The Barn: Buckeyes @ Gophers

My buddy Big Head Mike scored some sweet seats for this game. He had two on press row, plus two more seats that were 17 rows up right on the half court line. I was on quasi-babysitting duties for the day, so I took my son Cullen and we took the latter of the set of two. We also had "Club Passes" that came in handy for the pre-game and halftime festivities. Here's some of the highs and lows:

* I can't confirm this, but we were walking into the Barn at about 11:45 am (tip is at 1 pm) and Big Head Mike says he saw Ralph Sampson III pulling up in his ride to park. Isn't that a little late for a player (that plays a lot by the way) to be rolling in. He probably didn't want to expend much energy since he hardly has any to begin with.

* The Barn was ready for an upset...I thought the place was electric, and although Ohio State controlled the game from start to finish there were about 4-5 moments (when the lead was only around 5-6 points) throughout the game that the Gophers could have broken through had they converted some points on the offensive side.

* Where was our so-called NBA prospects (Rodney Williams and Trevor Mbakwe) today? By the way...I think all that talk for those two are crazy...neither even have a mid-range jumper (or can even consistently knock down free throws) in their arsenal. They are the elite athletes on our team and they were pretty much non-existent the whole day. I think that speaks volumes on where their basketball skill level sits at today.

* Gopher basketball alums in attendance: Quincy Lewis, Jamal Abu-Shamala, Kevin McHale and Trent Tucker.

* I hate Thad Matta. He's basically a clean version of John Calipari. He has mastered his way around the "one and done" rule in college basketball by simply out recruiting everyone else in EVERY class. Plus, he plays only 6-7 players in his rotation so he's living on the edge with any major injury to one of those players could hamper their preference of style of play for the rest of year. So add in that he has the BEST recruiting class every year plus he plays the least amount of people in his rotation...he is either the luckiest bastard on the face of the earth or he has some ridiculous sixth sense on the state of his program from year to year.

* Jared Sullinger is basically the Shaquille O'Neal of the college basketball world. Not based on skill, but based on the referees having no idea on how to call anything regarding to him down in the post. At the beginning they didn't blow the whistle at all concerning any plays down on the block...on either end of the floor. Then all of sudden it was full blow on every touch foul...I mean some of the "and one plays" he had were flat out ridiculous in comparison to the precedent that THE REFS themselves started at the beginning of the game.

* Lone highlights for us: Chip Armelin's dunk over Lauderdale. Student section chanting "You're a pussy" towards Sullinger after he flops and draws a foul. My son not having to go to the bathroom during the game or worse...at halftime.

* You know what's worse than our half court offensive sets...?? The under the basket out of bounds plays where we usually have to lob to Ralph or Colton out on the corner of the court (ball side). I'm not looking for an easy two on an out of bounds play every time, but how lame and lazy is that play. Plus, what is the benefit of Ralph or Colton catching it in the corner? First off, they are in a corner...a trap may come to non ball-handler forcing a turnover. Secondly, they have their back to the basket and have no intention of looking down low, much less passing it down there. Plus, they usually make that dangerous pass backwards to a guard near the top of the key just so we can start our pathetic offense...sounds GREAT to me.

SBG