Remembering Bill Davidge​

The longtime Blue Jackets broadcaster and pillar in the Ohio hockey community passed away Wednesday at age 72



For Bill Davidge, it was always about the people.

He loved the game of hockey, and may have loved golf just as much, but he loved the people the most.

His time as a player and coach was marked by the relationships he built with his teammates and players. His memorable stint as a Blue Jackets broadcaster and ambassador made every trip to the rink or a charity event into a reunion. Every tee time was a chance to catch up with an old friend or meet a new one.

Davidge, a fixture in the CBJ community for the organization’s first two decades who could best be described as simply “Mr. Blue Jacket,” passed away Wednesday at age 72.

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R.I.P.

ScriptOhio said:

Re:

Kyle Busch called for medical attention at Watkins Glen International on May 10, just weeks before his death at 41 on Thursday, May 21. Fox NASCAR announcers noted that he had a "sinus cold," and Busch later told reporters he had a "substantial" cough

According to multiple people familiar with the situation, Busch reportedly became unresponsive Wednesday while testing in a Chevrolet racing simulator in Concord, North Carolina before being transported to a Charlotte-area hospital. Less than 24 hours later, NASCAR confirmed the two-time Cup Series champion had died at 41 years old.

Just sayin': (what the hell they were doing in the days leading up to his death?) Apparently he kept racing. A week earlier he had pneumonia (or a sinus infection/coughing that quickly developed into pneumonia). A doctor on a news channel (who admitted that he never examined Busch) speculated that the G forces of racing and the simulator could have forced the infection (i.e. pneumonia) deeper into his lungs resulting in a rapid escalation of the illness.

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So I reiterate - what the hell were they doing? You're not anywhere near normal when you have this severe of a case of pneumonia. Been there and got the tshirt.

Maybe he refused treatment - but his family hopefully at least tried to slow him down and get him seen/treated. And if a doctor did examine him and allowed him to leave with minimal treatment we might see a lawsuit sooner or later.

Just sayin - what's publicly out there doesn't jive with my own experiences. Someone fucked up - either Kyle, or his family or any doctors he may have seen....

ScriptOhio said:

Packers' Josh Jacobs says former WR Henry Ruggs III trains while in prison, hopeful for second chance in NFL

Ruggs is first eligible for parole on Aug. 5, 2026

www.cbssports.com

Packers' Josh Jacobs says former WR Henry Ruggs III trains while in prison, hopeful for second chance in NFL​

Ruggs is first eligible for parole on Aug. 5, 2026​

Green Bay Packers Pro Bowl running back Josh Jacobs said he stays in touch with former Las Vegas Raiders and Alabama Crimson Tide teammate Henry Ruggs III, and he revealed that Ruggs is still training and holding out hope of an NFL return.

"I still talk to Henry. Henry still calls me. I still help him out. ... We're still connected. I know his whole family. He's from Alabama. He played with me at Bama. His momma and them taught me how to bowl. ... Keeping up with him and hearing him talk, it brings me spirits, because he's always positive," Jacobs said on "The Pivot Podcast."

"He's positive about everything. He's training. They let him train and things like that, so I'm like, 'When you come out, man, I don't know if you will get a chance.' I've been talking to some people for him. They've been saying a couple of teams are willing to give him a chance. I'm like, 'When you get that chance, man, you better not ever, don't look back, and prove to yourself and prove to everybody that one decision don't define you and who you are as a man.'"

Ruggs, the 12th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, was speeding early in the morning of Nov. 2, 2021 with alcohol in his system. Ruggs' Corvette hit a 23-year-old woman, Tina Tintor, who died in the wreck. Ruggs, now 26 years old, pled guilty to one count of driving under the influence resulting in death, a felony, and another count of vehicular manslaughter, a a misdemeanor.
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Henry Ruggs III begins parole process, seeks early release from prison after vehicular manslaughter conviction​

While speaking with the Nevada Board of Parole on Monday, Ruggs expressed contrition over his actions related to a Nov. 2021 collision that left a 23-year-old woman dead.

“Not a minute goes by where I don’t think of the pain I caused her family, her friends and the Las Vegas community,” Ruggs told the parole board, per AL.com's Mark Inabinett. “I’m a religious person and pray for her family daily."

On the morning of Nov. 4, 2021, Ruggs' Corvette collided with Tintor's car. At the time of the collision, Ruggs' vehicle was traveling 127 miles per hour. Tintor and her dog were killed in the wreck.

Ruggs was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and/or controlled or prohibited substance resulting in death, driving under the influence of alcohol and/or controlled or prohibited substance resulting in death or substantial bodily harm, two counts of reckless driving resulting in death or substantial bodily harm and possession of a gun under the influence of alcohol or drugs. His blood-alcohol concentration was measured to be .161, two times the legal limit in the state of Nevada.

Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson said Ruggs could face more than 50 years in prison if convicted of all the charges. At the trial, Wolfson's office accepted a plea deal with Ruggs, citing concerns over the potential suppression of the results of Ruggs' blood test.

Ruggs was sentenced to from three to 10 years in prison for his role in the accident. On Monday, he appealed to the Nevada Board of Parole to grant him "the privilege of parole so I can prove myself to everyone."

“I take full responsibility for my actions that led to Ms. Tintor’s death and her dog Max,” Ruggs said, per Las Vegas Review Journal.

Commissioners did not announce a decision on whether they would grant or deny parole for Ruggs during the hearing. They said they'll come to a decision in the next few weeks.

cincibuck said:

That, and Jane Fonda.

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You should have stopped typing there.

What does this have to do with Va Tech and Franklin? Well, not much. Just remembering the 50s, when the school still went by VPI. I'm watching a college football scores round-up, and the screen shows something like "Citadel 14 - VPI 21."
I ask the ol' man, "What does VPI stand for?"
And being a wiseass, he says."Vice Presidents Institute."
And I ask, "What do they study to be?"
"Vice Presidents."
"Oh."

I might root for Dabo if he were accusing Michigan of tampering. Then, again, nah.

Is it June yet? Asking for a friend.

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I don't think any HS coaches will abuse this new rule

calibuck said:

Well, yeah. At 17-18, the initial reaction would be one of retaliation etc. For many of us adults, might be the same reaction.

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It all depends on the person and the maturity level of the kid.

calibuck said:

Looking at this guy's list, does anyone else wonder about why a 'lesser' team would offer him after many of the blue bloods already have? Maybe a phone call or two to guage interest, but making a big deal about giving him an offer, knowing there's a couple dozen schools already offered that would be more prestigious picks? Maybe if a legacy recruit....?

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Might as well throw your hat in the ring, and get your NIL package together. In the NIL era, anything is possible.

RCR retiring Kyle Busch's No. 8 car until his son can take over​

Richard Childress Racing is temporarily retiring Kyle Busch's No. 8 Cup Series car -- at least until the late driver's 11-year-old son Brexton is ready to take over behind the wheel.

RCR will run the No. 33 car on the Cup Series circuit beginning Sunday night at the Coca-Cola 600 and for the foreseeable future after the 41-year-old Busch died unexpectedly Thursday. The cause of death has not been released.

Austin Hill is scheduled to replace Busch, a two-time Cup Series champion, in the driver's seat at Charlotte Motor Speedway for NASCAR's longest race of the season.

Busch's son, Brexton, is already known for his racing exploits, having won the Tulsa Shootout Jr. Sprint Championship to earn his first career Golden Driller last year.
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Predicting Ohio State men’s basketball’s 2026-27 depth chart​

Which Buckeyes will see the most playing time, and in what roles?

As the calendar now flips to May, the 2026-27 Ohio State men’s basketball team is still over five months away from playing meaningful games, but the roster for next season has mostly settled into place. The last three weeks have been a whirlwind of rumors and reports about which players were transferring where and for how much money, but the chaos the transfer portal brings every spring has settled down to a much slower, duller hum, and we can finally start assessing many teams’ rosters.

Ohio State broke a three-year NCAA Tournament drought this past season, earning an at-large bid to the dance thanks in large part to a late-season surge that saw the Buckeyes win four of their final six regular season games, including ranked wins over Wisconsin and Purdue. They then fell behind TCU by a boatload of points early on in that first-round NCAA Tournament game, stormed all the way back, and ultimately lost in the final five seconds. Season over, just like that.

Several players graduated and ran out of collegiate eligibility, including the program’s all-time leading scorer, Bruce Thornton.

Several others, including three former Ohio Mr. Basketball Award winners -- Gabe Cupps, Colin White, and Devin Royal -- opted to transfer out of the program.

To replenish the roster, head coach Jake Diebler and his staff -- which, as of today still has a vacancy -- brought in four players via the transfer portal as well as two freshmen in the 2026 recruiting class. While it remains possible that Ohio State could bring in an additional player before the team reports, it seems more likely that the group currently assembled will be the group we see on the floor against BYU on November 2 in Salt Lake City.

With that said, here’s my current prediction for Ohio State’s depth chart next season, which (obviously) includes a starting lineup.

Point Guard​

Starter: Justin Pippen
Other options: Curtis Givens, John Mobley Jr.

Shooting Guard​

Starter - John Mobley Jr.
Other options - Jimmie Williams, Curtis Givens

Small Forward​

Starter - Anthony Thompson
Other options - Jimmie Williams

Power Forward​

Starter - Amare Bynum
Other options - Andrija Jelavic, Anthony Thompson, Alex Smith

Center​

Starter - Josh Ojianwuna
Other options - Andrija Jelavic, Ivan Njegovan, Amare Bynum

DZ83CK said:

Late "surprise" addition to the team, 7'1" C Vuk Lazarevic. He will be basically an ordinary freshman. My guess is he will be groomed to fill Ivan Njegovan's role in the future. Doubtful he will see meaningful PT this upcoming season, but with the new NCAA 5 for 5 rule, there will no longer be any point to sitting out completely.
https://www.dispatch.com/story/spor...vuk-lazarevic-college-basketball/89990739007/

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At 7-1, Serbian import Vuk Lazarevic will bring more size to Ohio State's front line​

We caught up with Ohio State men's basketball signee Vuk Lazarevic as he wraps up his time at Wasatch Academy. The 7-1 Lazarevic is a native of Belgrade, Serbia.​

The most recent addition to the Ohio State men's basketball roster will be one of the tallest players in program history.

Vuk Lazarevic, a 7-1, 215-pound center from Belgrade, Serbia, became the third freshman in Ohio State's 2026 recruiting class. Ohio State announced he had officially become a team member on May 11.

"I'm looking forward to Vuk joining our Buckeye family," Ohio State coach Jake Diebler said. "His combination of size and skill fit our system, and he adds good depth to our front court. I can't wait to watch him grow and develop in our program."

The 18-year-old Lazarevic joins a pair of Ohio natives in forwards Anthony Thompson and Alex Smith in the 2026 recruiting class. He spent this school year playing in the U.S. at the Wasatch Academy in Mount Pleasant, Utah.

In Serbia, Lazarevic played for one of the top clubs in Europe in Red Star Belgrade. At Wasatch, Lazarevic earned a starting role playing for coach Paul Peterson. Going against top competition in the EYBL Scholastic League, he averaged 8.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, 0.5 assists and a team-high 1.2 blocks per game. He shot 67 percent from the floor (60 of 89) and 75 percent at the foul line (15 of 20). He helped Wasatch earn a No. 7 seed in the Chipotle Nationals at the end of the season.

He had 15 points and six rebounds in a win over Tennessee Christian Academy. He had 16 points against Long Island Lutheran. He had nine points and 10 rebounds vs. Iowa United.

He will be one of seven newcomers for coach Jake Diebler and the Ohio State men's program for the 2026-27 season. In addition to the three freshmen, OSU added four transfers in power forward Andrija Jelavic (from Kentucky), combo guard Justin Pippen (from Cal), shooting guard Jimmie Williams (from Duquesne) and point guard Curtis Givens III (from Memphis).

Lazarevic will join the forward/center group that also includes the 6-11 Jelavic, 7-2 center Ivan Njegovan, 6-10 forward/center Josh Ojianwuna and 6-8 forward Amare Bynum.

We were able to catch up with Lazarevic as he finishes up his time at Wasatch Academy and plans to come to Ohio State in June. Here was our interview with Lazarevic.

Q&A WITH VUK LAZAREVIC​

Q: What was the level of play when you were in Belgrade playing with the Red Star team? How would you describe it?
Lazarevic: "That was like their 18-U team, so it was a pretty good level of play."
Q: What was your plan coming to America? What was the thought when you decided to do that?
Lazarevic: "Oh, I wanted to choose the American type of basketball. I think that I can play better in American-style basketball. I can improve my physicality more in the United States. And I chose to come to America most because of that."
Q: The year that you were at Wasatch Academy out there just what did that give you to be able to play at that level against the best U.S. high school teams?
Lazarevic: "Wasatch Academy is a great school. I have a great connection with my coach, Paul Peterson. He really believed in me. We practiced really hard at the start of the season and because of that, he gave me the opportunity to play on this level."
Q: How do you feel you got better? How did you improve in the year that you were there?
Lazarevic: "I think my coach mostly prepared me for the American type of basketball because it's more physical. It's like tougher play with bigger guys and everything. And I think that's the biggest area where I wanted to improve when I came here."
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Ranking of all of Ohio State's incoming transfers:

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Where top Ohio State additions rank in final 247Sports transfer portal rankings​

While some of these additions are with an eye to the future, the expectation is that many will help the Scarlet and Gray in the upcoming season. Ohio State lost 12 starters from last year's team and saw 36 players depart via the transfer portal, leaving voids to fill.

The Coach Liam Gleason Humanitarian Award is a national honor established in January 2026 by the Intercollegiate Men's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IMLCA) along side the family, former coaches, and close friends of the Late Liam Gleason. The award honors the memory of Gleason, the beloved Siena University men's lacrosse head coach who tragically passed away at age 41 in December 2025 due to an accidental fall. It recognizes individuals who exhibit exceptional leadership, unwavering support for teammates and staff, outstanding sportsmanship, and meaningful community involvement.

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Hey, please clear away the fog for me. I know that there have been numerous asst coaches hired to backstop LJsr. Eventually he'll hang 'em up, and the thought was there would be an individual trained to succeed him. And those numerous asst coaches have all left to take other jobs. OK, does tOSU have someone in place? Or is it going to be find the best guy out there when he finally rides into the sunset? I've lost track.

Recruiting insider sticks with Ohio State as the choice for David Gabriel Georges​

Steve Wiltfong of Rivals gave the latest update on the five-star running back from Tennessee, and it continues to sound good for Ohio State’s chances.

“I’m still riding with my prediction in favor of Ohio State for Chattanooga (Tenn.) Baylor School five-star running back David Gabriel Georges,” Wiltfong wrote recently. “With the way the Buckeyes have developed and showcased running backs, to the consistency of the program, to the competitive NIL opportunities, Ohio State checks the most boxes and is the best fit.”

According to 247 Sports Composite, Gabriel Georges is the No. 10 overall player and No. 2 running back in the class of 2027. Carlos Locklyn has been recruiting the 6-foot, 215-pound Gabriel Georges since the Ohio State running backs coach was at Oregon. The relationship the two have is playing a key role in Ohio State’s chances.

Great stuff. Easy to read, but I tend to forget thiings.....seeing it in print is way better. And am very glad to see the best are being raised the Buckeye way.

"If a cow can't eat it, I don't want to play on it".

Interesting take, as was pretty certain that NIL was NOT in anyway connected with the university. Ours or anyones. Supposedly an independent outside organization for purposes of funneling non-school contributions to players. Or somesuch. Not naive enough to believe there was zero interplay between the NIL organization and the school, or AD or team, but dotted line, not direct line. Also believe Wexner, for whatever reason, was 'anti-sports', but am unaware of any funding from Les for players. Other teams have a 'whale' who wholeheartedly supports their sports efforts, bet you can name several. Don't believe tOSU has a whale, but many smaller donors. And, a NIL contract (believe) is for length of stay at the school, and the outside contributions are one-time, making (to me at least) a disconnect of continuity. The leap-of-faith assumption is that if one person stops making contributions, another will rise up to take their place, at a hopefully larger presence. Recollect that a Florida QB left, as his NIL contract was not fulfilled, and his university was NOT on the hook. Anyway, very much a stick wicket, and the NCAA (stands for No Consistency At All), hasn't got either the cojones nor staff to make meaningful enforcements. Stay tuned.

I’d be really curious to see a survey taken amongst a high volume of recruits to see how many actually care about tradition/history at this point.

I’m not saying they don’t; but I’m not 18 anymore and my kid is only 8 and she probably won’t play college football so I’m just genuinely curious where that ranks at this point.

Anyway back to the player; my bad. He’s good. There.

Gotta love the attitude. When one assumes that this year (and past several) is actually an interview for the NFL, one would hope they all do their best. Keeping QB upright, not allowing sacks, all will be laid bare for the NFL scouts, who put together their draft lists (and these lists will be kept tightly to the vest, probably more so than nuclear launch codes). Wish all these guys well, believe all will be upper classmen, and therefore eligible for the draft. Hope we work in some youngsters so there's some experience when these guys go on to the NFL next year. Go Bucks!

Ohio State Opens As 49.5-Point Favorite Over Ball State in Season Opener​

With that, DraftKings has released its opening lines for the first two weeks of the season, which include Ohio State's season opener against Ball State. The Buckeyes open as 49.5-point favorites over the Cardinals to begin the season, according to DraftKings.

While DraftKings has only given out the opening lines for Week 0 and Week 1, FanDuel has already given out its lines for some of the biggest games of the regular season, including three that involve Ohio State.

Along with being more than seven-touchdown favorites over Ball State, the Buckeyes are also listed as 1.5-point underdogs at Texas and at Indiana, and 12.5-point favorites in The Game against Michigan, according to FanDuel.

OHIO STATE BETTING ODDS FOR 2026 SEASON
When Ball State travels to Columbus for the season opener, it will mark the first time Ohio State and the Cardinals have ever played each other in football.

While the Buckeyes are underdogs in two of the four games that spreads have already opened for, Ohio State is the favorite to win the CFP national championship at season's end, both at DraftKings (+650) and FanDuel (+550). OSU is the favorite to win the Big Ten as well (+180 on DraftKings, +190 on FanDuel).