Home Football Smith: More like Chris Petersen or Mike Riley?

Smith: More like Chris Petersen or Mike Riley?

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The big fear for those of us who don’t like Riley on staff is that he will infect Jonathan Smith. The counter we hear is that Smith trained under Chris Petersen, so he will be more like Petersen. Key word being “trained”, past tense.

There is good reason for the Cassandra’s concerns. In general, you become like the people you hang around. If you hang around low-life druggies then the odds of a happy life decrease, and the odds of doing drugs increase; it doesn’t really matter who you hung around the five years before. There are many examples of this that you can probably think of from your own lives, where someone near to you had an impact. I can even think how the music I listen to influences my guitar playing. If I go through a phase where I listen to Jimi Hendrix my playing becomes more bluesy and wild, even if I’m not really trying to do that. If I listen to jazz I’m playing more staccato, more slides, more chromatic, and more 7th chords. Am I trying to? Nope, but it’s in my ear all day, so it comes out on the guitar.

This is the fear with Smith. With Riley around and in his ear all day, he is going to forget Chris Petersen’s influence. The saying, “out of sight, out of mind” exists for a reason. There is a theory that you’re the average of the 5 people you hang around most. These ideas are debated in psychology circles, and there are valid counters, so just look it up if you’re interested in it.

Jonathan Smith thinks highly of Riley and either he, the AD, and/or the boosters wanted Riley around as a crutch to guide Smith. So, Riley will likely be one of the top 5 coaches around Smith. My concern and question is this: how long before the Riley zombie drains all the Chris Petersen blood out of Smith? We’ll have to wait and see, but that he’s saying “neat deal” and “golly” in interviews doesn’t suggest the long end of the timeline.

What I liked about the Smith hire is he seemed intelligent, focused, and seemed to want to run a program like Chris Petersen. Keep an eye out for signs that’s breaking down; that he’s instead taking on traits of Riley and Corvallis’/the media’s low expectations. I see some of this already, mostly in his verbiage. We’ll see. Optimism on this blog, and I think the fanbase at large, would be higher were Riley not around.

329 COMMENTS

  1. That Smith will be more like Riley than Peterson has already been proved. Loyalty to old or former associates over commitment to your employer’s best interests was a Riley trademark and Smith’s hiring of him is clear as evidence. Case closed. The fan base is already getting set up for the six win season as success narrative. I can see an AB post four years from now: “Does Smith have a six-win cap?”

    • I hope it doesn’t take me four years to realize Smith has a 6 win cap (if he does have one). Pre Riley I had him at a 9 win cap for the Petersen influence and intelligence. His big flaw is emotions. He was crying at the presser, he loves Riley, living in the past talking about how he was a QB here, etc. He’s just too heart on the sleeve and emotional for this profession and Uni and it will likely cloud his vision and lead to more bad decisions like the Riley hire.

  2. Riley is there, unfortunately, but it’s not his staff. I forget – is he assistant head coach or associate head coach, some nonsense. One can only hope that the newcomers prevail.

  3. I have some friends in Corvallis that have seen Riley around town on a regular basis. They say that he looks like a defeated and tired old man (not that he didn’t before). My hope is that Riley is just along for the ride. I really think he is too old and tired at this point to infect the coaching staff.

    • It’s apparent that Riley was hired for 3 reasons: Familiarity of the program, relationships with high school coaches in the pipelines/regions Smith wants to recruit, and experience as a head coach.

      Smith wanted someone to lean on that has been there done that, but didn’t want to give him a prominent role such as LB’s or DB’s. I’ve worked with TE’s as an OL in high school(my only real experience that was limited) with various different Line coaches, but they all coached the TE’s. Besides catching, blocking, and short route running, there’s not much to TE’s that an OL coach can’t coach the position and have the WR’s coach teach routes and catching. It’s not a “Cushy” job, but it’s not high risk by any means. So the only group Riley could effect from his “I’m happy to be here” mentality is the TE’s and OL, but working with the other position coaches as well will keep those players motivated.

      I could see once Riley’s contract runs out or Smith doesn’t see him as “Helpful to the team” any longer, Smith will cut bait and bring in a new position coach after Riley officially retires from OSU. It’s like a Major League player like Griffey wanting to retire with the team that drafted him after playing for them one last season and get their jersey retired. Only in this case, his headset will be retired.

      • … relationships with high school coaches in the pipelines/regions Smith wants to recruit…

        That’s disconcerting. I would have hoped 9 would compete with Pete in at least Western Oregon.

        So… if Riley really has nothing to do, what the hell is he doing? Is he just slapping OSU in the face? There’s some slapping going on.

        It’s more like the guy who thought you were so small town in the head that he quit on us then came back four years later to make us schmucks holding our unicorn horns… only to quit again… only to come back and, yet again, prove that we’re a bunch of schmucks.

        At least we got lollipops and rainbows out of the deal.

      • “the only group Riley could effect … is the TE’s and OL”
        That may be so, but I think it a mistake to minimize his influence on other coaches and the support staff as well as Jonathan. Are you gonna speak out against “the ‘ol HC” if you are new to the organization? Will you resist his suggestions, however communicated, that his guidance should be followed? Will Trent Bray feel comfortable opposing Riley……on anything?
        Even the gal from Montana State recently hired to work in the operations side of the organization is reporting to a long time Riley disciple.

        One positive I do see, Riley at least is not (formally) part of the defensive side. Tibesar, with no ties to MR that I know of, may be able to quickly make this team competitive. Of course, Tibesar’s intent to teach some aspect of tackling EVERY day won’t likely sit well with MR.

        Another reason the D could be able to keep games close is Bray’s exposure to the “Blackshirt” culture at Nebraska, where the D is almost like a separate team in some respects. If he can steer clear of Riley, he may be able to focus on his own job and the D as a whole regardless of any Riley influenced mediocrity in the rest of the organization.

        Aside from the Defense, I wonder who else may be able to avoid being tainted by “the MR way”? A couple candidates seem to be Jim Michalczik (who has gotten a lot of experience away from MR) and Mike McDonald (S&C) who owes nothing to MR and has long exposure to Petersen’s successful methods.

        As far as recruiting, no doubt MR will be able to get in the door at many high schools; still, closing the deal is far from a sure thing given the warts others will be pointing out.

        For me, optimism would be higher were Riley not around (AB 101).

        • Are you gonna speak out against “the ‘ol HC” if you are new to the organization? Will you resist his suggestions, however communicated, that his guidance should be followed?

          Speaking out vs not following advice/direction given are two different things. Having someone at your job say, hey, you and I work together on the same project(position group), you report to me,as in, I’m your boss because I can make your life miserable because “I out rank you in the chain of command” will not go over well for a new employee. No one likes having a rogue boss who isn’t your boss, but they say they are because they make you feel like you can’t get them in trouble, especially since they are the oldest person on the team.

          Why would Riley put up a front of “Mr. Nice guy” and then behind the scenes sabotage Smith’s authority? I don’t see Riley undermining Smith’s authority to try to become a head coach…unless he doesn’t want other coaches to out succeed his success?

          Riley leaves, Beavs make it to the fiesta bowl 2 years later. He comes back after seeing success at OSU after failing. He stays awhile until his loyalty ruins his reputation with fans; so he leaves again. New regime comes in at OSU, they fail worse than Riley did at Nebraska(some would say equally if you’re talking to a Nebraska fan). Then he stalls to try to get a feel of how to get back on OSU’s staff since he know’s he won’t be a HC because he wants to see OSU succeed at his level again, or better because he knows with the right mix of coaching and recruiting, you can succeed at OSU. He wants to be a part of a succeeding team and “Finish what he started” even if it’s not as HC. He’s probably always felt he hasn’t given OSU his best effort over the years from always leaving and coming back…This is what we call a revolving door….Which never works in relationships. Someday, we need to close this door once and for all.

          • Why would Riley put up a front of “Mr. Nice guy” and then behind the scenes sabotage Smith’s authority?

            That’s the question we’re asking. Except he’s already undermined 9 and made a neat story of it. I personally think the man has zero business sense. That would explain sooooo much over the years. It would be why he (wrongly) inherited a building boom then continued to see it through to its end.

            Regardless, he quit… twice. He doesn’t get to make this all about him and his neat deal… unless he’s enabled. This isn’t about him and his apparently oblivious slapping of OSU in the face. It’s about OSU choosing to compete with an arbitrary hole in the head.

          • Speaking out vs not following advice/direction given are two different things.

            If you are saying some staff members may not speak out but, at the same time, not follow MR’s lead, then I’d note that this will test JS’s leadership ability severely. Organizations are seldom successful when an undercurrent of unspoken distrust is allowed to exist.

          • Noted with appreciation……..and fixed!

            BTW: Brittney Johnson was, indeed, “Director of Football Operations” for the Montana STATE Bobcats. She is a native of Idaho Falls, Idaho.

          • She also had roles in the NFL. Can’t remember which teams but it’s in the announcement presser the athletic dept put out.

    • Thx, oob. Now, if the media never again calls Oregon STATE the ducks, all is well in the world. Meanwhile because Montana State is doing better at football than U of M, the mix-up there will probably go in the other direction.

  4. Could make a drinking game out of this whole thing — every time Riley gets mentioned during a game, take a drink. That way you get ripped as the game goes along if commentators bonin’ up to him — you wake up the next day and don’t remember a thing win or lose.
    I’ll be stocking up on Sailor Jerry and coke for each game…..you guys?

  5. Several years back when Riley talked about – instead of forming – an identity, somebody here succinctly said [paraphrasing] “At some point, it doesn’t matter what you say you want to be. You are what you do over and over.” I liked that.

    To that extent, I’m good with Smith so far based on what he’s done at previous stops in getting to this point.

    But I don’t like the Riley hire, and Smith’s ability to accept or reject Riley’s input (or any other coaches) based on its merit will be key to my “approval” of Smith.

    Erickson refused to pursue employment with Smith. He essentially said: “It’s his job now. If he wants to call me, I’m willing to listen and talk. Otherwise, I’m staying out of it.” In contrast, Riley actively pursued employment with Smith. I don’t trust Riley at all, and suspect he’s placing himself in the event Smith falters/fails he can come back and “rescue” the program.

    Riley certainly doesn’t help the “5-person-average.” I don’t believe in zero sum hires; somebody adds to the organization or they detract from it (at the least because of the opportunity cost of having somebody else that is positive). Riley is a negative. Smith will need to compensate for him.

    • Not to defend Riley but I think there is something to letting a team find their identity. When the Rodgers Brothers were here (mostly James it felt like) the team had an identity that was created by the stars and everyone bought into it. I think when the lead players are team leaders that is big in getting a team to overachieve. On the flip side when no one steps up and the coach doesn’t impose an identity you get the floundering Riley years.

      • A decent coach knows the strengths and weaknesses of his or her team. The identity is apparent from year to year. Nail it down. Devise and drill your bread and butter into their heads. Go out and play like you practice.

        They’re going to do the last anyway. So why not make that last something prepared to see live play?

    • Yes, Riley “actively pursued employment with Smith”.
      Aggressively competing for a position is usually a good thing; putting JS on the spot by trading on past superior/subordinate relationship is NOT.

      An indicator of MR’s attitude was heard in a recent interview (sorry, no link) wherein he repeated the “I told JS to plug me in anywhere” line, but followed by saying the TE gig was his own (MR’s) idea. The hope here is that that remark was face saving by MR and that JS really did make the decision to keep him away from a position of wider direct influence.

  6. My main concern with Smith: Would he have been considered for any other P5 head coaching job in the country?

    Either we lucked out and had an inside track to land a diamond in the rough who nobody else realized had potential, or….we are OSU.

    I do really like Tibesar, from the little I’ve seen of him. I could see him actually being the better HC candidate 5 years down the road.

    • “Would he have been considered for any other P5 head coaching job in the country?”

      Highly unlikely.

      I do agree with you on the Tibesar hire and think we could see some pretty stout defenses here in the near future.

  7. Saw this on Twitter. “Oregon State RB Ryan Nall has become a hot commodity as the former Beaver has met with 21 teams.”

    No surprise.

    At one point he was the 9th fastest back, but wound up 14th.

  8. Women in tournament. Men start tomorrow with a winnable game against dogs and baseball team 12-0 and you bring this topic up again

  9. On to the b4, Chamberlain at 61 pitches; that’s enough to see how he does in a real game, look for another arm in the t5…….Tweedt?
    3-0 good guys. Kwan’s been picked off by a right hander and Adley has an E on errant throw.

  10. Eisert comes in to relieve Tweedt who gave up to runs and left 2 runners on the corners, all after 2 outs. Quick but shaky outing for Tweedt.
    Beavs still lead 3-2

    • He must be the guy that shoots 90% FT’s in practice and clanks 50% in games. I was shocked his name came up for one of the four starting spots in Surprise. I suspect we won’t see him much again except in blowout wins or losses. Casey and Yeskie gave him his shot and he didn’t perform.

  11. T8, 5-3 good guys on another 7th inning 2 RBI double by Adley.
    When will Warts pull Eisert to keep him viable for use this weekend?

    EDIT/ADD: Eisert strikes out the side in the t8, 6 K’s for facing 10 batters. 48 pitches.

  12. Mulholland throws strikes to close it out, has 4 saves on the season……..isn’t that a save for every appearance so far?

    • You can’t look at the past two bets and give UW points tonight. They should be the odds-on favorite straight up, but we find a way to beat the points against them. I’m guessing the only thing Vegas remembers from the last game was Tres’ half court bomb to end the game.

  13. Consider me a doubter regarding this, I suppose.

    Let me put it this way, I don’t feel this fear as described is wholly unfounded.

    But this also seems to based in part on the notion that Smith’s relationship with Chris Petersen will no longer continue at all, or be active?

    Look to the paraphrase Dennis Erickson gave, “If he wants to call me, I’m willing to listen and talk.”

    This tells me Smith is a coach who will actively communicate to whichever mentor he feels has the necessary knowledge or advice in the area he seeks.

    We’ll see, ofc.

  14. I am , by no means, an expert on NFL caliber players. But, I saw in McCrafferty a total unusual athlete. I will say, that Nall has the chance to be even better, with size at the NFL level. My concern is health. But, don’t be surprised in what happens if he gets there. Good Luck!

  15. Sorry to be off-topic (Smith and coaching) But, this football program will be or nor, built on quality and not 5 * athletes with work ethic and charater (if there is any anymore). Be prepared for 6-7 Win Seasons at its best for the Next forseeable years…….

    • There weren’t any 5 star guys on the Fiesta Bowl team. Just got to get an ass-kicking mentality. I was pumped for DE to return as an assistant coach to Jonathan. Disappointed that JS would have picked Riley over DE. Maybe DE wanted more $$

      • DE didn’t want to be on JS’s staff. JS wanted someone who he knew he could go to for advice and get paid for it and Riley agreed to less money for the role he agreed to take(TE coach/Assistant HC) MR is there mostly as an adviser as JS needs and if he doesn’t add value to JS after a year, I’d say bye bye Riley.

  16. Sorry to be off-topic (Smith and coaching) But, this football program will be or nor, built on quality and not 5 * athletes with work ethic and charater (if there is any anymore). Be prepared for 6-7 Win Seasons at its best for the Next forseeable years…….Hope for the best, however.

  17. I’m glad Riley is back in Corvallis. I told him that as I was walking to class and he seemed genuinely happy I said that.

    I don’t want to see him coaching at OSU, though. I want to see him working at Corvallis High School, because he will make a far greater impact there than at OSU both for the football program, and the general student population. CHS needs him more than OSU does.

  18. Appatently Pitt tried to buy out Kevin Stallings $10m contract with a reduced $7.5m buyout offer today, but Stallings didn’t take it. Now both side are denying the discussion happened. Pitt just sounds like a mess, and everybody is pointing the finger at Scott Barnes, who bailed within a year of hiring Stallings, for UPB(Us Poor Bastards)

    There’s no shortage of Barnes content on the tweeters today. This thread seems to describe the moment Barnes knew he needed to bounce.

    https://twitter.com/brett_hiltbrand/status/971473740910530560?s=19

    • Yeah, I really don’t like Barnes. Terrible personality and seems overall clueless…just throwing shit at the wall and hoping something sticks. Bob D was better.

      • I recall when it was rumored that Barnes was being considered for OSU and he blah blahed about how much he and his wife loved Pittsburgh and had no intention of leaving, The very next week he was gone. I know coaches/ADs are known for doing that sort of thing but it still seems rotten. No way of knowing what influence Andersen had in the choice of Barnes but even the rumor of it is a negative, to me.

      • If it fair to say he had a hand in running a major college hoops and football program into the ground in two separate situations or is that too harsh? One of my old mentors used to say three of anything is no longer luck,chance or circumstance, it’s a trend or tendency. I guess Barnes has one more in him (I hope not)?

  19. Why not call a Time out right there with over 8 seconds on the clock? Let’s you set up and run a play? Seems like you could’ve gotten a better look than that shitty one they got?

    • Hollins seems to be in and out of WT’s doghouse lately. I did notice Tres Tinkle hollering at Hollins and having to redirect him a couple of times on offense when it looked like he was just randomly running around. That being said, I hope Wayne does not screw this up, Hollins looks to have amazing potential. Somebody who actually looks fluid out there, unlike guys like Stacy and Kone.

      • I hope Stacy will at least get a degree out of his time at OSU. Senior Day photos of him were sad – the other two seniors with family and Ronnie standing there with Stevie Thompson and Reichle.

    • Refs don’t care about a 7-10 matchup in a down PAC year. If anything, they’d want OSU to advance so there is less threat to one of the few teams that might actually make the tourney.
      Not saying this is what happened, but it’s plausible.

    • If I remember correctly, I don’t think a single major conference team accepted a bid last year. I guess a lot of programs have smartened up and are not going to lose money to play in that thing.

      • I just remember the year the Beavs won the CBI there was no news about it. The next year when the ucks won, it was featured on SportsCenter like they won the freakin NCAAs or something. That’s when I finally decided to stop watching ESPN.

        • That was also the year the team playing oregon in the final had a crucial late game back court violation where the ball handler couldnt tell he had crossed the invisible half court line on Matt Court. Gave Oregon the chance at a final possession to win it.

        • Not only that but some schmuck fans criticized beaver nation for buying their way and even playing in it. Yet, when the ducks payed in it and won, you’d have thought by their reaction it was the NCAA tourney…..consummate hypocrites. I guarantee they will react in the same manner if beavs go to CBI which is likely.

          • Not sure CBI is likely. Tinkle recently said (sorry, no link) that paying to go to the CBI is worthwhile only when you have a very young team. There is wiggle room there, but he did seem darn close to saying he wouldn’t favor going this time around.

  20. Home field advantage?? This from Trevor Larnach regarding those Southern Cal boys from Fullerton and the series this weekend:

    “Being from California, I know they are going to be pretty cold,” … “We’ve got the heaters (in our dugout) and I don’t think they do. It’s in our favor being that it’s at home and cold and all that, but we’ve still got to play good baseball.”

    Actually, the temps during the day are looking pretty nice for March in Oregon.

    Same article has some thoughts from Casey on home and homes with Fullerton caliber teams. Including:

    “I wish they would create, like they have with the Big Ten/Pac-12 Challenge, I wish they’d do that with SEC or ACC and I wish they’d force the hand of some people, good conferences to play one another.”

    http://www.gazettetimes.com/sports/beavers-sports/baseball/osu-baseball-fullerton-heads-to-goss-for-marquee-matchup/article_058fcd3b-9478-507a-9e65-c81949a092ed.html

  21. C’mon guys! Accept another for old times’ sake. What about all the great experiences we shared? Like that time you beat that one team no one remembers, or the game where you beat that other team no one remembers for a championship no one cares about. Where’s the nostalgia?

  22. Hey NiceBeaver, Nemec is reporting over 100 visitors for OSU this weekend. Any idea if this is true? He says athletes so I’m not sure if it’s all football but nonetheless, it’s impressive if true.

    • Probably accurate. The TMP/EForce/FSP squads are traveling to both Oregon and Oregon State this weekend, plus there’s some 7on7 tournament going on, so lits of players will be around the area. Even if there are 100+ athletes, that doesn’t mean there will be 100+ D1 scholarship athletes visiting. But, good to get people onto campus regardless. Hopefully they come on a sunny day. There are several other athletes who are not on the 3 squads mentioned above. I dont have time to track down all of the nanes, but I suspect they’ll be released by Nemec or some other media soon enough.

  23. That’s one of the worst performances of a half I’ve watched all year. Lucky to only be down 10. Can someone please explain what kind of an offense we run? Motion? All I see is ball screens outside the 3 point line, spacing and guys running around the perimeter. I see USC setting back picks and screens in the lane and under the basket which seems to be the more effective of the two.

    What happened to that high/low action we saw against UW? Only effective against a zone D?

    OSU offense just looks like rat ball to me.

    • “Hey guys, let’s slow down every possession and watch Stevie chuck off balance hot garbage the whole game. 1-2-3-Go Beavs!”

      If Tres had a rolled ankle and couldn’t walk this morning, why not expect that he won’t do much better than a 3-15 game if you play him 35 minutes? Bad coaching to lean on Tres against such an athletic line-up on a bum ankle.
      This was one of those games where the coaches boys needed to be coached by someone other than there dads. Stevie needs to sit sometime for missing wide open 3s. I’d say this was a game they showed grit to not get beat by 30. About the worst shooting effort they could have had.

      • “About the worst shooting effort they could have had”

        I’ll give some credit to USC for their defense tonight but that was some of the poorest shot selection I’ve ever seen all year. How can you get good looks when you’ve got one guy going 1 on 1 and 3-4 other guys standing around with their thumb up their ass? Whatever the fuck this offense is that they run, I don’t like it. They aren’t going to win playing like that against most of the other teams in this conference that have better athletes.

        Been saying this for awhile. They need to go back to the style they played in Tinkle’s first year.

  24. Brutal game tonight. Men’s BB season mercifully over. Let’s hope they pass on a CBI invite. There sure wasn’t much performance-wise in this USC game to promote optimism about next year.

  25. I was also annoyed that being down 10 with three minutes left you would think they actually have some plays to try to get the shooters open threes. If there are such plays, I didn’t see them. I saw Drew stuck with the ball in all kinds of awkward spots outside the paint though and the Thompson brothers passing the ball to each other 35 feet away from the basket.

  26. A couple more salaries coming off thr books(at least partially)
    Hall gets the DBs coach job at Western Michigan and Mitch Singler sounds like has picked up a spot with Duke(where his cousin Kyle played hoops)
    Has anybody seen anything about Klune? Guy must be toxic

    • Remember when I said I watched the Clune interview on youtube and he seemed stupid but also was berating players, and everyone got all over me?
      Yeah…………

      Actually I found it: http://angrybeavs.com/football/11999
      Can’t find the one where I said he sounded stupid, but it’s somewhere.

      This came up while looking for the post, and is a funny read in retrospect: http://angrybeavs.com/football/11982

      So many people got butt hurt and stood up for GA the moment I questioned him. Turns out all those things and a lot more were valid to bring up just 1 year into this tenure.

      A@A’s statement of “Wow” to lead things off so apropos.

      • thanks for the trip down memory land, AB. Say, whatever happened to Chuckie and Ran? Anyway, I always go into those threads to check my own performance. In December 2015 I criticized GA for running Del Rio off and predicted he would end up the starter at Florida. (Check.) I suggested that MM should have been the starter in the middle of the preceding season, and said he was getting better as the season wore on. (right again.)

          • I still can’t believe that Utah game where GA and his staff basically said that the reason Nall did not get any carries was that the Utes run defense was just too strong. That should have sent off sirens and bells back then. Just bizarre shit from a coaching staff and of course the Oregon media did nothing to pursue it.

  27. Wow, from Dec 2015, 1 year into GA

    I’m not calling for his head. I’m calling for him to get out of his own fucking way. The guy is self sabotaging.

    Maybe there is some method to the madness, but it will sure be a circuitous and illogical route.

    It’s like walking through the woods and instead of taking the blazed trail you decide to whip out a machete and bushwhack. Why?

    UGH! Why is everything so glaringly obvious to me!?
    *Sigh*

  28. Angry got me thinking back on my comments from GA hire in Dec 2014:

    Mine:
    As long as we are good to him: $ wise, sell outs, giving him 3 years to get his guys and let his coaches coach. I think he’ll be here throughout his contract and possibly get a year or 2 extension depending upon his desires of college vs. NFL coaching.

    LOL wow…optimistic I was.

    Beaverkman’s rebuttle:
    As long as he leaves it better than he started I fine.
    Riley didn’t do that from his second stint.

    My comment about JS coming to Oregon State as an OC:

    Which is why it WON’T be Jonathan smith or current standing OC. Moving Woods and McGiven from Co-OC would be “shaking up coaching assignments”. So ya, I can be reasonable. It was an outside shot to get J Smith.

    Dec 29, 2016
    WhiskeySoakedNapkins comment to mine about JS to Oregon State as an OC under GA.

    “It was an outside shot to get J Smith”

    There was no shot of JS coming to Oregon St. The only person that came up with that half brained conjecture and believed it? Look in the mirror.

    • Probably my last comment on basketball, but did anyone see the campaigning in the media by WT? I’m paraphrasing, but he has a quote about the “great progress” from this year to last year.

      What disingenuous bullshit. He continues to make it sound like he had all freshmen out there. He knows that they actually underachieved. I’m starting to like the guy less and less. Five years will be enough unless he can break through next season. Time for a winning record in league and another NCAA bid.

      • Next year will show us all we need to know. If he’s a decent pac coach, he’ll be able to take the talent and experience and give us wins. If we don’t get wins with the talent and experience, well then there ya go.

  29. “disingenuous bullshit?”,,,,,,,you want disingenuous bullshit? How about the 3b ump who just gave Casey the heave ho?

    3-2 Titans lead, t7. Luke gone after 111 pitches.

  30. On to the b9, 5-3 Titans. Beavs with 3 E’s and 2 WP’s tonight.
    Taylor, Armstrong and Kwan due up in the first b9 of the year for the Beavs.

  31. Final 5-3, 3 unearned runs collected by Fullerton were the difference.
    Mark Buchanan, tonights 3b ump will move over for tomorrows game………but which way? Last week umps moved clockwise, luck-o-da Beavs may dictate a counterclockwise move?

    • Agree, all phases. Including missing cut off man on throw from outfield.
      Jim Wilson noticed lack of “spark” and attributed it to Madrigal not playing, you know Casey won’t accept that as the problem.

      • Just one game for sure, but it’s been a while since a Beaver team was on the wrong side of the fundamentals. Like someone said, one earned run out of five tells the story.

      • Because it’s the only thing in the news that doesn’t make us look like a bunch of depressing, disorganized and dumbshit suckers hoping feelings and infantile logic can will us to back to a mediocrity which we also make some fantasy of greatness.

        • Well, the news is/was trying to make the team and the fan base look like a bunch of sexual deviant supporters, so that is actually tying to be taken away too. Women’s hoops and Scott Rueck are the only thing that seems pure, but even then the media is going crazy over Ionescu and the Ducks in a way that did not happen with the Beavs success. Such is life.

      • Speaking of shady, what’s going on with the Sean Miller thing? Was he on the wiretap or not? Either he’s lying or the media is, right? Sounds like it’s established that it wasn’t Ayton he was taking with, so I would think spastic face has the upper hand now? Love to see Miller gone, just because he’s an ass and Arizona deserves a fall for awhile. but if he didn’t really do anything wrong then he’s not going anywhere.

        • I would guess the FBI has proof a conversation existed talking about money for a player, but doesn’t have evidence that money actually exchanged hands. Otherwise they would have arrested Miller and there would be a legal case.
          The conversation isnt proof that anything illegal actually happened.

          • Good point. It was interesting that he quickly removed himself from the team, but then came back strong in that press conference. I wonder if ESPN or whoever it was will be sued. Pretty serious allegations. I can’t believe those numbnuts were not 100% sure of the facts.

        • I don’t want Miller to go. He’s a horrible coach. Zony is going to get the talent they want because they have that train rolling right now. Keeping Miller would make them beatable every year.

          • I don’t care about his x’s and o’s. I’m sick of his manic facial expressions and spastic antics on the sideline. I hope he is guilty of this shit, maybe they can bring O’Neal back and derail. I miss the Snowden years!

          • I saw something about Miller considering legal action against ESPN, might just be speculation, but it would not surprise me if something happens at the end of the season.

  32. Whoa! Four game suspension for Casey!
    Buchanan gets the “junior Gregg Street” award for the week.

    t3, Beavs up 3-0, Titan pitcher at 55 pitches in just 2 innings.

    • Get used to it. Casey will be faced with comparable poorly called games throughout the year. It will be a form of passive/aggressive pay-back while the conference stays silent over the handling of the CWS. Casey allowing Heimlich to play isn’t a good look to many who don’t know the facts and don’t want to know, but are simply worried about optics.
      Casey’s patience will be tested throughout the year as these types of blown calls pile up and become a vendetta against this team, and Casey.
      I thnk he retires after this year.

      • Interesting observation, hard to disagree.
        Two questions:
        1) are you actually watching from Ohio?
        2) if Casey retires, how do ya feel about him as AD? I’ve always felt he might be a hard task master for other coaches to work for; he sure has done well fund raising though.

        • 1) no
          2)All for it, and his first order of business to should be to can the TE coach, then rip down the banner on VFC

          OT is JS “high output/low ego” ideal as good as “highly competitive/low tolerance for losing” ideal that I think Casey has?

  33. Beaver transfer news………Derrick Bruce is going dancing, Texas Southern won the SWAC again with a 15-19 record. I think Nevada gets an at large berth, so Hallice Cooke will be there. Malcolm Duvivier can sit down, Akron is not going anywhere.

  34. From Lundeberg’s gamer:

    Bailey ran the show for coach Pat Casey, who was ejected in the seventh inning of Friday’s loss while arguing a check-swing call with umpire Mark Buchanan. Casey is alleged to have made contact with an umpire and was suspended for Saturday’s game.

    According to the NCAA rulebook, contacting an umpire triggers a four-game ban. The length of Casey’s suspension is to-be-announced.

    http://www.gazettetimes.com/sports/beavers-sports/baseball/osu-baseball-without-casey-beavers-even-series/article_9a5333fe-715b-50c4-ab77-69c44efa7baf.html

  35. Stayed the night in Eugene last night. Our hotel also housed the Competitive Acrobatics & Tumbling team from Qunnipiac.
    Apparently this weekend there was a huge 3 way Tumbling meet at Matt Knight Arena between the #2, #4 and #6 ranked teams in the nation. Oregon, Quinnipiac and Gannon.
    How competitive is the sport of tumbling if Quinnipiac and Gannon are in the top 6?

  36. Latest from Lundeberg via twitter:

    “Still no word from the Pac-12 on the length of Pat Casey’s suspension, but the coach is out again today.”

    I missed radio pre-game, anyone have news to add?

      • Thanks.

        And Butthurt Buchanan, at first base today, will not miss a paycheck? We’ll see if any serious dispute is made by OSU; not counting on Barnes stepping up even though Jim Wilson says he has seen video and photo evidence of Buchanan’s ineptness (my word, not Wilson’s).

  37. Lundeberg tweets the final word (officially confirming the TV guys above):

    Per OSU, Pat Casey is serving a four-game suspension. He will return for Sunday’s series finale against California.

  38. A 3 pitch K gets Pearce out of the t7 giving up 1 run and stranding 2.
    5-4 good guys, looking like 5 runs may not be enough to win, seventh inning has been good to the Beavs, we’ll see.

  39. BOT – back on topic, would be best if Smith came through as his own man, own identity…I understand the “more like/less like” comparison/contrast, but it occurs to me most winners establish their own identity, though influences are clearly important. Can he take what he’s been taught past where he found it?

    https://vimeo.com/34802527

    • It appeared to me he stole a HR but it was too close to really tell. At a minimum, it was a double off the top of the wall putting a runner in scoring position with 2 outs. Great catch!

  40. Larnach makes great catch in right field to end the game. 5-4 Beavs. It appeared the ball would have been over the fence to tie the game, or at a minimum, a double off the wall with two outs. Mullholand saves the day again. 15-1 nice start for the Beavs!

  41. Wow, who did Andy Enfield piss off? ASU and UCLA in USC out. Of course the SEC gets favoritism no matter the sport, Alabama in with a 19-15 record.

    • would love to see the explanation for why the 9th place team from the Pac gets in and the 2nd place team gets left out? Alabama in over USC? Fucking please

      • Commisioner Scott will roll over on this ESPN/SEC debacle as well.

        Hurley on the sideline gets ESPN east coast eyeballs-ASU in…UCLA has Lonzo Ball’s brother…er uh well they have all of those great players…uh er they have Steve Alford on the sideline, eyeballs from the midwest know Alford and may watch.
        ESPN says “Who is the coach at USC? Andy who? Nah, they shouldn’t get in, nobody knows that guy.” Enfeld will head back east as soon as he has a chance.

        NCAA has trolled the Pac12 again. The non-conference wins for ASU 4 months ago should not out-weigh the 2-11 or whatever conference finish they had.

        Alabama has a star that they want to feature on pre-game. Remember he was so good that he almost won a game by himself when they had multiple guys foul out, suspended, hurt whatever but he almost won that game back in November when no one cared, but he was so awesome he socred 50 in a 3 vs 5 rat ball game, so yes, Alabama is worthy to be in…

        • And Trey Young is the de facto player of the year…pretty much since ESPN decided to over-hype him in Dec. How Oklahoma deserves to be in anymore than ASU or Alabama is the point. All 3 were undeserving but NCAA and ESPn scratch each other’s back along with SEC and Big 12, the 2 greatest basketball conferences in the country. lol

          • I do have to say that ESPN did disturb reality with their coverage of Trae Young. OU was a common game on Saturday’s early in the season. Then ESPN made it the Trae Young show instead of a game. It’s not like Okie is that good a team. Their collective abilities are less than the Beavs. So I get why anyone focused on Young when watching them. It probably pissed quite a few teammates off that they were just one of his elves. I stopped watching OU altogether one Saturday when ESPN focused one camera on Young and showed that as the game angle. I lasted maybe fie minutes before figuring this was just how they were going to show the game. It was horrible.

            I think ASU and OU are about 5-19 in their last dozen games each.

          • http://ftw.usatoday.com/2018/03/oklahoma-trae-young-ncaa-tournament-bracket-reason-reaction-college-basketball-bubble

            If the dance is a TV show, it’s because there are teams who show up in February and roll into the tourney knowing how to win. Those teams are the ones who put the madness in March. I would much rather face OU, Cuse or ASU than I would St Mary’s, USC or MTSU. I watched Providence and Davidson win over the weekend. Those are two good teams who are a damn sight better than some of the middling P5 teams who back into the dance. They’re lesser in talent, but they’re much better teams who can beat better talent on any given day.

            The NCAA will kill their own product because they lack the long-term vision that madness brings to the legitimacy of their product. It’s like everything else in this country at the moment. If it doesn’t make max profits now, it’s the wrong choice.

  42. No CBI so the men’s hoops season is officially over. The NIT has renamed itself the PAC-12 Mens basketball classic.

    • I noticed that for the second year in a row, zero major conference teams signed up for the CBI. I don’t know how they exist? Just seems like another CIT now. Do they make enough money off of getting teams to pay? Didn’t CR have some connection to the Gazelle Group and that’s why the Beavs kept playing in it?

      • Honestly I don’t remember and personally don’t care. That era of OSU basketball is over. I fail to see how these pay to play tournaments are going to survive. Watching Hartford and San Diego in the CIT on CBS sports and literally it looks like less than 500 people are there. Even 500 might be a stretch. You can hear coaches and players yelling. Zero atmosphere whatsoever for a postseason tournament game.

        Anyone else remember that Vegas 16 tournament that started up a couple years ago that was spouting off that they were going to be the next best tournament after the NCAA’s? That original Vegas 16 bracket only included 8 teams because they couldn’t find 16 that wanted to play in it and none of the 8 were from a P5 conference. The tournament seems to have died and wasn’t held last year nor will it be this year.

        Andy Enfield has told his players that are going to be declaring for the draft that they can choose not to play in the NIT if they wish. USC and St Mary’s both got totally jobbed being left out of the field of 68.

        • It’s kind of not over, about the same performance as before except for GP-2 saving the day for one season. Beaver hoops is ground hog day.

          • The Craig Robinson era is in fact, over.

            That said I am giving WT next year and that’s it. If he can’t get a team full of upperclassmen back to the tournament, he isn’t going to.

          • Like I said, everything old is new again and not in a positive way. We were having this conversation 5 years ago, unfortunately in regards to another senior lead line up that supposedly had promise.

    • I don’t have the exact numbers, but KT Prep 7on7 was there yesterday in the late afternoon/early evening with somewhere around 50 guys(probably a little less)
      Tmp mafia 7on7 was there today with around 50 guys.
      I havent heard if Team Lillard 7on7 visited or if they will wait till a less busy time of year.
      And Team FSP 7on7 had 2 guys visit back on Friday, I believe.

      Plus I’shawn Stewart who committed, was on an official visit Thurs-Saturday.

      So overall, over 100 total guys from various age groups going clear back to middle school.

  43. From all the posts on social media, looks like they had a good time. Also saw isaiah rutherford visited unofficially. Keep the visits coming!!!

  44. Scott’s crew sent to Knoxville. Vols in game two.
    Golden Gophers going to Eugene. That would be a sweet miracle upset in the second round.

    • to play 11 seed Western Kentucky roughly 200 miles from their campus. I fail to see how that’s a favorable match-up for a 6 seed. The committee did them no favors and if they manage to get past that first game they aren’t beating Tennessee in their gym. I called this miserable end to the hoops season for both teams over a month ago and I think they lose that first game.

      • “if they manage to get past that first game (WKU) they aren’t beating Tennessee in their gym. I called this miserable end to the hoops season for both teams over a month ago and I think they lose that first game.”

        Brilliant.

  45. CASEY:
    Eggers wasn’t on hand at Goss last Friday, he is still able to write a worthwhile story on Casey’s suspension.

    He mentions Barnes (who declined to be interviewed) and Marianne Vydra. He points out “This was Casey’s second ejection in the last five seasons. It was the first suspension of his 31-year college coaching career. “

    Eggers asks, “Who is making these rules, Vladimir Putin? “

    And concludes, “The NCAA needs to change three things about the rule immediately, if not sooner.
    Four games — in a 56-game schedule — is too much for a first offense. One game, perhaps two, is sufficient.
    The rules committee must differentiate between the seriousness of actions against the umpire. A brush of a cap isn’t the same as a spit to the face or shove to the shoulder.
    And there absolutely must be an appeals process. There can be extenuating circumstances that should be factored into any penalty.

    Casey may well have deserved an ejection from Buchanan. But to be served an additional four-game suspension? The penalty doesn’t fit the crime. It’s like be-heading a pedestrian for a jaywalking violation.”

    http://portlandtribune.com/pt/12-sports/389327-280291-suspension-of-osu-baseball-coach-pat-casey-doesnt-fit-crime

    • Casey definitely deserved the ejection. He was past the point of return when he ran out there. I don’t have much issue with the suspension length.

      • I haven’t seen anyone question the ejection, the rule is clear regarding arguing balls/strikes/and,therefore, checked swings.

        Problem is, the rulebook is just as clear that contact with the ump will result in a 4 game suspension. While Eggers’ “beheading a jaywalker” comparison may be over the top, I thought he put forth a good argument for the three changes to the contact rule which he advocates.

        Do you actually believe Casey deserves, with no mechanism for appeal, the same punishment here as if he had sucker punched Butthurt Buchanan?

        • Is there any recognition that the ump was prodding the dugout and during the verbal exchange actually leaned into Casey as much as Casey leaned toward him? A little more perspective regarding the coach-baiting ump with a Napoleon syndrome might be valuable to balance the discussion. Why is he automatically exonerated when there is contact, if he had as much of a role in the situation as Casey?

          • “coach-baiting ump with a Napoleon syndrome”, well said. And that complex was only exacerbated by having his foul/fair call reversed……..in front of God and everyone!

            That’s why I’ve advocated for a review of Buchanan’s entire body of work this weekend. Since the suspension cannot be appealed, every avenue for having Buchanan’s performance evaluated should be explored.

      • You think the touching of a bill against an eyebrow is severe enough to warrant Coach Casey missing 7% of the team’s regular season? Shit, if he knew if was going to get four games for that little touch, he should have bitch-whipped the dumb shit and gotten his money’s worth. The attempted fair ball call was horrendous and it went downhill from there. Buchanan should be umping senior slow-pitch softball. The Beavs are going to get screwed this year, I feel it.

        • Agreed, I don’t think it was a coincidence that it was the Friday night start and Heimlich was on the mound. Ineptitude like that doesn’t get you into the Pac12 conference as an umpire…er well maybe…he may be up for a promotion to the league office at this point. It is highly likely that Buchanan will be the new conference Umpiring QC Oversight and Training Administrator. (sarc)

          • I don’t think Buchanan is in training, see EDIT below.
            He didn’t work the plate, I believe, because he started the three game series at third base and the umps rotated in a clockwise direction (Saturday at 2nd, Sunday at 1st); had there been a fourth game he’d have then rotated from first to home plate.

            EDIT/ADD: Buchanan is listed as homeplate ump in the box score for the Beavs vs Nebraska in Surprise AZ on Feb 25, 2017.

      • There are some eye witness accounts of people close to 3rd base that state that Casey was in the dugout walking the other direction in disgust. This is when the official decided to yell at the team about their reaction to the call. This is when Casey decided to come out of the dugout to discuss what was perceived to be the official’s behavior towards his team. About 2 steps out of the dugout the official tossed Casey. So what Casey was intending to argue is not known. In the altercation the official was said to have been exuberant in the statement “you touched me” when Casey’s bill came in contact with the officials forehead. When I watched it the official looked a little like a basketball player trying to get a charging foul when they move their lower body in to draw contact while trying to make it look as they never moved.

        • ….Buchanan clearly leaned in with his gate puffed forward, his head cocked to the side, with lips puckered-up looking to lock-on to Casey’s lips or buttocks. Casey was surprised by it but overted with a tip of the cap, obviously flattered by the gesture.

  46. Perhaps Casey didn’t want to make the same mistake twice by giving another poor ump the benefit of the doubt. Rather, he went all in on behalf of his team and took on the obvious ineptitude and attitude of the ump.

  47. GT has a short piece on Casey watching games from home. Not the in-depth stuff like Eggers, but worth reading.
    I just recently learned that a suspended coach cannot even be at the ballpark. As Lundeberg points out, no TV for the Cal series; Casey will have to follow first two games via radio (Parker? Cal broadcaster?).
    http://www.gazettetimes.com/sports/beavers-sports/baseball/osu-baseball-suspension-difficult-for-casey/article_6f60faad-4264-5306-9544-056c609d569a.html

    • Hopefully he doesn’t have to listen to Warren calling the game.
      Is Parker back this week, or do they put him on the WBB tourney game(s)?

      • Parker returns to baseball on Friday.

        Ron Callan has done WBB all year and I expect him to continue in that role (BTW, I enjoy his manner). I liken him to Eggers in that his work covers such a wide range; he does FB sideline, WBB, does daily sports update on a Portland radio station, and is the PA announcer for one of the Seattle Pro Teams (Seahawks?). Even sang the German Natl Anthem with Marie’s dad at her senior day in Gill!

  48. UCLA with an early exit loss to St Bonaventure. in 5 years Alford has never won the Pac-12 or gotten them past the sweet 16. Does UCLA finally realize he’s a mediocre coach and move on?

  49. Nemec said OSU made public the coaches recruiting geographies and the emphasis is in state and west coast. Does anyone know where these assignments can be found online?

  50. Women’s potentially gets to face Tennessee and see 3 girls who played high school ball in Oregon that they missed out on.

    Rueck needs to be locking up the top homegrown talent going forward. Cant miss on the big time recruit at southridge. At least can’t lose her to Oregon like ionescu.

    • While I agree with all you say, it seems to me that Rueck considers at a lot more than basketball talent when he recruits. Not sure he feels he has “lost” many of those who have gone on to show talent on the floor.

          • It didn’t sound to me as if Jack was talking about religion per se, although a 5* atheist point guard might feel awkward playing for OSU’s wbb team. Going back to Jamie Weisner days, I recall an article/interview where her parents asked Rueck if he “would take care of their daughter.” Her dad thought she should have signed with a better program but Jamie convinced him she knew what she was doing so he gave in once assured that Rueck would “take care of their daughter.” I got the impression that, although Jamie was deeply religious, it might have had more to do with the lesbian aspect. I see players’ tweets with Bible verses, etc., but I have never heard or seen anything in the media from Rueck promoting religion.

          • Which is it, character or religion?

            What Scotty sells on the recruiting trail is well known because other people recruit the same players and talk to them as well. When they have to keep fielding stupid negative narratives, they eventually ask the PSAs, “Who the hell told you all that crap?”

            And PSAs are honest, for the most part. If they’re not, and they think they’re clever, they still end up going somewhere. That somewhere can be telling to anyone with half a brain.

            Wbb isn’t as ubiquitous on the lower levels as mbb is. So the participants are just that much lesser, making the grapevine more clear..

            So it is well known in hoops circles what each of the coaches sells

          • And people who dislike bias for whatever reason are who will be uncomfortable with bias of any kind. It doesn’t have to be an atheist.

        • Character, religion, willingness to put team first, teachable, unlikely to rebel, or what have you.

          I’ll admit, I think Rueck is topnotch and accepted, for example, not getting Ionescu as a situation where “Scott knows best”. However, to this point, I haven’t seen Ionescu exhibit the prima dona aspect I originally expected caused him to “pass” on her.

          “Pass on her” maybe too strong in this case, Mark Campbell and other issues may have been the deciding factors. Point remains, I don’t think he is infallible; just WAY above the average in his field.

          • Missing possibly the biggest point. Rueck will watch closely to see how a recruit interacts and gets along with current players. From time to time he will talk about how important this is in recruiting players.

          • Nope… nothing to do with character… not even close.

            It’s just religion, and it’s spun so far as to suggest to PSAs and their families that the girls won’t spend their time in college turning onto “those kind” of women. It’s well known by coaches and PSAs on the West Coast, especially programs led by “those kind” of women who have been winning in the Pac forever.

            That open bias is also why Scotty misses on the must gets. There was no fucking “Scotty knows best” bullshit with Ionescu. That was just a miss created by previous misses plus a projected culture which doesn’t fit with most top recruits. He’s pretty much settled for being Notre Dame lite. But it’s his program, and he gets to put a glass ceiling on it if he wants to do so.

          • That getting pumped in the FF glass ceiling.

            We’ll see if it ever happens again. Eschewing talent for for patriarchy has won Notre Dame a bunch of championships.

          • Sorry… I forgot.

            Mediocrity is success, therefore, almost winning is winning.

            Forgive me. We didn’t have participation trophies when I was a kid.

          • Did the ladies get to the FF because of team chemistry, commonality of thought on religious matters, coaching, talent?

            Does inserting pieces that don’t fit that blueprint help get them over the top, due to lack of ‘top tier talent’?

            Does inserting pieces that don’t fit that blueprint keep them from reaching the FF, despite having ‘top tier talent’?

            Chicken? Egg?

          • UConn pumped everyone that year.
            I have noticed a strong religious focus on some players’ Twitter accounts, more than the average athlete.

          • Jack, some families don’t want to send their daughters to a four/ five year lesbian indoctrination camp. If that is truly his niche, so be it. If he gets religiously oriented girls, great. The prior coach at Minnesota was so over the top with her preaching that she ran a Final Four program into the ground and scared off most of the high end in state recruits. They finally had to can her and this in a hyper liberal environment that used to have an entirety separate Women’s Athlectic program complete with their own AD and logo that turned the Minnesota M into a Ms symbol. The new coach is also a lesbian, but not in your face about it. She actually has some straight women speak to her team. Oh the horror! If only our FB and MBB teams could be so “mediocre.”

          • Religiosity, or not, ‘Lil Scotty seems to recruit high output, low ego types. Come to think of it so does Casey. Maybe ‘Lil John Riley is following in that mold.

          • Jack, you and your religious zealotry are hilarious. You don’t even see that by rejecting the possibility of a God it requires more faith than those that do believe in God.

            If you really say that being in the top 10 national programs is mediocrity then I don’t know that there is anyone that could have a reasonable discussion with you. I would say your religious bigotry is a major blindspot for you and you maybe should do some self examination.

          • Every coach and program has their pitch. Whatever pitch Scott is using top bring in 5 star recruits the past couple of years, I would say stick with it. Three straight PAC championships and a ff appearance is elite. I say, keep it rolling!

          • Did the ladies get to the FF because of team chemistry, commonality of thought on religious matters, coaching, talent?

            Coaching and talent dictate teamwork. All else is irrational bullshit justifying itself by trying to explain away or praise the level of teamwork attained. There’s no chicken/egg scenario. Get good players. Coach them up. Play ball. The reality is that the players all know each other and know who they mesh with. Scotty’s misses fit extremely well with our players, so that’s a moot point. Having an arbitrary overt “culture” template only constrains the level the team can attain. It’s also not his job while at this university if it’s based on religiosity. But he’s a good coach who wins, so he gets a pass on that for now. Just don’t expect to win it all if you eschew dynamism for your safe little arbitrary monoculture.

            Jack, some families don’t want to send their daughters to a four/ five year lesbian indoctrination camp.

            That’s nice. Then don’t. Meanwhile, we grown-ups send our kids to schools which will expand their vision and teach them to know their limitations, not keep them snug in their comfortable programming so they can go back to the same mentality they had before they entered school. Fortunately, many of these kids can see all the bullshit their elders throw at them in the name of whatever “loving” deities they ostensibly worship. I promise you the preaching you note is the exception to the rule that lesbians are getting frozen out of coaching jobs more and more, regardless of how outspoken they may be. If OSU wants to be a part of that antagonism, don’t be surprised when PSAs who dislike bias for whatever reason also do not choose OSU. Also do not be surprised when they never take the next step… or even attain the same heights previously reached.

            And I didn’t say wbb was mediocre. I just said they reached their apex. And then I apologized for being blunt, because I now know that many OSU fans conflate mediocrity with success, so it follows that success would be conflated with winning it all. It’s a great achievement. But it won’t get better because of the arbitrary religiosity imposed upon our public institution’s program.

  51. I wish college football had that touching/suspension rule back in my day. Three small touches with the bill of my hat and a season long paid vacation. i could have spend those Saturdays home on the couch watching some real football. Oh well…

    • Is there a limit to how many people can join the group?
      Would it be worthwhile to promote the link in the twitter feed to see how many people we can get to join, or do you want to keep it confined to this forum?

  52. One reason Derrick Bruce is able to play at Texas Southern, check out their grad rates.

    Low 20%s. That’s actually better than many years ago when it was in the teens!

    • Many are bemoaning the fact the Bruce could have been the PG the Beavs need, but it’s interesting that he’s not a PG for Texas Southern, mostly he’s a spot up wing looking for threes. He doesn’t have the ball in his hands very often.

    • What were the odds on that game? It should have been only a point or so in Miami’s favor. Loyola has been good to great all year, and Miami’s last game saw them jump out to a 14-0 lead only to get stomped. The selection committee has a lot of over/underseeds this year. Either they have a bunch of new people who don’t have a clue or their metrics are screwed up beyond those we already know are screwed up… or both.

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