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LGHL You’re Nuts: Best basketball movie to watch to pretend Ohio State is in the Final Four
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You’re Nuts: Best basketball movie to watch to pretend Ohio State is in the Final Four
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
Everybody knows that one of the best parts of being a sports fan is debating and dissecting the most (and least) important questions in the sporting world with your friends. So, we’re bringing that to the pages of LGHL with our favorite head-to-head column: You’re Nuts.
In You’re Nuts, two LGHL staff members will take differing sides of one question and argue their opinions passionately. Then, in the end, it’s up to you to determine who’s right and who’s nuts.
With Monday’s heartbreaking end to an incredible season for Ohio State women’s basketball, some of us might be looking for distractions to head into this weekend.
If you’re not quite ready to say goodbye to basketball season, but you’re also not quite ready to watch non-Buckeye teams play, don’t worry. Matt and I are here with our picks for the best basketball movies to watch as you nurse your broken heart through the offseason.
My love for Chicago and the 90s runs deep, and while I had a momentary lapse in judgment where I thought, “Nah, I’m gonna go with ‘High School Musical,’” let’s be honest, it was always going to be Space Jam for me. You might say we’ve got a real jam goin’ down.
This movie’s got everything — Looney Tunes, basketball, an unforgettable soundtrack, and most importantly, the greatest to ever play the game: Lola Bunny Michael Jordan. Yes, that’s right, the GOAT himself (sorry Clevelanders, but I’m not on board with Lebron as the greatest, and we will not be watching the silly sequel/remake/whatever it was that I chose to erase from my memory).
But also, Lola Bunny. Let’s not forget that some of the greatest women’s basketball rep came from Lola Bunny tearing it up in this film. How many of us ‘90s girls idolized Lola Bunny for her tenacity and grit on the court? She played much like the Ohio State women’s basketball team this season, if we’re being honest.
Not only does “Space Jam” provide what is essentially the SparkNotes of a Michael Jordan biopic (even nodding to his stint in professional baseball), it is a look at the glory of 90s basketball. Instead of watching Jordan go on a Championship run with the Chicago Bulls, you get to watch him team up with the Tune Squad to face the evil Monstars in order to save the Looney Tunes from becoming amusement park attractions.
It’s also the perfect film for a dance party. One of my arguments during my momentary lapse in judgment was that “High School Musical” involved basketball and dance. But so does Space Jam if you really think about it. Because if you can hear that banger of a theme song by Quad City DJ’s and you don’t immediately start a dance party, you’re probably a Monstar.
The beauty of “Space Jam” lies in the fact that it is both of a specific time and timeless. It is like opening a time capsule to get a glimpse at 90s childhoods, but whether or not you grew up in the 90s, you’ll find something to love. The humor anchors this movie, and it’s the classic Looney Tunes humor we all know and love. Like all great family films, this is a movie for kids that adults will enjoy, with laughs aplenty for all ages.
It also gets bonus points for a Bill Murray cameo. Because the only thing Chicagoans love more than pizza is Bill Murray.
I won’t spoil anything on the rare chance “Space Jam” won’t be a rewatch for you, but in addition to being packed with nail-biting basketball, you can safely count on it to not crush your soul, on account of it being a kids’ movie. That’s the kind of repair work my heart needs after Monday’s game.
It’s also the perfect hype film, which is important because this team is poised to come back even stronger next season, and we need to be proud and stay hyped for them. “Space Jam” is the perfect film to watch on repeat to help us dance our way through the offseason so we’re already pumped when they return next winter.
And if you need something longer than a movie—for instance, a basketball TV show — “One Tree Hill” ran for nine seasons and you can binge it in all its melodramatic glory on Hulu.
I’m going to start this recommendation off with a disclaimer: I haven’t watched is movie in at least 20 years, so I am going to venture a guess that — like many late ‘90s/early aughts raunchy comedies — it didn’t exactly age like a fine wine. However, when thinking about watching a basketball(-ish) themed movie needed to delude ourselves into thinking that the Buckeyes made the Final Four (a much more difficult task for the men’s team than the women’s), why not go with a movie built around a premise so absurd that it makes Ohio State in the men’s Final Four seem plausible?
If you are unfamiliar with this 1998 cult classic, it stars “South Park” creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, though (much to my surprise), they did not write or direct it. Instead, it comes from writer/director David Zucker who had actually invented the game in the 1980s and had previously filmed a (much different) unsuccessful pilot based on the premise starring Chris Rock.
However, the idea beyond the film is that as the rampant egos and commercialization of professional sports continued to get out of hand, two lazy friends invented their own sport — a combination of baseball and basketball — that become the biggest sport in the world. The game has an absolutely absurd set of rules that involve elaborate psych-outs and can lead to games taking days at a time.
Ultimately, the sport’s creators and best players are consumed by the same temptations of greed and selfishness that plagued everything that came before them. So, while the plot actually has some decently deep commentary about the state of sports in modern culture, that’s not why you watch “BASEketball.”
You watch this absolutely idiotic movie, because — like “South Park” — it is full of the type of creative, off-color jokes that you won’t find anywhere else; from Parker drinking fat liposuctioned out of Marlon Brando’s ass to Stone lactating into the face of an opponent. When you combine that type of sophomoric hijinks with the fact that two of the greatest living sportscasters — Bob Costas and Al Michaels — get in on the action, it is tough to beat.
In my opinion, Bob and Al get some of the best lines of the movie, including the two that I continue to quote 25 years after seeing the movie for the first time. But they aren’t the only big stars to appear in the film. While Jenny McCarthy and Yasmine Bleeth co-star, the ridiculous movie somehow landed cameos by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Dale Earnhardt, Reggie Jackson, Jim Lampley, Kenny Mayne, Tim McCarver, Dan Patrick, Victoria Silvstedt, Robert Stack, and more.
Is “BASEketball” any good? Honestly, I have no idea anymore. But it is idiotic and I have really fond memories of my teenage self really loving it a quarter of a century ago. So, if the Buckeyes won’t be playing in the Final Four this weekend, you might as well watch something that will completely distract you from any real-life sports and might even put Bob Costas and Al Michaels in a much different light.
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
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
Everybody knows that one of the best parts of being a sports fan is debating and dissecting the most (and least) important questions in the sporting world with your friends. So, we’re bringing that to the pages of LGHL with our favorite head-to-head column: You’re Nuts.
In You’re Nuts, two LGHL staff members will take differing sides of one question and argue their opinions passionately. Then, in the end, it’s up to you to determine who’s right and who’s nuts.
Today’s Question: What’s the best basketball movie to watch in order to pretend that Ohio State is in the Final Four?
Jami’s Take: ‘Space Jam’
With Monday’s heartbreaking end to an incredible season for Ohio State women’s basketball, some of us might be looking for distractions to head into this weekend.
If you’re not quite ready to say goodbye to basketball season, but you’re also not quite ready to watch non-Buckeye teams play, don’t worry. Matt and I are here with our picks for the best basketball movies to watch as you nurse your broken heart through the offseason.
My love for Chicago and the 90s runs deep, and while I had a momentary lapse in judgment where I thought, “Nah, I’m gonna go with ‘High School Musical,’” let’s be honest, it was always going to be Space Jam for me. You might say we’ve got a real jam goin’ down.
This movie’s got everything — Looney Tunes, basketball, an unforgettable soundtrack, and most importantly, the greatest to ever play the game: Lola Bunny Michael Jordan. Yes, that’s right, the GOAT himself (sorry Clevelanders, but I’m not on board with Lebron as the greatest, and we will not be watching the silly sequel/remake/whatever it was that I chose to erase from my memory).
But also, Lola Bunny. Let’s not forget that some of the greatest women’s basketball rep came from Lola Bunny tearing it up in this film. How many of us ‘90s girls idolized Lola Bunny for her tenacity and grit on the court? She played much like the Ohio State women’s basketball team this season, if we’re being honest.
Not only does “Space Jam” provide what is essentially the SparkNotes of a Michael Jordan biopic (even nodding to his stint in professional baseball), it is a look at the glory of 90s basketball. Instead of watching Jordan go on a Championship run with the Chicago Bulls, you get to watch him team up with the Tune Squad to face the evil Monstars in order to save the Looney Tunes from becoming amusement park attractions.
It’s also the perfect film for a dance party. One of my arguments during my momentary lapse in judgment was that “High School Musical” involved basketball and dance. But so does Space Jam if you really think about it. Because if you can hear that banger of a theme song by Quad City DJ’s and you don’t immediately start a dance party, you’re probably a Monstar.
The beauty of “Space Jam” lies in the fact that it is both of a specific time and timeless. It is like opening a time capsule to get a glimpse at 90s childhoods, but whether or not you grew up in the 90s, you’ll find something to love. The humor anchors this movie, and it’s the classic Looney Tunes humor we all know and love. Like all great family films, this is a movie for kids that adults will enjoy, with laughs aplenty for all ages.
It also gets bonus points for a Bill Murray cameo. Because the only thing Chicagoans love more than pizza is Bill Murray.
I won’t spoil anything on the rare chance “Space Jam” won’t be a rewatch for you, but in addition to being packed with nail-biting basketball, you can safely count on it to not crush your soul, on account of it being a kids’ movie. That’s the kind of repair work my heart needs after Monday’s game.
It’s also the perfect hype film, which is important because this team is poised to come back even stronger next season, and we need to be proud and stay hyped for them. “Space Jam” is the perfect film to watch on repeat to help us dance our way through the offseason so we’re already pumped when they return next winter.
And if you need something longer than a movie—for instance, a basketball TV show — “One Tree Hill” ran for nine seasons and you can binge it in all its melodramatic glory on Hulu.
Matt’s Take: ‘BASEketball’
I’m going to start this recommendation off with a disclaimer: I haven’t watched is movie in at least 20 years, so I am going to venture a guess that — like many late ‘90s/early aughts raunchy comedies — it didn’t exactly age like a fine wine. However, when thinking about watching a basketball(-ish) themed movie needed to delude ourselves into thinking that the Buckeyes made the Final Four (a much more difficult task for the men’s team than the women’s), why not go with a movie built around a premise so absurd that it makes Ohio State in the men’s Final Four seem plausible?
If you are unfamiliar with this 1998 cult classic, it stars “South Park” creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, though (much to my surprise), they did not write or direct it. Instead, it comes from writer/director David Zucker who had actually invented the game in the 1980s and had previously filmed a (much different) unsuccessful pilot based on the premise starring Chris Rock.
However, the idea beyond the film is that as the rampant egos and commercialization of professional sports continued to get out of hand, two lazy friends invented their own sport — a combination of baseball and basketball — that become the biggest sport in the world. The game has an absolutely absurd set of rules that involve elaborate psych-outs and can lead to games taking days at a time.
Ultimately, the sport’s creators and best players are consumed by the same temptations of greed and selfishness that plagued everything that came before them. So, while the plot actually has some decently deep commentary about the state of sports in modern culture, that’s not why you watch “BASEketball.”
You watch this absolutely idiotic movie, because — like “South Park” — it is full of the type of creative, off-color jokes that you won’t find anywhere else; from Parker drinking fat liposuctioned out of Marlon Brando’s ass to Stone lactating into the face of an opponent. When you combine that type of sophomoric hijinks with the fact that two of the greatest living sportscasters — Bob Costas and Al Michaels — get in on the action, it is tough to beat.
In my opinion, Bob and Al get some of the best lines of the movie, including the two that I continue to quote 25 years after seeing the movie for the first time. But they aren’t the only big stars to appear in the film. While Jenny McCarthy and Yasmine Bleeth co-star, the ridiculous movie somehow landed cameos by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Dale Earnhardt, Reggie Jackson, Jim Lampley, Kenny Mayne, Tim McCarver, Dan Patrick, Victoria Silvstedt, Robert Stack, and more.
Is “BASEketball” any good? Honestly, I have no idea anymore. But it is idiotic and I have really fond memories of my teenage self really loving it a quarter of a century ago. So, if the Buckeyes won’t be playing in the Final Four this weekend, you might as well watch something that will completely distract you from any real-life sports and might even put Bob Costas and Al Michaels in a much different light.
Continue reading...
LGHL With basketball over, next for Ohio State is NCAA Women’s Gymnastics Championships
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With basketball over, next for Ohio State is NCAA Women’s Gymnastics Championships
JamiJurich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ohio State Athletics | Kirk Irwin Photography
The NCAA Championships kickoff on Thursday.
If you’re anything like me, the past few weeks have been consumed with Ohio State women’s basketball as the team went on their incredible run to the Elite Eight. Now, after their season ended in a heartbreaker against Virginia Tech last night, many of us are looking for ways to fill our time.
For those folks who are feeling the void, I have great news: Another Ohio State team is making its way through postseason competition right now.
Let us please turn our attention to the Ohio State women’s gymnastics team, which is headed to the 2023 NCAA women’s gymnastics championships.
After finishing the season 22-8 and earning their best overall finish at the Big Ten conference championship meet (fourth place) since the 2012 season, the Buckeyes secured the No. 16 seed for a spot at regionals.
For those unfamiliar with gymnastics postseason meets, the competition is comprised of four regionals, each consisting of nine teams and three individual all-around gymnasts whose teams did not qualify for regional competition. Each regional consists of three rounds: Round 1 consists of two teams, Round 2 consists of eight teams, divided into two quads, and the regional final consists of four teams (the top two teams from each Round 2 quad).
The top two teams at the regional final (along with the top all-around competitor and top event specialist from each event whose teams did not qualify) will then advance to the 2023 NCAA Women’s Gymnastics Championships.
The Buckeyes will compete in the Norman Regional this Thursday, March 30 at 8 p.m. ET which is the second session of the second round. The first session quad is No. 8 Alabama, No. 9 Kentucky, Illinois, and Iowa, while the Buckeyes’ quad is rounded out by No. 1 Oklahoma, Arkansas, and whoever wins the first-round meet between NC State and Ball State.
Presumably, Oklahoma will advance to the regional finals, leaving one remaining spot for Ohio State, Arkansas, and either NC State or Ball State to fight for. And only the smallest margin separates OSU and Arkansas, so this is set to be an exciting meet where the Buckeyes will need to bring their A-game, especially given that Arkansas is not new to this position. Last year, the then-18 seed defeated No. 16 Arizona State.
Luckily, this is not a Buckeye team that cracks under pressure. In fact, this is a team that has broken program records all season, including twice breaking the program-season home score (which now stands at 197.575), a program record on beam (49.500), and most impressively, the highest conference championship meet score in program history (196.975).
Additionally, the team has four gymnasts who earned All-Big Ten recognition this year, including freshman Payton Harris who was named to the First Team All-Big Ten after a breakout season that included five event titles—two on beam, two on vault, and one on floor — and four Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors.
One thing to note, however, is this Ohio State team has scored significantly higher at home than on the road, which could play in Arkansas’ favor in a close meet. Ohio State’s high score this season is higher than Arkansas’s, but Arkansas has a higher top road score than OSU. The Buckeyes will need to be in top form in order to advance to the regional finals, as this could truly come down to something as small as a wobble.
Whether the Buckeyes can maintain their composure at a meet of this scale for a spot in the regional finals remains to be seen, but one thing is for certain — the excitement and athleticism of this team are exactly what we need to fill the basketball void and see us through to the end of March.
Continue reading...
JamiJurich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ohio State Athletics | Kirk Irwin Photography
The NCAA Championships kickoff on Thursday.
If you’re anything like me, the past few weeks have been consumed with Ohio State women’s basketball as the team went on their incredible run to the Elite Eight. Now, after their season ended in a heartbreaker against Virginia Tech last night, many of us are looking for ways to fill our time.
For those folks who are feeling the void, I have great news: Another Ohio State team is making its way through postseason competition right now.
Let us please turn our attention to the Ohio State women’s gymnastics team, which is headed to the 2023 NCAA women’s gymnastics championships.
After finishing the season 22-8 and earning their best overall finish at the Big Ten conference championship meet (fourth place) since the 2012 season, the Buckeyes secured the No. 16 seed for a spot at regionals.
For those unfamiliar with gymnastics postseason meets, the competition is comprised of four regionals, each consisting of nine teams and three individual all-around gymnasts whose teams did not qualify for regional competition. Each regional consists of three rounds: Round 1 consists of two teams, Round 2 consists of eight teams, divided into two quads, and the regional final consists of four teams (the top two teams from each Round 2 quad).
The top two teams at the regional final (along with the top all-around competitor and top event specialist from each event whose teams did not qualify) will then advance to the 2023 NCAA Women’s Gymnastics Championships.
The Buckeyes will compete in the Norman Regional this Thursday, March 30 at 8 p.m. ET which is the second session of the second round. The first session quad is No. 8 Alabama, No. 9 Kentucky, Illinois, and Iowa, while the Buckeyes’ quad is rounded out by No. 1 Oklahoma, Arkansas, and whoever wins the first-round meet between NC State and Ball State.
Presumably, Oklahoma will advance to the regional finals, leaving one remaining spot for Ohio State, Arkansas, and either NC State or Ball State to fight for. And only the smallest margin separates OSU and Arkansas, so this is set to be an exciting meet where the Buckeyes will need to bring their A-game, especially given that Arkansas is not new to this position. Last year, the then-18 seed defeated No. 16 Arizona State.
Luckily, this is not a Buckeye team that cracks under pressure. In fact, this is a team that has broken program records all season, including twice breaking the program-season home score (which now stands at 197.575), a program record on beam (49.500), and most impressively, the highest conference championship meet score in program history (196.975).
Additionally, the team has four gymnasts who earned All-Big Ten recognition this year, including freshman Payton Harris who was named to the First Team All-Big Ten after a breakout season that included five event titles—two on beam, two on vault, and one on floor — and four Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors.
One thing to note, however, is this Ohio State team has scored significantly higher at home than on the road, which could play in Arkansas’ favor in a close meet. Ohio State’s high score this season is higher than Arkansas’s, but Arkansas has a higher top road score than OSU. The Buckeyes will need to be in top form in order to advance to the regional finals, as this could truly come down to something as small as a wobble.
Whether the Buckeyes can maintain their composure at a meet of this scale for a spot in the regional finals remains to be seen, but one thing is for certain — the excitement and athleticism of this team are exactly what we need to fill the basketball void and see us through to the end of March.
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State picks up predictions for 2024 five-star edge rusher, receiver; four-star linebacker
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Ohio State picks up predictions for 2024 five-star edge rusher, receiver; four-star linebacker
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Dylan Stewart at Ohio State’s Woody Hayes Athletic Center | Mick Walker | 247Sports
Business might be about to start BOOOOOOMing
Already this week, the Ohio State football Buckeyes logged a pair of commitments from four-star twin brother offensive linemen Deontae and Devontae Armstrong. However, as many recruits have been teasing on Twitter, it appears that the Buckeyes are not done yet. However, the confidence of high school prospects is hardly anything to put much confidence in, but On3’s social media recruiting expert Hayes Fawcett — the man who makes many of the biggest player commitment graphics — seems to think that the Buckeyes are about to have some pretty big BOOOMs.
While we can’t be 100% sure who Fawcett was referring to (other than the Armstrong brothers), some of the potential candidates are beginning to come into focus, thanks to the recruiting experts at various sites around the interwebs.
Washington D.C.’s Dylan Stewart is the No. 10 player in the country according to 247Sports’ Composite Rankings. He is a five-star prospect and the No. 2 edge rusher in the 2024 recruiting cycle. With a 0.9949 ranking, he is one of the most exciting prospects in the country.
On Tuesday, On3’s Director of Recruiting Chad Simmons lodged a prediction for the Buckeyes to land Stewart’s services. While Simmons’ prediction is only in at 55% confidence, clearly Stewart was impressed with his visit to Columbus over the weekend. On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine still favors Alabama — Stewart visited the Tide earlier this month — but clearly Ohio State is making some headway.
Obviously, Stewart’s primary recruiter is position coach Larry Johnson who has been one of the best recruiters of DMV talent for decades, dating back to his days on the Penn State staff. However, considering that Jim Knowles is his secondary recruiter, should tell you a lot about how important Stewart is to the Buckeyes’ plans.
With J.T. Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer eligible to head to the NFL after this coming season, bringing in a talent like Stewart to enter the rotation as one or both of them depart is a major deal for the OSU defensive line.
This past weekend was really important for Ohio State; not only was it the team’s first scrimmage of the spring practice season, but it was also an incredibly valuable few days of recruiting. In addition to Stewart, the Buckeyes also picked up a prediction for another highly sought-after player. This week, 247’s Bill Kurelic and Tom Loy logged Crystal Balls for four-star 2024 linebacker Payton Pierce.
He is currently the No. 151 player in the country, hailing from Lucas, Tex. He is the No. 15 linebacker in the country and the No. 27 player from the Lonestar State. Obviously anytime Kurelic puts a CB in, it is something to take note of, but what is especially interesting is Loy’s prediction. Loy is the recruiting expert for 247’s Notre Dame Site, Irish Illustrated, and he had previously posited a prediction that Pierce would play for the Golden Domers. So, him flipping his crystal ball is pretty telling.
He wasn’t in Columbus over the weekend like Stewart and Pierce, but that didn’t stop five-star 2024 wide receiver Mylan Graham from picking up a very valuable crystal ball in favor of the Buckeyes this week. The No. 27 player in the country and No. 5 wide receiver according to 247Sports, Graham is from New Haven, Ind.
And while Ohio State insiders Kurelic and Steve Wiltfong (who is also 247’s Director of Football Recruiting) had long had CBs in OSU’s direction, another pretty plugged-in voice joined the chorus this week as 247’s National Recruiting Analyst Allen Trieu put in a crystal ball for the Buckeyes as well.
If the predictions movement for these three players — and Fawcett’s teasing tweet — indicate that we are about to see a rash of commitments, look out college football world, because this has the makings of being an all-time recruiting haul.
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
Dylan Stewart at Ohio State’s Woody Hayes Athletic Center | Mick Walker | 247Sports
Business might be about to start BOOOOOOMing
Already this week, the Ohio State football Buckeyes logged a pair of commitments from four-star twin brother offensive linemen Deontae and Devontae Armstrong. However, as many recruits have been teasing on Twitter, it appears that the Buckeyes are not done yet. However, the confidence of high school prospects is hardly anything to put much confidence in, but On3’s social media recruiting expert Hayes Fawcett — the man who makes many of the biggest player commitment graphics — seems to think that the Buckeyes are about to have some pretty big BOOOMs.
While we can’t be 100% sure who Fawcett was referring to (other than the Armstrong brothers), some of the potential candidates are beginning to come into focus, thanks to the recruiting experts at various sites around the interwebs.
Ohio State Earns Prediction to Land Five-Star Defensive End Dylan Stewart
Washington D.C.’s Dylan Stewart is the No. 10 player in the country according to 247Sports’ Composite Rankings. He is a five-star prospect and the No. 2 edge rusher in the 2024 recruiting cycle. With a 0.9949 ranking, he is one of the most exciting prospects in the country.
On Tuesday, On3’s Director of Recruiting Chad Simmons lodged a prediction for the Buckeyes to land Stewart’s services. While Simmons’ prediction is only in at 55% confidence, clearly Stewart was impressed with his visit to Columbus over the weekend. On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine still favors Alabama — Stewart visited the Tide earlier this month — but clearly Ohio State is making some headway.
Obviously, Stewart’s primary recruiter is position coach Larry Johnson who has been one of the best recruiters of DMV talent for decades, dating back to his days on the Penn State staff. However, considering that Jim Knowles is his secondary recruiter, should tell you a lot about how important Stewart is to the Buckeyes’ plans.
With J.T. Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer eligible to head to the NFL after this coming season, bringing in a talent like Stewart to enter the rotation as one or both of them depart is a major deal for the OSU defensive line.
Buckeyes Get Crystal Ball for Four-Star Linebacker Payton Pierce
This past weekend was really important for Ohio State; not only was it the team’s first scrimmage of the spring practice season, but it was also an incredibly valuable few days of recruiting. In addition to Stewart, the Buckeyes also picked up a prediction for another highly sought-after player. This week, 247’s Bill Kurelic and Tom Loy logged Crystal Balls for four-star 2024 linebacker Payton Pierce.
He is currently the No. 151 player in the country, hailing from Lucas, Tex. He is the No. 15 linebacker in the country and the No. 27 player from the Lonestar State. Obviously anytime Kurelic puts a CB in, it is something to take note of, but what is especially interesting is Loy’s prediction. Loy is the recruiting expert for 247’s Notre Dame Site, Irish Illustrated, and he had previously posited a prediction that Pierce would play for the Golden Domers. So, him flipping his crystal ball is pretty telling.
Five-Star Wide Receiver Crystal Balled to Ohio State as Brian Hartline’s Reign Continues
He wasn’t in Columbus over the weekend like Stewart and Pierce, but that didn’t stop five-star 2024 wide receiver Mylan Graham from picking up a very valuable crystal ball in favor of the Buckeyes this week. The No. 27 player in the country and No. 5 wide receiver according to 247Sports, Graham is from New Haven, Ind.
And while Ohio State insiders Kurelic and Steve Wiltfong (who is also 247’s Director of Football Recruiting) had long had CBs in OSU’s direction, another pretty plugged-in voice joined the chorus this week as 247’s National Recruiting Analyst Allen Trieu put in a crystal ball for the Buckeyes as well.
If the predictions movement for these three players — and Fawcett’s teasing tweet — indicate that we are about to see a rash of commitments, look out college football world, because this has the makings of being an all-time recruiting haul.
Quick Hits:
- Other recent Crystal Balls in Ohio State’s favor include those for three-star Centerville safety Reggie Powers, four-star Texas running back James Peoples (No. 69 in the country), and three-star running back Sam Williams-Dixon.
- Peoples is expected to be on campus later this week and he told Bucknuts’ Kurelic that the Buckeyes are the “front runner.” Despite this, and the crystal ball, it’s not a given that we will hear a BOOM just yet. He already has an official visit with the Buckeyes scheduled for June 23-25, and while he absolutely could commit beforehand, it is probably equally likely that he at least holds off until his OV this summer.
- Also coming to Columbus this week is four-star running back Peyton Lewis, according to Eleven Warriors. The Virginia native is currently No. 324 in the 247 Composite rankings, but that is because ESPN doesn’t have a grade for him. 247’s own rankings (which are nearly universally considered the best in the business) have him as the No. 141 player in the country and No. 9 running back.
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LGHL Twin Ohio offensive linemen commit to Ohio state
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Twin Ohio offensive linemen commit to Ohio state
Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
2024 four-star offensive linemen Devontae and Deontae Armstrong via @DeonArmstrong30 on Twitter
The Buckeyes earned two commitments on the offensive line by means of twin brothers following a weekend visit.
Ohio State’s football team is in the middle of spring ball. This consists of both spring practices with the current roster of Buckeyes, and playing host to some of the nation’s top recruits in both the 2024 and 2025 recruiting classes.
The Buckeyes are fresh off a massive spring recruiting weekend and the team is already seeing it payoff.
As was mentioned above, Ohio State played host to a handful of prospects for a spring camp last weekend. The weekend visits are already showing as successful as the Buckeyes saw two offensive linemen in the 2024 class commit to the team on Monday.
Twin brothers Deontae and Devontae Armstrong both announced their commitments to Ohio State on Monday, following their most recent visit last weekend. Deontae was the first of the two to announce his commitment but Devontae’s announcement came shortly after.
The two brothers are Ohio natives, playing football for St. Edward of Lakewood Ohio. Both of the Armstrong twins are offensive lineman and both are four-star prospects in the 247Sports Composite Rankings. Devontae is the No. 23 IOL in the 247Sports Composite Rankings and he is the No. 353 overall prospect. Brother Deontae is the No. 25 OT and the No. 313 overall prospect. Both are also among the top ten recruits in Ohio with Deontae at No. 9 and Devontae at No. 13.
The combination of the two gives Ohio State’s 2024 recruiting class a total of four offensive line commitments. The Armstrong twins will join four-star IOL Ian Moore and three-star IOL Marc Nave.
Already having four commitments in the trenches is a huge win for Ohio State offensive line coach Justin Frye, as he will now be able to narrow his focus on bringing in a final piece to the puzzle. The benefit of being able to narrow down his focus should increase the team’s efforts in securing a commitment from a elite-level national prospect.
The Buckeyes are looking to add 1-2 more offensive linemen in this class and are still heavily involved in recruitments for multiple blue-chip prospects on the line such as four-star OTs Guerby Lambert and Brandon Baker as well as four-star IOL Jordan Seaton.
Jordan is the No. 19 WR in the 247Sports Composite Rankings and is the No. 110 overall prospect. He is also the No. 16 recruit from the state of California.
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Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
2024 four-star offensive linemen Devontae and Deontae Armstrong via @DeonArmstrong30 on Twitter
The Buckeyes earned two commitments on the offensive line by means of twin brothers following a weekend visit.
Ohio State’s football team is in the middle of spring ball. This consists of both spring practices with the current roster of Buckeyes, and playing host to some of the nation’s top recruits in both the 2024 and 2025 recruiting classes.
The Buckeyes are fresh off a massive spring recruiting weekend and the team is already seeing it payoff.
Twin Ohio O-linemen commit to Ohio State
As was mentioned above, Ohio State played host to a handful of prospects for a spring camp last weekend. The weekend visits are already showing as successful as the Buckeyes saw two offensive linemen in the 2024 class commit to the team on Monday.
Twin brothers Deontae and Devontae Armstrong both announced their commitments to Ohio State on Monday, following their most recent visit last weekend. Deontae was the first of the two to announce his commitment but Devontae’s announcement came shortly after.
The two brothers are Ohio natives, playing football for St. Edward of Lakewood Ohio. Both of the Armstrong twins are offensive lineman and both are four-star prospects in the 247Sports Composite Rankings. Devontae is the No. 23 IOL in the 247Sports Composite Rankings and he is the No. 353 overall prospect. Brother Deontae is the No. 25 OT and the No. 313 overall prospect. Both are also among the top ten recruits in Ohio with Deontae at No. 9 and Devontae at No. 13.
The combination of the two gives Ohio State’s 2024 recruiting class a total of four offensive line commitments. The Armstrong twins will join four-star IOL Ian Moore and three-star IOL Marc Nave.
Already having four commitments in the trenches is a huge win for Ohio State offensive line coach Justin Frye, as he will now be able to narrow his focus on bringing in a final piece to the puzzle. The benefit of being able to narrow down his focus should increase the team’s efforts in securing a commitment from a elite-level national prospect.
The Buckeyes are looking to add 1-2 more offensive linemen in this class and are still heavily involved in recruitments for multiple blue-chip prospects on the line such as four-star OTs Guerby Lambert and Brandon Baker as well as four-star IOL Jordan Seaton.
Quick Hits
- Ohio State didn’t take Monday off from recruiting, even though the coaching staff had a busy weekend. 2024 four-star wide receiver Xavier Jordan is in the middle of a two-day visit with Ohio State and it looks like the visit is already going well and Jordan has already received an official scholarship from the Buckeyes.
Jordan is the No. 19 WR in the 247Sports Composite Rankings and is the No. 110 overall prospect. He is also the No. 16 recruit from the state of California.
- It is obvious Ohio State had a successful recruiting weekend with the commitments of the Armstrongs. However, Ohio State’s director of recruiting strategy hinted that the team may not be done adding talent.
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—urph (@N_Murph) March 27, 2023
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LGHL Remembering resilient Taylor Mikesell in last Ohio State women’s game
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Remembering resilient Taylor Mikesell in last Ohio State women’s game
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Barbara J. Perenic/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
There are many ways to remember an end of a career, and the Buckeyes’ guard left fighting
The Ohio State women’s basketball team came two games short of reaching its goal of winning an NCAA Championship. Monday night, as the sound of final buzzer rang through Climate Pledge Arena, shooting guard Taylor Mikesell’s normally stoic demeanor broke. The guard was overcome with emotion.
It’s a moment that on television, networks like to exploit. Instead of focusing solely on the game-winning team, a camera is usually in the face of a student athlete, or fan in the stands, who’s crying over a tough defeat.
After five NCAA seasons, the buzzer’s sound not only signified end of the game, but of Mikesell’s collegiate career. It’s a career that shouldn’t be remembered with tears but with the way Mikesell played in two dominant years and how the guard always went down fighting.
Saturday, the second-year member of the Scarlet & Gray scored nine points, well below the guard’s 17 points per game season average. Mikesell was playing injured, worn from a season of starting 34 games leading into the Sweet Sixteen matchup against the UConn Huskies.
At timeouts, the guard received medical treatment and still sat out only 1:29 of the game clock. Before the Buckeyes’ Monday night Elite Eight game against the Virginia Tech Hokies, Mikesell assured she was good and was ready to go. Hard to argue with Mikesell with how Monday’s game started.
Mikesell scored nine points in the first quarter, all off three-point shots. The guard looked healthy and up for the challenge of ahead that evening. Under the surface though, Mikesell was under the same pain felt on Saturday, citing adrenaline as how she kept going.
By the time the first half ended, Mikesell scored 19 points on 6-for-7 shooting, five of which coming from beyond the arc. In the second half, the entire Buckeyes’ steam shooting sunk, Mikesell included, until the fourth quarter.
Each time up the court on offense, the Buckeyes increased their intensity in hopes of trimming down a lead that grew to 13 points for the Hokies. Mikesell’s six second half points came in that fourth quarter.
The shots were a three that put the Hokies lead back down to 10 points. Then, with 44 seconds remaining, Mikesell got the deficit down to six points, giving Ohio State hope.
That three-pointer was the last points the Buckeyes scored in the 22-23 season.
On Nov. 10, 2021, Mikesell started off the Buckeyes scoring. Overall, the 71-48 defeat of Bucknell University won’t enter the record books, but it started the career of Mikesell back in her home state.
Following two post high school years with the Maryland Terrapins, and a trying season with the Oregon Ducks, Mikesell came back to the Buckeye State and not only gave Ohio State fans two seasons to remember, but took a team that had few expectations from the outside looking in and turned them into a league champion and one of only eight teams remaining in the 2023 NCAA Tournament.
In two years where Mikesell never missed a start, the Massillon, Ohio native scored 1,215 points, more than any Buckeye in the past two years. Mikesell led the Scarlet & Gray in not only an improbable 2021-22 Big Ten Regular Season Championship run but within three points of the 2022 Elite Eight.
This season, Mikesell did one better. As the Buckeyes lost not one but two starting point guards, Mikesell continued to suit up every game and lead a young Ohio State side. As defensives honed in, fouled and made life difficult on the guard, Mikesell played shooting guard, point guard and decoy, making her teammates better.
“She’s leaving the way you should leave,” said head coach Kevin McGuff. “Knowing that you poured every ounce of heart and soul, effort, energy into a program and that’s just who she is and it says so much about her.”
Following Saturday’s win, her teammates called Mikesell “tough as nails.” Following Monday’s defeat, Mikesell was asked to reflect back on what this team means to her.
It wasn’t moments a fellow Buckeye brought to games where Ohio State beat the UConn Huskies in the Sweet Sixteen or coming back from a record 24-point deficit to pull out a victory in the Big Ten Tournament. It wasn’t even pulling together to win that championship ring for the 21-22 season, when many didn’t give the team a chance.
Mikesell’s response was a reminder that as much attention and focus is placed on the competitive side of NCAA basketball, she’s a student athlete.
“They’re kind of the best part about this whole thing,” said Mikesell. “Like, honestly, probably going to miss just being able to hang out with them most, more than anything.”
If that isn’t enough to remember Mikesell by, remember her as the Academic All-B1G, two-time All-B1G First Team selection, 1,000-point scoring Big Ten champion who poured everything she had into The Ohio State University.
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1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Barbara J. Perenic/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
There are many ways to remember an end of a career, and the Buckeyes’ guard left fighting
The Ohio State women’s basketball team came two games short of reaching its goal of winning an NCAA Championship. Monday night, as the sound of final buzzer rang through Climate Pledge Arena, shooting guard Taylor Mikesell’s normally stoic demeanor broke. The guard was overcome with emotion.
It’s a moment that on television, networks like to exploit. Instead of focusing solely on the game-winning team, a camera is usually in the face of a student athlete, or fan in the stands, who’s crying over a tough defeat.
After five NCAA seasons, the buzzer’s sound not only signified end of the game, but of Mikesell’s collegiate career. It’s a career that shouldn’t be remembered with tears but with the way Mikesell played in two dominant years and how the guard always went down fighting.
Saturday, the second-year member of the Scarlet & Gray scored nine points, well below the guard’s 17 points per game season average. Mikesell was playing injured, worn from a season of starting 34 games leading into the Sweet Sixteen matchup against the UConn Huskies.
At timeouts, the guard received medical treatment and still sat out only 1:29 of the game clock. Before the Buckeyes’ Monday night Elite Eight game against the Virginia Tech Hokies, Mikesell assured she was good and was ready to go. Hard to argue with Mikesell with how Monday’s game started.
Mikesell scored nine points in the first quarter, all off three-point shots. The guard looked healthy and up for the challenge of ahead that evening. Under the surface though, Mikesell was under the same pain felt on Saturday, citing adrenaline as how she kept going.
By the time the first half ended, Mikesell scored 19 points on 6-for-7 shooting, five of which coming from beyond the arc. In the second half, the entire Buckeyes’ steam shooting sunk, Mikesell included, until the fourth quarter.
Each time up the court on offense, the Buckeyes increased their intensity in hopes of trimming down a lead that grew to 13 points for the Hokies. Mikesell’s six second half points came in that fourth quarter.
The shots were a three that put the Hokies lead back down to 10 points. Then, with 44 seconds remaining, Mikesell got the deficit down to six points, giving Ohio State hope.
That three-pointer was the last points the Buckeyes scored in the 22-23 season.
On Nov. 10, 2021, Mikesell started off the Buckeyes scoring. Overall, the 71-48 defeat of Bucknell University won’t enter the record books, but it started the career of Mikesell back in her home state.
Following two post high school years with the Maryland Terrapins, and a trying season with the Oregon Ducks, Mikesell came back to the Buckeye State and not only gave Ohio State fans two seasons to remember, but took a team that had few expectations from the outside looking in and turned them into a league champion and one of only eight teams remaining in the 2023 NCAA Tournament.
In two years where Mikesell never missed a start, the Massillon, Ohio native scored 1,215 points, more than any Buckeye in the past two years. Mikesell led the Scarlet & Gray in not only an improbable 2021-22 Big Ten Regular Season Championship run but within three points of the 2022 Elite Eight.
This season, Mikesell did one better. As the Buckeyes lost not one but two starting point guards, Mikesell continued to suit up every game and lead a young Ohio State side. As defensives honed in, fouled and made life difficult on the guard, Mikesell played shooting guard, point guard and decoy, making her teammates better.
“She’s leaving the way you should leave,” said head coach Kevin McGuff. “Knowing that you poured every ounce of heart and soul, effort, energy into a program and that’s just who she is and it says so much about her.”
Following Saturday’s win, her teammates called Mikesell “tough as nails.” Following Monday’s defeat, Mikesell was asked to reflect back on what this team means to her.
It wasn’t moments a fellow Buckeye brought to games where Ohio State beat the UConn Huskies in the Sweet Sixteen or coming back from a record 24-point deficit to pull out a victory in the Big Ten Tournament. It wasn’t even pulling together to win that championship ring for the 21-22 season, when many didn’t give the team a chance.
Mikesell’s response was a reminder that as much attention and focus is placed on the competitive side of NCAA basketball, she’s a student athlete.
“They’re kind of the best part about this whole thing,” said Mikesell. “Like, honestly, probably going to miss just being able to hang out with them most, more than anything.”
If that isn’t enough to remember Mikesell by, remember her as the Academic All-B1G, two-time All-B1G First Team selection, 1,000-point scoring Big Ten champion who poured everything she had into The Ohio State University.
Continue reading...