I am no longer convinced that we will not see Troy Smith against Texas.
First, a new scenario is brewing concerning the "Where's my money, Mommy" affair. We should not underestimate the revulsion people will feel when they realize that the same Clarett who made these allegations actually conned Smith into getting his Mom to get him a cellphone, forced him to go get money to pay the bill and then blew the whistle on him.
Second, Miles Brand is making very supportive comments about OSU. They've been digging around a long time for such things to be said, if anything else untoward was to be found. Brand is saying that the Buckeye Athletics Department is everything we always thought it was. Transparent. Honest. Working hard to be compliant. His comments about Clarett (i.e., a good athlete perhaps not ready for stardom when it hit and badly influenced) also seem to have an effect of bringing him back in line.
Third, it now seems likely to me that by the Texas game, most of this stuff, even basketball, could be behind us.
If that is so, ESPiN can let up on tOSU and need no longer turn on Clarett as a way out. He may be around as a great pro player (although I personally think he will be injury prone and not so good as many think). They won't want to have confrontation with him but rather will want to feed off the controversy he will no doubt create, no matter where he goes. Can you imagine the nonsense that will take place if he doesn't get playing time?
So, the wonderful journalists who are in charge of reverse vortex at ESPiN alter ego, EXPiN, have a major opportunity to position Clarett as "mislead" and "immature at the time" and "sorry for the errors that he made", they can position OSU as a "storied program" that is "working hard to make sure they are never involved in such controversy ever again" and they can use Smith as the poster child for OSU's "recovery".
Tressel could care less about what anyone thinks if Smith is the best bet to get to a NC next year. There is little doubt in my mind that OSU is better with a mobile quarterback and that Zwick was not mobile enough in the Alamo Bowl or otherwise. Witness the necessity to make snaps to Ginn. So, Smith is our best quarterback.
Booed? Maybe, but I don't think so. How long would it take the OSU faithful to forgive Smith, now that the reason for his discretion is known? About this long....
"Can you hear me in all this noise? That's right, Kirk, the 'Shoe is rockin'. OSU was down 10 points to Texas with when Smith came in. Two hundred yards of offense and five minutes later, they go into halftime, up seven points and with all the momentum."
