L.A. Blues ... or some post-game thoughts

[MaxBuck]

As for public perception? [censored] ESPN.

That attitude is fine until you want to recruit some high-level talent that watches SportsCenter all the time.

Buckeyes cannot afford to ignore public perception. Eventually it will have an influence on talent level.

 

[Bucklion]

That attitude is fine until you want to recruit some high-level talent that watches SportsCenter all the time.

Buckeyes cannot afford to ignore public perception. Eventually it will have an influence on talent level.

Yes and no. Certainly it helps to be winning and on public TV with commentators and all of that, but a lot of people forget that Oklahoma and USC were more or less a punch line in the 90's until Stoops and Petey took over. It's the coaches, not the media, that get recruits in the end.

 

[buckeyes_rock]

I don't understand why more people here don't put more responsibility for this on the coaches. If you look at this Buckeye team, you're looking at a minimum of...what, 5 early round players? Boone, Beanie, JL, Freeman, Jenkins at minimum? I must admit, I am past blindly following JT and believing that "Tressel knows best". I love that coach, but damn....he only win in a non-scUM big game came in triple-overtime on a lucky (but correct) flag. I know that's the pessimistic viewpoint, but objectively speaking, I am not comfortable with the coaching over the last couple of years. I'm solely talking gameday coaching and game preparation. There are no longer any adjustments made during the game. Remember 2002? Those were the days...

I think a whole lot of us are putting responsiblity on the coaching. I think it's just that so much seemed to go wrong, that there are million things to talk about. But scroll up the page and you'll see some of these coaching issues you brought up.

Just thought I'd point out that you're certainly not alone on this issue.

 

[Ttown]

I tried to pay particular attention to the line play on both sides and am disappointed in both. I thought we would play better than we did and be able to play stalemate. IMO we lost the war on both sides.
There was where most of our problems stemmed from, that and the lack of adjustments .

 

[FKAGobucks877]

I think a whole lot of us are putting responsiblity on the coaching. I think it's just that so much seemed to go wrong, that there are million things to talk about. But scroll up the page and you'll see some of these coaching issues you brought up.

Just thought I'd point out that you're certainly not alone on this issue.

Yep, now that I'm looking around at some of the other threads, I'm seeing it. It's a shame...talent sure seems to be there.

 

[BB73]

I'll take some issue with the statement that the season is "over".

The chance for a national championship is almost certainly over - USC will likely go undefeated since their tough games are at home, and almost any other 1-loss BCS team will be picked before setting up a USC-tOSU rematch. And even if USC somehow manages to lose twice, the public perception will make a third straight tOSU Title game appearance very unlikely.

But this team still has the chance to become the first ever to win 3 straight outright Big Ten titles - something that has NEVER happened in the 100+ years history of the league. That's a very meaningful goal.

And there's obviously the 1-game season at the end of the schedule, in which they can become the first Buckeye team to secure 5 straight wins over TSUN.

 

[osubartender23]

Yes and no. Certainly it helps to be winning and on public TV with commentators and all of that, but a lot of people forget that Oklahoma and USC were more or less a punch line in the 90's until Stoops and Petey took over. It's the coaches, not the media, that get recruits in the end.

Yes but wasnt it the coaches that more or less helped change the public perception of these two programs again? When the media loves the coach it makes it so much easier for a program to become a media darling. The coaches do get the recruits but when you are a media darling it makes the "sale" job that much easier.

 

[BUCKYLE]

I'll take some issue with the statement that the season is "over".

The chance for a national championship is almost certainly over - USC will likely go undefeated since their tough games are at home, and almost any other 1-loss BCS team will be picked before setting up a USC-tOSU rematch. And even if USC somehow manages to lose twice, the public perception will make a third straight tOSU Title game appearance very unlikely.

But this team still has the chance to become the first ever to win 3 straight outright Big Ten titles - something that has NEVER happened in the 100+ years history of the league. That's a very meaningful goal.

And there's obviously the 1-game season at the end of the schedule, in which they can become the first Buckeye team to secure 5 straight wins over TSUN.

I'll take far more than "some" issue with the season being over.

Great post BB.

We only get so many opportunities in our short time on this earth to watch tOSU games. After recent events, you'd think that point would've been driven home a little better. I'm going to cheer louder than ever this season, these young men are owed that.

 

[FKAGobucks877]

Let me attempt to differentiate my stating of the "season is over" from the typical BN-style naysayers. I specifically referred to our season being over insofar as "on a national scale". Let's face it, the season of 2008 has long expected to be the season of destiny for this team, and anything short of a national championship is a disappointment. While our repeated trips to the NC game have increased expectations to a degree that is no longer realistic, this was OUR year. Last year was great, but we, even then, were looking to this year as a year to beat all expectations...especially once players like Boone, JL, Jenkins, and Freeman said they were coming back.

So, can we still have a successful season? That depends. If you define success as winning a third straight B10 title and beating scUM, along with getting a Rose Bowl victory, then yes, we can. But if you define success as meeting or exceeding the goals you set before the season started, and living up to those seemingly very attainable expectations, then the answer is no, this season is already over. It's all about each person's perception. To me, no matter how well we do, if we continuously fail to reach the goal, then we have failed. If this was a one-time game, then so be it...we lost to a better team, and I can live with that, or with a one loss season. But when that "failure" (don't really like that term, but it pretty much applies) becomes a trend, a la Texas, Florida, Illinois, LSU, USC, etc....well, then I do have a problem. In a way, this is unfair because I believe that USC was the most talented team of everyone in that list...but they're also the most recent in what I see as a pattern, and that pattern is not a good one.

I can honestly say that if our goal going into this year was to go .500 and beat scUM, and we did that or better, I would be very content. Every year cannot be THE year. But when a season is supposed to be THE season, and you are embarrassed on national television for the third time in two years, it is a huge disappointment. Is the season over? Depends on your perception. Even if not, this year is, and will continue to be, a disappointment for me personally. Doesn't change my passion or love for this team, and I know that both brighter and darker days are ahead, but I am disappointed.

 

[daveeb]

I must admit, I am past blindly following JT and believing that "Tressel knows best". I love that coach, but damn....he only win in a non-scUM big game came in triple-overtime on a lucky (but correct) flag. I know that's the pessimistic viewpoint, but objectively speaking, I am not comfortable with the coaching over the last couple of years. I'm solely talking gameday coaching and game preparation. There are no longer any adjustments made during the game. Remember 2002? Those were the days...

I think I understand why nothing has changed. Jim Tressel has become very, very comfortable. He feels absolutely no public pressure. To everyone who watched Ohio State play in the 1990s, Jim Tressel is like a God. He beats Michigan. His players stay out of trouble. And, he has a nice warm face and great attitude. He cares about making young adults into men, and he does a fine job at it.

While I love the coach to death because for the above reasons, I can't help but feel that maybe the fact that he knows everyone loves him has caused too many problems. We annoited Jim Tressel to God level way too quickly, and it shows. Is there any head coach in football that feels less pressure to succeed than Jim Tressel? I think not.

We need to start asking questions again.

 

[WaitingforKickoff]

Let me attempt to differentiate my stating of the "season is over" from the typical BN-style naysayers. I specifically referred to our season being over insofar as "on a national scale". Let's face it, the season of 2008 has long expected to be the season of destiny for this team, and anything short of a national championship is a disappointment. While our repeated trips to the NC game have increased expectations to a degree that is no longer realistic, this was OUR year. Last year was great, but we, even then, were looking to this year as a year to beat all expectations...especially once players like Boone, JL, Jenkins, and Freeman said they were coming back.

So, can we still have a successful season? That depends. If you define success as winning a third straight B10 title and beating scUM, along with getting a Rose Bowl victory, then yes, we can. But if you define success as meeting or exceeding the goals you set before the season started, and living up to those seemingly very attainable expectations, then the answer is no, this season is already over. It's all about each person's perception. To me, no matter how well we do, if we continuously fail to reach the goal, then we have failed. If this was a one-time game, then so be it...we lost to a better team, and I can live with that, or with a one loss season. But when that "failure" (don't really like that term, but it pretty much applies) becomes a trend, a la Texas, Florida, Illinois, LSU, USC, etc....well, then I do have a problem. In a way, this is unfair because I believe that USC was the most talented team of everyone in that list...but they're also the most recent in what I see as a pattern, and that pattern is not a good one.

I can honestly say that if our goal going into this year was to go .500 and beat scUM, and we did that or better, I would be very content. Every year cannot be THE year. But when a season is supposed to be THE season, and you are embarrassed on national television for the fifth time in four years (or the third time in two years, however you want to look at it), it is a huge disappointment. Is the season over? Depends on your perception. Even if not, this year is, and will continue to be, a disappointment for me personally. Doesn't change my passion or love for this team, and I know that both brighter and darker days are ahead, but I am disappointed.

I agree. As long as we send off our seniors with a victory over scum, then I'd be happy.

 

[jwinslow]

I think I understand why nothing has changed. Jim Tressel has become very, very comfortable. He feels absolutely no public pressure. To everyone who watched Ohio State play in the 1990s, Jim Tressel is like a God. He beats Michigan. His players stay out of trouble. And, he has a nice warm face and great attitude. He cares about making young adults into men, and he does a fine job at it.

Have you been living under a rock for 18 months?

 

[jimotis4heisman]

not many teams win it all during THE year...

 

[Onebuckfan]

not many teams win it all during THE year...

Truer words never were spoken 2002 wasn't the Year until it was over!

 

[DontHateOState]

Everyone has a plan until they are punched in the mouth.