Category Archives: ohio state buckeyes

2013 NCAA Football – Week 5 Betting Picks Against Spread

Wow, I actually have my college football betting line post completed before Friday? I deserve a Pumpkin Spice Latté, or ‘PSL’ as it’s known in the suburbs and cul-de-sacs (I roll hard).

After last week’s college football snooze fest, we have a lot of good games on Saturday. After Saturday, the college football landscape will be less muddy. The good teams will be known and the pretenders will have money left on their night stand.

Will Wisconsin ruin Ohio State’s national championship aspirations? Can Notre Dame hold off Oklahoma? Which SEC powerhouse will win the LSU/Georgia game?

We answer those questions and pick all the big college football games on Saturday…we also sneak in a few smaller games in the MAC and Mountain West conferences. Continue reading →

2013 NCAA Football – Week 4 Betting Picks Against Spread

I apologize for being a little late with this week’s college football picks against the spread, I’ve been immersed with winning my fantasy baseball leagues and giving out fantasy football advice to friends and readers.

I’ve had a decent year so far picking college football games, but I’m looking to have a big week on September 21st in Week 4 of the NCAA football season.

Can Johnny Manziel forget last week’s loss against Alabama? Will Notre Dame and Florida ramp up their play after poor performances early this season?

We answer those questions and help you decide who you want to bet on this week (we mention a possible addition in a parlay). Continue reading →

March Madness: All-White Boy Team

We love the NCAA Tournament. We actually launched our site five years ago, right after Kentucky lost in the first round.

The name “America’s White Boy” comes from a term I coined for the white basketball players CBS focuses on during the tournament.

I don’t believe this yearly ritual is intentionally racist. Think of the movies “Hoosiers” or “Rudy”. These players aren’t the most athletic guys and CBS uses them to tell the story of the underdog.

The “Cinderella” aspect of the NCAA Tournament is what brings in the casual sports fan.

Here is our list of the best white basketball players in this year’s tournament. I’m sure CBS will use this as a cheat sheet for their coverage. Continue reading →

March Madness: West Region Picks

The West region is top heavy.

#1 Gonzaga and #2 Ohio State are coming into the tournament as two of the hottest teams in the country. The rest of the bracket is filled with question marks. Do we really know if Steve Alford’s New Mexico team is good? They excelled in a tough Mountain West conference, but they are the biggest mystery in the West region.

We pick the winners from probable matchups after the (~~second~~) first-round of the tournament.

Who do you have representing the West in the Final Four? We help you fill out your bracket. Continue reading →

2013 March Madness: #2 Ohio State vs #15 Iona

The #2 Ohio State (26-7) vs. #15 Iona (20-13) game will be a battle of two different offensive styles.

Big Ten basketball is known for a “first team to 50, wins the game” style of basketball. Iona has an offensive philosophy of “we’re trying to score 100 points, as fast as possible.”

Which team will dictate the pace of the game?

“America’s White Boy” favorite Aaron Craft could be this year’s tournament darling. (see: Adam Morrison, Stephen Curry)

Who do you think will win? We help you fill out your bracket. Continue reading →

‘National Signing Day’ – All-Name Team

‘National Signing Day’ has come and gone. Now that the young men have picked their hat out of a line reminiscent of the shell game on “The Price Is Right”, we have a better idea of which colleges won the recruiting battle. You may not know who these young men are right now, but in a few years, some of these men will be in line to win the Heisman Trophy and/or a National Championship. Until then, we only have the names of these future college football stars to go by.

Here is a list of some of the best names of the incoming 2013 college football class…and a few players who already have famous names. Here’s a hint, one of their fathers had an exciting Sunday. Continue reading →

2012 Big Ten Preview: Ohio State Buckeyes

Joe Pasquali, our resident college football analyst, is back again this year to cover NCAA college football. He has completed a team preview for every team in the Big Ten. The first team he tackles is The Ohio State Buckeyes.

A losing season? A losing season?? Yes folks, Ohio State went 6-7 last year after a Gator Bowl loss to Florida, their first losing season since 1988. Sorry Buckeye haters, but the 2012 Ohio State team is going to be very, very dangerous. New head coach, new system and a chip on their shoulder because of a postseason ban. Ohio State will be a team no one is going to enjoy playing. The Buckeyes can still play in the Big Ten championship game, but to do so they will have to beat Wisconsin in Madison on Nov 17th. Oh yeah, and that is a week before Michigan comes to town, heck of a way to end your campaign.

Offense (??)

Honestly who knows? Braxton Miller showed signs of brilliance in 2011 and as well signs of utter incompetence. Ohio State was 107th last season in total offense, yeah…not good. Urban Meyer has his work cut out for him molding Miller into a quarterback, but if anyone can do it it’s is the man who made Chris Leak and Tim Tebow National Champions. Elsewhere, the team is lacking experience and playmakers, both at running back and at wide receiver. Tight end Jake Stoneburner moves to wide receiver and is the one shining light when it comes to weapons on offense. He could easily lead the team in receptions. Luckily for Miller, the offensive line is very solid and led by junior guard Andrew Norwell, a massive young man who can play anywhere up front.

Defense (A)

The 2012 Ohio State team boasts easily the best defensive line in the conference and maybe the best in the nation. John Simon (SR, DE) and Garrett Goebel (SR, DT) lead a front four which would terrorize offenses all season. Etienne Sabino will lead a youthful but talented linebacker core which will feature two Sophmores in Ryan Shazier and Curtis Grant. Ohio State is very high on Shazier and expects him to have a breakout 2012 campaign. The secondary is solid as always and CJ Barnett and Bradley Roby are experienced ball hawks. Ohio State’s defensive numbers were fairly bad last year for Buckeye standards, but that was mostly due to their offense never staying on the field. If the offense makes strides the defense should as well.

Special Teams (A)

Drew Basil is just another great kicker in a long line of great Ohio State kickers. He was 16-19 last season and has only missed 5 kicks in his career as a Buckeye, three of which were over 50 yards. Ben Buchanan is a solid punter and ranked 4th in the Big Ten last season in punting average. He was sixth nationally with 27 punts downed within the opponents 20.

Coaching (A)

Urban Meyer is one of the best coaches in college football, period. Everywhere he goes he wins and I expect nothing less at Ohio State. His recruiting class for 2013 is already shaping up very nicely and I expect the Tattoo-gate and other Ohio State drama to be in the rear-view very soon.

2012 Win/Loss Prediction: 9-3 (2nd in Leaders)

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

Why Was Jared Sullinger Medically Red Flagged?

The 2012 NBA Draft is only a couple weeks away and teams are having prospects come in for personal workouts. Teams want to see the player workout in person, but they also do a lot of medical tests by their team doctor. If a negative results comes from the workout or physical exam, a player could drop a lot in the draft. It is something that usually sticks until they have a breakout game in the NBA.

Ohio State’s Jared Sullinger has been going through a rotating door of NBA Lottery teams. He has visited New Orleans Hornets, Golden State Warriors, and Portland Trail Blazers with upcoming visits to Toronto Raptors, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Detroit Pistons.

ESPN is reporting that numerous team doctors have found something in Sullinger’s physical examination. What is alleged problem? Could this be the reason for Sullinger’s poor play against Kansas in the NCAA Tournament.
Sources are telling ESPN that multiple team doctor have reported that Sullinger’s back could shorten his NBA career. Some team doctors have even advised their team to not draft him in the first round (First round draft picks have guaranteed contracts unlike Second round picks).

The specific injury appears to be a set of bulging discs in Sullinger’s back. His agent, David Falk, didn’t comment on ESPN’s article. His father Satch Sullinger told ESPN that the bulging area was due to his hamstring and quads being so tight. He says that it pulled on his hip flexor, but his son has been taking care of it with yoga and deep tissue massage.

DeJuan Blair had a lot of negative buzz going into the 2009 NBA Draft because of his lack of ACLs in both knees. He wasn’t picked until the beginning of the second round because every team was scared to give him a guaranteed contract. Blair went on to have a good rookie season with the San Antonio Spurs and has been a solid player in the NBA.

I have been a fan of Sullinger’s since I saw him play his freshman year. He had some explosion going to the hoop and I was expecting big things from him. My opinion started to become less favorable towards the end of his freshman year and throughout his entire sophomore season at Ohio State. He was playing below the rim and did not seem to have a vertical jump of more than 12 inches. The explosion wasn’t there and I suspected a nagging injury to be the problem. He had less than stellar reviews from his predraft agility tests. I hope this is an issue that can be resolved and we see the player who was lights out during the first half of his freshman year.

In my NBA mock draft, I have Sullinger drafted #12 by the Milwaukee Bucks. Milwaukee has yet to have him in for a workout and with this news, he could free fall out of the first round. I don’t believe that will happen, but he may drop out of the Lottery. If a team is serious about drafting him, they will make sure to get a second opinion and even a third.

I believe that Sullinger’s “ceiling” is a more offensively gifted Anthony Mason. If his becomes and issue and he has weight issues in the NBA, his basement is Sean May.

I’m hoping the Phoenix Suns draft him and their training staff can work another miracle.

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

Could Columbus, Ohio Support an NBA Team?

The mayor of Columbus, Ohio, Michael B. Coleman, thinks that his city is ready for an NBA team. He sent a letter to the NBA Commissioner, David Stern, and wanted him to know that “Columbus should be on the league’s radar.” The city just finalized the public purchase of Nationwide Arena, which is the home of Columbus Blue Jackets, an NHL team. The Columbus Dispatch reported the letter today and adds some strong reasons why the city could support three professional teams, if you count the Columbus Crew, an MLS team.

Do you think Columbus could support an NBA team? Is it even the best option in its own state? We’ll dive deeper and look at teams that are in financial trouble and need to move. Continue reading →

2012 NCAA Tourney – Elite 8 & Final 4 Picks

Earlier in the week, I broke down the early rounds in the Midwest, East, West and South Region analyses. Before the field was set, I mentioned some possible underdogs and upsets. All that is left is for me to breakdown who I think will still be there in the Elite Eight and the Final Four. Will a Cinderella team advance this far?

South Region Elite Eight: Kentucky & Baylor

I think this will be an epic match-up with many future NBA players in this contest. Baylor’s pre-tournament resumé is impressive, but at times, they have looked very beatable. The play of Perry Jones III will need to be consistent for Baylor to make the Elite Eight. If these teams meet, Anthony Davis and Terrence Jones will dominate and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist has a chance of being a standout in this tournament. Baylor won’t be able to match the talent on Kentucky and the Wildcats advance to the Final Four.

South Region Winner: Kentucky Wildcats

West Region Elite Eight: Louisville & Missouri

Rick Pitino has the Cardinals playing very well. They ended the season on a high note and winning the Big East tournament validates your team as being a contender in this tournament. Louisville should be able to beat Michigan State in the Sweet Sixteen. I just think that they are a better “team,” since the Spartans rely heavily on Draymond Green. As far as Missouri is concerned, they will be tested against Florida, Marquette, and possibly Murray State, but the Tigers have elite talent. I love Marcus Denman and Ricardo Ratcliffe and Missouri will benefit from having a balanced inside/outside offensive attack. Louisville and Missouri play different styles and the Cardinals will play a lot of full-court press and trap. I’s take Louisville’s defense over Missouri’s offense.

West Region Winner: Louisville Cardinals

East Region Elite Eight: Syracuse and Ohio State

I think this region will be very “chalk.” I could see Southern Miss giving some teams some trouble early and possibly a team like West Virginia could get hot. Even without Fab Melo, Syracuse’s route to the Elite Eight is pretty light. I see them beating Southern Miss and Vandy/Wisconsin, those teams don’t match up well with the Orange. The bottom half of the bracket will also be as expected. I like Florida State a lot, but if they face the Buckeyes in the Sweet Sixteen, I don’t like them in that game. I expect a nice tournament from Jared Sullinger and William Buford. Syracuse and Ohio State are pretty similar teams, but without Melo, Sullinger will be able to work inside. This will be the first game that will hurt the Orange without Melo. I see the Buckeyes moving onto the Final Four in the East Region.

East Region Winner: Ohio State Buckeyes

Midwest Region Elite Eight: North Carolina and Kansas

This region will have a few upsets with Temple advancing over Michigan and I like San Diego State against Georgetown. After those upsets, it’ll be North Carolina versus Kansas in the Elite Eight. This is a game that I have been waiting for all season. I love a lot of players in this game. It will be fun to watch Harrison Barnes and Thomas Robinson in the same game. I’m not a huge fan of John Henson, he also comes into the tournament with injury problems. I think Kansas is a better team, even though the Tar Heels come into this contest with the most talent on paper. The Jayhawks should be the team that advances into the Final Four in the Midwest.

Midwest Region Winner: Kansas Jayhawks

Final Four Matchups
Kentucky vs Louisville & Ohio State vs. Kansas

These teams met earlier this season and it wasn’t very close. This is a different Louisville team than when the Wildacts faced them. They have learned to play in big games and they proven it by winning the Big East tournament. I don’t think they will beat Kentucky, but it will be a closer game. The freshmen on Kentucky will have to give their best to pull out the win, I believe they will step up and advance to the Championship Game.

Kansas and Ohio State will be an epic game as well. Tyshawn Taylor will probably cover William Buford, who had trouble scoring against other great talent. Ohio State will have to rely a lot on Sullinger, who has a hard time scoring against Robinson inside. He has a hard time playing “above the rim” and Robinson will take advantage of that. I see Kansas beating the Buckeyes in a close game.

Championship Game: Kentucky vs Kansas

This will be a rematch of the game that happened in November. Kentucky won that game 75-65 with Anthony Davis registering 7 blocks. Taylor lead the Jayhawks in scoring, but got most of his 22 points from the free-throw line. The Wildcats had a very balanced offensive attack with Jones, Davis, Kidd-Gilchrist, and Doron Lamb scoring in double-digits. I see the same kind of game happening the second time around. Kentucky just has too much talent on the team and they gelled as the season progressed. I see the loss against Vanderbilt in the SEC Tournament final as an aberration. The Wildcats excel in all aspects of the game and even hit their free-throws, which is odd for a John Calipari team. He will prove that a team can win the NCAA Tournament with mostly freshmen.

2012 NCAA Tournament Champion: Kentucky Wildcats

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Syracuse’s Fab Melo Ruled Ineligible

The East Region’s #1 seed, Syracuse Orange, will be without their star center, Fab Melo, for the entire NCAA Tournament. Yahoo! Sports reports that Melo will sit out due to eligibility issues. Syracuse’s lone Big East loss was against Notre Dame, a game in which Melo had to sit out due to the same eligibility issues. The Orange haven’t released a public statement explaining why Melo won’t be playing in the tournament.

Melo’s defensive ability will be missed the most. He only scores 7.8 points and 5.8 rebounds per game, but he registers nearly three blocks (2.9) per game. The 7-footer’s absence will leave a large hole in the paint. Kris Joseph and C.J. Fair will have to play their best to fill the void. Syracuse may need to rely on Baye Keita and Rakeem Christmas to play more minutes. They are a deep team and play an extended rotation, but this could lead to an early exit in this year’s tournament.

This is a huge hit to Syracuse’s shot at winning the NCAA Tournament. Ohio State, the #2 seed in Syracuse’s bracket, are looking like the new favorites in the East Region. If Syracuse makes it to the Elite Eight and faces the Buckeyes, the Orange will have a very difficult time with Jared Sullinger. His inside game is powerful and a team needs size in order to stifle the young star.

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

2012 NCAA Tourney – East Region Picks

This region is top-heavy with Syracuse and Ohio State leading the way. The rest of the field is loaded with teams who come in hot off of impressive showings in their respective conference tournaments. Harvard would be a very lofty pick, can they out-think their opponents?Can a team like Vanderbilt or Florida State get into the Final Four? It will take some perfect games to notch an upset in this region’s bracket.

#1 Syracuse (31-2) vs. #16 UNC-Asheville (24-9) – The Syracuse Orange are one of the deepest teams in the entire NCAA Tournament field. One of their losses came when Fab Melo was suspended and that was a very close game against Notre Dame. They will coast by UNC Asheville, but possibly run into a difficult game against either Kansas State or Southern Miss. I really like the Orange in this tournament.

Predicted Winner: #1 Syracuse Orange

#8 Kansas State (21-10) vs. #9 Southern Miss (25-8) – The seeds in this contest could have easily been the other way around. Kansas State has some impressive wins, but losing to Oklahoma twice is a huge red flag. Southern Miss has its flaws too. The Golden Eagles lost to Marshall twice, but they are a very balanced team. I like Southern Miss in this very close contest. Neil watson, LaShay Page, and Darnell Dodson will be hard for Kansas State to guard.

Predicted Winner: #9 Southern Miss Golden Eagles

#5 Vanderbilt (24-10) vs. #12 Harvard (26-4) – Vandy is coming into the NCAA Tournament at warp speed. They beat Kentucky in the SEC Tournament final and all of their losses have been close. Harvard is a sexy underdog pick, but Jeremy Lin isn’t on the team anymore. They do have an inside/outside threat with the duo of Kyle Casey and Keith Wright, but the talent isn’t at Vanderbilt’s level. The Commodores have John Jenkins and Jeffrey Taylor, who I would put against many of this region’s top two players. Vanderbilt will be a tough out in the later rounds.

Predicted Winner – #5 Vanderbilt Commodores

#4 Wisconsin (24-9) vs. #13 Montana (25-6) – Wisconsin has a history of getting beaten early in the Big Dance, but they shouldn’t worry about Montana in the first-round. Montana does have some size in the paint, but Wisconsin’s Jordan Taylor and Ryan Evans are used to playing against size. I love the Badgers in this game, but think that Vanderbilt will beat them in the second-round.

Predicted Winner – #4 Wisconsin Badgers

#6 Cincinnati (24-10) vs. #11 Texas (20-13) – At the beginning of the season, I wouldn’t have picked either of these teams to make the NCAA Tournament. Cincinnati got hot during the Big East tournament, but have losses to teams like Presbytarian on their resumé. Texas have gotten the most out of their talent this year. They lack any bad losses and have played top-notch teams all season. They were a little beat up by the giants in the Big 12, but they are a stronger team now. I really like Texas’ J’Covan Brown to lead the Longhorns over Cincinnati.

Predicted Winner: #11 Texas Longhorns

#3 Florida State (24-9) vs. #14 St. Bonaventure (20-11) – I watched a few Florida State games this year and I was impressed after each one. They have guys like Michael Snaer and Bernard James who are solid, but have guys like Deividas Dulkys come off the bench and light it up. You never know who is going to be a surprise, which is an element I love in the NCAA Tournament. St. Bonaventure won their conference tournament, but the talent level isn’t there to hang with Florida State. I like the Seminoles to win a few games in the tournament this year.

Predicted Winner: #3 Florida State Seminoles

#7 Gonzaga (25-6) vs. #10 West Virginia (19-13) – Gonzaga has been a sexy underdog pick for a decade. Even in the years when they are favorites, theys till feel like underdogs. If the Bulldogs win against West Virginia, it still feels like an upset, but it shouldn’t. The Mountaineers have played up to their competition and had close games against top teams. WVU’s Kevin Jones is an NBA-level player, but Gonzaga has a very balanced team. Gonzaga lack the star power, but they have a team full of “glue guys.” I like the Bulldogs in a close game.

Predicted Winner: #7 Gonzaga

#2 Ohio State (27-7) vs. #15 Loyola (MD) (24-8) – Did Ohio State underachieve this year or was the Big Ten at an elite level? The NCAA Tournament is a litmus test for the power of one’s conference. Ohio State will win this game against Loyola (MD), but for them to get passed Gonzaga or Florida State in the later rounds, they’ll need big games from Jared Sullinger and William Buford. The Buckeyes will have to play big minutes, since Thad Matta tightens up the rotation during the tournament.

Predicted Winner: #2 Ohio State Buckeyes

White Boy’s 2012 NCAA Tournament Coverage
2012 NCAA Tournament: West Region Picks
2012 NCAA Tournament: South Region Picks
2012 NCAA Tournament: Midwest Region Picks
2012 NCAA Tournament: 13 Possible Upsets

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A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.