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2012 Final Four: tOSU -0.5 vs Kansas (ov/un 136.5) Sat 9:05 ET, CBS

Fremont Buckeye;2135348; said:
He rose from the dead 3 days after dying. Name someone else to accomplish such a feat. :biggrin:

chuck-norris-macho.jpg
 
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Some observations/reflections from a basketball first football second Ohio State fan after another crushing defeat

1) Kansas certainly looks like a team of destiny, with Purdue and OSU blowing leads at the end of games, avoiding foul trouble almost the whole tournament, and having Kendall Marshall break his wrist. To win a national title you need a lot of things to break your way (see Ohio State 2002) and take advantage of them - Kansas has done that. I, however, will feel no pity for them when they get stomped by a too talented Kentucky team.

2) This team really missed Lauderdale. The lack of a shot blocking presence really hurt as OSU struggled to protect the rim.

3) Missed opportunities for Ohio State from that play at the end of the first half to Sullinger and Thomas missing a ton of open looks. When your two best players don't play well, it's hard to win.

4) Officiating in college basketball is suffering. The block/charge call needs to be changed or outlawed. The lack of consistency on both ends has to drive players insane. I know officiating is a difficult job, but playing high level college basketball is difficult too.

5) I will miss Buford A TON. He played his best when the team needed it the most. An awful way for him to go out. For all of the criticism he took from Buckeye fans everywhere, including me, he handled it with class and dignity. Best of luck in the NBA and I hope you end up a Chicago Bull.

6) As a Buckeye fan, it seems like we have an inordinate amount of these heart-wrenching, gut punching losses. Siena, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Kansas in basketball the last four years alone. I struggle to remind myself that if Ohio State wasn't so excellent athletically, they would never be in games where heart-wrenching losses would be possible.

Always and forever proud to be a Buckeye
 
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I feel as though I'm fitting in with the consensus this year.

Buford was one of my favorite Buckeyes of all time.

Last year's loss to Kentucky will haunt me till I die, and probably gave me permanent mental damage. I hate Kentucky, their fans, and Calipari. That was rough. As much as I fantasized about whooping the shit out of them in the title game this year, stealing their title after they stole our title last year, I'm glad we can't lose to them again.

I hope Kansas beats Kentucky 75-0, but I see them losing by double digits.

On the off chance that Sullinger and Thomas return, Ohio State could easily be the favorite to win it next year. I haven't done my research on the recruiting classes, but they'd have the most returning talent. As much as I love Buford, he wasn't an instrumental piece in this tournament run, and I'd say his game is the most replaceable of the star players. Even more so than Lighty or Diebs. So, even though it won't happen, we could be title contenders next year.

All in all, great season. Proud of this team and their effort. Wish they would've beaten an inferior Jayhawks team, but it was quite the run none the less. Yet another Final Four banner for the Bucks.
 
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I see the ol' testosterone levels peaked about page 38 on this thread. Disappointing, coulda, shoulda, woulda, night for the bucks.

If Louisville would have beaten KY I would have be in Joysville and really heartbroken at the end of the this game. As it is, I'm taking solace in the fact that I will only have to endure another year of the folks on both sides of the river blathering on about the Wildcats and how they ripped Kansas a new asshole.

Then there's the issue of Calipari. Gets two schools on probation and gets hired a third time. The NCAA punishes the players and the schools, but never levies anything on the coach who brought it about. Sometimes justice is blind.
 
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Quite honestly this tournament was Matta's best coaching performance to date. This team was missing so many pieces whether people want to admit it nor not. They had no shot blocking ability, no outside shooters, no fast-break ability and yet he took them to the Final 4 and came so damn close to the finals!
 
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strohs;2135396; said:
Quite honestly this tournament was Matta's best coaching performance to date. This team was missing so many pieces whether people want to admit it nor not. They had no shot blocking ability, no outside shooters, no fast-break ability and yet he took them to the Final 4 and came so damn close to the finals!
All true - and further underscoring the remarkable job Matta does, year in and year out keeping the Buckeyes part of the national conversation in NCAAB.

After this close loss (really tough second half to watch with Thomas getting fewer and fewer minutes) I tried to put this into perspective for the younger members of our local viewing audience. Matta's time at Ohio State is certainly the longest run of relevancy in over fifty years. That he has done this despite being burdened early on with the upshot of the O'Brien legacy is even more remarkable.
 
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