SI's Ohio State Top 10 Athletes Gallery

[calibuck]

Based on what?

On what factors are the 'Ten Best Buckeyes' derived? There are some obvious omissions - but given this is a football board (mostly) then I guess it's appropriate that it's football driven. However, this great university has spawned many that have impacted other things (my apologies to JOtis4Heisman, but I didn't recognize half of those people on your list) as well.

Some of the later posters were more thoughtful, putting things up from the non-revenue sports (like syncro swimming - guys this is a REAL dynasty - what, 20 years a national champion in a row?). Jack was a winner over three decades on the pro tour, Jesse was a winner for one day. Who had the most impact? Jesse Owens hands down. Best basketball player? Katie Smith leads ALL Buckeyes (male AND female) in scoring). Hey, how about Laura Davis - three time All American volleyball player (AND volleyball player of the year in the USA).

Whoever said it, it's too hard to limit to ten, but one could put enough constraints on the poll to 'determine' the top ten. Maybe the top ten in every sport? PS, for the record - Weiskopf had the best swing but the worst attitude. He didn't win until on the mulligan tour.

FWIW, my top 5

Jesse Owens
Jack Nicklaus
Archie Griffin
Katie Smith
Rex Kern - all greatness doesn't come from awards or stats, but how well you make your teammates play.


:gobucks3::gobucks4:
Thanks

 

[Yertle]

I love Oden, but he has no business being on that list... yet. Hell, there might be 10 OSU basketball players ahead of him still.

Lucas
Havlicek
Hopson
Kellogg
Herb (maybe)
JJ
Bradds
Redd
Ramsey (maybe)

Okay, so it's close to 10 in my book. Either way, they are obviously giving him this based on potential, and that doesn't seem fair to these guys who earned the credit that they deserve.

 

[LordJeffBuck]

Having athletes like Greg Oden, Blaine Wilson, and Katie Smith ahead of Jack Nicklaus is absolutely stupifying. My top five would be:

1. Jesse Owens
2. Jack Nicklaus
3. Archie Griffin
4. Jerry Lucas
5. Chic Harley

Great list - I can't even begin to argue with a single one.

For #6 through #10:

Orlando Pace definitely needs to be #6, because at most schools he's the clear number one on their list.

Like it or not, Katie Smith should be on the list, because in her sport, she was the best ever at Ohio State, and one of the best ever, period.

Bill Willis, for the reason that JO stated (and he was really damned good, too).

Can't really pick the last two, because there are at least a dozen who belong - maybe if we expand the list to 20 or 25 (or 50 or 100) we could do the Buckeye greats justice.

 

[jimotis4heisman]

O However, this great university has spawned many that have impacted other things (my apologies to JOtis4Heisman, but I didn't recognize half of those people on your list) as well.

time for an interesting story, you all know im a firm believer in what a great place ohio state is and how its a place to great to acknowledge greatness. i dont believe any number should be retired. well in college i had this old timer prof (name slips my mind) and he somehow got sidetracked on a handful of olympic medal winner he had in class, he presents the challenge that next class anyone who can name ever osu alum to win an olympic medal will get an a on the midterm. i show up the next class (like two days later) he jokingly asks if anyone is up for his challenge, i stand up and start in order by location, year, medal won by each individual along with their event. he proceed to ask to see me after class where he asked me why i did it, i just responded, you challenged me, you interested me in finding out and a couple of hours of memorizing those is a lot easier than reading/studying for the next (3 4 i dont remember ) weeks

 

[cincibuck]

Just a brain fart here, but if you put Oden on after one year and a second place NCAA finish, then where do you put MoC? Much as I hate to say it he was the difference maker on that team. Without him they might well have lost three or four games that year.

 

[jwinslow]

Just a brain fart here, but if you put Oden on after one year and a second place NCAA finish, then where do you put MoC? Much as I hate to say it he was the difference maker on that team. Without him they might well have lost three or four games that year.

I think the difference is what football & basketball meant before and after each suited up for one season.

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

I think the difference is what football & basketball meant before and after each suited up for one season.

I see your point, but don't forget that Conley brought almost as much buzz with him to Columbus and almost as much buzz while he was here. And don't forget that Matta already had the program on the rise well before Oden set foot on campus. In other words, Oden wasn't the only one to help fuel the excitement for Buckeye basketball...

 

[BB73]

Just a brain fart here, but if you put Oden on after one year and a second place NCAA finish, then where do you put MoC? Much as I hate to say it he was the difference maker on that team. Without him they might well have lost three or four games that year.

MoC didn't even make 3rd team AP All-American.

Oden was first team AP All-American, and the #1 pick in the draft.

 

[jwinslow]

I see your point, but don't forget that Conley brought almost as much buzz with him to Columbus and almost as much buzz while he was here.

Conley brought serious game more than buzz, and grew in status later in the season. Greg Oden was the reason OSU was plastered all over sportscenter.

And don't forget that Matta already had the program on the rise well before Oden set foot on campus. In other words, Oden wasn't the only one to help fuel the excitement for Buckeye basketball...

True, and Matta has proven he can recruit anyone for a dream, long before establishing an elite tradition to sell.

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

...Greg Oden was the reason OSU was plastered all over sportscenter.

He was a main reason, not the reason. Clarett garnered nearly as much attention--positive at that--after his very first game. He then proceeded to futz it all up right before the NC game.

I think cinci's point is that Clarett had as much positive impact on his team's success on the field as did Oden did on the court. Now, was Oden more the news item leading into his arrival at OSU, and maybe during his one year there? Maybe. But Clarett's impact rivals that of Oden's without a doubt.

Regardless, I don't see Oden being in the top 10 athletes of all-time at such a great athletic powerhouse as Ohio State...he's just on that list because he's still a news buzz.

 

[sandgk]

You could easily make an argument that Clarett belongs on a list of the most influential freshman players on a college football team - he still doesn't belong on a top-10 OSU Athlete list though.

 

[jwinslow]

On the field is more debatable, as Clarett was incredible... when he played. While it's apples and oranges (different playoff system): OSU won without Clarett, while they lost their marquee matchups during his downtime (UNC - did not play, @ UF + @ UW - limited by injury).

Actually, you could say Clarett's impact off the field, for the program was comparable, but unfortunately in a negative way.

Off the field, Oden was an ESPN star since he emerged on national TV for Lawrence North, the McD's game, and then basically every College Gameday or Sportscenter episode, save a few in season when he was not playing.

On the recruiting trail, Matta probably could have worked his magic anyway, and Cook/Conley also played a large role... but that star power was a huge recruiting asset in every AAU tournament, where they dominated. Superstars like Thaddeus Young were caught up in the excitement of playing with these players, Oden being the headliner. I believe that trio helped Matta jumpstart his '07 recruiting as well.

As a basketball program, Matta deserves the credit for building it... starting with an unreal upset of #1 Illinois (which landed Cook), and an improbable b10 & 2 seed the next year... but the star he used to take the next step was Oden.

If Conley and Cook come without Big Greg, basketball continues to rise to power... but I doubt College Gameday takes such interest in our town, and we might have to wait a few years to be featured on SI as 'The Program.' (curse your jinx, SI :p).


I agree with your 'main reason, not the [only] reason' line. But to a nominal osu fan or random sports fan, unfamiliar with the nuances and details of how Matta built his program... I think they'll tell you Oden did more for OSU than Clarett.

 

[Wingate1217]

time for an interesting story, you all know im a firm believer in what a great place ohio state is and how its a place to great to acknowledge greatness. i dont believe any number should be retired. well in college i had this old timer prof (name slips my mind) and he somehow got sidetracked on a handful of olympic medal winner he had in class, he presents the challenge that next class anyone who can name ever osu alum to win an olympic medal will get an a on the midterm. i show up the next class (like two days later) he jokingly asks if anyone is up for his challenge, i stand up and start in order by location, year, medal won by each individual along with their event. he proceed to ask to see me after class where he asked me why i did it, i just responded, you challenged me, you interested me in finding out and a couple of hours of memorizing those is a lot easier than reading/studying for the next (3 4 i dont remember ) weeks

Was he true to his word and gave you the "A".....

 

[WoodyWorshiper]

The overall subjectivity of a list like this is what makes for great conversation/debate.

That being said, I guess I'll add my $.02. Aside from Jesse owens being the hands down #1 I think a strong case could be made for Jack Tatum being anywhere from #2 to #10. Tatum was the original "freak" of a defensive player that CFB really ever saw. Teams game planned around where he was going to be on the field. If you never got to see him play, his impact simply can't be described in words. In the 36 years since he left here, I have never seen a player his size that had the ability to hit with the force that he did whether in CFB or the NFL. In a way, it wasn't really fair for Tatum to be on the field with the majority of his opponents, even though they may have been 20-30 pounds heavier. It's almost like he defied the laws of physics, because in my opinion NO human being should have been able to hit like he hit at his weight, which was about 205 pounds.

 

[jimotis4heisman]

going to defuse the moc oden discussion, time will tell on oden. think of the hoopula post march 99, will it continue? its to early to tell a la troy smith...

tatum, forgot him good pick up...