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2027 TX OL Brian Swanson (Verbal Offer)
- By pnuts34
- Football Recruiting
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Class: 2027
Position: OT
School: Dallas(TX) South Oak Cliff
Height: 6-foot-6
Weight: 305lbs
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Class: 2027
Position: OT
School: Dallas(TX) South Oak Cliff
Height: 6-foot-6
Weight: 305lbs
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2027 NV CB Hayden Stepp (Verbal Offer)
- By pnuts34
- Football Recruiting
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Class: 2027
Position: CB
School: Las Vegas(NV) Bishop Gorman
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 190lbs
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Position: CB
School: Las Vegas(NV) Bishop Gorman
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2027 PA RB Kemon Spell (Penn St. Verbal)
- By pnuts34
- Football Recruiting
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Class: 2027
Position: RB
School: McKeesport(PA) McKeeseport
Height: 5-foot-10
Weight: 195lbs
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2027 GA S Chance Gilbert (Verbal Offer)
- By pnuts34
- Football Recruiting
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Class: 2027
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School: Sharpsburg(GA) East Coweta
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2028 IL DL Kameron McGee (Verbal Offer)
- By pnuts34
- Football Recruiting
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Class: 2028
Position: DE
School: Chicago(IL)Brother Rice
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LGHL Which Ohio State first rounder do you think will have the best rookie season?
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Which Ohio State first rounder do you think will have the best rookie season?
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
You ask, we answer. Sometimes we ask, others answer. And then other times, we ask, we answer.
Throughout the year, we will be asking and answering questions about various Ohio State teams, the players, and anything else on our collective minds of varying degrees of importance. If you have a question that you would like to ask, you can tweet us @LandGrant33 or if you need more than 280 characters, send an email HERE.
Ohio State had another impressive outing at the NFL Draft last week, leading to 14 Buckeyes being selected during the seven-round extravaganza; not to mention a handful of others who signed with teams as undrafted free agents.
So, now that we know where some of our favorite former Buckeyes are going to be playing, we are going to spin it forward with two questions in this week’s fan survey. One about how a portion of those guys will do in their first NFL seasons, and who might join the annuls f first-round Buckeyes next year.
So, check out the questions below, vote in the survey at the underneath the article, add in any comments in the comments at the bottom of the page, and check back later in the week for the results!
Ohio State has a long history of supplying the NFL with Rookies of the Year. Of course, RotYs don’t have to be first rounders, but for simplicity’s sake, I went with the four Buckeyes who heard their names called last Thursday. Now, this isn’t a prediction as to who will be the most likely to be named Offensive or Defensive Rookie of the Year, since the two offensive linemen in the mix would be at a significant disadvantage there, it is just about who will have the best rookie campaign.
Of course, there is far more that goes into that equation than just their natural ability and collegiate production. It’s about scheme fit, depth chart, talent around them, coaching, and more, but given where each of these guys landed, what their respective depth charts look like, the divisions they play in, etc., who do you think will have the best first year in the league?
I know that this is far from an exhaustive list, but I wanted to go through and pick out some of the guys who will be draft eligible following this upcoming season that could, by virtue of their play this fall, join Caleb Downs and Carnell Tate (presumably) in the first round.
If there is someone obvious that I missed (very possible) or someone that you think is going to surprise people in and around Buckeye Nation and shoot up draft boards this season, please select the “Someone Else” option and enter his name in the comments below.
Throughout the year, we ask questions of the most plugged-in Ohio State fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
Continue reading...
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
You ask, we answer. Sometimes we ask, others answer. And then other times, we ask, we answer.
Throughout the year, we will be asking and answering questions about various Ohio State teams, the players, and anything else on our collective minds of varying degrees of importance. If you have a question that you would like to ask, you can tweet us @LandGrant33 or if you need more than 280 characters, send an email HERE.
Ohio State had another impressive outing at the NFL Draft last week, leading to 14 Buckeyes being selected during the seven-round extravaganza; not to mention a handful of others who signed with teams as undrafted free agents.
So, now that we know where some of our favorite former Buckeyes are going to be playing, we are going to spin it forward with two questions in this week’s fan survey. One about how a portion of those guys will do in their first NFL seasons, and who might join the annuls f first-round Buckeyes next year.
So, check out the questions below, vote in the survey at the underneath the article, add in any comments in the comments at the bottom of the page, and check back later in the week for the results!
Question 1: Which Ohio State first-round pick will have the best rookie season?
Ohio State has a long history of supplying the NFL with Rookies of the Year. Of course, RotYs don’t have to be first rounders, but for simplicity’s sake, I went with the four Buckeyes who heard their names called last Thursday. Now, this isn’t a prediction as to who will be the most likely to be named Offensive or Defensive Rookie of the Year, since the two offensive linemen in the mix would be at a significant disadvantage there, it is just about who will have the best rookie campaign.
Of course, there is far more that goes into that equation than just their natural ability and collegiate production. It’s about scheme fit, depth chart, talent around them, coaching, and more, but given where each of these guys landed, what their respective depth charts look like, the divisions they play in, etc., who do you think will have the best first year in the league?
Question 2: Other than Caleb Downs and Carnell Tate, which Buckeye is most likely to be a first-round pick in 2026?
I know that this is far from an exhaustive list, but I wanted to go through and pick out some of the guys who will be draft eligible following this upcoming season that could, by virtue of their play this fall, join Caleb Downs and Carnell Tate (presumably) in the first round.
If there is someone obvious that I missed (very possible) or someone that you think is going to surprise people in and around Buckeye Nation and shoot up draft boards this season, please select the “Someone Else” option and enter his name in the comments below.
Share your thoughts here:
Throughout the year, we ask questions of the most plugged-in Ohio State fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
Continue reading...
LGHL Ryan Day doesn’t see a favorite in quarterback battle
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Ryan Day doesn’t see a favorite in quarterback battle
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
All the Buckeye news thats fit to re-print.
Look, we get it. Your days are busy and you don’t have time to read all of the stories and tweets from the three dozen websites dedicated to covering Ohio State athletics, or the 237 Buckeye beat writers churning out hot takes and #content on a daily basis. But that’s ok, that’s what your friends at Land-Grant Holy Land are here for.
Monday through Friday, we’ll be collecting all of the articles, tweets, features, interviews, videos, podcasts, memes, photos, and whatever else we stumble across on the interwebz and putting them in our daily “Why is this News?” article. That way, you’ll have a one-stop shop for all of the most important Buckeye news, jokes, and analysis.
You’re welcome!
Subscribe to the Land-Grant Podcast Network for all of your Ohio State needs
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio
QB battle, defensive depth: Day provides updates on OSU football
Bill Rabinowitz, The Columbus Dispatch
Presser Bullets: Ryan Day Says Lincoln Kienholz Led Ohio State’s Quarterback Battle Until the Spring Game, Austin Siereveld Will Start This Fall
Andy Anders, Eleven Warriors
Key Takeaways as Ryan Day dives into post-spring updates
Austin Ward, Dotting The Eyes
Ryan Day: No frontrunner yet in Ohio State’s ‘two-man’ quarterback race
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts
“It says a lot about our team”: Buckeyes retain every scholarship player during spring transfer portal window
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
Ryan Day: ‘Austin Siereveld is going to be a starter for us’ | Other thoughts on OSU’s O-line
Dave Biddle, Bucknuts
New Ohio State transfer among best portal fits of offseason
Grant Hughes, 247Sports
FWAA Honors Ryan Day as Super 11 Coach of the Year
Ohio State Athletics
OSU fires football staffer Lyberger after investigation
Joey Kaufman, The Columbus Dispatch
Do you root for the teams that draft Buckeyes, or just the players themselves?
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land
I learned how to punt a football with an Ohio State punter; it ended in pain and humility
Noah Weiskopf, The Lantern
Kylee Kitts commits to Ohio State women’s basketball
Thomas Costello, Land-Grant Holy Land
Men’s Basketball: 2025-26 Big Ten Single & Double Play Opponents Announced
Ohio State Athletics
Ohio State, Michigan men’s hoops to play home-and-home Big Ten series
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch
Ohio State Spring Sports updates you won’t want to miss this week
Jami Jurich, Land-Grant Holy Land
Men’s Lacrosse: Ohio State, Rutgers Meet Thursday in B1G Tournament Semifinal
Ohio State Athletics
Let’s GOOOOOOOOO!
Continue reading...
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
All the Buckeye news thats fit to re-print.
Look, we get it. Your days are busy and you don’t have time to read all of the stories and tweets from the three dozen websites dedicated to covering Ohio State athletics, or the 237 Buckeye beat writers churning out hot takes and #content on a daily basis. But that’s ok, that’s what your friends at Land-Grant Holy Land are here for.
Monday through Friday, we’ll be collecting all of the articles, tweets, features, interviews, videos, podcasts, memes, photos, and whatever else we stumble across on the interwebz and putting them in our daily “Why is this News?” article. That way, you’ll have a one-stop shop for all of the most important Buckeye news, jokes, and analysis.
You’re welcome!
For your Earholes...
Subscribe to the Land-Grant Podcast Network for all of your Ohio State needs
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio
On the Gridiron
QB battle, defensive depth: Day provides updates on OSU football
Bill Rabinowitz, The Columbus Dispatch
Presser Bullets: Ryan Day Says Lincoln Kienholz Led Ohio State’s Quarterback Battle Until the Spring Game, Austin Siereveld Will Start This Fall
Andy Anders, Eleven Warriors
Key Takeaways as Ryan Day dives into post-spring updates
Austin Ward, Dotting The Eyes
Ryan Day: No frontrunner yet in Ohio State’s ‘two-man’ quarterback race
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts
“It says a lot about our team”: Buckeyes retain every scholarship player during spring transfer portal window
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
Ryan Day: ‘Austin Siereveld is going to be a starter for us’ | Other thoughts on OSU’s O-line
Dave Biddle, Bucknuts
New Ohio State transfer among best portal fits of offseason
Grant Hughes, 247Sports
FWAA Honors Ryan Day as Super 11 Coach of the Year
Ohio State Athletics
OSU fires football staffer Lyberger after investigation
Joey Kaufman, The Columbus Dispatch
Do you root for the teams that draft Buckeyes, or just the players themselves?
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land
I learned how to punt a football with an Ohio State punter; it ended in pain and humility
Noah Weiskopf, The Lantern
On the Hardwood
Kylee Kitts commits to Ohio State women’s basketball
Thomas Costello, Land-Grant Holy Land
Men’s Basketball: 2025-26 Big Ten Single & Double Play Opponents Announced
Ohio State Athletics
Ohio State, Michigan men’s hoops to play home-and-home Big Ten series
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch
Outside the Shoe and Schott
Ohio State Spring Sports updates you won’t want to miss this week
Jami Jurich, Land-Grant Holy Land
Men’s Lacrosse: Ohio State, Rutgers Meet Thursday in B1G Tournament Semifinal
Ohio State Athletics
And now for something completely different...
Let’s GOOOOOOOOO!
Continue reading...
LGHL Watch Women Win and Raise the Bar are helping grow women’s sports in Columbus
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Watch Women Win and Raise the Bar are helping grow women’s sports in Columbus
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Clara Sharp
The city’s first women’s sports bar and a bar takeover company fight to strengthen the women’s sports community.
Betsy Sharp grew up on a dairy farm outside of Stoutsville, Ohio, with three older brothers and one younger brother. When the television was on, there were only four channels available, and she rarely, if ever, had control of the remote; it was almost always in the hands of her dad or brothers. It was no different at Sharp’s grandparents’ house, with her grandpa watching either golf, baseball, or one of her most dreaded sports — basketball.
Eventually, Betsy moved off the farm, and in the process of growing up and seeing the world, she met her future wife, Clara.
Clara grew up in Arizona, going to Phoenix Mercury games, and loved basketball. Love found a way to unite the two opposing views, with some ground rules.
“I had this like literally come to Jesus sort of conversation with her pretty early on where I said, ‘You can watch basketball on your time, but I will not be watching it with you,’” said Betsy.
The two celebrated 14 years together at the end of April, and a few weeks earlier, on April 6, Betsy Sharp donned an orange WNBA-themed ensemble for the NCAA women’s basketball championship game between the South Carolina Gamecocks and UConn Huskies. It was a tame outfit selection, despite the league branding that normally stands out in a crowd.
Attend an Ohio State basketball game at any point in the past couple of years, and you may not believe it, but you have seen Betsy Sharp. The former basketball-hating dairy farmer does not blend into the crowd, unless wearing a head-to-toe Grinch costume is the public’s outfit of the day.
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Betsy Sharp on Instagram | @Betsysharp
Betsy was wrong about basketball; the evidence is clear on that. The person who hated even the idea of the sport now watches the game with a fervor that is hard to match. From the new Unrivaled professional three-on-three basketball league to paying for YouTube streams of Team USA youth 3x3 games in Mongolia to watch former Buckeye forward Cotie McMahon, the inspiration behind the Grinchy getup.
Another thing about Betsy Sharp is that she is by no means alone in coming around to women’s sports.
Be a generally online person, and it does not take long to see another record broken in viewership, ad space sold, or another arena sold out in either the WNBA or NCAA. The culture surrounding women’s sports is a piece of that growth, and through the Sharps and a Columbus city firefighter, two organizations are bringing excitement and a place to watch to women’s sports fans.
Before Clara decided on the Grinch, she had options. They included a full mask to make her head-to-toe like the Who in the mountains of Whoville and another potentially controversial ensemble.
“I never wore a big mask or anything for Grinch,” said Clara. “First of all, they’re all scary. I did order some, and I was like, ‘This is getting returned.’ I’ve talked about dressing like a referee and showing up with a blindfold, but I also don’t want to get kicked out.”
Instead, the sports fan who came around to basketball added a Grinch mask for the lower half of her face to the full-body outfit. That is because dressing up was not only a way to have fun or honor a favorite basketball player. No, it helped build community.
Betsy and Clara Sharp did not always go to Ohio State women’s basketball games. At first, they had tickets to a few games a year, but in the past three seasons, the frequency increased like their costume budget.
Over time, though, the Sharps became synonymous with Ohio State fans. Along with Clara Sharp, who wore ears and antlers like Grinch’s dog Max, fans recognized them, and relationships formed. For the kids who were not afraid of the Grinch getup, Betsy Sharp gave friendship bracelets.
That sense of community grew into Watch Women Win. It is not a bar, but a bar takeover, as advertised by the group led by the Sharps. It is not a basketball watch party group either. Watch Women Win held events like the National Championship game at Land-Grant Brewing, but also partnered with the Columbus Squirrels women’s rugby team to watch Women’s 6 Nations rugby and have events lined up in Italian Village for the Pro Volleyball Federation championship game and multiple in-person events.
On May 3, Watch Women Win will be out at Whitehall Yearling High School to watch the Columbus Chaos, a women’s full-tackle football team. Clara Sharp worked to get attendees discounted tickets, from the usual $15 to only $5.
For the uninitiated, it is not easy to get a women’s sports event on television at a local bar, and don’t hold your breath for the audio if the bartender at Buffalo Wild Wings gives you one of their 30 screens.
“Yesterday we were literally calling around town just to find a place for us to go watch a game together, like it happens to us every day,” said Clara Sharp. “What I learned is I just wanted to start gathering people in the community, and work with the community, right? Find these community spaces we can work together to build around that, so [we can] bring the community together.”
That community is not exclusive to women either. Watch Women Win wants to build a community for whoever wants to come out to watch a game. Families, single people, and any gender or station in life.
Watch Women Win’s community focus resonated with sports fans through a grassroots marketing campaign that consisted of word of mouth and posts on Facebook and Instagram.
The first event almost didn’t happen when Betsy Sharp went to the hospital.
“My pulmonary embolism was not planned, but Clara’s event had been in the works for, well, years,” said Betsy Sharp. “She has wanted to use her passion for women’s sports for decades and had been planning that event for over a month.”
At this point, anybody would chalk this first event up as cancelled. Add in the fact that there were snowstorms forecast in Columbus that Feb. 16 afternoon, and it made all the sense in the world to focus on the next one. Betsy Sharp’s life was in the balance, but she demanded the event continue.
“Once I was stable and we were talking later that Friday evening, I looked her in the eyes and with tears and sadness and still some fear, I said, ‘PROMISE ME that you will still throw your event Sunday. PROMISE ME,’ and through both of our tears, she did.”
The Sharps celebrated 14 years of their relationship at the end of April, and 10 of those years married. A pulmonary embolism would scare anyone, and the Sharps are no exception, but they have been in rough situations before. Betsy was there for scary moments in Clara’s life, too.
Something to know about Clara Sharp is that her community is always on her mind. For years, Betsy heard her wife talk about how much she cared for those around her, but when someone in that community threatened gun violence against Clara, her work came to a complete standstill.
Now afraid to interact with strangers, the Sharps went through therapy, and Betsy kept hearing Clara talk about what resonated with her the most. When the therapist asked what makes her tick, what she wants to do with her life, and other questions to help find herself again, Clara always went back to building up people around her and raising up women’s sports for all.
“You literally have no idea how many times I’ve heard that over the years,” Betsy said. “It’s not as much a passion even anymore as it is a way of life.”
“She was also very upset that she couldn’t be at the first one, but she was like, ‘You have to do it no matter what,’” Clara added. “So I did.”
Despite everything in Clara’s way, Watch Women Win met up for their first event, the regular season edition of South Carolina and the UConn Huskies, on a snowy Sunday. During a Level ` snow emergency, 16 of the 30 people who bought a ticket to the event showed up.
Their next event was for Unrivaled, the new 3-on-3 professional women’s winter basketball league, and Watch Women Win sold out. Ohio State assistant coach and former All-American Katie Smith was on hand for the event, did a question-and-answer session, and stayed longer than the Sharps ever hoped.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25975334/494866596_1735973980464018_5162424593579235480_n.jpg)
Clara Sharp
From left to right: Clara Sharp, Katie Smith and Amy Cooper
The basketball events and special guests continued for Watch Women Win. Both the Final Four and Championship Game events sold out.
When the UConn Huskies won their first national title since 2016, former Ohio State forward Eboni Walker sat in the crowd and took pictures with fans. Outside hitter Megan Courtney-Lush of the Columbus Fury volleyball team (a Kettering, Ohio native) also made an appearance with her family, spoke with the crowd, and gave autographs.
Watch Women Win events are not only about photo opportunities, but they make it like you are in the crowd at the game. DJ Crys played music, only during the commercials and halftime show, and there was even a t-shirt toss, a favorite for any human with a pulse and a sense of fun.
With McMahon’s transfer from Ohio State to Ole Miss, the Sharps looked for another player to throw all their backing behind. After a failed attempt to get MiLaysia Fulwiley to join Ohio State from South Carolina in the transfer portal (Fulwiley opted for the LSU Tigers), a friend of the Sharps dared Betsy to dress up like a lemon for utility player Skylar Limon of Ohio State softball.
If you haven’t figured it out yet, Betsy is not the kind of person you have to entice with a dare. You just have to ask.
“And sometimes they don’t even have to do that,” Betsy admitted.
Watch Women Win is not alone in its mission to grow the women’s sports community in Central Ohio. There is a bar, not affiliated with the work of the Sharps, that intends to fill a need in the city, and much more.
In 2022, the Sports Bra opened in Portland, Oregon. It is a first of its kind sports bar that focuses solely on women’s sports. That is great for women’s sports fans 2,400 miles away, but it does not do much for fans in Ohio. Like many trends, though, it was the first domino to fall, and this one topples in Columbus with Raise the Bar, the city’s first women’s sports bar.
During the National Championship Game, when the Huskies calmly put the Gamecocks to bed, Raise the Bar founder Amy Cooper walked around the new Land Grant Brewing annex and chatted with fellow sports fans. Cooper wore a hoodie with the Raise the Bar logo on the front and “Game On, Sound On” across the back.
It was a lightweight clothing choice compared to the nearly 75 pounds of equipment Cooper wears in her other career as a firefighter with the Columbus Division of Fire.
“We’re really lucky as Columbus city supports us in that we need to have the ability to have things outside of that job, which is really good for mental health,” Cooper said. “It’s also another way to connect with the community because a lot of times we see people on their worst days.”
Cooper grew up in the world of soccer before becoming a “tactical athlete.” That meant playing youth, high school, and club soccer while at Kent State before moving into coaching, including a stint coaching in the Grandview Heights school system.
Like many sports fans, the 1999 United States women’s national team was a crucial influence in Cooper’s life. It opened up her eyes that other people played soccer and enjoyed watching it. Cooper wanted more, but she ran into an experience that is not unique for many who are into women’s sports.
“I call around places like, ‘I want to watch the World Cup, I want to watch the World Cup. No not that World Cup, that’s not this year,’” Cooper said when recalling conversations with local bars when she wanted to gather with the public to watch women’s soccer.
Because of Title IX, Cooper had more opportunities than the generations that preceded her. Also because of Title IX, the current generation of sports fans has had those opportunities to watch women play professional sports. Raise the Bar is the next logical step in the growth of sports.
“It’s at this place now where we have so much access, but we haven’t built the habits of going to the bar watching with the other fans, learning about the other sports,” she said. “But it’s gonna happen and it’s gonna happen at my bar.”
That means multiple screens, all playing women's sports, and the sound will be up. More than that though, is the attitude of the space. When looking for a location, that is still a secret, it’s not the old adage of “location, location, location.” Foot traffic is great, but this sports bar is following the world of women’s sports, and a lot of the fandom work is done online.
Baseball grew because of radio; football and basketball benefited from television. Women’s sports have built positive communities that began mostly online. Friendships form and then transition to the stadium, and now Raise the Bar is part of that transition.
So, while the location of the bar should still be in a place that people can access, it is also looking at an important benefit like parking, which makes it easier for folks outside of the area. Women’s sports bars across the country have proven in the last three years that the desire is there.
Once the bar is open, there is the atmosphere. Sure, that means having all the marquee sporting events visible, but atmosphere is also the culture formed on the bar stools and at the tables.
There is an all too real experience, for mostly women, when it comes to interaction about men’s sports. There is a fear of asking questions about the game. Aggressive fandom means certain knowledge should be basic, and not knowing something can get you labeled as not a “real fan,” whatever that means.
Raise the Bar will not be one of those places. Take Cooper and Clara Sharp, for instance. Cooper grew up with soccer but was not too engaged with basketball, while Sharp never paid too much attention to soccer until moving to Columbus.
“We all need to be watching this with each other, and then I can say, ‘Oh yeah, that was a foul,’” Cooper said. “Or somebody can say to me, ‘Please explain this.’”
That does not mean there will not be passion screaming at the television during big moments. That is part of what makes sports great. Raise the Bar will have all of that, plus a comfortable environment to learn and throw back a couple of drinks.
It goes beyond the match and game day experience, too. Raise the Bar will be a static location, but the passion and desire for sports will not only spill out of taps but also out into the city of Columbus.
The love for coaching is ingrained in the firefighter. Raise the Bar will use its stance in the women’s sports community to also grow a pipeline of resources for coaches. When there are resources available, it is rarely ever focused on girls' and women’s sports.
“You’re learning from all men athletic directors it’s all it’s all a boys’ club,” said Cooper. “Which is fine, we’ve navigated those spaces for years, centuries, but it’s to be able to build some sort of resources and training that’s going to help more women become coaches is another issue area.”
Betsy Sharp had another idea, too.
“I would love for you to maybe also be a resource for referees because they need it,” said Sharp. “Maybe we could have some ophthalmologists come in, you know, do a free eye clinic.”
A Vision of the Future
Something that is clear to see is the need for what both Watch Women Win and Raise the Bar have brought to Columbus. While the two are separate, they are working towards common community goals. There is a close to 100 percent chance one of Watch Women Win’s bar takeovers will be at Raise the Bar after its planned opening in the fall of 2025.
After all, it’s the sports community that brought the two groups together. Before Ohio State women’s basketball games, diehard fans run into each other and chat organically. Taylor Brake is one of those fans. Brake runs the Ohio State women’s basketball fan account on Instagram and works professionally with the NIL Store.
Clara Sharp and Brake spoke before a game, and Sharp mentioned how she ran across the Raise the Bar Instagram page. Brake said the owner was at the game that night, a rarity for the soccer-loving Cooper, and before Clara Sharp knew what was happening, Brake was gone to find Cooper.
“So, I’m standing there, she’s meeting me and I have those horns on my head, without the Grinch,” said Clara. “My thought was she must think I’m freaking nuts.”
“I was thinking like maybe they’re like trying to raise money for like rescue animals,” said Cooper.”
“Rescue deer,” said Betsy Sharp.
The Grinch arrived soon after, and a relationship formed that now stretches beyond basketball or soccer.
Sports is about competition, but not behind the scenes of these two community-focused organizations. What adds to the intrigue is that Columbus is not alone. Soon, the W Sports Bar will open its doors in Cleveland, and there are rumors of the Sports Bra franchising out locations, with Cincinnati’s name floated out in the public.
There has not been a better time to be a women’s sports fan than where it's at today. While new leagues, stars, and sports enter the conversation, fans in Columbus will have those conversations in person at Raise the Bar or a Watch Women Win event.
More than likely, it will be both. Costumes are not required, but encouraged.
Continue reading...
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Clara Sharp
The city’s first women’s sports bar and a bar takeover company fight to strengthen the women’s sports community.
Betsy Sharp grew up on a dairy farm outside of Stoutsville, Ohio, with three older brothers and one younger brother. When the television was on, there were only four channels available, and she rarely, if ever, had control of the remote; it was almost always in the hands of her dad or brothers. It was no different at Sharp’s grandparents’ house, with her grandpa watching either golf, baseball, or one of her most dreaded sports — basketball.
Eventually, Betsy moved off the farm, and in the process of growing up and seeing the world, she met her future wife, Clara.
Clara grew up in Arizona, going to Phoenix Mercury games, and loved basketball. Love found a way to unite the two opposing views, with some ground rules.
“I had this like literally come to Jesus sort of conversation with her pretty early on where I said, ‘You can watch basketball on your time, but I will not be watching it with you,’” said Betsy.
The two celebrated 14 years together at the end of April, and a few weeks earlier, on April 6, Betsy Sharp donned an orange WNBA-themed ensemble for the NCAA women’s basketball championship game between the South Carolina Gamecocks and UConn Huskies. It was a tame outfit selection, despite the league branding that normally stands out in a crowd.
Attend an Ohio State basketball game at any point in the past couple of years, and you may not believe it, but you have seen Betsy Sharp. The former basketball-hating dairy farmer does not blend into the crowd, unless wearing a head-to-toe Grinch costume is the public’s outfit of the day.
Betsy was wrong about basketball; the evidence is clear on that. The person who hated even the idea of the sport now watches the game with a fervor that is hard to match. From the new Unrivaled professional three-on-three basketball league to paying for YouTube streams of Team USA youth 3x3 games in Mongolia to watch former Buckeye forward Cotie McMahon, the inspiration behind the Grinchy getup.
Another thing about Betsy Sharp is that she is by no means alone in coming around to women’s sports.
Be a generally online person, and it does not take long to see another record broken in viewership, ad space sold, or another arena sold out in either the WNBA or NCAA. The culture surrounding women’s sports is a piece of that growth, and through the Sharps and a Columbus city firefighter, two organizations are bringing excitement and a place to watch to women’s sports fans.
Watch Women Win
Before Clara decided on the Grinch, she had options. They included a full mask to make her head-to-toe like the Who in the mountains of Whoville and another potentially controversial ensemble.
“I never wore a big mask or anything for Grinch,” said Clara. “First of all, they’re all scary. I did order some, and I was like, ‘This is getting returned.’ I’ve talked about dressing like a referee and showing up with a blindfold, but I also don’t want to get kicked out.”
Instead, the sports fan who came around to basketball added a Grinch mask for the lower half of her face to the full-body outfit. That is because dressing up was not only a way to have fun or honor a favorite basketball player. No, it helped build community.
Betsy and Clara Sharp did not always go to Ohio State women’s basketball games. At first, they had tickets to a few games a year, but in the past three seasons, the frequency increased like their costume budget.
Over time, though, the Sharps became synonymous with Ohio State fans. Along with Clara Sharp, who wore ears and antlers like Grinch’s dog Max, fans recognized them, and relationships formed. For the kids who were not afraid of the Grinch getup, Betsy Sharp gave friendship bracelets.
That sense of community grew into Watch Women Win. It is not a bar, but a bar takeover, as advertised by the group led by the Sharps. It is not a basketball watch party group either. Watch Women Win held events like the National Championship game at Land-Grant Brewing, but also partnered with the Columbus Squirrels women’s rugby team to watch Women’s 6 Nations rugby and have events lined up in Italian Village for the Pro Volleyball Federation championship game and multiple in-person events.
On May 3, Watch Women Win will be out at Whitehall Yearling High School to watch the Columbus Chaos, a women’s full-tackle football team. Clara Sharp worked to get attendees discounted tickets, from the usual $15 to only $5.
For the uninitiated, it is not easy to get a women’s sports event on television at a local bar, and don’t hold your breath for the audio if the bartender at Buffalo Wild Wings gives you one of their 30 screens.
“Yesterday we were literally calling around town just to find a place for us to go watch a game together, like it happens to us every day,” said Clara Sharp. “What I learned is I just wanted to start gathering people in the community, and work with the community, right? Find these community spaces we can work together to build around that, so [we can] bring the community together.”
That community is not exclusive to women either. Watch Women Win wants to build a community for whoever wants to come out to watch a game. Families, single people, and any gender or station in life.
Watch Women Win’s community focus resonated with sports fans through a grassroots marketing campaign that consisted of word of mouth and posts on Facebook and Instagram.
The first event almost didn’t happen when Betsy Sharp went to the hospital.
“My pulmonary embolism was not planned, but Clara’s event had been in the works for, well, years,” said Betsy Sharp. “She has wanted to use her passion for women’s sports for decades and had been planning that event for over a month.”
At this point, anybody would chalk this first event up as cancelled. Add in the fact that there were snowstorms forecast in Columbus that Feb. 16 afternoon, and it made all the sense in the world to focus on the next one. Betsy Sharp’s life was in the balance, but she demanded the event continue.
“Once I was stable and we were talking later that Friday evening, I looked her in the eyes and with tears and sadness and still some fear, I said, ‘PROMISE ME that you will still throw your event Sunday. PROMISE ME,’ and through both of our tears, she did.”
The Sharps celebrated 14 years of their relationship at the end of April, and 10 of those years married. A pulmonary embolism would scare anyone, and the Sharps are no exception, but they have been in rough situations before. Betsy was there for scary moments in Clara’s life, too.
Something to know about Clara Sharp is that her community is always on her mind. For years, Betsy heard her wife talk about how much she cared for those around her, but when someone in that community threatened gun violence against Clara, her work came to a complete standstill.
Now afraid to interact with strangers, the Sharps went through therapy, and Betsy kept hearing Clara talk about what resonated with her the most. When the therapist asked what makes her tick, what she wants to do with her life, and other questions to help find herself again, Clara always went back to building up people around her and raising up women’s sports for all.
“You literally have no idea how many times I’ve heard that over the years,” Betsy said. “It’s not as much a passion even anymore as it is a way of life.”
“She was also very upset that she couldn’t be at the first one, but she was like, ‘You have to do it no matter what,’” Clara added. “So I did.”
Despite everything in Clara’s way, Watch Women Win met up for their first event, the regular season edition of South Carolina and the UConn Huskies, on a snowy Sunday. During a Level ` snow emergency, 16 of the 30 people who bought a ticket to the event showed up.
Their next event was for Unrivaled, the new 3-on-3 professional women’s winter basketball league, and Watch Women Win sold out. Ohio State assistant coach and former All-American Katie Smith was on hand for the event, did a question-and-answer session, and stayed longer than the Sharps ever hoped.
From left to right: Clara Sharp, Katie Smith and Amy Cooper
The basketball events and special guests continued for Watch Women Win. Both the Final Four and Championship Game events sold out.
When the UConn Huskies won their first national title since 2016, former Ohio State forward Eboni Walker sat in the crowd and took pictures with fans. Outside hitter Megan Courtney-Lush of the Columbus Fury volleyball team (a Kettering, Ohio native) also made an appearance with her family, spoke with the crowd, and gave autographs.
Watch Women Win events are not only about photo opportunities, but they make it like you are in the crowd at the game. DJ Crys played music, only during the commercials and halftime show, and there was even a t-shirt toss, a favorite for any human with a pulse and a sense of fun.
With McMahon’s transfer from Ohio State to Ole Miss, the Sharps looked for another player to throw all their backing behind. After a failed attempt to get MiLaysia Fulwiley to join Ohio State from South Carolina in the transfer portal (Fulwiley opted for the LSU Tigers), a friend of the Sharps dared Betsy to dress up like a lemon for utility player Skylar Limon of Ohio State softball.
If you haven’t figured it out yet, Betsy is not the kind of person you have to entice with a dare. You just have to ask.
“And sometimes they don’t even have to do that,” Betsy admitted.
Watch Women Win is not alone in its mission to grow the women’s sports community in Central Ohio. There is a bar, not affiliated with the work of the Sharps, that intends to fill a need in the city, and much more.
Raise the Bar
In 2022, the Sports Bra opened in Portland, Oregon. It is a first of its kind sports bar that focuses solely on women’s sports. That is great for women’s sports fans 2,400 miles away, but it does not do much for fans in Ohio. Like many trends, though, it was the first domino to fall, and this one topples in Columbus with Raise the Bar, the city’s first women’s sports bar.
During the National Championship Game, when the Huskies calmly put the Gamecocks to bed, Raise the Bar founder Amy Cooper walked around the new Land Grant Brewing annex and chatted with fellow sports fans. Cooper wore a hoodie with the Raise the Bar logo on the front and “Game On, Sound On” across the back.
It was a lightweight clothing choice compared to the nearly 75 pounds of equipment Cooper wears in her other career as a firefighter with the Columbus Division of Fire.
“We’re really lucky as Columbus city supports us in that we need to have the ability to have things outside of that job, which is really good for mental health,” Cooper said. “It’s also another way to connect with the community because a lot of times we see people on their worst days.”
Cooper grew up in the world of soccer before becoming a “tactical athlete.” That meant playing youth, high school, and club soccer while at Kent State before moving into coaching, including a stint coaching in the Grandview Heights school system.
Like many sports fans, the 1999 United States women’s national team was a crucial influence in Cooper’s life. It opened up her eyes that other people played soccer and enjoyed watching it. Cooper wanted more, but she ran into an experience that is not unique for many who are into women’s sports.
“I call around places like, ‘I want to watch the World Cup, I want to watch the World Cup. No not that World Cup, that’s not this year,’” Cooper said when recalling conversations with local bars when she wanted to gather with the public to watch women’s soccer.
Because of Title IX, Cooper had more opportunities than the generations that preceded her. Also because of Title IX, the current generation of sports fans has had those opportunities to watch women play professional sports. Raise the Bar is the next logical step in the growth of sports.
“It’s at this place now where we have so much access, but we haven’t built the habits of going to the bar watching with the other fans, learning about the other sports,” she said. “But it’s gonna happen and it’s gonna happen at my bar.”
That means multiple screens, all playing women's sports, and the sound will be up. More than that though, is the attitude of the space. When looking for a location, that is still a secret, it’s not the old adage of “location, location, location.” Foot traffic is great, but this sports bar is following the world of women’s sports, and a lot of the fandom work is done online.
Baseball grew because of radio; football and basketball benefited from television. Women’s sports have built positive communities that began mostly online. Friendships form and then transition to the stadium, and now Raise the Bar is part of that transition.
So, while the location of the bar should still be in a place that people can access, it is also looking at an important benefit like parking, which makes it easier for folks outside of the area. Women’s sports bars across the country have proven in the last three years that the desire is there.
Once the bar is open, there is the atmosphere. Sure, that means having all the marquee sporting events visible, but atmosphere is also the culture formed on the bar stools and at the tables.
There is an all too real experience, for mostly women, when it comes to interaction about men’s sports. There is a fear of asking questions about the game. Aggressive fandom means certain knowledge should be basic, and not knowing something can get you labeled as not a “real fan,” whatever that means.
Raise the Bar will not be one of those places. Take Cooper and Clara Sharp, for instance. Cooper grew up with soccer but was not too engaged with basketball, while Sharp never paid too much attention to soccer until moving to Columbus.
“We all need to be watching this with each other, and then I can say, ‘Oh yeah, that was a foul,’” Cooper said. “Or somebody can say to me, ‘Please explain this.’”
That does not mean there will not be passion screaming at the television during big moments. That is part of what makes sports great. Raise the Bar will have all of that, plus a comfortable environment to learn and throw back a couple of drinks.
It goes beyond the match and game day experience, too. Raise the Bar will be a static location, but the passion and desire for sports will not only spill out of taps but also out into the city of Columbus.
The love for coaching is ingrained in the firefighter. Raise the Bar will use its stance in the women’s sports community to also grow a pipeline of resources for coaches. When there are resources available, it is rarely ever focused on girls' and women’s sports.
“You’re learning from all men athletic directors it’s all it’s all a boys’ club,” said Cooper. “Which is fine, we’ve navigated those spaces for years, centuries, but it’s to be able to build some sort of resources and training that’s going to help more women become coaches is another issue area.”
Betsy Sharp had another idea, too.
“I would love for you to maybe also be a resource for referees because they need it,” said Sharp. “Maybe we could have some ophthalmologists come in, you know, do a free eye clinic.”
A Vision of the Future
Something that is clear to see is the need for what both Watch Women Win and Raise the Bar have brought to Columbus. While the two are separate, they are working towards common community goals. There is a close to 100 percent chance one of Watch Women Win’s bar takeovers will be at Raise the Bar after its planned opening in the fall of 2025.
After all, it’s the sports community that brought the two groups together. Before Ohio State women’s basketball games, diehard fans run into each other and chat organically. Taylor Brake is one of those fans. Brake runs the Ohio State women’s basketball fan account on Instagram and works professionally with the NIL Store.
Clara Sharp and Brake spoke before a game, and Sharp mentioned how she ran across the Raise the Bar Instagram page. Brake said the owner was at the game that night, a rarity for the soccer-loving Cooper, and before Clara Sharp knew what was happening, Brake was gone to find Cooper.
“So, I’m standing there, she’s meeting me and I have those horns on my head, without the Grinch,” said Clara. “My thought was she must think I’m freaking nuts.”
“I was thinking like maybe they’re like trying to raise money for like rescue animals,” said Cooper.”
“Rescue deer,” said Betsy Sharp.
The Grinch arrived soon after, and a relationship formed that now stretches beyond basketball or soccer.
Sports is about competition, but not behind the scenes of these two community-focused organizations. What adds to the intrigue is that Columbus is not alone. Soon, the W Sports Bar will open its doors in Cleveland, and there are rumors of the Sports Bra franchising out locations, with Cincinnati’s name floated out in the public.
There has not been a better time to be a women’s sports fan than where it's at today. While new leagues, stars, and sports enter the conversation, fans in Columbus will have those conversations in person at Raise the Bar or a Watch Women Win event.
More than likely, it will be both. Costumes are not required, but encouraged.
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NHL Buckeye Tracker
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- Other OSU and Professional Sports
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Ohio State Alumni Stats in NHL
A list of Ohio State Alumni playing, or have played, in the National Hockey League.
Ohio State Alumni Stats in NHL
| Player | Years | GMs | G | A | Pts. | +/- | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ryan Kesler | 2003-2019 | 1001 | 258 | 315 | 573 | 10 | 920 |
| R.J. Umberger | 2005-2016 | 779 | 180 | 212 | 392 | -64 | 312 |
| Ryan Dzingel | 2015-2022 | 404 | 87 | 101 | 188 | -22 | 191 |
| Jamie Macoun | 1982-1999 | 1128 | 76 | 282 | 358 | 175 | 1210 |
| Dakota Joshua | 2020-2025 | 241 | 40 | 38 | 78 | -7 | 181 |
| David Steckel | 2005-2014 | 425 | 33 | 46 | 79 | -14 | 129 |
| Zac Dalpe | 2010-2023 | 168 | 16 | 16 | 32 | -37 | 38 |
| Mason Lohrei | 2023-2025 | 118 | 9 | 37 | 46 | -45 | 34 |
| Éric Meloche | 2001-2007 | 74 | 9 | 11 | 20 | -21 | 36 |
| Rod Pelley | 2006-2012 | 256 | 9 | 20 | 29 | -22 | 102 |
| Matt Bartkowski | 2010-2021 | 256 | 8 | 40 | 48 | -12 | 157 |
| Max McCormick | 2015-2024 | 94 | 8 | 5 | 13 | -14 | 97 |
| Nate Guenin | 2006-2016 | 205 | 5 | 23 | 28 | 7 | 94 |
| Dan Mandich | 1982-1986 | 111 | 5 | 11 | 16 | -10 | 303 |
| Jeff Madill | 1990-1991 | 14 | 4 | 0 | 4 | -1 | 46 |
| Tanner Fritz | 2017-2019 | 42 | 3 | 5 | 8 | -6 | 10 |
| Tanner Laczynski | 2020-2025 | 46 | 3 | 2 | 5 | -6 | 8 |
| Sean Collins | 2008-2012 | 21 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 12 |
| Brian Loney | 1995-1996 | 12 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 6 |
| Carson Meyer | 2021-2024 | 41 | 2 | 4 | 6 | -4 | 14 |
| John Albert | 2013-2014 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -3 | 0 |
| Corey Elkins | 2009-2010 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -2 | 0 |
| Dave Gust | 2022-2023 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -2 | 2 |
| Cole McWard | 2022-2024 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tyson Strachan | 2008-2016 | 186 | 1 | 19 | 20 | -42 | 199 |
| Tom Askey | 1997-1998 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mike Bales | 1992-1997 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Mike Blake | 1981-1984 | 40 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 |
| Jakub Dobes | 2024-2025 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Anthony Greco | 2018-2022 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -3 | 0 |
| Cal Heeter | 2013-2014 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Bill McKenzie | 1973-1980 | 91 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 12 |
| Georgii Merkulov | 2023-2025 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Paul Pooley | 1984-1986 | 15 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Shane Sims | 2010-2011 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Matt Tomkins | 2023-2024 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jim Witherspoon | 1975-1976 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | 2 |
| Goalie | Years | GMs | W | L | T | GAA | SV% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tom Askey | 1997-1998 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2.64 | .894 |
| Mike Bales | 1992-1997 | 23 | 2 | 15 | 1 | 4.12 | .869 |
| Mike Blake | 1981-1984 | 40 | 13 | 15 | 5 | 4.26 | .867 |
| Jakub Dobes | 2024-2025 | 16 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 2.74 | .909 |
| Cal Heeter | 2013-2014 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4.69 | .868 |
| Bill McKenzie | 1973-1980 | 91 | 18 | 49 | 13 | 4.10 | .868 |
| Matt Tomkins | 2023-2024 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3.33 | .892 |
Note: Names in BOLD are currently in the NHL
LGHL Ohio State alum Jakub Dobeš steps in at goalie for the Montreal Canadiens
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Ohio State alum Jakub Dobeš steps in at goalie for the Montreal Canadiens
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The former Buckeye was forced into action in the middle of Game 3 against Washington when starter Sam Montembeault was injured.
The Columbus Blue Jackets missed out on the 2025 NHL Playoffs when the Montreal Canadiens defeated the Carolina Hurricanes in Montreal’s final game of the regular season. Despite eliminating the Blue Jackets from playoff contention, Montreal could be getting some love from people in Columbus.
In the middle of Game 3 against the top-seeded Washington Capitals, the Canadiens were forced to send former Ohio State Jakub Dobeš in at goaltender when Sam Montembeault was injured.
Dobeš left the Czech Republic when he was just 16. The goaltender would land at De Smet Jesuit High School in St. Louis, where he would graduate in 2020. While in high school, Dobeš played for the St. Louis AAA Blues team in 2017-18 and 2018-19, as well as the Topeka Pilots in the North American Hockey League.
During the 2019-20 season with the Pilots, Dobeš posted a 7-3 record with a 1.59 goals against average, .946 save percentage, recording three shutouts.
Following his stint with Topeka, Dobeš moved on to the United States Hockey League, playing parts of two seasons with the Omaha Lancers. Dobeš would appear in 68 games in the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons, posting a 35-22-6 record. His performance during the 2020-21 season would earn Dobeš All-USHL Second Team honors, as he won 26 games and finished the regular season with a 2.48 goals against average.
Dobeš’ next stop in his playing career would bring him to Columbus, as he committed to play for the Ohio State Buckeyes. The goaltender didn’t take long to make an impact in the scarlet and gray.
As a freshman, Dobeš was named the Big Ten Goaltender of the Year, and shared Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors. Along with earning those awards, Dobeš was Mike Richter Award semifinalist and a Big Ten Player of the Year finalist. In 35 games with the Buckeyes, Dobeš was 21-12-2 with three shutouts and a 2.26 goals against average.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25975922/1468078198.jpg "Faceoff on the Lake - Michigan v Ohio State")
Photo by Jaime Crawford/Getty Images
As a sophomore, Dobeš also finished the season with 21 wins to go along with a 2.33 goals against average. The Buckeyes would go on to make the NCAA Tournament, advancing to the Regional Final before losing 4-1 to Quinnipiac. Shortly after Ohio State was eliminated from the NCAA Tournament, Dobeš decided it was time to move up to the professional ranks.
Dobeš was drafted in the fifth round of the 2020 NHL Draft by the Montreal Canadiens. Unlike football and basketball, hockey players can play in college after being drafted and agree to terms with teams they are drafted by multiple years later.
After agreeing to a two-year entry-level contract with Montreal on March 31st, 2023, Dobeš was sent to Montreal’s AHL affiliate in Laval. Dobeš didn’t appear for Laval at the end of the 2023 season, but he was used heavily during the 2023-24 season, playing in 51 games, which was tied for the most in the league by a goalie. The final stat line for Dobeš at Laval in the 2023-24 season saw him go 24-18-6 with a 2.93 goals against average.
With a year of professional hockey under his belt, Dobeš came out of the gates strong in the 2024-25 season, posting a 9-3-1 start to the season before he was called up to the NHL by Montreal on Dec. 27. Dobeš made a memorable NHL debut the next night at Florida, shutting out the defending Stanley Cup champs, becoming the fourth goaltender in Canadiens history to record a shutout in their debut.
With the victory over the Panthers, Dobeš became the seventh goaltender to defeat the defending NHL champs in their debut.
Dobeš dream start to his NHL career would continue when he became the first goalie in Montreal history to allow just one goal in his first two starts, his 3-0-0 record tied Bob Perreault as the only Canadiens goaltender to allow three goals or less in his first three starts, he joined Charlie Lindgren as the first goaltender to go on the road and win their first four career starts, and he was the 13th player in NHL history to win their first five starts between the pipes.
At the end of the regular season, Dobeš was 7-4-3 with a 2.74 goals against average and a .909 save percentage in 16 games played.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25975924/2208727696.jpg "NHL: APR 08 Red Wings at Canadiens")
Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Montreal snuck into the Eastern Conference Playoffs by earning the second wild card spot, drawing the top-seeded Washington Capitals in the first round. After losing the first two games of the series to Alex Ovechkin and then Capitals, Montreal returned home on Friday night.
Midway through the game, starting goaltender Sam Montembeault was injured, resulting in Dobeš stepping in. The former Buckeye allowed just one goal in 28 minutes in the 6-3 win by the Canadiens.
Montembeault’s injury was serious enough that it didn’t allow the starter to play in Sunday’s game, which allowed Dobeš to make his first start in the NHL Playoffs. Unfortunately Dobeš wasn’t as sharp as he was on Friday night, giving up three goals on 24 shots in the 5-2 loss, which gave Washington a 3-1 lead in the series.
With Montreal’s season on the line in tonight’s game, Montembeault’s status isn’t yet known, as he is listed as day-to-day. If Montembeault isn’t cleared to play, Dobeš will get the start and will hope to channel some of his dominance on the road from the regular season as the series moves back to Washington.
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Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The former Buckeye was forced into action in the middle of Game 3 against Washington when starter Sam Montembeault was injured.
The Columbus Blue Jackets missed out on the 2025 NHL Playoffs when the Montreal Canadiens defeated the Carolina Hurricanes in Montreal’s final game of the regular season. Despite eliminating the Blue Jackets from playoff contention, Montreal could be getting some love from people in Columbus.
In the middle of Game 3 against the top-seeded Washington Capitals, the Canadiens were forced to send former Ohio State Jakub Dobeš in at goaltender when Sam Montembeault was injured.
Dobeš left the Czech Republic when he was just 16. The goaltender would land at De Smet Jesuit High School in St. Louis, where he would graduate in 2020. While in high school, Dobeš played for the St. Louis AAA Blues team in 2017-18 and 2018-19, as well as the Topeka Pilots in the North American Hockey League.
During the 2019-20 season with the Pilots, Dobeš posted a 7-3 record with a 1.59 goals against average, .946 save percentage, recording three shutouts.
Following his stint with Topeka, Dobeš moved on to the United States Hockey League, playing parts of two seasons with the Omaha Lancers. Dobeš would appear in 68 games in the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons, posting a 35-22-6 record. His performance during the 2020-21 season would earn Dobeš All-USHL Second Team honors, as he won 26 games and finished the regular season with a 2.48 goals against average.
Dobeš’ next stop in his playing career would bring him to Columbus, as he committed to play for the Ohio State Buckeyes. The goaltender didn’t take long to make an impact in the scarlet and gray.
As a freshman, Dobeš was named the Big Ten Goaltender of the Year, and shared Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors. Along with earning those awards, Dobeš was Mike Richter Award semifinalist and a Big Ten Player of the Year finalist. In 35 games with the Buckeyes, Dobeš was 21-12-2 with three shutouts and a 2.26 goals against average.
As a sophomore, Dobeš also finished the season with 21 wins to go along with a 2.33 goals against average. The Buckeyes would go on to make the NCAA Tournament, advancing to the Regional Final before losing 4-1 to Quinnipiac. Shortly after Ohio State was eliminated from the NCAA Tournament, Dobeš decided it was time to move up to the professional ranks.
Dobeš was drafted in the fifth round of the 2020 NHL Draft by the Montreal Canadiens. Unlike football and basketball, hockey players can play in college after being drafted and agree to terms with teams they are drafted by multiple years later.
After agreeing to a two-year entry-level contract with Montreal on March 31st, 2023, Dobeš was sent to Montreal’s AHL affiliate in Laval. Dobeš didn’t appear for Laval at the end of the 2023 season, but he was used heavily during the 2023-24 season, playing in 51 games, which was tied for the most in the league by a goalie. The final stat line for Dobeš at Laval in the 2023-24 season saw him go 24-18-6 with a 2.93 goals against average.
With a year of professional hockey under his belt, Dobeš came out of the gates strong in the 2024-25 season, posting a 9-3-1 start to the season before he was called up to the NHL by Montreal on Dec. 27. Dobeš made a memorable NHL debut the next night at Florida, shutting out the defending Stanley Cup champs, becoming the fourth goaltender in Canadiens history to record a shutout in their debut.
With the victory over the Panthers, Dobeš became the seventh goaltender to defeat the defending NHL champs in their debut.
Dobeš dream start to his NHL career would continue when he became the first goalie in Montreal history to allow just one goal in his first two starts, his 3-0-0 record tied Bob Perreault as the only Canadiens goaltender to allow three goals or less in his first three starts, he joined Charlie Lindgren as the first goaltender to go on the road and win their first four career starts, and he was the 13th player in NHL history to win their first five starts between the pipes.
At the end of the regular season, Dobeš was 7-4-3 with a 2.74 goals against average and a .909 save percentage in 16 games played.
Montreal snuck into the Eastern Conference Playoffs by earning the second wild card spot, drawing the top-seeded Washington Capitals in the first round. After losing the first two games of the series to Alex Ovechkin and then Capitals, Montreal returned home on Friday night.
Midway through the game, starting goaltender Sam Montembeault was injured, resulting in Dobeš stepping in. The former Buckeye allowed just one goal in 28 minutes in the 6-3 win by the Canadiens.
Montembeault’s injury was serious enough that it didn’t allow the starter to play in Sunday’s game, which allowed Dobeš to make his first start in the NHL Playoffs. Unfortunately Dobeš wasn’t as sharp as he was on Friday night, giving up three goals on 24 shots in the 5-2 loss, which gave Washington a 3-1 lead in the series.
With Montreal’s season on the line in tonight’s game, Montembeault’s status isn’t yet known, as he is listed as day-to-day. If Montembeault isn’t cleared to play, Dobeš will get the start and will hope to channel some of his dominance on the road from the regular season as the series moves back to Washington.
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