohio State guy. He’s had bragging rights for a while, so hopefully they can beat them this year.
Always helpful for a rivalry to get celebrities involved, like Jack Nicklaus for the Buckeyes against Jeter for the Wolverines. Plus, Rodriguez must be thrilled if he heard these comments, because he needs all the support he can get right now after his deposition in the case against West Virginia was released this week. In it, Rodriguez says the athletic department was basically the worst place on Earth.
So, Rodriguez will invite any nice thoughts about he or his program. Especially if someone thinks that his team can beat Ohio State.
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Tressel dominating Michigan on recruiting front
Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez hasn’t faced Ohio State yet on the football field, but he’s finding out what Lloyd Carr discovered over the last seven years of his career: Going against Jim Tressel can leave you bloodied, battered and bruised.
Rodriguez lost a highly publicized recruiting battle that may have far-reaching consequences when Tressel lured quarterback Terrell Pryor to Buckeyeville a few months ago, and the Wolverines have been getting drubbed by OSU in the race for top prospects since then.
Tressel has gone head-to-head with Rodriguez for six recruits in the 2009 class (seniors-to-be) and has locked up five of them: linebacker Dorian Bell and running back Jordan Hall from Pennsylvania; defensive end Melvin Fellows; offensive lineman Corey Linsley from Ohio; and receiver James Jackson from Michigan.
Massillon defensive back Justin Turner kept Rodriguez from being shut out, but the Wolverines aren’t going to get anywhere in the rivalry by batting .167 against Tressel.
The coup de grace was Jackson, the No. 1 receiver and No. 3 overall player in Michigan who could have gone virtually anywhere in the country. The Buckeyes have plucked some gems from their northern neighbor, namely Craig Krenzel and Vernon Gholston, but both of them were sleepers who exceeded all projections. Jackson is considered a can’t-miss prospect, and his defection has to smart for Rodriguez, who is faced with a sobering rebuilding job.
Jackson was quoted after announcing his decision as saying he wanted to go to OSU because the program seems as if it can do no wrong right now.
His commitment only enhances that image a little more.
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Three Buckeyes could be the country’s best defenders
How excited can one be about the Nagurski Award watch list?
Well, there are 88 players on it, meaning all of them could say they have a chance to be named college football’s best defensive player. But, regardless of the large number, three Ohio State players made the list — LB James Laurinaitis, LB Marcus Freeman and CB Malcolm Jenkins.
All could have chosen not to return to Ohio State, but all did, meaning that fans are excited to see just how good this season’s defense can be. That also means that next year’s draft should be loaded with Buckeyes after last month’s comparative dud (outside, of course, of the first-round pick of Vernon Gholston).
There are a few other local players of note on the list: Miami University linebacker Clayton Mullins (from Fairborn) and Cincinnati cornerback Mike Mickens (from Wayne High School).
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Chris Wells: As good a Heisman candidate as anyone
You know, when you watch the highlight clips, it really does look like Chris Wells could be the country’s best college football player this season.
He was listed as a favorite just days after the national championship game:
1. Chris Wells, Ohio State—The clear front runner right now after showcasing his skills to the tune of 146 yards and a 65-yard touchdown against LSU that came while everyone in the country was still watching. He’s got speed, power and a stiff arm befitting a Heisman winner. He’s an elite junior running back, a prime NFL prospect, coming off a 1,600-yard season, who plays for a traditional power that will be gunning for a national title in 2008. He’ll get a chance to launch his campaign early with a marquee matchup in the Coliseum against USC and big games against Illinois and Michigan to close it out. In short, he’s set up perfectly for a run at the Heisman.
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What names will they call Joe Paterno?
One wonders if the “gentleman’s agreement” in recruiting will follow this story, as well.
After many criticized Michigan’s Rich Rodriguez for signing recruits in February who had originally committed to other schools, we learn today that Penn State has gained two verbals for their next recruiting class.
One is a cornerback named Darrell Givens, someone Ohio State fans might remember.
And Givens was originally an Ohio State verbal before changing his mind.
Rodriguez caught criticism from, among others, Purdue coach Joe Tiller when he added several recruits in his first class who has committed to Purdue, Penn State and Florida. The situation spotlighted the issue of early commitments — for instance, what does such a verbal agreement actually mean? And, if a player has said he will accept a scholarship elsewhere but hasn’t signed, should other coaches stop recruiting?
Some commentaries were quick to note the similarity to the Rodriguez situation:
Givens rushed into a commitment to the Buckeyes after an unofficial visit. His teammate Malcolm Willis committed to Penn State a few weeks later. Could that have come into play? Maybe, but I think Givens was more impressed with our favorable depth chart that will give him the opportunity to play early at Penn State. I’m sure that certain people who swear there is no gentleman’s agreement between Big Ten coaches will claim that we just violated it. Whatever. It’s pretty obvious since Rodriguez joined the conference that anything goes, so when in Rome …
Either way, Ohio State is out of a cornerback.
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Meet Jack Mewhort
ESPN’s Scouts Inc. has a story today on Jack Mewhort, a center from Toledo St. John High School committed to Ohio State.
He still has a prep year to go until he gets to Columbus, but he wasted no time picking the Buckeyes.
“The football tradition at Ohio State is second to none,” Mewhort said. “I love the campus and the coaching staff and I’ve always wanted to be a Buckeye. On a personal note, my sister goes to Wittenberg in Springfield, Ohio and it will make it a lot easier on mom and dad to see us both.”
It helps that the story was written by Bill Conley, who for 17 years ran Ohio State’s recruiting. The profile seems to paint Mewhort as a possibly dominant center in the Buckeyes’ future, maybe in line with what Nick Mangold did for OSU.
Here’s part of his Scouts Inc. scouting report:
Tough for him to get low but once he gets his claws on you; he’ll take you for a ride. Strong upper body and gets movement even though plays a little high. Good first step allows hip to pick up stunting defensive linemen. Exceptional on the down block; destroys defenders when angle blocking. Works body into position after executing initial punch. Executes the shotgun snap to perfection and can step as he centering the ball without loss of fluidity. Most of the time can chip off the combo block and get to linebacker level.
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Kirk Barton’s smiling at what Bears fans are saying
Sure, Ohio State offensive lineman Kirk Barton was the 247th pick in the NFL draft, but that doesn’t mean Chicago Bears fans aren’t interested in using him right away.
In a brief look at a Bears message board thread about Barton, the notably tough group seems to be warming to Barton.
Barton had 34 reps and from what i’ve read is he is big and ripped for his weight. Does anyone else think this guy is a perfect LG for us? I know it would be horrible to have 2 rooks starting at the left end, but he doesn’t have to start right away.
Toward the end of last season, even Barton seemed unsure about his professional future, as he often joked with reporters — especially television reporters — that he would soon be vying for their jobs. A uniquely entertaining character, Barton would be a perfect fit for covering the Buckeyes.
But, he might have that pro career to deal with.
if he can stay healthy then he has a chance in my mind to be a very good guard maybe even fill in on the RT. you dont go to ohio st. and play as much as him and not be good.
The Bears, of course, have had their problems on offense, and many have criticized the fact they didn’t draft a quarterback to compete with Rex Grossman and Kyle Orton. The fans seem to like additions to the offensive line, and, at least according to this thread, they’re anxious to see Barton in uniform.
Barton was one of my favorite picks this year, by anyone. He’s a guy that could have been a very high pick if he had been healthy throughout his career…he should have been a mid-round guy anyways, but good for JA. This guy will compete for the G spot, and will take over RT when Tait is done.
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From Wikipedia: Is bad part of Jim Tressel’s YSU past relevant?
While scrolling through Jim Tressel’s page on Wikipedia, one finds a message just inside the section on his time at Youngstown State. It says:
The neutrality of this section is disputed.
What you find when clicking on the link to discuss the issue is an interesting take on the extent of a coach’s responsibilities. Apparently, one user has twice added a paragraph into the YSU section that reads like this:
While at YSU, Tressel’s football program was investigated for major NCAA infractions. It was found that on numerous occasions during the period beginning August - September 1988 and continuing through the spring of 1992, a representative of the institution’s athletic interests, who was at the time a member and chairperson of the Youngstown State University Board of Trustees, gave at least $10,000 in cash and checks to a football student-athlete for his personal use. In the fall of 1988, the athletics booster instructed the football student-athlete to contact a business associate regarding the use of automobiles. The football student-athlete contacted the business associate who provided the free use of automobiles to the eligible football student-athlete.
This story has become well-known and to some has called into question Tressel’s squeaky-clean image, especially after NCAA violations involving Maurice Clarett and Troy Smith. But, you can’t read it in Tressel’s Wikipedia biography.
The user who added it argues that Tressel was the head football coach and therefore “was thus responsible for the YSU football team, it’s highly relevant to the subject matter.”
Others disagree:
… while yes, Tressel was responsible for the team’s operations, he cannot be (and wasn’t) held accountable for what happened outside the limits of his own personal actions and/or guidelines he set for the team. It was a booster, not a member of the coaching staff. So far as the matter in question is concerned, the info belongs on the YSU football team article, not Tressel’s
So, just how much should be attached to a coach’s biography? I didn’t take the time to look through Lou Holtz’s, but he has been criticized for leaving programs behind that later face violations apparently done during his tenure.
Most Ohio State fans will tell you that the YSU incident doesn’t mean much because it was the booster’s fault, not Tressel’s. Others say it is a symptom of Tressel’s willingness to break NCAA rules.
It’s a disagreement we find over one little paragraph on Wikipedia.
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Someone says Buckeyes No. 1. Discuss.
We’re four months from next football season, but there’s no reason to stop from speculating about who should play in next season’s national championship game.
That’s why we have outlets like nationalchamps.net, which says Ohio State will be the 2008 national champion, ending two seasons of frustration in the title game.
So, there it is. Discuss:
Before we get any further, let’s take a look at the selection of the Buckeyes as the No. 1 pick. Sure, they have several starters returning from last year’s team and have played in consecutive national title games. But they did lose both of those games to SEC teams.
In fact, Ohio State has never beaten an SEC team in a bowl. Consequently, if Ohio State and Georgia ended up 1-2 before bowl season, the Buckeyes would have to find a way to cope with another fast SEC squad. Just a thought.
Of course, anyone can say anything this time of year. Here, watch: Florida will win the national championship next season. No support, no reasoning. But it’s a prediction.
If you go beyond the Web site prediction, Ohio State is still doing pretty well:
However, Georgia is getting a lot of support outside the nationalchamps.net site as the team to beat. In fact, a consensus poll that appears on the site of groups that have already selected a preseason top 25 list has Georgia at No. 1 and Ohio State at No. 2 followed by USC, Oklahoma, Florida, Missouri, LSU, Wisconsin, Texas and West Virginia.
Who knows. But, with the Reds doing what they are, I’ll find any reason to talk about college football.
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The Bengals are confused about Tyler Whaley
The fuzzy man in this photo’s background is Tyler Whaley. Unfortunately, based on what we see from the Cincinnati Bengals website, his presence in pro football isn’t much clearer.
The fullback from Ironton, who played in all 13 Buckeyes games last season, is listed on the Bengals’ 2008 Rookie Minicamp Roster as “Tyler Whatley.” OK, one letter out of place, that’s not too bad.
Then you click on his name, and you find this page of information, which includes nothing at all. His personal bio page doesn’t even list his school.
Of course, Whaley hasn’t always been a star. According to his Ohio State bio, he joined the Buckeyes as a walk-on after playing offensive and defensive line in high school. It also says that he “could (have) been a starter at a lower level, but wanted to play for Jim Tressel at Ohio State.”
Whaley did sign with the Bengals as a college free agent, but judging from what we see on the Bengals website, his chances of catching on seem slim. That is, unless next fall you notice a “Whatley” making practice squad waves.
