UNC Freshman Third Baseman Colin Moran was named National Player of the Week by the NCBWA last week for his 4 Homerun, 13 RBI performance in Carolina's 5-0 week. Included in those five wins was a weekend sweep of Duke. I love the sound of that- a weekend sweep of Duke. I was surprised to learn that this was the 'Heels first series win over Duke since 2008.
Moran leads the 23-4 and #6 ranked 'Heels with a .362 average and 5 homeruns and 35 RBI's. He has also had a recent power surge with 4 homeruns in the past 6 games.
The Tarheels are not going to beat anybody with the longball this year. I believed at the beginning of the year that the 'Heels were going to have to play more station-to-station baseball. They only have 21 Homeruns in 27 games but a team Batting Average of .308 and 39 stolen bases in 49 attempts is enough to average almost 8 1/2 runs per game. Combine that with a team ERA of 3.17 and that equals a 23-4 record and a #6 national ranking.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Monday, March 28, 2011
The Tragic End To The Season
The Kentucky game was a tough matchup for the 'Heels. John Calipari went small against Carolina and it worked. They couldn't guard the perimeter on defense (Kentucky was 12 of 22 from the three-point line), and they couldn't hit from the perimeter on offense (3 of 17).
John Henson may have had his worst game of the season (4 points, 9 rebounds, 0 blocked shots, and 5 fouls) before fouling out and Tyler Zeller led the way again (21 points and 9 rebounds). Harrison Barnes (18 points but a horrible shooting night) reaffirmed my belief that he needs to come back to school for at least one more season. As a team, the 'Heels just did not play a solid game.
I do not like losing to John Calipari. There is no doubt that he is a good coach and an excellent recruiter but I believe that he has ran a "dirty" program wherever he has been. He always gets out right before the school gets caught. I think the sanctions should follow him where ever he goes.
John Henson may have had his worst game of the season (4 points, 9 rebounds, 0 blocked shots, and 5 fouls) before fouling out and Tyler Zeller led the way again (21 points and 9 rebounds). Harrison Barnes (18 points but a horrible shooting night) reaffirmed my belief that he needs to come back to school for at least one more season. As a team, the 'Heels just did not play a solid game.
I do not like losing to John Calipari. There is no doubt that he is a good coach and an excellent recruiter but I believe that he has ran a "dirty" program wherever he has been. He always gets out right before the school gets caught. I think the sanctions should follow him where ever he goes.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
On To the Elite Eight
The game against Marquette last night really surprised me. I thought Marquette would come out ready to play. From the opening tap, Marquette looked out of sync, they had a hard time getting into their offense, and defensively they were not as active or play with as much intensity they had in their first two games. North Carolina took advantage of their size inside on offense and got into the passing lanes on defense and combined with Marquette's poor shooting, led to many easy baskets and a 40-15 halftime lead. It was pretty much over at that point.
Marquette cut it as close as 14 points with about 4 minutes to go in the second half but the game was never in doubt. The 'Heels had a little bit of a letdown in the second half with their defensive intensity and offensive execution but I believe they just wanted the game to be over.
Tyler Zeller has had a monster tournament. He had 27 points and 15 rebounds against Marquette and is playing the best basketball of his career by a long shot. UNC's "big three" of Zeller, Harrison Barnes, and John Henson combined for 61 of the 81 points and 36 rebounds. Henson has come alive in the tournament as well but I do not know why he thinks he needs to be shooting from the perimeter.
The 'Heels still cannot hit from the perimeter on a consistent basis and Barnes and Leslie McDonald are their only legitimate outside threats but McDonald has been in a shooting slump that has lasted for about 15 games. Dexter Strickland will never be a scoring threat from the outside but he is much better in a transition game and he even nailed a 15 foot jump shot in transition last night.
John Henson has turned into a multi-faceted defensive presence that has caused problems for every team they have played in the tournament. He might be the best shot blocker in the history of the North Carolina Tarheels but to watch him guard the inbounds pass is a thing of beauty. He defelected another one last night in which the 'Heels gained posession.
Charles Barkley described the Tarheel big men as "soft" last night in the pregame segment of the CBS telecast and I would have to disagree with that. It is no secret that they are not physical but Zeller and Henson are extremely effective in the college game. The officials chose to "let them play" last night and in almost any situation like that the 'Heels are not going to be as effective.
When I refer to let them play, the officials chose to let the big men on the inside beat and bang and that definitely gave Marquette an advantage that they probably didn't take enough advantage of in the first half. Zeller did do a good job of denying the entry pass in the middle, picking off several and deflecting several more.
When the officials do choose to let them play, the play is much more physical, and the play always seems to be on the verge of out of control. It came very close last night. The foul committed on John Henson right before the end of the first half when he had a breakaway and the Marquette player wrapped his arms around Henson and spun him around before he made an attempt on the ball was when the officials started to lose a little bit of control of the game. Even announcer Clark Kellogg said it should have been called an intentional foul.
The physical play only escalated in the second half and I believe the only reason that Jae Crowder of Marquette had a technical foul called on him was because he called Henson a "mother------" and it was plainly audible on the broadcast. I took great satisfaction when Henson later blocked one of his shots into the third row (although Crowder later hit a three-pointer with Henson guarding him) and Henson and Crowder were woofing at each other then. I noticed from that point on, anytime Marquette's players had the opportunity to get in an extra shove or an elbow, they took full advantage of it because the officials were not going to call any of it. I chalk it up to the big lead and the composure of North Carolina's players that it didn't get out of control then. The officials weren't about to make a stand.
Marquette cut it as close as 14 points with about 4 minutes to go in the second half but the game was never in doubt. The 'Heels had a little bit of a letdown in the second half with their defensive intensity and offensive execution but I believe they just wanted the game to be over.
Tyler Zeller has had a monster tournament. He had 27 points and 15 rebounds against Marquette and is playing the best basketball of his career by a long shot. UNC's "big three" of Zeller, Harrison Barnes, and John Henson combined for 61 of the 81 points and 36 rebounds. Henson has come alive in the tournament as well but I do not know why he thinks he needs to be shooting from the perimeter.
The 'Heels still cannot hit from the perimeter on a consistent basis and Barnes and Leslie McDonald are their only legitimate outside threats but McDonald has been in a shooting slump that has lasted for about 15 games. Dexter Strickland will never be a scoring threat from the outside but he is much better in a transition game and he even nailed a 15 foot jump shot in transition last night.
John Henson has turned into a multi-faceted defensive presence that has caused problems for every team they have played in the tournament. He might be the best shot blocker in the history of the North Carolina Tarheels but to watch him guard the inbounds pass is a thing of beauty. He defelected another one last night in which the 'Heels gained posession.
Charles Barkley described the Tarheel big men as "soft" last night in the pregame segment of the CBS telecast and I would have to disagree with that. It is no secret that they are not physical but Zeller and Henson are extremely effective in the college game. The officials chose to "let them play" last night and in almost any situation like that the 'Heels are not going to be as effective.
When I refer to let them play, the officials chose to let the big men on the inside beat and bang and that definitely gave Marquette an advantage that they probably didn't take enough advantage of in the first half. Zeller did do a good job of denying the entry pass in the middle, picking off several and deflecting several more.
When the officials do choose to let them play, the play is much more physical, and the play always seems to be on the verge of out of control. It came very close last night. The foul committed on John Henson right before the end of the first half when he had a breakaway and the Marquette player wrapped his arms around Henson and spun him around before he made an attempt on the ball was when the officials started to lose a little bit of control of the game. Even announcer Clark Kellogg said it should have been called an intentional foul.
The physical play only escalated in the second half and I believe the only reason that Jae Crowder of Marquette had a technical foul called on him was because he called Henson a "mother------" and it was plainly audible on the broadcast. I took great satisfaction when Henson later blocked one of his shots into the third row (although Crowder later hit a three-pointer with Henson guarding him) and Henson and Crowder were woofing at each other then. I noticed from that point on, anytime Marquette's players had the opportunity to get in an extra shove or an elbow, they took full advantage of it because the officials were not going to call any of it. I chalk it up to the big lead and the composure of North Carolina's players that it didn't get out of control then. The officials weren't about to make a stand.
Friday, March 25, 2011
North Carolina vs. Marquette
On paper #2 seed North Carolina should not have a problem with #11 seed Marquette. They are really not that impressive nor did they have a particularly good season. Their record is only 22-14 (just 9-9 in the Big East Conference), they were in the lower end of their conference in almost every offensive and defensive statistical category, and they probably shouldn't have even made the tournament.
As I have heard so many times, they do not play the game on paper, it is played on the court. Marquette is a dangerous team for North Carolina. They are on a roll having taken out two higher seeds already, including #3 seed Syracuse. They are playing well defensively and with intensity, they are hitting the big shots when they need them, and they are playing with a chip on their shoulder.
Marquette probably has a slight quickness advantage over North Carolina but will it be enough to combat the 'Heels size advantage and strength in the middle. Marquette's leading scorer, Darius Johnson-Odom, is a Raleigh, NC native and they usually try to play their best against a Tobacco Road team because they did not get recruited by them.
North Carolina had better take care of the basketball tonight and take advantage of their size in the middle if they want to win this game. It would be kind of nice to build an early lead because the longer Marquette stays in the game, the more dangerous they become.
As I have heard so many times, they do not play the game on paper, it is played on the court. Marquette is a dangerous team for North Carolina. They are on a roll having taken out two higher seeds already, including #3 seed Syracuse. They are playing well defensively and with intensity, they are hitting the big shots when they need them, and they are playing with a chip on their shoulder.
Marquette probably has a slight quickness advantage over North Carolina but will it be enough to combat the 'Heels size advantage and strength in the middle. Marquette's leading scorer, Darius Johnson-Odom, is a Raleigh, NC native and they usually try to play their best against a Tobacco Road team because they did not get recruited by them.
North Carolina had better take care of the basketball tonight and take advantage of their size in the middle if they want to win this game. It would be kind of nice to build an early lead because the longer Marquette stays in the game, the more dangerous they become.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
The Bullpen
The Diamond 'Heels are rolling again thanks to six straight wins, including a sweep of Virginia Tech on the road, two of those being one run victories. They had victories over UNC-Wilmington and High Point in the past couple of days. That puts them at 20-3 on the season and 4-2 in ACC play. They also have risen to #12 in the latest rankings.
Alot of that has to do with the work of the bullpen. Senior Right-hander Greg Holt anchors the bullpen leading the team with 12 appearances, 17 2/3
innings pitched, and has a 4-0 record and a 2.04 ERA. Sophomore right-hander Cody Penny has earned the closer's role, tied for third on the team with 10 appearances and leads the team with 4 saves.
Several Freshmen have taken on key roles out of the bullpen. Left-hander Tate Parrish is second on the team with 11 appearances and has a 1.29 ERA. Right-hander Shane Taylor is tied for third on the team in Appearances with 10 and has a victory to his credit. I don't know who the tallest Tarheel pitcher in history is but Redshirt Freshman Tim Brechbuehler at 6'8" has to be close. He has also appeared in 5 games but has 5 walks in 3 Innings Pitched. As with most tall Pitchers it seems that he has control issues but it all worked out pretty well for Bob Gibson and Randy Johnson.
The heart of the ACC season is on the way against some top flight competition and the 'Heels look primed for another run at the College World Series.
Alot of that has to do with the work of the bullpen. Senior Right-hander Greg Holt anchors the bullpen leading the team with 12 appearances, 17 2/3
innings pitched, and has a 4-0 record and a 2.04 ERA. Sophomore right-hander Cody Penny has earned the closer's role, tied for third on the team with 10 appearances and leads the team with 4 saves.
Several Freshmen have taken on key roles out of the bullpen. Left-hander Tate Parrish is second on the team with 11 appearances and has a 1.29 ERA. Right-hander Shane Taylor is tied for third on the team in Appearances with 10 and has a victory to his credit. I don't know who the tallest Tarheel pitcher in history is but Redshirt Freshman Tim Brechbuehler at 6'8" has to be close. He has also appeared in 5 games but has 5 walks in 3 Innings Pitched. As with most tall Pitchers it seems that he has control issues but it all worked out pretty well for Bob Gibson and Randy Johnson.
The heart of the ACC season is on the way against some top flight competition and the 'Heels look primed for another run at the College World Series.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
On To The Sweet Sixteen
First of all, allow me to say that I just thought Dan Bonner and Billy Packer were biased against the North Carolina Tarheels. There is a new biased announcer in town. His name is Clark Kellog. He did a fine job of being biased especially with that non-goaltending call against Washington in the first half. I would love for him to explain to me on what gravitationally challenged planet that ball would still be going up when it was blocked. Enough about that.
North Carolina beat Washington 86-83 to make it to the Sweet Sixteen. Statistically speaking that may be one of the best games North Carolina played all year. They almost shot 50 percent, they only had 9 turnovers, 6 of 12 from the three-point line, 18 of 23 from the free throw line, but there still seemed to be something missing.
The 'Heels do not play aggressive on the ball defense. If it wasn't for John Henson's shot blocking ability, you would never know they played defense. Other teams players seem to drive to the basket at will against the 'Heels, they cannot seem to guard the three point line to save their ass (Isiah Thomas got a really good look at the basket for the last shot of the game), and if UNC bothers running any kind of a press, they get blistered two or three times before they give it up. They have a tendency to play classic "help" defense and I hate it. All they seem to do when they do that is give up wide open three-pointers.
John Henson has had a great tournament. I do not know what he was thinking at the end of the game. he had a mental lapse of some kind and gave Washington a second chance by knocking the ball out of bounds and then almost goaltending on the final shot. I always tried to get my players to think situationally. Be aware of what is going on and think about the situation in front of you.
Kendall Marshall had another great game. 13 points, 14 assists, and only 4 turnovers. Tyler Zeller had another solid game with 23 points and Harrison Barnes had 22. Dexter Strickland finally came out of his scoring shell with 13 points. They played a solid game as a team but there was still that one thing missing.
North Carolina beat Washington 86-83 to make it to the Sweet Sixteen. Statistically speaking that may be one of the best games North Carolina played all year. They almost shot 50 percent, they only had 9 turnovers, 6 of 12 from the three-point line, 18 of 23 from the free throw line, but there still seemed to be something missing.
The 'Heels do not play aggressive on the ball defense. If it wasn't for John Henson's shot blocking ability, you would never know they played defense. Other teams players seem to drive to the basket at will against the 'Heels, they cannot seem to guard the three point line to save their ass (Isiah Thomas got a really good look at the basket for the last shot of the game), and if UNC bothers running any kind of a press, they get blistered two or three times before they give it up. They have a tendency to play classic "help" defense and I hate it. All they seem to do when they do that is give up wide open three-pointers.
John Henson has had a great tournament. I do not know what he was thinking at the end of the game. he had a mental lapse of some kind and gave Washington a second chance by knocking the ball out of bounds and then almost goaltending on the final shot. I always tried to get my players to think situationally. Be aware of what is going on and think about the situation in front of you.
Kendall Marshall had another great game. 13 points, 14 assists, and only 4 turnovers. Tyler Zeller had another solid game with 23 points and Harrison Barnes had 22. Dexter Strickland finally came out of his scoring shell with 13 points. They played a solid game as a team but there was still that one thing missing.
Friday, March 18, 2011
Henson, Zeller, and Barnes
That was quite a performance by the Tarheels big three scorers in their opening round game against Long Island University. They scored 84 of the 'Heels 102 points in the 102-87 win.
Tyler Zeller had a career high of 32 points, Harrison Barnes had 24 points and a career high 16 rebounds, and John Henson had a career high of 28 points.
They won the game but the negatives almost outweigh the positives. The played horrendous defense (they gave up 85 shots), they still can't hit an outside shot (3 of 17 from the three-point line), and they were careless with the ball (18 turnovers). A repeat performance like this and Sunday will be their final game of the year.
From the fan's perspective, it was an exciting game to watch. Alot of up-and-down, alot of points, a few dunks, blocked shots and some great plays by both teams. You really couldn't ask for anything more from a #15-#2 game. Washington or Georgia?
Tyler Zeller had a career high of 32 points, Harrison Barnes had 24 points and a career high 16 rebounds, and John Henson had a career high of 28 points.
They won the game but the negatives almost outweigh the positives. The played horrendous defense (they gave up 85 shots), they still can't hit an outside shot (3 of 17 from the three-point line), and they were careless with the ball (18 turnovers). A repeat performance like this and Sunday will be their final game of the year.
From the fan's perspective, it was an exciting game to watch. Alot of up-and-down, alot of points, a few dunks, blocked shots and some great plays by both teams. You really couldn't ask for anything more from a #15-#2 game. Washington or Georgia?
A Great Time to be a Tarheel Sports Fan
This is a great time of year to be a Tarheel sports fan. The NCAA tournament starts tonight, spring football practice started a couple of days ago, and the Diamond 'Heels are getting into the heart of their ACC baseball schedule.
I read the other day where defensive lineman Brandon Willis has made his way back onto the Tarheel football team but they released 5-Star Recruit, also a defensive lineman, Delvon Simmons from his letter of intent, signed about six weeks ago. As soon as I saw the spring rosters and the spring depth chart on tarheelblue.com, I quickly printed me off a copy so I could see if anything or anyone really stood out. The thing that stood out to me was the relative youth of the Tarheels for next season. They are still going to be a young team with some key positions to fill.
The Tarheel basketball team opens NCAA tournament play tonight against Long Island University. Losing the ACC tournament to Duke stung quite a bit, but the 'Heels did not play well all tournament. They were really kind of lucky against Miami and Clemson and they tried using the same formula to fall behind by double digits against Duke but they are too good a team to allow UNC back into the game. Lets hope they learned a few lessons and will play better in the tournament.
The Diamond 'Heels lost two of three to a struggling Wake Forest team and it wasn't exactly a great way to open ACC play. They came back and took out Princeton mid-week to put them at 15-3 going into a weekend series with Virginia Tech.
I read the other day where defensive lineman Brandon Willis has made his way back onto the Tarheel football team but they released 5-Star Recruit, also a defensive lineman, Delvon Simmons from his letter of intent, signed about six weeks ago. As soon as I saw the spring rosters and the spring depth chart on tarheelblue.com, I quickly printed me off a copy so I could see if anything or anyone really stood out. The thing that stood out to me was the relative youth of the Tarheels for next season. They are still going to be a young team with some key positions to fill.
The Tarheel basketball team opens NCAA tournament play tonight against Long Island University. Losing the ACC tournament to Duke stung quite a bit, but the 'Heels did not play well all tournament. They were really kind of lucky against Miami and Clemson and they tried using the same formula to fall behind by double digits against Duke but they are too good a team to allow UNC back into the game. Lets hope they learned a few lessons and will play better in the tournament.
The Diamond 'Heels lost two of three to a struggling Wake Forest team and it wasn't exactly a great way to open ACC play. They came back and took out Princeton mid-week to put them at 15-3 going into a weekend series with Virginia Tech.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
The Diamond 'Heels Open Up ACC Play
The Diamond 'Heels opened ACC play with a 7-1 win over Wake Forest,their 8th win in a row and puts them at 14-1 on the season and they are shooting up the rankings with a bullet.
Patrick Johnson is on a roll with a 3-0 record and a 1.07 ERA and the relief pitching they are getting is off the charts. Levi Michael cooled down a little bit, being mired in a mini-slump, that has brought his batting average back down to the Ty Cobb range.
The 'Heels don't seem to have the power they have had in years past and are having to play more situational baseball. I read on one of the Tarheel websites that they have had 16 innings this year where they have scored 4 or more runs including an inning against Wake Forest last night where they plated 6. Ben Bunting had the big hit in the inning with a bases clearing double.
Patrick Johnson is on a roll with a 3-0 record and a 1.07 ERA and the relief pitching they are getting is off the charts. Levi Michael cooled down a little bit, being mired in a mini-slump, that has brought his batting average back down to the Ty Cobb range.
The 'Heels don't seem to have the power they have had in years past and are having to play more situational baseball. I read on one of the Tarheel websites that they have had 16 innings this year where they have scored 4 or more runs including an inning against Wake Forest last night where they plated 6. Ben Bunting had the big hit in the inning with a bases clearing double.
Friday, March 11, 2011
Winning the Close Ones
The Tarheels have shown a knack for being able to win the close ones this year and Game One of the ACC Tournament against Miami was no exception. You also have to be able to win the games in which you do not play your best and, once again, this game was no exception.
This was the worst game the 'Heels had played in quite a while. They were so careless with the ball in the first half, Roy Williams put 5 walk-ons into the game only down 13-8 so he could reem out the 5 that were on the court. I don't know if it was because of a "Duke hangover" or what but that was a very bad stretch of basketball. As a consequence they were down 31-22 at the half after allowing Miami to outscore them 11-2 down the stretch in the first half.
The second half didn't start out much better as Miami built up a 53-34 lead with a little under 8 minutes to play. Its no secret that Roy Willaims is not a big fan of the ACC Tournament and it looked like his team was going to get plenty of rest going into the NCAA's. Leslie McDonald provided a huge spark off the bench, hitting three 3's down the stretch and Kendall Marshall hit a couple of 3's as well and Miami turned ice cold from the field.
UNC got the ball back with 18.6 seconds left, Kendall marshall drove the lane and dished it to Tyler Zeller under the basket and he banged a left-handed layup off the glass right as time expired to win it 61-59. The ball left his hand with 0.2 seconds to go. Game Over.
It was not a pretty win and a game they probably did not deserve to win, but it still counts and Clemson is up next. The 'Heels had 20 turnovers in that game and they had better not have a repeat performance tomorrow or they probably will not win.
This was the worst game the 'Heels had played in quite a while. They were so careless with the ball in the first half, Roy Williams put 5 walk-ons into the game only down 13-8 so he could reem out the 5 that were on the court. I don't know if it was because of a "Duke hangover" or what but that was a very bad stretch of basketball. As a consequence they were down 31-22 at the half after allowing Miami to outscore them 11-2 down the stretch in the first half.
The second half didn't start out much better as Miami built up a 53-34 lead with a little under 8 minutes to play. Its no secret that Roy Willaims is not a big fan of the ACC Tournament and it looked like his team was going to get plenty of rest going into the NCAA's. Leslie McDonald provided a huge spark off the bench, hitting three 3's down the stretch and Kendall Marshall hit a couple of 3's as well and Miami turned ice cold from the field.
UNC got the ball back with 18.6 seconds left, Kendall marshall drove the lane and dished it to Tyler Zeller under the basket and he banged a left-handed layup off the glass right as time expired to win it 61-59. The ball left his hand with 0.2 seconds to go. Game Over.
It was not a pretty win and a game they probably did not deserve to win, but it still counts and Clemson is up next. The 'Heels had 20 turnovers in that game and they had better not have a repeat performance tomorrow or they probably will not win.
The ACC Tournament
The ACC tournament will always hold a special place for me because it brings back great memories from my childhood and my teenage years. The first day of the tournament (back then the first day was always on Friday) was the only day of the year that my mother would allow me to skip school. That was a huge deal for me because I could be throwing up all night and my Mom would send my ass to school the next day. That's how fanatical she was about my school attendance.
The Tarheels were usually the #1 seed back then and at the worst, they were a #2, so they always played at Noon. The first game was usually a butt kicking against the lowest seeded team in the ACC but I was always right there glued to my TV set. I had the house to myself and it was my little piece of heaven. During halftime, I would go outside and shoot baskets to really get into the spirit of things.
My father and I were completely different people but the love of Tarheel basketball was always one connection that we had. I must admit that I lost alot of passion for Tarheel basketball when he passed away in January 2007 because it just doesn't seem as important now as it used to. I am hoping that watching the ACC Tournament today and posting these memories of my father will rekindle some of that lost passion for Tarheel basketball. I may even go outside and shoot a few baskets at halftime.
The Tarheels were usually the #1 seed back then and at the worst, they were a #2, so they always played at Noon. The first game was usually a butt kicking against the lowest seeded team in the ACC but I was always right there glued to my TV set. I had the house to myself and it was my little piece of heaven. During halftime, I would go outside and shoot baskets to really get into the spirit of things.
My father and I were completely different people but the love of Tarheel basketball was always one connection that we had. I must admit that I lost alot of passion for Tarheel basketball when he passed away in January 2007 because it just doesn't seem as important now as it used to. I am hoping that watching the ACC Tournament today and posting these memories of my father will rekindle some of that lost passion for Tarheel basketball. I may even go outside and shoot a few baskets at halftime.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
The NCAA needs to go Part I
The NCAA needs to cease to exist as an organization and as a governing body. They shouldn't even be allowed to oversee intramural teams on college campuses. After dropping the ball on the Cam Newton situation they decided to go all the way with the Ohio State situation which is still continuing to produce allegations, confessions, and "self imposed" sanctions.
Ohio State players were caught selling memorabilia to a Columbus, OH tattoo parlor. They were disciplined with multi-game suspensions for the 2011 season but were allowed to play in the bowl game vs. Arkansas. This included star QB Terrelle Pryor. There was a chance he may have turned pro and not be punished at all. I thought a bowl game was a reward for a good season and yet these players were rewarded for displaying bad judgement and violating NCAA rules.
The head coach Jim Tressel, knew about it well in advance of the allegations against the players coming out in the media and yet didn't say a word to anyone about it for "confidentiality" reasons. He was confident he wouldn't be caught. He talked all of his players into coming back for another season so they could "face the music." What a hippocrite. He didn't say anything about it when he first learned of it well before the season started for fear it may sabotage a potential National Championship season.
Ohio State, in their zest to prove to the NCAA that they can punish their own, suspended him for two games and fined him $250,000. He will miss two chump games that they were going to win anyway and the money is pocket change. He will make that up by doing a few more ads for car dealerships in Columbus.
This is the NCAA's opportunity to prove themselves a strong governing body by at least suspending him as long as they do the players if not for the whole season. Tressel should have immediately reported the situation to the NCAA and took his lumps. He was aware of what was going on and chose to do or say nothing. Now it is time for him to "face the music."
Ohio State players were caught selling memorabilia to a Columbus, OH tattoo parlor. They were disciplined with multi-game suspensions for the 2011 season but were allowed to play in the bowl game vs. Arkansas. This included star QB Terrelle Pryor. There was a chance he may have turned pro and not be punished at all. I thought a bowl game was a reward for a good season and yet these players were rewarded for displaying bad judgement and violating NCAA rules.
The head coach Jim Tressel, knew about it well in advance of the allegations against the players coming out in the media and yet didn't say a word to anyone about it for "confidentiality" reasons. He was confident he wouldn't be caught. He talked all of his players into coming back for another season so they could "face the music." What a hippocrite. He didn't say anything about it when he first learned of it well before the season started for fear it may sabotage a potential National Championship season.
Ohio State, in their zest to prove to the NCAA that they can punish their own, suspended him for two games and fined him $250,000. He will miss two chump games that they were going to win anyway and the money is pocket change. He will make that up by doing a few more ads for car dealerships in Columbus.
This is the NCAA's opportunity to prove themselves a strong governing body by at least suspending him as long as they do the players if not for the whole season. Tressel should have immediately reported the situation to the NCAA and took his lumps. He was aware of what was going on and chose to do or say nothing. Now it is time for him to "face the music."
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