Ohio State AD Gene Smith named Sports Business Journal Athletic Director of the Year
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


This marks the second time Smith has won the award, with the first time coming back in 2010.

"Gene Smith, Ohio State University senior vice president and Wolfe Foundation endowed athletics director, was named 2016 Sports Business Journal Athletics Director of the Year Wednesday at the New York Marriott Marquis in New York City."

-The Ohio State University


For the second time, Gene Smith has been named the Sports Business Journal Athletics Director of the Year. Not only was Smith a finalist for the award in 2008, but he previously won the award in 2010. Following the latest release of the 2016 Directors' Cup standings on April 20th, Ohio State was in second place, and since then has seen the men's volleyball team take home a national title, and are in contention in a number of spring sports.

During the fall and winter sports seasons this year, Ohio State had 10 teams place in the Top 10 nationally. The biggest accomplishment for the athletic department this year has come in the classroom. A record 561 scholar-athletes were recently honored for earning a 3.0 Grade-Point-Average or better. Smith was honored by the Sports Business Journal for his excellence and outstanding achievement in the business of sports from January 1, 2015 to February 29, 2016. The other finalists for the Sports Business Journal Athletics Director of the Year were Oklahoma's Joe Castigilone, Stanford's Bernard Muir, and Navy's Chet Gladchuk.

"We're interested in having great partners that have great platforms, that are interested in marketing and promotion. The market will decide what happens. ESPN has been a great partner, as CBS has, as FOX has. It's a new day. We've approached it that way. We're into the marketplace and we'll see what we shall see. I wouldn't talk about walking away from anybody in the middle of any negotiation."

-Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany via Brian Hamilton, Sports Illustrated


It may sound crazy that the Big Ten is thinking of leaving ESPN when their broadcasting contract with the network runs out, but there has been talk of FOX acquiring the Big Ten broadcasting rights on a six-year deal starting in the fall of 2017. Given that FOX has partnered with the Big Ten to produce the Big Ten Network since it's inception, the move starts to make a little more sense. Many thought the Big Ten Network wouldn't work when it first was announced, but Delany took the risk with it. Now he might be on the verge of taking another risk by moving away from ESPN, but it wouldn't be a surprise if this move worked out just as well.

When other athletic directors around the conference were asked about the possibility of the Big Ten moving to FOX and away from ESPN, they seemed to be in full support of the move. A big reason Delany has the support of the schools in this matter is because it could net each Big Ten school around $30 million annually. Members can see that Delany is thinking outside the box and is trying to keep the conference out in front. Even though the conference hasn't finalized a deal for broadcasting rights for the near future, Delany probably already has a plan for when that contract runs out. As long as he keeps helping the schools in the conference rake in the cash, they'll have no problem letting Delany see those plans through.

"Coach Matta is in the process. We'll get to that when we all get together. He's going through the process right now. Hiring Chris is something we're excited to have. Whatever Coach asks me to do, I'm gonna do and I'm gonna do it to the best of my ability."

-Ohio State assistant coach Greg Paulus via Bill Landis, Cleveland.com


In two of the last three years Ohio State's offense has struggled mightily, with the exception during that span coming during D'Angelo Russell's only season in Columbus. There is reason for optimism heading into this year though, as assistant coach Chris Jent is returning to Thad Matta's staff. Prior to leaving Ohio State in 2013 to take a position on the Sacramento Kings' staff, Jent was the assistant coach in charge of running the Buckeye offense. After finishing 128th in 2013-14 and 151st last year in offensive efficiency according to KenPom, Ohio State will be looking to restore their offense, which had only finished worse than 50th in offensive efficiency two other times under Matta.

Thad Matta still has a question to answer heading into this season when it comes to which assistant coach is going to run the offense. Even though Jent seems like the obvious choice to try and overhaul the offense, assistant coach Greg Paulus has been in charge of the offense the last three seasons. The good news for Buckeye fans is Paulus has said that no matter what Matta asks him to do, he's going to put his all into it to help this Ohio State team succeed. It should help that the Buckeyes have a number of starters returning this year, after spending the last few years dealing with some significant player losses.

"This is something that's real. Everywhere I go, everybody seems to be mesmerized by this coming election. I'm mesmerized by it as well. ... We're asked to walk in those high school gyms and punch a ticket, and I know that for years my dad told me to 'vote this way.' That's not what were supposed to do. So we're going to take this thing to the nth level, which we normally do around here."

-Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer via Tim May, The Columbus Dispatch


Since taking over as Ohio State's head coach in 2012, one thing Urban Meyer has brought with him has been "real life Wednesdays", where guests are brought in to speak on Wednesdays about real-life issues. With Memorial Day weekend coming up, Meyer is planning to highlight the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and wants his players to realize their responsibility to be active, informed voters if they plan on participating in the presidential election in November. This won't be about trying to tell players who they should vote for, but more about educating players on the differences between the candidates to help them form their own opinion.

Meyer is labeling this coming week as "patriot week" with Memorial Day on the horizon. To start off the week, on Monday Bradley Holland, an assistant professor of political science at OSU, will detail the responsibilities of a president. Tuesday will see Navy SEAL Scott Daly speak on wars that have been fought, and the sacrifices that have been made.On Wednesday, Stacy Rastauskas, vice president for government relations at OSU, and U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley will talk about the election process. To close out the team's week on Thursday, Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted and former state legislator Otto Beatty will speak on the importance of making one's vote count, and the struggle for voters' rights. While those on the team might not agree with the candidates and where they stand, at least after this coming week they'll be a lot more informed about what their options are.

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• Members of Rage Against The Machine, Public Enemy, and Cypress Hill are forming a supergroup.
• Daniel Craig is done as James Bond, reportedly passing up nearly $100 million.

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Reshuffling The Deck: Buckeyes' 2018 Top Targets - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Reshuffling The Deck: Buckeyes' 2018 Top Targets
247Sports
Last week Bucknuts reshuffled the list of the Buckeyes' top 2017 targets. This week we are back with our reshuffle of the Buckeyes' top 2018 targets. It is still very early for the class of 2018, but the Ohio State staff has been out on the road and ...


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Justin Boren Theft Case Update: 1 Arrest made, 1 still Sought
Jeremiah (SYR) 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

Earlier this week we heard the news that former Ohio State Buckeye Justin Boren’s company Grass Groomers being broken into. Here is the info from Justin’s Facebook account….


According to the Columbus Police today they have discovered who the thieves are…




If you know where Paul Arthurs is please contact the police ASAP and lets help out our fellow Buckeye.




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Vegas book sets Ohio State's over/under win total at just 8.5, one less than Michigan
Luke Zimmermann via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Surely Ohio State can hit the over, right? Right?!

One prominent Las Vegas sportsbook is apparently a bit sheepish on the young 2016 Ohio State Buckeyes' chances for success on the field this coming fall.

Per Friend of the Holy Land David Payne Purdum, the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas has pegged OSU's over/under at just 8.5 wins.

While generally the number is supposed to peg the median expected number of wins, there can be tweaks or adjustments to account for projected fan base betting enthusiasm. This usually more favorably impacts the Buckeyes, who historically solicit a lot of homer action, but even accounting for that this go around, the oddsmakers have only projected them to win around 9 games.

Also curious, Michigan is projected to finish around 9.5 wins, a full game better than OSU and ostensibly ahead of OSU in the Big Ten standings.

Don't get too down on one particular book's lack of optimism, however. SB Nation's Bud Elliott, a bit of a college football odds enthusiast in his own right, thinks there may be more than meets the eye at play here.

"Early betting lines are often a reflection of what the expert bookmakers believe, offered at low limits to allow early betting action to serve as feedback shaping the line before the limits are raised to accept larger bets," he told Land-Grant Holy Land.

"Releasing these early lines is also great publicity for books via the free advertising they receive through media for its newsworthiness."

If you're not fully cynical on the remaining O/U, here's the full sampling of high profile schools, courtesy once again of Purdum:

Michigan 9.5 (-120o)
Ohio State 8.5 (-115o)
Notre Dame 9 (-125u)
Tennessee 10
Clemson 10 (-120o)
Alabama 9.5
Florida State 10 (-120o)
Oklahoma 10 (-130u)
LSU 9.5 (-140o)

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Ohio State baseball concludes regular season at Minnesota with Big Ten title shot
Ben Martens via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Buckeyes are just 2.5 games behind the frontrunning Gophers. A series sweep and a little help could give the scarlet and gray a regular season conference title.

It's going to be a wild final weekend in the Big Ten. All eight seeds for next week's conference tournament will be up for grabs, and Ohio State is very much in the hunt. At 13-8, the Buckeyes are currently tied for third with Nebraska, and sit just 2.5 games behind current frontrunner Minnesota, which also happens to be their final opponent.

Ohio State has hit its stride at just the right time, winning six straight and eight of its last nine in Big Ten play. It's not out of the question for the team to land the top seed with a sweep and some help. A series win against the Gophers, regardless of how the final standings shake out, though, is hugely important to the momentum the team has built over the past month.

As has been the case all season, pitching is where the Buckeyes hung their hats in last weekend's sweep of Michigan. The starting rotation of Tanner Tully, John Havird, and Adam Niemeyer yielded just four runs in 20.1 innings of work against the most explosive offense in the conference. The trio also issued just three walks against 24 strikeouts, grounding a Wolverine lineup that had been tearing up opposing pitching all season.

While the pitching has been a mainstay all year, what was truly encouraging during the sweep was the timely hitting Ohio State produced. Michigan scored first in all three games, but the Buckeye lineup always fought back, scoring 18 runs, pounding out 24 hits, and taking 13 walks. The approach at the plate is night and day compared to just six weeks ago when the team was swept by Maryland.

In order to emerge from Minneapolis with a series victory and charge into the Big Ten tournament with some serious swagger, Ohio State will need to continue playing its best baseball of the year. With an outside shot at seeing their NCAA Tournament hopes realized, the Buckeyes simply cannot experience any letdowns the rest of the way.

Minnesota Golden Gophers (33-16, 15-5 in Big Ten play)


Much as was the case with Michigan last week, Ohio State will be facing one of the most productive offensive teams in the conference when they take the field against John Anderson's Minnesota squad. The Gophers have exceeded expectations to contend for a Big Ten title, and it has a lot to do with their bats.

Minnesota leads the conference in batting average, slugging percentage, hits, runs scored, and runs batted in, and is in the top two in on-base percentage, doubles, and home runs. Flat out, this team can hit, so the Buckeyes' pitching staff will have its hands full again.

All nine regulars in the Gopher lineup are hitting .297 or better, but the standouts are juniors Matt Fiedler and Austin Athmann. Fiedler, an outfielder and designated hitter who works double duty as the team's Friday starter on the mound, is second in the Big Ten with a .388 average, and leads the team with 78 hits, 42 runs scored, and 13 stolen bases. The Eagan, Minnesota native is also second on the squad with seven home runs and 36 runs driven in.

Athmann is Anderson's catcher and cleanup hitter, and is having an all-conference type of season, hitting .366 with 13 doubles, 11 homers, 37 RBIs, and a 1.092 OPS. After homering just twice in 181 career at-bats coming into 2016, the power surge is a sign of Athmann's perseverance after undergoing three different surgeries in his time at Minnesota.

From a pitching perspective, the Gophers are in the middle of the pack of the Big Ten, allowing about 4.5 runs per game, but they have given up the third-fewest hits and the fourth-lowest opponent batting average. Where Minnesota really benefits is having the top-ranked defense in the conference.

Fiedler is the Friday starter and has been very solid in that role. The righty is 7-2 on the season, posting a 3.86 earned run average, .247 opposition batting average, and 1.26 WHIP in a team-high 77 innings of work.

On Saturday, senior left-hander Dalton Sawyer takes the ball, and he has excellent stuff. The 6-foot-5, 215-pound native of Waconia, Minnesota is second in the Big Ten with 92 strikeouts, and carries a 6-5 record with a 3.41 ERA. Sawyer averages more than 11 punchouts per nine innings and holds opponents to just a .236 batting average.

Junior Toby Anderson will be on the bump on Sunday, and is also having a breakout season. The right-hander is 7-1 with a 3.12 ERA, a 1.15 WHIP, and a .236 batting average against. Coupled with a strong bullpen, the Buckeye bats will face a major challenge against the Gophers.

Game times and probable pitching matchups


Thursday, May 19th, 7:30 p.m. ET (streaming live on BTN Plus)

Tully (7-3, 2.26 ERA) vs. Fiedler (7-2, 3.86)

Friday, May 20th, 7:30 p.m. ET (airing live on BTN)

Havird (6-2, 3.14) vs. Sawyer (6-5, 3.41)

Saturday, May 21st, 3 p.m. ET (streaming live on BTN Plus)

Niemeyer (4-2, 3.38) vs. Anderson (7-1, 3.12)

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Toughest stretch: Ohio State Buckeyes - ESPN (blog)
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Toughest stretch: Ohio State Buckeyes
ESPN (blog)
17, but the Buckeyes have already demonstrated that a high-profile game outside of the Big Ten isn't going to make or break title chances in the playoff era no matter the outcome. What truly counts is the league race, and the Buckeyes will find out ...
Ohio State baseball | Focus is on Big Ten title, not rankingsColumbus Dispatch

all 3 news articles »

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2nd Annual Jill Griesse Memorial Invitational Is This Weekend
jcollingsworth via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Teresa Fightmaster, an OSU swimming legend, an All-American in ’83 & ’85, All Big Ten her entire stay at The Ohio State University ’83, ’84, ’85, & ’86, along with holding records as a member of the 200 & 400 Medley Relay – which still to this day stands. She is also the individual record holder for the Buckeyes in the 50, 100 & 200 yard Breaststroke – but to Teresa these are simple accolades, nice indeed, but not the essence of her mission in life. She is busy nowadays as the Head Coach of a swim club she started – Pau Hana (translation in Hawaiian means – ‘your work is finished’). This coming weekend (05/21 & 05/22) will be one of the busiest times of the year for her.

The 2016 Jill Griesse Memorial Invitational is hosted by the Pau Hana Swim Team at Denison University’s Trumbull Aquatic Center in Granville, Ohio which is a two-day event – May 21st & May 22nd with three sessions each day. The morning session will start at 8:15 a.m., the afternoon session begins at 12:15 p.m. and the final session begins at 6:00 p.m.

The teams participating are:

1. Buckeye Swim Club
2. Dayton Raiders Swim Club
3. Delaware YMCA
4. Dublin Community Swim Team
5. Greater Columbus Swim Team of Ohio
6. Lancaster YMCA
7. Liberty Twp-Powell YMCA
8. New Albany Aquatics Club
9. Oak Hills Youth Athletics
10. Pau Hana Swim Team
11. Springfield Family YMCA
12. United Swim Association
13. Upper Arlington Swim Club
14. Westerville Aquatic Club
15. Worthington Swim Club
16. Wsy Swimming

The event is held in the honor of Jill Griesse, highlighting her numerous contributions of complete unselfishness to swimming – with the countless lives she touched throughout her coaching career and life.



Jill Harms Griesse had a deep love for the sport of swimming. She was responsible for instilling a sense of dedication and commitment into all of the athletes she coached. At the age of 30, Jill was one of the youngest and only female head coaches in the country coaching an AAU swim team. She was also a member of the Olympic Competition Committee responsible for deciding how the Olympic swim camps were conducted and what international competition the teams would participate in.

Jill’s parents were both Olympic officials. She learned her sense of dedication and commitment early in life. She was a competitive swimmer by the age of 9 in her home state of New Jersey. Her parents quickly realized better training would benefit their daughter and sent her to Hawaii to train with Soichi Sakamoto, the best swimming coach in the country at that time. Jill spent two years in Hawaii with the Sakamoto family. When she returned home, she included synchronized swimming into her busy schedule which she continued throughout her high school and college career.

Following her graduation from Washington State University and her marriage to Paul Griesse, the couple moved back to Hawaii where Jill began her coaching career as an AAU swim coach at Hickam Air Force Base for the next four years.

After Jill returned to the mainland and moved to Licking County, she began coaching at the local YWCA. There she founded the Pau Hana Swim Team. Jill wanted her team to be known as something different. The name Pau Hana means “your work is finished”. It is a Hawaiian phrase that her coaches would often use at the end of each practice. During her time as head coach for Pau Hana, Jill’s swimmers shared impressive success. Many of her athletes were nationally ranked in AAU swimming including number one rankings in the United States, Top finishes in Europe and multiple top 10 rankings in the world. Her swimmers were State High School champions and multiple record holders throughout the United States. Many of her swimmers went on to swim in college and compete at the junior and senior national level.

Jill was the recipient of innumerable awards, including her 1994 election to the Ohio Women’s Hall of Fame, the 2007 Licking County Foundation Everett D. Reese Award, the 2011 Granville Good Scout Award, the 2013 Robbins Hunter Women’s Board Victoria Woodhull Woman of Distinction and the 2013 Central Ohio Technical College Legends of Loyalty Award.

Jill brought joy while enhancing the lives of everyone she came upon, inspiring each to try a little harder to fulfill their purpose. Considered by many a force of nature, she dreamed up inventive ways to entertain, often fund raising for her favorite causes while sharing pure fun with her friends and family. She left the world a better and more beautiful place, and she was afforded the tremendous opportunity to live her goodbyes with everyone she loved.

This is the 2nd annual event for a wondrous cause. If you are local, or nearby to Denison University (with the above mentioned times) go have some fun for something that is right. In lieu of an admission fee, a $5 minimum donation to the National Pancreatic Cancer Foundation (NPCF) is requested. Again, it’s this Saturday and Sunday, May 21-22. The three sessions will start at 8:15 a.m., at 12:15 p.m. and at 6:00 p.m.

If you are unable to attend donations can be made at The National Pancreatic Cancer Foundation in her honor. T-shirts of the event (all purchases go for the cause as well) are available too.

Last year’s event raised over $6,500. As Buckeyes we can make this a better year.

Teresa Fightmaster, one of those kids that benefited from the coaching prowess of Jill fondly recalls: Jill had a unique way of making all of us feel special … she was a great motivator… and instilled in us a belief that we could do anything. She knew exactly what to do to get the most out of each of us. Looking back now at some of her workouts…I wonder how I survived … but it was all worth it because it has made me a better person and coach.
I want my kids (swimmers) to feel that special. I am proud to have the name Pau Hana swimming back!!

We can do this Buckeye Nation.

The post 2nd Annual Jill Griesse Memorial Invitational Is This Weekend appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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The Ohio State Men's Baseball Team wraps up its regular season with a 3-game set in Minneapolis against conference foe Minnesota. The Buckeyes enter the series at 36-16-1 (13-8 B1G). The Golden Gophers stand at 33-16 (15-5 B1G). A sweep coupled with an Indiana loss in their series against Nebraska could possibly give the Buckeyes the B1G lead.

http://www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com/sports/m-basebl/spec-rel/051816aaa.html

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Ohio State baseball team will look to continue its impressive run this Thursday, Friday and Saturday at No. 24 Minnesota in its final series of the 2016 regular season that will have big implications for the regular season conference crown as well as the Big Ten Tournament held next week in Omaha, Neb. The Buckeyes (36-16-1, 13-8 B1G) are one of the hottest teams in the country, winning 12 of their last 15 games, including eight of their last nine in Big Ten play, and open the series at 7:30 p.m. ET Thursday against the first-place Gophers (33-16, 15-5 B1G) at Siebert Field in Minneapolis, Minn. The middle contest will begin at 7:30 p.m. ET Friday live on BTN, while the finale is set for 3 p.m. ET Saturday.

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Buckeyes make their QB play; Akers rumor and hitting Michigan - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeyes make their QB play; Akers rumor and hitting Michigan
247Sports
Good evening/morning Bucknuts subscribers! There is plenty going on with Ohio State football recruiting so let's get started! I will of course have plenty more. To continue reading, subscribe now for VIP Access. Are you a current VIP and getting this ...


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Ohio State basketball: Buckeyes think offense will be better, but still unclear which coach will run it - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State basketball: Buckeyes think offense will be better, but still unclear which coach will run it
cleveland.com
After a somewhat tumultuous spring that saw player transfers and a change on the bench, the Buckeyes finally seem settled as they prepare to enter the summer. Those players, 11 scholarship players and one walk-on, will be back on campus in a few weeks ...
2016 football schedule analysis: Ohio State BuckeyesBig Ten Network
Ohio State football | Buckeyes to learn about the power of the voteColumbus Dispatch
Buckeyes offer No. 1 prospect in Missouri247Sports
Eleven Warriors (registration) -BT Powerhouse (blog) -247Sports.com
all 23 news articles »

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Two five-star prospects set return visits to Ohio State
Bret Favachio via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Jeffrey Okudah and Cam Akers are the latest to make visits to Columbus.

Okudah on campus this weekend


It's a big weekend coming up for Ohio State in regards to their pursuit of 2017 S Jeffrey Okudah (Grand Prairie, Texas / South Grand Prairie). According to Gabe Brooks of Scout.com, the 6 foot 1 inch, 190-pounder will be making a visit to Columbus this weekend and the Texan native opened up to Brooks about what he likes about Ohio State:


Okudah is thought of as one the biggest priority recruits for the Scarlet and Gray for the 2017 recruiting class. He is currently graded as the No.7 player in the class, No.1 at his position and No.2 in the state of Texas. Luckily for the Buckeyes, the five-star safety has the majority of his 247Sports Crystal Ball predictions in favor of Ohio State – currently 50 percent of the forecasts.

Akers visit scheduled


Another prospect who will be seeing the Buckeyes campus – not this weekend, but in the coming weeks – is 2017 RB Cam Akers (Clinton, Miss. / Clinton). In an interview with Scout.com's Chad Simmons, Akers revealed a timeline of his upcoming visit and Ohio State was included.

The 5 feet 11 inch, 212-pounder will be making an unofficial visit to the campus on June 3rd and 4th. The visit will came after stops to LSU this weekend, as well as Auburn and Georgia soon after. On his way back from Columbus, Akers will then check out Florida State and Tennessee. While the Clinton, Miss. standout still has plenty of time to make a decision, this six school stop could be pivotal in his recruitment.

Perhaps the most important thing to take away from the chat Akers had with Simmons was when he spoke on his official visits. Akers didn't say much, but he did say something that could possibly open up some eyes on where the Buckeyes currently stand. "The only official visit right now I probably will take is to Ohio State." In the long run,we'll see what that means but for now, it's certainly good news for Head Coach Urban Meyer and the Buckeyes.

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No Jurkovec no problem - Buckeyes make new quarterback offer - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


No Jurkovec no problem - Buckeyes make new quarterback offer
247Sports
On Monday the Buckeyes had a top two of Phil Jurkovec and Emory Jones when it came to their 2018 quarterback board. They had scholarship offers out to both. However, when Jurkovec committed to Notre Dame on Monday evening, it took the Buckeyes ...
Buckeyes Lose Out On Top 2018 QB Target, Focus On AnotherScarlet and Game
Ohio State's Top 2018 Quarterback Target, Five-Star Phil Jurkovec, Commits to Notre DameEleven Warriors (registration)
Ohio State loses top quarterback target Phil Jurkovec to Notre DameFOXSports.com
247Sports.com -Campus Insiders
all 66 news articles »

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8th grade linebacker receives verbal offer from Alabama

In recent "we are all aging and time's inevitable maw is upon us" news, a middle schooler in South Florida has received a football scholarship from the University of Alabama.

Youth1.com's Alan Popadine (h/t Bleacher Report's Joe Pantorno) reports that Jesus Machado, an 8th grade student from Hialeah, Florida, has received a verbal offer from the Crimson Tide.

That fact alone is incredible and ridiculous and borderline insane. But it gets crazier: this is just the latest in the growing pile of verbal offers Machado has received thus far.

At 6'0", 190 pounds, Machado's already been approached with verbal offers from Michigan State, Iowa State, N.C. State and West Virginia. He's not even a true freshman, but plays linebacker and defensive end at the varsity level for Champagnat Catholic High School. In 2015, Scout1.com listed him as a top ten player in the class of 2020.




Spartan Avenue ‎@SpartanAvenueFS
#MichiganState offered an 8th-grade OLB on Wednesday in Jesus Machado. http://spartanavenue.com/2016/05/12/michigan-state-recruiting-8th-grader-jesus-machado-offered/ …
3:05 PM - 12 May 2016

Entire article: http://www.foxsports.com/college-fo...grade-linebacker-florida-jesus-machado-051816

WATCH: Winner-Loser starts for Buckeyes in summer conditioning - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


WATCH: Winner-Loser starts for Buckeyes in summer conditioning
247Sports
Ohio State started its summer conditioning program, and with limited hours for coaches to get in work with the players, it means the team is in the hands of Mickey Marotti prior to Fall camp starting. What's next for the Buckeyes? Make sure you're in ...


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OSUMG: Kelly Earns Medalist Honors, Advances to NCAA Championships
Ken via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


(Image and tournament courtesy Ohio State Athletics web site. Tournament information and statistics courtesy of Marquette University and OSU athletics web sites. Event statistics and scoring courtesy of Golfstat)

Cliff Notes, Round 2

Tee-k’s round of 70 (-2) into 2nd place overall, but more importantly (at this point) the clear leader of golfers qualifying to advance to the NCAA Championships. His 5 birdie/3 bogey round moved Tee-k 4 strokes clear of the field of (again, at this point) potential qualifiers. Tee-k doesn’t need to do anything spectacular to move on to the Regionals. Just play steady, mistake-free (nothing higher than a bogey, and very few of those) and add a couple birdies.

Will played 17 solid holes of golf, until he ran into trouble on his 17th hole of the day. He has a couple things working against him for qualifying. First, he has around a dozen or so golfers that are in front of him. Next he has to make up at least 4 strokes on all of them. The odds that all the players in front of him have bad rounds while he has a great round aren’t good. I guess it’s possible, but… At this point, all the Will can do is tee it up and see what happens.



Round 3:


Ohio State’s Tee-k Kelly saved his best for last, shooting a 3-under par 69 to earn medalist honors and a tip to Eugene, OR for the NCAA Championships. His 5 birdie / 2 bogey round capped a three day event where Tee-k finished 1 stroke in front of Florida’s Alejandro Tosti . Tee-k was an impressive -3, 35 on his first nine holes, then settled in to shoot even par on his back nine holes.

Team mate Will Grimmer shot a round of +1, 73 to place T-35th in the event.

The five qualifying schools for the NCAA Championships are: Illinois, Florida, Arkansas, Florida State and Baylor. Illinois had a spectacular round of -7 to move them into 1st place. Baylor had a team round of -14 (unbelievably good) to slip them past Idaho into the final qualifying position. Congratulations to those teams.



Tee-k

Teeing off on hole #10, Tee-k birdied his 2nd hole, strung together 4 pars, then birdied two of his last three holes to close with a front nine score of -3, 33. I believe at this point, I texted fellow tBBC’er Joe Dexter and stated the only way Kelly doesn’t qualify is if he signs an incorrect score card to DQ. Kelly birdied two of his first four holes on his back nine, then closed with 2 bogeys for his even par 36. After 17 holes, there was no way he wasn’t going to qualify; it was just a matter of playing for medalist honors. He locked those up with a smooth par on the strong 462-yard par-4 9th hole.

Tee-k birdied the par-5 11th hole twice and the played the par-4 9th hole twice. Although he didn’t play the par 3’s with distinction, averaging 3.25 stokes, +3 to par, he was exceptional in par-4 and par-5 scoring. He averaged 4.58 strokes on the par-5’s, -5 to par, placing him 16th in that category. His par-4 scoring of 3.83 per hole, -5 to par, led the field in that category.

The other significant story is that Tee-k has kept the ball in play. In 54 holes, he has only 7 bogeys, but had 14 birdies, the balance being pars. Not scoring worse than bogey is key to keeping your chances alive to advance. And, so he did.

Will

Will, also beginning on hole #10, was even par through eight holes, then stumbled with a double bogey on the 458 yard par-4 9th hole to shot a +2, 38 on his front nine. His back nine was very well played with eight pars and a birdie on the 565 yard par-5 4th hole.

Frankly, this was a good learning experience for the freshman. He had an opportunity to compete with high level talent in a “must win” setting. Although he tied for 35th place, he should take solace that he played three rounds of good golf. He had two holes get away from him; the par-3 8th on Tuesday and the par-4 18th on Wednesday. He lost 6 strokes to par on those holes. On two of his three rounds, he parred those holes. If he could have parred them all three days, he would have tied for 5th place. Will made only 6 bogeys, one less than Tee-k. This was a good experience for Will. He and the OSUMG team will benefit from it next season.

Next up for Tee-k; the NCAA Championships in Eugene, OR from May 27 – June 1.

Go Buckeyes!

The post OSUMG: Kelly Earns Medalist Honors, Advances to NCAA Championships appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Joey Bosa wants the comparisons to J.J. Watt to end, and rightfully so
Harry Lyles Jr. via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The former Buckeye is done with the lazy comparison.

"New San Diego Chargers defensive end Joey Bosa apparently is ready to move on from the constant comparisons to other NFL players, like Houston Texans do-everything defensive end J.J. Watt."

-Eric D. Williams, ESPN.com


Joey Bosa has heard the comparisons forever now. He's a talented defensive player, and he's white, so he's drawn endless comparisons to the Houston Texans' J.J. Watt. But as Land-Grant Holy Land's editor-in-chief Luke Zimmermann wrote in early March before the draft, the comparisons should stop there. Bosa recently voiced his displeasure for the comparison on Twitter, saying, "Can we stop with the comparisons please?" ESPN's Eric D. Williams points out this is likely pointed at Jeffri Chadiha of NFL.com saying that he should have a similar impact on the field as Watt.

Being compared to J.J. Watt is undoubtedly a compliment. He's one of the best players in the NFL right now (and a lot of people will tell you he is the best), but they're different players. Williams says that Bosa didn't help himself by selecting the No. 99 to wear on the field, but that really just reiterates that there's a lot of people reaching to try to make comparisons of the two, and it's not really fair to Bosa. Bosa also told Williams that he's tried to emulate Michael Bennett of the Seattle Seahawks, and well as Tamba Hali of the Kansas City Chiefs. But make no mistake, Joey Bosa is his own man, and will continue to let his game speak for himself, and nobody else.

"Something struck me about New Orleans Saints second-round picks Michael Thomas and Vonn Bell at the team's rookie minicamp this past weekend. It was confidence."

-Larry Holder, NOLA.com


Michael Thomas and Vonn Bell were fortunate enough to be drafted by the same NFL team, a team that needs the help of both individuals. NOLA.com's Larry Holder discusses the winning attitude that the two bring coming from Ohio State, having won a national championship and coming from a winning atmosphere. While the Saints won the Super Bowl back in 2009, many of the pieces from that team have come and gone. Holder feels that the winning swagger that the two bring could help the locker room.

Thomas told Holder, "We're from Ohio State. We always want to compete. We always want to win. That's just how we were brought up." You wouldn't expect anything less from a player that has been seasoned by Urban Meyer and his staff. Vonn Bell won't see as much time early on, but will be able to learn under veteran safety Jairus Byrd. The Saints staff seems to know that both guys are playmakers, which could be said just about most players selected in the draft. But they possess the mentality, work ethic, and football I.Q. that goes along with becoming a high level player in the NFL. They have a lot to learn, and there's no questioning that. But they certainly have the right mindset, and skill set to learn faster than others.

"The Dallas Cowboys have started to sign their draft picks, and began the process with first-rounder Ezekiel Elliott."

-Todd Archer, ESPN


The Dallas Cowboys have officially locked in their future franchise running back, former Buckeye Ezekiel Elliott. Zeke signed his contract today, a four-year deal that's worth $24.9 million, including a $16.3 million signing bonus. Elliott is carrying the hopes and dreams of the Dallas Cowboys fanbase, in providing them with similar production to that of DeMarco Murray, when the team went 12-4. Murray rushed for 1,845 yards that season, the most in the NFL. That's a bit much to ask of a rookie, but if there's a guy that's up for the challenge, it has to be Zeke.

Elliott is in a good situation in Dallas. The team is pretty much set on offense, with standout wide receiver Dez Bryant, and quarterback Tony Romo. The key for them will certainly be staying healthy. Romo was plagued with injuries all year last season, and Bryant played in nine of 16 games due to injury as well. Elliott's ability to not only run effectively, but also catch passes and blocking should make him one of the more key pieces to that team once he's able to get his feet wet and really learn the NFL game and speed. At the very least, he should be able to help them win more than four games.

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Guys from Dude Perfect Set a Whole Mess of World Records in New Video

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The video culminates with its crowning achievement—the world's highest basketball shot, successfully dropped into a hoop from 533 feet.

No matter how many attempts this stuff may or may not require, it all still makes for a boss video.

Entire article: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...et-a-whole-mess-of-world-records-in-new-video

Report: Ex-Buckeyes captain Chico Nelson's death was apparent suicide - Campus Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Report: Ex-Buckeyes captain Chico Nelson's death was apparent suicide
Campus Sports
On Tuesday, sad news surfaced out of Columbus as former Ohio State Buckeyes captain Chico Nelson was found dead at age 46. On Wednesday, details began to emerge as The Columbus Dispatch reported Nelson's death is being viewed as an apparent ...
Ohio State football | Former captain Chico Nelson dies at 46Columbus Dispatch
Willie 'Chico' Nelson Dies At 46, Buckeyes ReactCampus Insiders
Former Ohio State captain Chico Nelson found dead247Sports

all 17 news articles »

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Dienhart: Like it or not, you can’t stop college basketball transfers
Tom Dienhart, BTN.com Senior Writer via Big Ten Network

Everyone in life—yes, even college basketball coaches--is always looking for a better situation. Why should college basketball players be any different? Maybe coaches need to do a better job of selling kids on remaining in their program. But, again, if a player wants to transfer, he will. And, there's nothing wrong with that ... and there should be no stopping it.

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The Big Ten and ESPN might split up. They shouldn't
Matt Brown via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Big Ten could forgo the Worldwide Leader in search of a bigger payday. Jim Delany should know better.

Last month, details started to leak out about the Big Ten's new media rights deal, and they indicated the conference was about to get paid. The Big Ten reportedly agreed to sell just half of their media rights package to Fox for as much as $250 million, an amount that would further launch the conference into the monied elite of the sport.

Of course, that's just for half of their media rights, meaning the Big Ten still needs another partner. ESPN would make the most sense, given their long history as a broadcasting partner with the conference, and their stature and cachet in the sport. But the Worldwide Leader is still in cost-cutting mode, and reportedly low-balled the Big Ten with their first offer for a chunk of the media rights. But c'mon, the Big Ten wouldn't really sign a media package without ESPN, right?

From the sound of Big Ten administrators at their Spring Meetings, it certainly seems possible now. Here's Northwestern AD Jim Phillips on the status of those negotiations:


In case that wasn't clear enough, the Chicago Tribune's Teddy Greenstein adds:


It's not hard to imagine why this could be the case. Beset by losses after cord-cutting throughout the industry, ESPN's appetite for another massive media rights deal may be waning. And it's not like the Big Ten would be lacking for hypothetical other broadcast partners. If ESPN isn't in the mix, the conference could turn to CBS, TNT, NBC, Fox, or some combination thereof, and potentially for a more lucrative package. It is entirely possible the most lucrative bid for these rights would come from somebody other than ESPN.

But that doesn't mean they should take it. Even if the money isn't perfect, these two sides need to figure out a way to get to a deal.

There may be something deeply emotionally satisfying about telling ESPN that they're not needed, but even with Fox and others making strong bids for programming rights, ESPN still wields the single most influence in this sport. They own the rights to the College Football Playoff. They own almost all of the bowl games. They help broker non-conference scheduling arrangements. And more than any other broadcasting company, newspaper, blog or media outlet, they drive the national conversation of the sport.

That's not a trivial thing, and coaches understand this. John Ourand of Sports Business Journal, said that the ACC was considering a similar move, only for their coaches to rebel against it:


Coaches understand that high school players want to be play on ESPN. That exposure, that brand, resonates with them. If you're a program that isn't getting a ton of attention, like a Purdue or a Maryland, being able to use that ESPN relationship can be even more of an advantage. And in a sport where subjective evaluation is more important than in arguably any other, is leaving a business relationship with the most important driver of conversations that wise?

The Big East, after all, saw their ratings and Q-Rating fall off considerably when they left ESPN for Fox Sports. The NHL also suffered in the short term when they left for NBC Sports. In the immediate future, it's hard to imagine Big Ten exposure not taking a short-term hit if they left for another broadcasting network.

Could the Big Ten make more money elsewhere? Sure. But who benefits from that arrangement? Let's say the Big Ten could make $50 million a year more with TNT/CBS than with ESPN. That's a little over $8 million a school. Is that $8 million the difference between Purdue being bad at football, and average at football? Is it enough to allow a Big Ten program to start a hockey team? Is that what pushes Nebraska over the proverbial hump?

If we're being honest, it probably isn't. The Big Ten is already rich. It's going to be even richer with their next deal, no matter who they sign with. A lack of funds is not what it keeping some of their teams from being competitive. An increase in funds isn't going to the players who earn it, and if it isn't being used on new sports programming, it's probably going to facility improvements of dubious need, coach and administrative salaries, or on other projects that won't impact fans, won't necessarily positive impact the welfare of the revenue-sport athletes, or the competitiveness of the highest profile athletic teams.

Breaking up with ESPN could impact all of those things. It could hurt recruiting, could hurt the fan experience (especially since the streaming platforms on many ESPN competitors are inferior technology), and could even, at the margins, impact postseason options or scheduling arrangements.

Hopefully, these statements being leaked are a way to increase pressure on either side to find a way to actually get a deal done. If not, the conference risks making a mistake. The extra money isn't worth it. They should find a way to keep ESPN involved, even if that means taking a bit of a haircut.

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2016 football schedule analysis: Ohio State Buckeyes - Big Ten Network
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


2016 football schedule analysis: Ohio State Buckeyes
Big Ten Network
Ohio State is eager and ready to get back on top of the Big Ten. The Buckeyes won the national championship in 2014 and looked primed to repeat in 2015, but the coaching staff's bungled handling of the quarterback situation proved ruinous for a team ...
Senior Sendoff: Pat Elflein247Sports

all 3 news articles »

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2016 football schedule analysis: Ohio State Buckeyes
Tom Dienhart, BTN.com Senior Writer via Big Ten Network

Ohio State is eager and ready to get back on top of the Big Ten. The Buckeyes won the national championship in 2014 and looked primed to repeat in 2015, but the coaching staff’s bungled handling of the quarterback situation proved ruinous for a team that had a national-best 12 NFL draft picks. Now, Ohio State has myriad holes to fill as it looks to become Big Ten kings again. And it faces a tough schedule that will make ascending back to the top a challenge. Here is a look at the Buckeyes’ 2016 schedule. Toughest non-conference game: at Oklahoma,

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Script Ohio: Chris Spielman to Broadcast NFL Games for FOX
Joe Dexter via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Clair Crawford and Joe Dexter discuss Chris Spielman’s move to Fox Sports and how ESPN could possibly fill the void on college football Saturday.
For more Ohio State Buckeyes podcasts, follow us on Twitter: @BuckeyesRadio

The post Script Ohio: Chris Spielman to Broadcast NFL Games for FOX appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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NCAA Women’s Tennis Tournament Round 3 Preview: OSU vs. Ga Tech
jcollingsworth via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Ohio State University Women’s Tennis Team, 30-2 for the season, ranked 4th nationally, will meet up with Georgia Tech, 19-8, ranked 17th, in Tulsa, OK at 8:00 p.m. Thursday May 19th. Georgia Tech earned the right to the Round of 16 by defeating # 13 South Carolina, while the Buckeyes defeated #27 UCLA. This will be the second meeting between the two teams – the Buckeyes and Yellow Jackets met in Columbus Feb. 14, with Ohio State posting a 6-1 win.

The Yellow Jackets opened the match against South Carolina with a victory from Kendal Woodard and Paige Hourigan by a score of 6-3. Rasheeda McAdoo and Johnnise Renuad then clinched the doubles point for the Yellow Jackets with a 6-4 victory over Caroline Dailey and Brigit Folland.

“We realized that South Carolina plays such great doubles,” head coach Rodney Harmon said. “(South Carolina Coach) Kevin (Epley) does a great job with their doubles teams and their formations. They’ve been very successful in doubles, so we knew that we had to come out a and play really well because we felt like that would help our momentum. They came back at No. 3 against us and did a really good job finishing. Then it was just a bit of a battle at No. 2. Our No. 1 team is 13th in the country, has played well all tear and I thought they played one of their better matches today. But the No. 2 match was really, really close. I think we were down 3-1 and 0-40 at one point, and we were able to scrape our way back in and win at the finish line. South Carolina plays such great doubles, and you have to play such disciplined doubles against them because they do such a great job.”

“At different times they’ve played pretty amazing tennis,” Harmon said of Renaud, Hourigan and McAdoo. “Johnnise had a win over Stephanie Wagner from Miami, who was No. 6 or 7 in the country, and played pretty amazing. Paige played against Julia Elbaba when we played Virginia, and she beat her. And Rasheeda’s been playing really, really well, so our 1, 2, and 3 have been doing a really good job.”

Georgia Tech is an energetic squad that can deliver the element of surprise. They have gotten through Princeton 4-1 before surprising/closing out the Gamecocks, 4-0 to be facing the Buckeyes. The Buckeyes defeated Youngstown State, 4-0 and UCLA 4-1 – earning the right to be in Tulsa.

Against UCLA the Buckeyes split the first two doubles matches with 6-2 scores on each. On court three, Buckeye sophomore Olivia Sneed and freshman Francesca Di Lorenzo won over Maia Magill and Kristin Wiley to improve to 25-2 on the year. On court one, sophomore Anna Sanford and junior Miho Kowase, ranked ninth, fell to the seventh-ranked tandem of Catherine Harrison and Kyle McPhillips.

The doubles point came down to court two. The No. 58-ranked Buckeye duo of juniors Sandy Niehaus and Gabriella De Santis fought back from a 5-2 deficit against Terri Fleming and Alaina Miller to even the match at 5-all. UCLA held the next game, followed by a Buckeye hold to force a tiebreaker. The Buckeyes, who had one match point in the tiebreak, fought off three match points but the Bruin tandem claimed a 10-8 victory to put UCLA up 1-0.

The Buckeyes are a strong team. Francesca Di Lorenzo, ranked # 3 nationally is a steady opponent who does not yield, rarely makes any mistakes, and leaps feverishly onto any errors made by her competition.

Georgia Tech is more familiar with advancement in the NCAA Tournaments. This is their 6th Round of 16 since 2010. The Buckeyes for the first time in program history is in the Round of 16. There is hardly anything to say to that. Statistics are statistics. By no means is there any direction to diminish the accomplishments that the Yellow Jackets have put forward in their recent history.

But as we all know disappointments often leap the curb with new faces in town. Those new faces are Ferny Angeles Paz JR, Andrea Ballinger FR, Gabriella De Santis JR, Francesca Di Lorenzo FR, Nicole Flower RS SR, Miho Kowase JR, Sandy Niehaus JR, Grâinne O’Neill SR, Anna Sanford SO, and Olivia Sneed SO. And, they are The Ohio State University Women’s Tennis Team.

I have absolute and complete faith that our Buckeyes will be advancing into the field of the Elite Eight. Remember hunger does wonderful things to athletes. The Buckeyes have that hunger – it is in their eyes – in their play. So check out your local television listing(s) for May 19th at 8:00 p.m. Have a seat with some snacks and your favorite beverage and root this team on. They will deliver…. And remember where you heard it first!

See You Then.

GO BUCKEYES!

The post NCAA Women’s Tennis Tournament Round 3 Preview: OSU vs. Ga Tech appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Ohio State sends offer, looks to pull QB from heart of Oklahoma
Austin Kemp via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Ohio State has offered 2018 QB Casey Thompson a chance to be part of Buckeye Nation

The Ohio State coaching staff has all hands on deck on the recruiting trail at this time of year. Summer workouts have just started up and from now until fall camp, it will be prime recruiting season. Ohio State is sitting pretty for the class of 2017 and is now building on what could another elite class in 2018.

Ohio State sent out an offer to 2018 quarterback Casey Thompson (Moore, Okla. / Southmoore) late on Tuesday. Thompson is one of the most heralded QBs in his class. A four-star prospect according to 247Sports, Thompson currently holds 14 offers from some of the biggest programs in the country.

For the Buckeyes, 2018 QB recruiting is looking like it will be interesting. Top target Phil Jurkovec (Gibsonoia, Penn. / Pine-Richland) gave a commitment to Notre Dame on Monday, while Emory Jones (Franklin, Ga. / Heard County) is looking to be trending in Ohio State's direction.

The offer to Thompson shows that Ohio State is casting a net over the top prospects on their board and seeing who bites first. It's almost certain that the Buckeyes will be taking one QB in 2018. For Thompson, Oklahoma looks like the early favorite, but Ohio State will jump into a position of power. He has legit interest in the Buckeyes. If Thompson makes a visit to Columbus this summer, it'll show that Ohio State is a major player going forward.




Long-time 2017 commit Josh Myers (Miamisburg, Ohio / Miamisburg) is still a unanimous five-star prospect and still rated the No.1 offensive tackle in his class. At 6 feet 6 inches and 306 pounds, Myers has potential to get even bigger before arriving in Columbus. When he's finally in a college weight room program, Myers will no doubt develop into one of the most physical specimens on campus. Here's a video of Myers throwing up some serious weight in his high school's weight room.


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