The Ohio State Buckeyes (2-0) defeat The Cincinnati Bearcats (1-1)
Richard Tongohan via our good friends at Men of the Scarlet and Gray
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here



With the return of Buckeye football, the much-anticipated return of Luke Fickell was one of the most frequent stories of the offseason. Would Coach Fickell be out to make a statement? How amped up would his team be after using the most effective way to place huge chips on the shoulders of the Ohio kids that were deemed as not being good enough to don the scarlet and gray?

It definitely worked for a little bit as a few players from the Bearcat roster played with that chip and they began chirping at the Ohio State DB’s–more so with Damon Arnette. The game looked to be another tightly contested game with two defenses battling it out, but the flood gates opened up and Dobbins provided that spark after he scores on a short scamper and then ripped off an impressive 60-yard dash to the endzone. Dobbins showed his burst and quickness, and he definitely swung the momentum in the Buckeyes favor for good. He finished with 17 total carries and 141 yards and a healthy 8.3 average before he was pulled, but he will be leaned on heavily when they travel to Indiana.

In relief duties, Master Teague showed his power and vision that secures the future, if or when Dobbins decides to take it to the next level. The rushing attack was clearly the focus and the Buckeyes racked up 270 yards and 4 total TD’s. Dobbins and Fields had two apiece, but Fields was also highly efficient through the air where he finished 20-25 for 224 yards and two passing TD’s to the highly touted true freshman Garrett Wilson and his last to K.J. Hill. Wilson in limited snaps showed why he was one of the best receivers to come out of high school and his hands? They are solid! He took that ball out of the sky in traffic to secure the first collegiate touchdown of his young career.

The offense put on another show and this time, they did not lay off the gas pedal and they put in their first complete game of the season before giving way to the backups. The same thing can be said for the defense as they secured their first complete game and the backups with a clutch turnover in the red zone to secure the shutout. The Buckeyes had zero turnovers, but Dobbins almost coughed it up again, but a penalty negated the fumble. They also forced two turnovers, one interception off a deflection and the fumble toward the end of the game and a blocked field goal. The defense also relentlessly harassed the Bearcat offense and had five sacks for the day. They barely let splash plays develop, but the Tight End and the slants were there, but not as frequently as before. They look motivated and the tackling and the discipline is evident.

Justin Fields was very deadly over the first two weeks, and he will be tested in week 3 as the Buckeyes travel to Indiana for his first true road test as a Buckeye. He is capable of making the correct read and he has the awareness to throw the ball away if the play isn’t there and those choices will be important on the road. Awesome game from start to finish and the momentum is definitely building up. The Slobs are also gelling and it is beginning to show. They need to build on it and as the games get tougher, I think they’ll be an important factor. If the entire team can keep it up and avoid the late-season letdown, the Buckeyes could find themselves in the big dance. They cannot get complacent and they must stay consistent. Another great win against an even better team in Cincinnati. It was their first big test and they met or exceeded expectations. The tests will keep coming and we will see you next week Buckeye Nation.




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The Cincinnati Bearcats (1-0) VS The Ohio State Buckeyes (1-0)
Richard Tongohan via our good friends at Men of the Scarlet and Gray
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here



After just a single week in the books, both Cincinnati and Ohio State are looking to add another win to their season record to begin the season 2-0. Both teams came off of impressive wins a week ago and they would like to add to the momentum in this collision course of two of Ohio’s best college teams. A lot is on the line with this matchup and this could be one of those hotly contested games that are sure to be packed full of dramatic twists and turns.

Luke’s Return Home

To start this bit, there is a lot of anticipation regarding the return of former player, former Defensive Coordinator, and former Interim Head Coach Luke Fickell. You could say that he inadvertently brought us Urban Meyer after a dreadful 6-6 season, but I think those wounds healed after both Coach Meyer and Coach Fickell brought reigned in the 2014 College Football Playoff Championship.

He remained Coach Meyer’s Co-Defensive Coordinator up until he took the Head Coaching job for the Cincinnat Bearcats in December of 2016. Now here we are, a face from the past who bled scarlet is has returned to face his old team, his alma mater and the new face of the team, Coach Ryan Day. Will Coach Fickell be able to pull off the in-state upset over another good Buckeye team? Or will he feel the wrath of the Buckeyes?

We all know that before he sets foot in the Shoe, he will have his team ready to go. The offense looked legit too, so hopefully, they can contain them. This will definitely be their first big test because the Ohio kids against Ohio State factor still always seems to haunt the Buckeyes. Will the Buckeyes shut them down and play their first complete game of the season? Or will they play with their heads on fire and go vanilla when they think the game is out of reach?

Ball Security Issue?

J.K. Dobbins may have played with aggression, but he did have a key giveaway that seemed to swing the momentum in FAU’s way in the second and third quarters. Sure, he is playing fast and he is being more decisive when running, but what use is that after giving up a turnover? Listen, I love the way he is running. He is running hard, but he is also being impatient and is running straight into defenders. He is running away from openings and being impatient–and that is what is the most frustrating part.

Dobbins is a beast, I will not deny that, but to be successful he needs to hit the holes fast after they have developed and most importantly, he should take better care of the ball. He racked up 21 carries for 91-yards, he had a catch that went for 14-yards and he had a rushing score, so it’s not like I hate his play. He goes up against a stout defensive unit that so happens to have a former coach. He needs to buckle up for war.

Under The Lights

Justin Fields has been impressive, but under the lights in the Shoe, he needs to show a little more consistency in his game. Like Dobbins, he has a bad exchange during an RPO play and it resulted in another turnover for the Buckeyes. He played lights out for the first 6 minutes of the game but after that barrage of points, the FAU defense forced a string of punts that negated the offensive attack and the overall flow of the game for the Buckeyes.

By simply executing a variety of blitz packages that both pressured the offensive line and Fields. Enter Coach Fickell and his band of Ohio kids that have a huge chip on their shoulder after being deemed as not good enough to don the scarlet and gray. This could spell disaster for the Buckeyes in an early tilt and Fields’ first big test against a stout and motivated defense. Can he overcome his inexperience? Will he be able to dissect the Bearcats defense and avoid the sacks and the turnovers that they routinely get? Malik Vann, a Cincinnati kid will be a player to watch and he will be looking to shut down the offense.

Defensive Struggle

The overall theme for this game revolves around the term “defense” and this could be one of those games where it is the key to winning. The Silver Bullets flashed in week 1 and they did so well they gave some reps to the younger players to build their confidence. There are a ton of talented reserve players, but I feel they need more to further develop because a few of there were getting worked in mop-up time.

Chase Young and company will be looking to control the trenches and they better play disciplined because one of those that got away so happens to be one of Cincinnati’s best playmakers. Michael Warren II, an Ohio kid who got away was one that I particularly wanted and he is a major weapon for the Bearcats. Desmond Ridder will attempt to confuse this potent Buckeye defense with his arms and his legs. Can the Buckeyes shut them down? Will it be another nail-biter?

Five Match-Ups To Watch

• Fields vs Cincinnati DB’s
• Dobbins vs Cincinnati Front Seven
• Harrison/Borland/Werner vs Warren/Cincinnati TE’s in the seam
• Arnette/Okudah/Wade vs Cincinnati WR’s
• Slobs vs Cincinnati Front/Bliztes

PREDICTION

Buckeyes def. Cincinnati 52-20

• Fields: 19-26, 287 passing yards, 3 TD’s/10 carries, 68 yards, 1 TD
• Dobbins: 22 carries, 102 yards, 1 TD
• Defense: 3 sacks, 1 INT, 1 defensive TD (still want that!)

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Ohio State Buckeyes (1-0) defeat Florida Atlantic Owls (0-1)
Richard Tongohan via our good friends at Men of the Scarlet and Gray
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here



The Ryan Day Era at Ohio State has begun, and boy, you have to like what you just witnessed. In a span of a couple of minutes, the Buckeyes erased any remaining concerns or doubts with the offense and its new additions. You can also say the same for the defense as well because they played like their heads were on fire and with an urgency that we have all been crying for. In a season of new, the Buckeyes went out and made somewhat of a statement in their season debut. It wasn’t mistake-free football but after one game they looked pretty good, but now Coach Day has the tools to fix a few things as the season matures.

The Justin Fields Show

Justin Fields, a former 5-star dual-threat quarterback had high expectations for him coming out high school. He chose to stay close to home and enrolled at the University of Georgia. He sat behind fell behind Fromm and he then decided to use the transfer portal to find his next home for his shot to play. Fields brought more expectations and some well-warranted hype after his decision to go to a university like Ohio State.

As soon as he arrived, Fields was tabbed to as Dwayne Haskins’ successor, but he had to beat out fellow transfer portal quarterback Gunnar Hoak. Once named as the starter, the distractions were tuned out. Fields began his Ohio State career with a bang as he racked up chunk plays on four straight drives to put the Buckeyes up 28-0. Although a lovely sight to see, the FAU Owls eventually found their stride and forced a punt in consecutive drives–effectively rendering Ohio State ineffective on offense.

Fields’ speed was evident and his accuracy was noticeable. He did not force any bad passes into tiny windows and he had the awareness to slide or run out of bounds to protect himself. The depth at his position is fairly new and unproven, so at least he is aware of his importance. 18/25 for 234 yards, 12 carries for 61 yards, with 4 total touchdowns aren’t bad numbers, but there is certainly some room for improvement and I am confident that he will continue to improve as the season goes on. He had a lateral pass that resulted in a fumble, but look for Coach Day to fine-tune the offense against Cincinnati. It would be unrealistic if you think it was a perfect game for him, but he is well on his way to becoming an integral part of this offense.

Playmakers Paradise

The Buckeyes lost a lot of their offensive playmakers to the NFL after the 2018 season, but today they showed no dropoff in production. Campbell, Dixon, and McLaurin were all team captains and the majority of the offense revolved around those three, but in 2019 they returned Hill, Victor, Saunders, and Mack to take their place as the pulse of the offense. They also have a few younger stars like Olave and Wilson to add quality depth to the Zone 6 group to add some sizzle to the 2nd team offensive attack to keep opposing teams second-guessing.

The playmakers aren’t limited to just the guys in Zone 6, we saw a re-emergence with the Tight End group and we witnessed an uptick in their usage. Former #1 Tight End Jeremy Ruckert gathered his first two TD’s in a good showing during year two. He finished the game with 4 catches for 38 yards and two scores.

The Cadillac position or Tote Nation also showed out and had 178 total yards and two TD’s between the four backs, which is good, but they were far from perfect due to the Dobbins fumble that might have swung the momentum in FAU’s favor for a short period of time. What could be Dobbins’ last year, he was noticeably more decisive when carrying the rock. He looks bigger and stronger, and he runs with more purpose and aggression. His stablemates McCall, Teague, and Crowley all showed out as well, gaining the tough, hard-fought yardage putting any doubts about the future in check.

Trench Warfare

The Slobs have been iffy and after numerous losses in the trenches, the Buckeyes had to re-build the Offensive Line when they returned a single starter in Thayer Munford. The new-look line features a bunch of former 5 stars and they look like a talented and deep group. From the left to right, Munford, former Rutgers guard Jackson, Myers, Davis, and Bowen look to re-establish the Slob standard in 2019. They blocked well in the beginning before getting lazy as the game progressed. It gave me a bit of hope but like all things, it is a work in progress this early into the season and they gave up a couple of sacks in the process.

On the opposite end of the trenches, the Rushmen played spectacularly and to their standard lead by Chase Young. Young himself gathered 1.5 sacks by himself and his position group had a total of 4 for the game. They are definitely playing with the urgency even after the departure of Dre’Mont Jones and Nick Bosa. They had a few key players that were banged up and unable to play, but the future of this position is bright.

Back Seven Improvement

The back seven of the defense became the running theme of the 2018 season because they were plain bad. Poor angles, missed tackles and chunk plays plagued them the entirety of the season and naturally, they would be one of the major stories coming into the 2019 season. After a single game, they improved under Coach Mattison, Coach Washington, and Coach Hafley simplifying things to make them read and diagnose plays quicker. It worked and they look like the Silver Bullets of old, flying all around the field and making sure tackles time after time.

The new zone scheme and the DB’s tracking the ball has helped, but later in the game the seams were ripe for the picking and FAU was able to move the ball. Like every other topic, it is a work in progress because it was far from perfect. Werner showed his speed but he overran the play and missed out on a sack in the second half. The improvement is obvious and back-up Safety Josh Proctor came away with a turnover, so it’ll get better–I promise you.

Overall Analysis

The Buckeyes are 1-0 with many pluses and a few negatives, but they are minor fixes. Fields played good and the offense clicked with him at the helm, but the dropoff after the scorching start was evident. The Running Backs are beasts that all play hard, but ball security needs to be in their minds after turning it over. Zone 6 and it’s Tight Ends are going to be hard to account for and they bring a needed balance to the offensive attack. Finally, the defense played well and if they continue to improve, they will be a force to be reckoned with.






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The FAU Owls (0-0) VS The Ohio State Buckeyes (0-0)
Richard Tongohan via our good friends at Men of the Scarlet and Gray
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here



We are now within 24-hours folks! We all have waited and seen the offseason develop and now we are so close to game time, I can barely contain myself–and I am positive that you all can’t do it either! After another offseason that featured a few more key players departing to live their dreams in the NFL, I cannot begin to tell you how much they will be missed, but we will be fine. Talent at Ohio State comes and goes, but they always restock to perceived “bare” cupboard. Let’s see how the cupboard stacks up against the Florida Atlantic Owls in my new 24-hour preview with five burning storylines.

The transfer portal savior comes in as the first and probably the most important on this makeshift board of mine. The “bare” cupboard (the quarterback room) was one of the major storylines that haunted the Buckeyes in the offseason and with the sudden departure of Matthew Baldwin, the position looked grim, but the Buckeyes added the aforementioned Fields and Hoak to bolster their depth, with Fields beating out Hoak for the starting position for the Buckeyes.

Fields certainly has the hype behind him, even before the spring game, but he seems poised to become the leader of this offensive charge. He will replace Dwayne Haskins who left to become the Redskins’ first-round pick. Fields has the wheels to run and the gun to sling the ball to his playmakers, but will we see a slow-developing rise? Or will he come out guns blazing in what could be a tune-up match with an overmatched Owls team?

J.K. Dobbins returns from what he himself has called as a sub-par season at the Buckeyes Cadillac position, he will attempt to redeem himself in the 2019 season. In a season where he logged 1,053 rushing yards and 263 yards receiving, he is looking for more yardage in what could be his last season at Ohio State. He will look to best his 12 TD total to establish himself as a legendary Buckeye RB and leave his mark.

He is a shifty runner and he can handle passes out of the backfield, which suits the offensive scheme. He will be leaned upon heavily to occupy the defenders in the box IF Fields cannot sustain the aerial assault, Dobbins will start up the ground assault, but he has reinforcements in long-forgotten Demario McCall and Master Teague. They also have two-studs in Marcus Crowley and Steele Chambers lying in wait if or when the game gets out of hand. Can this stable of backs, especially the Dobbins make an immediate impact? Can they place the game out of reach to earn some rest to prepare for a tough game against Cincy and their former coach?

The question is will the Slobs play to their usual standard? The Slobs are usually great year in and year out, but with the departure Prince, Jordan, and Knox, can the next generation of slobs live up to the expectation and help Dobbins gash offenses? With a nearly-new starting five of Munford, Jackson, Myers, Davis, and Bowen can they be another nasty starting five?

Branden Bowen has healed from his season-ending injury a season ago, and he has thrust himself into a starting role beating former five-star Nicholas Petite-Frere for the job. He does have the potential to go out with a bang and what better opportunity than this season with being an integral part of a potentially lethal offense? His fellow slobs are also fighting to retain their reputation as Munford returns to man to blindside, former Rutgers stud enters the fray as the starting Left Guard, another former five-star talent in Myers finally grabs a starting role at Center and the same for Davis at Right Guard. The depth is there as well, but for now, the starters will look to secure the trenches for Fields and Dobbins. Can they live up to the standard or even exceed it as the season winds down.

Damon Arnette left NFL money for another season for redemption in the Scarlet and Gray. The story a year ago was his inability to cover and the consistent penalties incurred, but with a new position coach in Hafley, he had to come back to prove himself. He, along with Okudah and Wade have all secured their usual spots can the trio regain their BIA swag? Or will they fall further away from the standard that has been a constant for the past few years?

On the back end, at the Safety positions, Jordan Fuller also turned down the NFL for one more season at Ohio State. He will pair up with Brendon White, who broke out last season and became an impact player once he received his shot. Can they DB’s reduce the poorly-timed penalties and live up to the BIA reputation? Or will they go through the growing pain along the way with their new secondary coach? Will the takeaways become their specialty once again? Or will they continue to get gashed by opposing the offensive playmakers time and time again? Can they stop the constant bleeding and negate those same playmakers?

Lastly, to go along with the defense, can the Linebacking Corps recover from what was a horrible year from the defensive side of the ball–particularly with the play from this group. Tuf Borland and Pete Werner always seemed to be out of position and opposing offenses picked on them. Will they be able to put those worries to rest with two more new, but familiar coaches in Washington and Mattison? Can they be counted on since they have regained their roles as starters?

Another question is can the backups get some reps to carve out their roles once the game gets out of hand? Make no mistake, the trio of Pope, Browning, and Mitchell are ballers, but they fell behind the seasoned vets who were starters a year ago and that it is nothing to be ashamed about. They will most likely carve out crucial roles as backups, but the trio of thumpers will be something to watch during mop-up duty. I wouldn’t be surprised to see them inserted into starting roles later in the season if nothing changes for the defense.

PREDICTION:

Ohio State defeats FAU 49-13.

Ohio State will start out rusty and eventually right the ship, both on offense and defense. The starters will gain much-needed reps and put the game out of reach by halftime and then earn well-deserved rest in the third quarter. Fields will rack up 210 yards through the air with a pair of TD’s and 45 yards on the ground. Dobbins will tear it up and go for a minimum of 100 yards and a TD with a couple of catches out of the backfield. Hill and Zone 6, along with the TE’s will be used frequently in a balanced attack, scoring at least three times. The defense will start up slowly, but they will eventually regain their swagger and have a game. 3 sacks, 2 interceptions, and a forced fumble, and one would result in a defensive score. The backups will gain valuable experience in clean-up duty and they will score twice more to secure the win.




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Vegas Always Wins: Clemson covers, but ‘Bama busts
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports
The worst bad beats from Week 3 of college football.

We are now through three weeks of the college football season, with teams starting to establish themselves as the bulk of conference play encroaches. By this time, you are either starting to build up a bankroll for the rest of the year, or finding a good excuse at work for why you’ve been mysteriously losing money each Saturday. Whichever path the early season has taken you thus far, there remains a ton of time to get on some winners.

There were a few scares this week, but all the teams at the top got the job done. The biggest upset of the weekend was No. 18 Michigan State falling 10-7 at home to unranked Arizona State, missing a 47-yard field goal at the end of regulation after a penalty pushed them back five yards following a initial 42-yard make. A few teams at the bottom lost as well, with No. 21 Maryland’s offense disappearing in a 20-17 loss to Temple and No. 24 USC coming up short in a 30-27 loss at the hands of BYU.

Despite a lack of huge upsets, there was certainly not a lack of bad beats, including two of the nation’s top teams. Vegas certainly knows what they are doing when they make these lines, so let’s take a look at how they took your money this week.

Alabama 47 - South Carolina 23
(Line: Bama -26.5)


Alabama took on their first SEC opponent of the year, traveling to Columbia, SC to take on the Gamecocks. Coming into the game as heavy favorites, nobody really expected South Carolina to keep it close, but they were able to do so at least in the opening quarter, finding themselves down just 14-10 after the first. That is when things began to fall apart.

The Crimson Tide would score 10 unanswered points in the second quarter. After SC was able to get back on the board with a field goal in the third, the No. 2 team in the nation turned it up, winding up with a 47-16 lead with under two minutes remaining. Cruising with a 31-point lead and little time left, it appeared as though Alabama was about to cover the spread. The Gamecocks, however, had other plans...


With under 15 seconds remaining, South Carolina was still intent on getting into the end zone despite the large deficit. The 11-yard touchdown pass had no impact on the final outcome, as Alabama remained undefeated through their first three contests. However, those seven points trimmed the margin of victory to 24 points — just not enough for the Tide to cover.

Clemson 41 - Syracuse 6
(Line: CLEM -28)


Syracuse was actually the last team to beat Clemson in the regular season, a 27-24 upset of the then-No. 2 Tigers in 2017. With a shaky start to the season, and coming off a blowout loss to Maryland, not many people expected Cuse to pull off the miraculous feat yet again. Right from the get-go, it was clear that the Orange did not have another upset in them.

After touchdowns on both a pass and a run from Trevor Lawrence, Clemson jumped out to an early 14-0 lead in the first quarter. The two teams traded field goals back and forth until halftime, before the Tigers found the end zone against to start the third quarter, extending their lead to 24-6. The No. 1 team in the nation added another field goal and a touchdown in the fourth, but then seemingly took their foot off the gas as they stayed off of the scoreboard for what initially looked like would be the rest of the game.

Up a ton, and having possession of the ball with under a minute left and the backups on the field, Clemson seemed content to just run the clock down to zero. Then, Chez Mellusi happened.


A poor effort tackling by a tired and defeated Syracuse defense, mixed with a motivated backup running back for Clemson created a nightmare scenario for bettors of the Orange who would've just been happy coming away with a push. Instead of the Tigers winning by 28, the exact number of the spread, they instead won by 35 to cover on a play that had no intentions of reaching the end zone.

Florida 29 - Kentucky 21
(O/U: 46)


It seems like every year a top-10 ranked Florida team struggles with lesser competition on more than a few occasions. This game was one of those such occasions, as unranked Kentucky had a real chance to come away with a victory over the No. 9 team in the nation. Unfortunately for the Gators, despite escaping with a win, they lost quarterback Feleipe Franks for the rest of the season with a dislocated ankle.

Kyle Trask came in to relieve Franks late in the third quarter, trailing 21-10. The junior was able to immediately lead Florida on a 62-yard touchdown drive, cutting the deficit to 21-16 after a failed two-point attempt. Two possessions later, the Gators took the lead on a four-yard TD run by Trask, again failing to get the two but now up 22-21. With four minutes remaining, Kentucky just needed a field goal to win the game.

Driving all the way down to Florida’s 17-yard line, the Wildcats were all set up for a game-winning field goal. Unfortunately for the home team, the 35-yard attempt went wide right, and the Gators maintained the lead with just 54 seconds remaining. With the spread never really in doubt — Kentucky was +9.5 in the game — bettors of the under also felt they'd be able to rest easy, as Florida just had to get one first down to ice the game. Well, they got the first, and a bit more...


In an effort to pick up a first down to put Kentucky away, Florida ran a simple end around play. Some good blocking and some poor tackling led, instead, to a 76-yard touchdown run in the game’s final 40 seconds. With the over/under set at 46, the Gators could have just gotten the first and ended the game with the total at 43. Instead, the long TD pushed the total to 50, putting a dagger into the hearts of under bettors.

Texas 48 - Rice 13
(Line: TEX -32, O/U; 57.5)


The ending of this game was an absolute roller coaster of emotions for bettors on both sides and those on the total, with the potential for a crushing double-loser. Texas was heavy favorites in this matchup with Rice, and showed that they were the much better team right out of the gate.

By the time halftime rolled around, the Longhorns already held a substantial 31-0 lead. They continued to add to it out of the break, with another touchdown in the middle of the third quarter. Rice got their first points of the game early in the fourth on a shirt TD pass, cutting the deficit to 38-6 after a failed PAT. Texas added a field goal to make it 41-6, and the spread seemed safe. However, with just a minute remaining, the Owls put up a garbage time touchdown to make it 41-13 — a 28 point lead that would be insufficient for Longhorn bettors.

That is when things got a little crazy...


The 97-yard kick return touchdown completely turned this game on its head from a betting standpoint. The score gave Texas a 48-13 lead, good enough to flip the script and cover the 32-point spread with under a minute remaining. The points also put the game total at 61, just 3.5 points over the total set by the oddsmakers. Anyone who bet Texas and the over came out a miraculous double-winner, and those with Rice and the under a languishing double-loser.

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Podcast: Discussing California law to pay players, ‘THE,’ more with Kelsey Trainor
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 Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Did you know that OSU legend Chris Spielman sued Ohio State for unfairly using his image and likeness last year?

On Land-Grant Holy Land In Conversation, we talk to people in and around Ohio State athletics, and the sporting world at large, to bring you a different insight and perspective to the teams, athletes, and university that you love.

On this episode, we are joined by LGHL’s Legal Analyst Kelsey Trainor to talk about California Senate Bill 206, which — if signed — would make it law that all NCAA student-athletes in that state would be able to be compensated for the use of their name, likeness, or skills.


We also discuss Chris Spielman’s recent lawsuit against Ohio State for the university unfairly using his image and likeness as part of a promotional campaign last year, and we close out the show with OSU and LeBron James’ efforts to trademark the word “THE” and phrase “Taco Tuesday” respectively.

Contact Kelsey Trainor:
Her Twitter: @KTrain_11
Podcast Twitter: @CallingGame1

Check out the podcast below, and make sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts:


Contact Matt Tamanini
Twitter: @BWWMatt
Instagram: @BWWMatt

Theme music provided by www.bensound.com

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BOOM! Four-star, 2020 SG Eugene Brown commits to Ohio State
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Eugene Brown III | Twitter | @g3ne__
Brown becomes the only player in the 2020 class.

On Monday, just after 12 noon ET, Eugene Brown III announced that he would be playing his collegiate basketball for Chris Holtmann and the Ohio State Buckeyes. The 2020 shooting guard from Decatur, Ga. is a four-star prospect and the sixth-rated player in the state. He is also slotted in as the 26th player nationally and 112th overall by 247Sports Composite rankings.


Brown is 6-foot-6, 185 pounds, and plays his high school ball at Southwest DeKalb. He is considered a quality shooter and a tough defender, and should provide the Buckeyes with a tall wing able to compete on both sides of the floor.

In addition to the Buckeyes, Brown also had offers from more than a dozen schools including Georgia, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Butler, and Texas A&M. Brown visited Ohio State over the weekend, and even though he had officials slated for A&M, Louisville, and both of the in-state programs, he decided to commit to the Buckeyes. It is not known if he will still take those official visits, but as of Monday, he is committed to OSU.

Brown’s pledge to play for Ohio State makes him the first — and, by default, only — player in the 2020 class for Holtmann’s squad. Their 2019 class was ranked first in the Big Ten, and the 2021 group is currently rated as No. 1 nationally, but, because of a lack of scholarship availability, things have been slower on the 2020 front.

Whether Holtmann adds anyone else in this cycle or not, welcome to Buckeye Nation, Eugene!

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Pretty much every Ohio State sport was a winner this weekend
Meredith Hein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

The Ohio State University
Football was just the tip of the spear.

The eyes of Buckeye nation may have been on Bloomington Saturday, but a number of Ohio State programs earned impressive wins in their respective sports over the past week.

Field hockey bounces back with 11-0 win over Central Michigan


After falling to No. 6 Virginia last week, the Buckeyes were back to their winning ways with an 11-0 shutout of Central Michigan Friday at home. The 11 goals scored set a new program record for goals in a single game. In all, the Chippewas got in just four shots to the Buckeyes’ 29. Junior Nikki Trzaska and senior Esther Clotet Alsina each had three goals on the day, while freshman Mackenzie Allessie added two of her own.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t all good news from the weekend for Ohio State. The Buckeyes fell 2-1 in a tightly-contested matchup with No. 8 Louisville Sunday. Allessie scored Ohio State’s lone goal on the day.

With the loss to the Cardinals Sunday, the Buckeyes are sitting at 4-2 on the season. Of those four wins, three came in shutouts. Next up, Ohio State opens conference play against No. 13 Northwestern Friday in Columbus.

Men’s and women’s soccer pick up weekend wins


The Ohio State women’s soccer team had a major victory over the weekend, taking home its first win of the season as it defeated Miami (OH) 1-0 Friday night in Columbus. Sophomore Kayla Fischer scored the winning goal for the Buckeyes in the 39th minute. In all, Ohio State had 26 shots to Miami’s one.

Ohio State continued its winning ways with a 3-1 triumph over Ohio Sunday, with goals from Fischer (her third of the season), redshirt junior Meghan Kammerdeiner and junior Marissa Birzon.

Coming up next for the Buckeyes, Ohio State is scheduled to open up its conference slate against Michigan State Thursday in Columbus.

The men’s squad also earned a major win over the weekend, bringing home a 2-1 conquest over No. 25 Bowling Green on the road. Despite two hours’ worth of weather delays, the Buckeyes stayed focused with goals from senior Jack Holland and redshirt sophomore Devyn Etling to seal the win for Ohio State.

With the win, the Buckeyes improve to 4-1 on the season. Next up, Ohio State is scheduled to face South Florida on the road in Tampa, but the Buckeyes are also preparing for the start of Big Ten play Saturday against Penn State in Columbus.

Volleyball notches sweep of Bowling Green


A rough weekend for women’s volleyball ended on a high note Saturday. After falling to Tulane 1-3 and Western Kentucky 0-3 in the Holiday Inn — University Plaza Invitational, the Buckeyes bounced back with a 3-0 sweep of Bowling Green in Kentucky. Leading the way for Ohio State were Mia Grunze and Vanja Bukilic, who combined for 25 of the Buckeyes’ 49 kills on the day.

The Buckeyes are sitting at 4-5 on the season, and have a chance to get to a winning record

this weekend when they host a three-game slate at the Buckeye Invite at the Covelli Center in Columbus. Ohio State is scheduled to face Miami (OH) Thursday and Illinois State and Dayton Friday.

Cross country runs away with Commodore Classic


The women’s cross country team finished second out of 20 teams in the Commodore Classic in Nashville Saturday. Two Buckeyes, senior Lainey Studebaker and junior Abby Nichols, finished among the top six runners, securing the high finish for Ohio State.

The men’s squad finished seventh of 15 competing teams, with the highest-place finish coming from junior Aaron Wood at No. 18.

In other running news, the 2019 women’s track and field team received its Big Ten Championship rings in recognition of the squad’s indoor and outdoor championships last season.

Women’s tennis, golf open competition this week


After finishing its 2018-19 campaign with a sixth-straight NCAA Tournament appearance, the Ohio State women’s tennis team is ready to start its fall slate this week with the Furman Invite in Greenville, South Carolina. The Buckeyes ended last season 18th in the ITA rankings, having finished the year with a 19-7 overall and 8-3 in-conference record.

The women’s golf team, meanwhile, is travelling to Toledo ahead of the Glass City Invitational to open its 2019-20 season. Eight Buckeyes return to the roster this season, including Aneka Seumanutafa, last season’s Big Ten Freshman of the Year.

Hockey players earn preseason honors


Two members of the women’s hockey team earned preseason recognition ahead of the start of their season, scheduled to open Sept. 27 against St. Lawrence in Columbus. Leading the way is junior forward Emma Maltais, who was voted WCHA Co-Player of the Year. Additionally, senior defender Jinny Dunne was named to the All-WCHA team, along with Maltais. The Buckeyes enter the season ranked third in the WCHA Coaches Poll.

Current, future and former Buckeyes compete on national and international stages


With the start of NHL training camps this week, 13 former Buckeyes find themselves on 10 NHL rosters. Three players, including forward Mason Jobst, center Tanner Fritz and right wing Nick Schilkey, are all with the New York Islanders organization, while forwards Ryan Dzingel and Max McCormick are both with Carolina. Dzingel signed a two-year, $6.75 million contract with the Hurricanes in the offseason. Center Zac Dalpe is the lone Ohio State alum on the Columbus Blue Jackets this training camp.

Halfway around the world, wrestler Kyle Snyder is preparing for competition for the Senior World title in Kazakhstan, with competition scheduled to begin Saturday. Snyder, the most decorated wrestler of his generation, is seeking his third title at Worlds since 2015.

Incoming freshman tennis player Cannon Kingsley has demonstrated why he was the top recruit in the 2019 recruiting class. Playing in four junior Grand Slam events over the summer, Kingsley rose as high as 593rd in the ATP rankings and No. 10 in the ITF World Junior rankings.

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Football, like life, is a celebration of the traditional and the new
John Moe via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Joe Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
A look into the first Ohio State home game of the season.

College football, like life, is filled with both the traditional aspects of endeavor along with more recent innovations. Football is a shared exercise: hard for the players, hard for the coaches, and, yes, hard for the fans.

Ah, after a winter of shared frustration, discontent, and solution, followed by a long summer of anticipation, fans finally reached the beginning of a new season of Ohio State football. We walked to the bus stop for the Ol’ COTA #2 bus and our Saturday trip down High Street, going to the Ohio State campus and the game against Florida Atlantic. As usual, the Saturday bus crowd buzzed with excitement. It was a new season, but still it was connected with the traditions of so many years of Ohio State Saturday football games. We sat in the front of the bus, in the seats behind the driver where we could face other passengers.

The first stop after downtown Worthington, an older man and a woman got on. You could tell they were excited to be on the bus. The man explained to his companion about the route of the bus. You could tell he was excited to be going to the game. He asked the man behind him if he was going to the game and the man replied, no he wasn’t. Then the older man looked at me and asked if I was going. I replied that I was. He said that I ought to look more happy. I said I would, look more happy, that is.

We began to talk the way people do on a bus. Finally, it became apparent that the man wanted to share information. I asked the older man how long he had been going to games. He replied that he was a member of the National Championship team of 1961. He held out his left hand to display for me his ring. There it was, a big, elaborate, fine championship ring. One does not see those often. We got off the bus at 18th Avenue and walked through campus.

I asked his name. It was Larry Stephens; he told me that he was a linebacker on the ’61 team. The National Championship ring was on the left hand. On the right hand, Mr. Stephens sported a Big Ten Championship ring. The second ring was a little smaller, but it was imposing nonetheless. We talked, he told me he played at 5-foot-10, 214 pounds. He said he was a little lighter today. I told him I played, but it was Division III. I was a little bigger than Larry when I played. He noticed that I was bigger.

Larry and I had a good chat, walking together, all the way to the stadium. Just the way it ought to be on Game Day: just two guys walking down memory lane, telling stories. An American scene—football, Saturday, blue sky. Sharing the past, knowing the future was steps away. As we walked, the other people going to the game were increasingly dressed in scarlet for Ohio State. Younger students, warm day, shorts and t-shirts, excitement all around.

A sacred part of Ohio State “Horseshoe” tradition is the participation each year of the Alumni Band. This year 500 strong. We look forward to the Alumni Band and the current OSU band doing four, count ‘em, four individual versions of “Script Ohio”, all on the same field. Marching “Script Ohio” is a sacred trust for Ohio State fans, the song brings everyone together. Each game, a senior in the band is chosen to “dot the i”, the “i” in Ohio.

This year a friend of mine who works at my bank told me his father would play in the Alumni Band. His father, who plays the cornet, was in the Ohio State band about 30 years ago. My friend told me that the band members, all 500, had to get to the ‘Shoe early, about 6 a.m. early, to learn their routines for the day and practice. He informed me that mostly the Alumni Band will do simple straight lines and play the same version of “Script Ohio” they always played.

We walked to our seats. My favorite usher, Mike Danter, was there. I almost did not recognize him, His moustache was gone.

“You’re here,” I said. “But, where’s the moustache?”

“Of course I’m here, it is my thirty-first year, here at the same gate,” Mike said.

Traditions never cease. He had shaved his great moustache, I was sorry to see that. Last year he had dyed it twice, once a sort of turquoise color and once he had put red dye on the top of his head in the shape of an mohawk strip. Now there was no color. I asked why. He said he started a new job at the warehouse where he has worked for 40 years.

The first game of the year combined a strong ingredient of tradition with a sense of anticipation of the new. In the case of this 2019 first game, all the tradition is nice, but finally there has to be a game, and this year the Buckeyes features a new coach in Ryan Day and a new “on the field” general in transfer quarterback Justin Fields.

There was plenty of room for anxiety and worry. All the traditions, all the championship rings, all the former players, all the steadfast ushers, it all comes together to make the future of the season easier to handle, but, still, the game has to be played.

Geoff Hammersley
You Win With People: Woody and Anne Hayes’ gravesite in Columbus, Ohio. Woody coached five national title teams at Ohio State.

With under two minutes played, Fields ran a “keeper” to the left and the Florida Atlantic defense went the opposite direction. Time of possession: 1:53. With 11:05 to play in the first quarter, OSU scored again on a pass from Fields. Two plays, time of possession just 36 seconds. With 9:12 to go in the first, after 2 plays, Fields scored again on a pass to Benjamin Victor. Three plays, 37 seconds off the clock. Still in the first, OSU had 154 yards; Florida Atlantic, -12 yards. Under well-known (and well-traveled) head coach of the Florida Atlantic Owls, Lane Kiffin brought a team that was no match for the Buckeyes.

Finally, the last score of the quarter, happening in just four plays, brought another TD for the Bucks. Time of possession: 1:02. The only thing good about this game for FAU was that there was no hurricane in Ohio, except for Justin Fields, a hurricane all his own.

But the football “Hurricane” that come to mind is the subject of a 1952 Bowery Boys film entitled “Hold that Line”. The Bowery Boys were led by the indomitable man named Slip, and Sach was his second in command.

In the film, the Bowery Boys go to the local university. Sach is in the chemistry lab and begins to mix a cocktail of assorted random chemicals. He drinks the chemicals and becomes physically invincible. The Bowery Boys go out for the football team and no one can tackle Sach. The team goes on to win many games and Sach is named “Hurricane” in the local newspapers. Eventually, in the middle of the most important game of the year, of course, the chemicals wear off and Sach is returned to normal. Not to be deterred, the team makes Sach a decoy and Slip is left untouched to skamper, run, score, and win the championship.

The film “Hold that Line”, directed by William Beaudine and written by Tim Ryan and Charles R. Marion, is one of many Bowery Boys films, but in this instance, the film reminds us of a new hurricane on the football field in Justin Fields.

Never forgetting the real-world devastation of the Hurricane Dorian, in the sports world, the word hurricane retains its reference as an athlete who is superb. As warm weather pushed the dreadful real hurricane Dorian out to the Atlantic Ocean last week, off the East Coast, it seemed that a new football hurricane has come onto to the scene.

Against Cincinnati last week, Fields again shredded the defense, passing 20-for-25, 224 yards and two touchdowns. Fields also added nine runs for 42 yards rushing and two more touchdowns. The ceiling for the second-year quarterback is very high.

Hurricane Justin Fields is on his way to becoming part of the tradition of the “Horseshoe”.

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Keith Duncan, 5 first-time winners claim Week 3 individual honors
Brent Yarina, BTN.com Senior Editor via Big Ten Network

The Big Ten office released its Week 3 individual honors Monday, and there are five first-time recipients. Iowa K Keith Duncan, the special teams player of the week, is the lone repeat winner. See all of the honorees inside,

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I have two on the 50 in sec 22c with seat backs. PM me if your interesed, only asking face value

Best Buckeye said:

So what grows faster, turf or grass when you're watching it?

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Have you ever played on Turf

No. 6 Ohio State paces Big Ten in latest AP poll
Brent Yarina, BTN.com Senior Editor via Big Ten Network

Ohio State continues to pace the Big Ten in the latest AP poll, released Sunday. The Buckeyes, fresh off downing Indiana in its Big Ten opener, remain No. 6, while Maryland, which debuted in the poll last week, and Michigan State drop out of the poll.

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More like academic’s.

Committed to Georgia

Wonderful. On the day I have to go see a neurosurgeon to schedule surgery. Been nice knowin' ya fellas!

STUDENT FOOTBALL SEASON TICKET SALES DOWN BY MORE THAN 6,500

Ohio State is getting sacked in student football ticket sales this season.

Whether due to financial reasons, a preferred game day experience or a move from paper to digital tickets, a Lantern analysis of Ohio State football season ticket sales data shows that more than 6,500 fewer season student ticket packages were sold for the 2019 season than in 2018.

The drop reflects a broader trend within the program, with a 4.3-percent decline in nonstudent season ticket packages for Ohio Stadium. Fewer fans are attending sporting events in general in the United States, with the NFL at its lowest attendance in 2018 since 2010, and the MLB at its lowest since 2003, according to attendance data from both leagues.

Diana Sabau, deputy director of Ohio State Athletics, attributes the decrease to the tickets’ change in medium and the lack of a certain game on the schedule.

“[Students] have asked us for probably a year to two years that, ‘How can we not wait in line to pick up our tickets when we get back to school?” Sabau said. “I think having a mobile ticket achieved that. I think that, for whatever reason, that combination and not having Michigan at home give us a little bit larger decline.”

After selling 28,392 total student ticket packages in 2018, sales have dropped to 21,716 for the 2019 campaign. That’s a decline of nearly 24 percent.

It’s the fewest the athletic department’s ticket office has sold in at least a decade, and the only time since 2011 fewer than 25,000 packages have been sold.

In 2011, sales likely dropped due to the team’s quality. Multiple key Ohio State players were suspended due to NCAA violations, an interim head coach took over after the resignation of former head coach Jim Tressel, and the team responded by going 6-7 with a Gator Bowl loss.

Even then, the ticket office sold 22,804 packages.

While the athletics department feels that the switch to mobile tickets may cause a temporary dip in sales, Nick Signore, a third-year in accounting, said he actually finds the new mobile method more convenient.

Signore purchased a package in 2018, but said he didn’t in 2019 because most of the games during 2018 were blowouts that weren’t worth the cost of a season package. He said buying single-game tickets is cost-effective, and easier now since the release of the Ohio State student ticket exchange app TicketBay in January.

Many of his friends didn’t purchase season tickets either.

“[My friends] said that they’d rather tailgate before the game than actually go to the game and I’m kind of with them,” Signore said. “I have more fun tailgating before the game, and I can just watch it on TV, than actually going to the football game.”

Students have the option of purchasing one of four season ticket packages prior to the season.

North and South Block “O” packages, which place the rowdiest students together directly behind the north or south end zones, cost $272 in 2019. A full season in the student reserve section, which places students just outside the Block “O” sections on either end, cost $252. Purchasing a season ticket package in the Student Reserve section exclusively for conference games costs $144.

The athletics department collects feedback from students in Block “O” on how to improve the stadium environment following every season, Sabau said. Block “O” members were given a special entrance to improve “ease of access.”

“[We’ve] tried to plus up that experience for that group,” Sabau said. “Now we need to look at it collectively.”

The Lantern made several attempts to contact Block “O,” but did not receive a response.

University renovations removed 2,164 seats from Ohio Stadium ahead of 2019. However, this did not affect the number of tickets available to students.

Student population on the Columbus campus has risen every year from 2009 to 2018, with the exception of a dip from 56,867 in 2011 to 56,387 in 2012. It hit 61,170 in 2018. Data from 2019 is not yet available.

There’s likely more students to buy tickets, and the same amount available, but despite that and the fact that Ohio State plays three nationally ranked Big Ten opponents at home, student ticket sales are at their lowest since at least the mid-2000s.

“Historically, football has always been a printed ticket, and if they still want a printed ticket, they can certainly have one,” Sabau said. “We were just trying to make a mobile ticketing concept easier for our students.”

Despite the decrease in season ticket sales, Ohio Stadium announced an attendance of 104,089 fans at its Week 2 game against Cincinnati Saturday.

Perhaps more students and fans alike are switching to single-game ticket options.

Entire article: https://www.thelantern.com/2019/09/ohio-state-student-football-ticket-sales-down-by-more-than-6500/

This has been a trend for the last 4 years in the alumni seat selection process. They tell you where you stand in the "pecking order". Significant numbers of alumni are deciding to not buy tickets or just dying off. I've moved up several hundred spots each of the last 4 years.

Excellent article....

The 2015 Buckeyes Would Beat About 148 Of The 150 Teams In The "Greatest College Football Teams Of All Time" Rankings

So in honor of college football's 150th anniversary, ESPN decided to make a list of the 150 greatest teams in college football history. I'm not here to knock on the idea. It's pretty cool and it was fun to read. But I am here to knock on the fact that this list absolutely blows. Or at least it needs a name change.

A panel of 150 voters was created ranging from former coaches like Frank Beamer and Bob Stoops to football experts like Paul Finebaum and Condoleezza Rice. Then they included a bunch of media members too. And I can't fault them all because any time you make rankings, especially of 150 very successful teams, there's going to be dissension. That's not the point of this. The point of this is that this rankings are not realistic AT ALL. Let's be clear: they called this the "greatest teams of all time", meaning the best teams ranked in order.

Am I crazy in thinking that an average team in today's day and age -- let's say this year's Wisconsin team -- beats Knute Rockne's "Four Horsemen" Notre Dame team by a million?



Jonathon Taylor would run for 1,000 yards on them. In the first half. So if you want to go by "special seasons" then it's fine to put the 1945 Army Black Knights at 58, but don't call it the "Greatest Teams of All Time" rankings. If we're talking greatest teams of all time, I'm talking talent. I'm talking The U in 2001, USC in 2004, Texas in 2005, and a combination of Alabama and Clemson teams from recent years. Line them up against any of these greatest Army teams and they win by triple digits.

But honestly, I probably wouldn't have blogged this just to say that. I get that it's an argument of talent and different time periods that you just can't compare. But the reason I had to blog is that this panel of 150 voters chose multiple teams that didn't win championships, and they left the greatest team of all-time off their list: the 2015 Ohio State Buckeyes.



Nope, not that one. Not the one that won the championship. The NEXT one. The team that choked to Michigan State. The most talented team of all time. I would pay an infinite amount of dollars to watch the 2015 Ohio State Buckeyes play the 94th ranked 1888 Yale Bulldogs. 5 Buckeyes were drafted in the 1st round. 11 were selected in the first 102 picks. And 12 names were called overall. This team was DIRTY.

Here's just a couple of the absolute dawgs on that roster:

Joey Bosa - Defensive End (#3 Overall Pick)



Ezekiel Elliott - Running Back (#4 Overall Pick)



Michael Thomas - Wide Receiver (47th Overall Pick)



Darren Lee - Linebacker (20th Overall Pick)



Vonn Bell - Safety (61st overall pick)



Taylor Decker - Offensive Lineman (16th overall pick)



Eli Apple - Cornerback (10th Overall Pick)



And then you can toss in Braxton Miller, Josh Perry, Cardale Jones, JT Barrett, Adolphus Washington, Nick Vannett, Billy Price, Pat Elflein, Raekwon McMillan, Gareon Conley, and Jalin Marshall. HOLY SHIT that team was absolutely loaded. Oh, and we had Urban Meyer.

This team would go down as perhaps the greatest of ALL-TIME if it weren't for that god damn Michigan State kicker.



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Entire article: https://www.barstoolsports.com/bars...mpaign=organic_social_twitter_BarstoolTweetss

Re: This team would go down as perhaps the greatest of ALL-TIME if it weren't for that god damn Michigan State kicker.

anybody re seeding???

Big Ten Power Rankings: Dave Wannstedt’s post-Week 2 list
BTN.com staff via Big Ten Network

There's a new No. 1 and a reshuffled top 5 in BTN analyst Dave Wannstedt's latest Big Ten Power Rankings. The new top team: Ohio State, followed by Iowa, Wisconsin and Michigan, the No. 1 in each of the first two installments.

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Jaxbuck said:

Ha

"It's 282-8 boys, no big deal. Wait until we get to hit.."

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DaddyBigBucks said:

Wiscy in 2014

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