Big Ten Icons on BTN

[stowfan]

I recorded the Jack Nicklaus segment. My favorite part was, Woody, happened to be in Colorado on business, when Jack played as an amateur in his first US Open. Woody stopped by the Open to see how young Jack was doing.

It came to Woody's attention, the Columbus Dispatch, had sent no one to cover the open. Woody stayed on and wrote reports every evening to send back to Cbus for the newspaper. Little wonder the man was loved.

 

[OneBuckeye]

I recorded the Jack Nicklaus segment. My favorite part was, Woody, happened to be in Colorado on business, when Jack played as an amateur in his first US Open. Woody stopped by the Open to see how young Jack was doing.

It came to Woody's attention, the Columbus Dispatch, had sent no one to cover the open. Woody stayed on and wrote reports every evening to send back to Cbus for the newspaper. Little wonder the man was loved.

I wonder if the dispatch has these articles in their archives. I would love to read them.

 

[LitlBuck]

In my mind, if they are taking the icons from the Nicklaus era, I can think of one or two basketball players from each Big Ten school, except maybe for Minnesota, that have had players better than Steve "pretty boy" Alford:

 

[Jaxbuck]

In my mind, if they are taking the icons from the Nicklaus era, I can think of one or two basketball players from each Big Ten school, except maybe for Minnesota, that have had players better than Steve "pretty boy" Alford:

Not only that but if its college career only how does Alford find his way above at least 2 Heisman winners in Hop Cassady and Woodson? You knew it was going to have controversial picks but up to this point they were all somewhat reasonable.

Like I said above, Steve Alford was the 1987 version of Mateen Cleaves. Nice player and all but top of the list B10 Icon? GTFOOH.

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

Ask the average sports fans outside of Ohio who Jack Nicklaus is and 99% will know who he is despite the fact he has been out of major golf for a long time. Ask the average sports fans outside of Indiana who Steve Alford is and maybe 50% will recognize the name. In fact, I literally two seconds ago asked a hard-core Oklahoma football fan (and a big sports fan in general) who Steve Alford was and he said, quote: "Name sounds familiar". I then asked who Jack Nicklaus is and he just looked at me like I was on crack, and then answered", Uh, golfer". He then asked me if Alford was also a golfer. Point proven...

 

[Bucklion]

John Cappelletti is #16, which I have a problem with, not because he doesn't deserve to be on a list like this and he did give a moving Heisman acceptance speech, but because he did not compete in the Big 10. At all. So why is he a Big Ten icon?

Anyway, I will have a problem if they don't have Bill Willis, who is in 2 Halls of Fame and broke the NFL color barrier, on the list. Especially on any list that has Steve fucking Alford #17.

 

[TDunk]

It seems the BTN is trying to appease every fanbase with this list. There aren't many other IU student/athletes to choose from.

It does tick me off that the next "icon" on the list is Cappelletti. Not that he wasn't deserving of being on the list, but he isn't even the top RB of his decade (Archie). But he deserves to be ranked higher than the greatest golfer of all time?

 

[fourteenandoh]

Jack finished second in a US Open beating the likes of Ben Hogan in his prime as a SOPHOMORE. That in and of itself is amazing! Add to that the fact that he won the B10 championship by 16 strokes is even more ridiculous. While you are at it, don't forget about winning 2 US Am's and one NCAA individual championship. They are saying that they are only using college accomplishments in their rankings, but if you go by these two examples alone he has to be in the top 10.

 

[BB73]

At the start of the Nicklaus segment, Keith Jackson said it was based only on their college careers. Now telling the voters that, and having them ignore professional accomplishments are two different things.

The college only thing can explain Jack at #18, but it doesn't explain Alford at #17 (how is he ahead of Scott May or half the guys already named?).

Jesse Owens should be #1. Even excluding his post-tOSU Berlin Olympics, he set 4 world records in 45 minutes at the Big Ten Meet in Ann Arbor in 1935. Archie belongs in the top-5, and Jerry Lucas should be in the top-10. They probably won't place 3 from the same school in the top-5, though.

Thinking about who's left for the top-15:

Jesse Owens
Archie Griffin
Mark Spitz
Red Grange
Jerry Lucas
John Wooden
Magic Johnson
Ron Dayne
Tom Harmon
Otto Graham (I'll be pleasantly surprised if he makes it)
Nile Kinnick
Isiah Thomas
Mateen Cleeves (his bobblehead means he's probably on the list)
Dan Gable
Dick Butkus

Other possibilities:
Dave Winfield (barf, but his bobblehead means he's probably on the list)
Chic Harley (he won't make it due to lack of public knowledge)

Deserving National POY winners that I don't think will make the list
Les Horvath ('44 Heisman)
Vic Janowicz ('50 Heisman)
Eddie George (he won't make it, although he's as good a choice as Cappelletti)
Troy Smith
Jay Berwanger (U. of Chicago was in Big Ten for 1st Heisman in 1935)
Anthony Thompson (Indiana, '89 Maxwell Award)
Bruce Smith (Minnesota '41 Heisman)
Bob Ferguson (tOSU, '61 Maxwell Award)
Larry Johnson (PSU, '02 Maxwell Award)

Note - I'm not listing a few other Penn State guys won the Maxwell due to regional bias

Evan Turner (too recent)
Jimmy Jackson

 

[bkochmc]

At the start of the Nicklaus segment, Keith Jackson said it was based only on their college careers. Now telling the voters that, and having them ignore professional accomplishments are two different things.

The college only thing can explain Jack at #18, but it doesn't explain Alford at #17 (how is he ahead of Scott May or half the guys already named?).

Jesse Owens should be #1. Even excluding his post-tOSU Berlin Olympics, he set 4 world records in 45 minutes at the Big Ten Meet in Ann Arbor in 1935. Archie belongs in the top-5, and Jerry Lucas should be in the top-10. They probably won't place 3 from the same school in the top-5, though.

Of course I have a bias as my avatar shows but if Owens isn't #1 then this list is a complete travesty. His 4 world records in 45 minutes at the Big Ten Championships is still known as one of the best, if not the best performance in modern sports history. That feat is so special that Michigan even has a plaque to commemorate the performance. Of course the plaque doesn't say 'Ohio State' anywhere on it but everyone knows who he ran for. :)

Ferry Field in Ann Arbor

Closeup of the plaque:

Photos courtesy of MVictors.com

 

[LitlBuck]

At the start of the Nicklaus segment, Keith Jackson said it was based only on their college careers. Now telling the voters that, and having them ignore professional accomplishments are two different things.

The college only thing can explain Jack at #18, but it doesn't explain Alford at #17 (how is he ahead of Scott May or half the guys already named?).

Jesse Owens should be #1. Even excluding his post-tOSU Berlin Olympics, he set 4 world records in 45 minutes at the Big Ten Meet in Ann Arbor in 1935. Archie belongs in the top-5, and Jerry Lucas should be in the top-10. They probably won't place 3 from the same school in the top-5, though.

Thinking about who's left for the top-15:

Jesse Owens
Archie Griffin
Mark Spitz
Red Grange
Jerry Lucas
John Wooden
Magic Johnson
Ron Dayne
Tom Harmon
Otto Graham (I'll be pleasantly surprised if he makes it)
Nile Kinnick
Isiah Thomas
Mateen Cleeves (his bobblehead means he's probably on the list)
Dan Gable
Dick Butkus
Jim Jackson

Excellent! Your memory is much better than mine. Terry Dischinger, Don Nelson,, Cassie Russell. There will be a chance to see about the nonrevenue guys you have listed.

 

[BuckeyeNation27]

John Cappelletti is #16, which I have a problem with, not because he doesn't deserve to be on a list like this and he did give a moving Heisman acceptance speech, but because he did not compete in the Big 10. At all. So why is he a Big Ten icon?

Anyway, I will have a problem if they don't have Bill Willis, who is in 2 Halls of Fame and broke the NFL color barrier, on the list. Especially on any list that has Steve fucking Alford #17.

They had a "best RBs of the 70s" show on the other night, and they had 2 Penn St players on there as well.

So stupid.

 

[BB73]

Excellent! Your memory is much better than mine. Terry Dischinger, Don Nelson,, Cassie Russell. There will be a chance to see about the nonrevenue guys you have listed.

Cazzie Russell was already on the list, as number 29. I thought that was OK.

I don't see Dischinger or Nelson making it. Rick Mount is another name that could be considered for hoopsters (focusing on college careers).

 

[LitlBuck]

Cazzie Russell was already on the list, as number 29. I thought that was OK.

I don't see Dischinger or Nelson making it. Rick Mount is another name that could be considered for hoopsters (focusing on college careers).

Those older guys always get the shaft but I do think that Mount was a much better player than Alford. Since Cazzie made it maybe Bill Buntin should make it also:)

 

[BB73]

As I feared, Dave Winfield is #15. Great athlete, but his presence on the list as a Big Ten icon demeans the value of being named for everybody else.

Ramzy gets it right in his article.

The Hell with Dave Winfield and all of the Gophers involved in this despicable episode.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxnCY0CZ1pE"]YouTube - 1972 College Basketball Brawl - Minnesota vs Ohio Buckeyes[/ame]