1. Evan Turner
Turner is hands down my favorite OSU hoops player. The CPA will tell you, I wanted to name my kid after him…really. I liked him as a freshman, which is an important part of this discussion, because he wasn’t nearly the player as a freshman that he was as a junior, so I felt like I was in on the ground floor with him. The player he became his junior year, overcoming some turnover issues from his sophomore season, and handling the ball fulltime, was impressive. That’s especially true when you consider the guy broke his back in December, and came back as good, or better, than ever just a few weeks later.

2. Jimmy Jackson
Turner passed Jackson for a few reasons, but the Jackson era culminated perfectly with me coming of age as a sports fan. The Reds had won a World Series and the Bengals had been to a Super Bowl, but I was invested in the teams Jackson was on his sophomore and junior seasons. There was nothing cooler than that guy those two years if you were a Buckeye fan.

3. Scoonie Penn
He was only on the floor at OSU for two seasons, but he had as much to do as anyone with the Buckeyes coming back from the dead. Following Jackson’s career, the squad took a huge dip, losing year after year. The year Penn transferred, and sat out, was my freshman year at Ohio State. I had student tickets for the last year at St. John Arena, and it wasn’t pretty. I remember telling my roommate Randy we couldn’t leave, despite being behind the Mateen Cleaves-led Spartans by 30 points, but who was I kidding? It was an awful 8-22 effort, if memory serves correctly, and it does. How could I forget? Penn came in and catapulted virtually the same group of players to a 27-win season, and a magical ride to the Final Four (It really happened, despite what the banners, or lack thereof, in the Schottenstein tell you). At the time, Penn’s ability to handle the ball, shoot the three and distribute were something that program hadn’t seen in a long time.

4. Jay Burson
If Jackson was the first player that grabbed my consciousness, Burson was the player who made me aware that Ohio State basketball existed. I wore No. 12, quite by accident, my first year of organized basketball, and quickly related to the short kid with the floppy socks playing against the giants of the Big Ten. I liked him even before my dad informed me he played his high school ball at John Glenn, which was in my eventual high school’s league, and not far from my hometown. The more I found out about him, the more I liked. This guy was the all-time leading scorer in Ohio high school history, before there was a three-point line! Do you know how many points he would’ve been credited with had he had that? He made nine in one game while at Ohio State, by the way! His neck injury late in his senior year crushed me, although it was a thrill to see him in person when my dad took me to my first game – an NIT contest at OSU – although he was relegated to sitting on a swivel chair courtside because he couldn’t turn his head.

5. Aaron Craft
This guy is so good, he prompted me to create this list. Seriously, though, Craft earned my respect the first time I saw him play. Here’s a guy who was barely recruited by Thad Matta, but quickly dove into the fray, even as a sixth man, and made his presence known. He’s the guy who most reminds me of No. 10 on this list, Chris Jent, in terms of diving on the floor after everything, but he has more control over the game because he’s the point guard. He’s relentless out there. I know Brandon Knight hit the game-winning shot for Kentucky with Craft guarding him in the Sweet 16 last year, but the more telling thing was the fact that A) that game was so low-scoring because Craft checked Knight, and B) the Wildcats stopped having their point guard bring the ball up the floor early in the first half because Craft was harassing him so much. This was a first-round draft pick at point guard, and he couldn’t be trusted to handle the ball against Craft! Craft’s ability to get to the rim against much bigger players, distribute the ball and (most importantly) guard the opposing team’s best guard-forward, make him a favorite only partway into his sophomore season.

6. Brian Brown
This one’s as much on a personal level as it is anything else. No, Brown didn’t have an NBA career, and he wasn’t always the best player on his own team, but he was a key cog to the Final Four run in ’99, being given the starting nod at the beginning of the tournament for the first time. He was also a guy I got to know a bit off the court in my role with student radio and as an intern at a radio station in town. He was the only guy at that level I ever interviewed who always got the last word as we closed out the conversation, with a “Thanks, Seth.” Brown’s ability to start as a role player, and continue to get better, eventually being a team leader and decent scorer, made me like him even more. His path at OSU resembled one of my honorable mention guys, Brent Darby, who passed away this week. Both guys filled in when needed as freshmen and eventually were the main men as seniors, something we don’t see much of these days with so many players leaving early for the NBA. Again, neither of them were NBA-type players, but they both gave fans reason to adore them.

7. Michael Redd
I’m kind of surprised I don’t have Redd higher on this list, but the fact Brown is just above him says a lot about things. If this were a list of the best NBA-bound players I saw play at Ohio State, Redd would be higher, and let’s face it, there’d be some other guys on the list who aren’t even honorable mentions. And I don’t hold it against Redd, Turner or Jackson for leaving school early, I really don’t, but it factors into my enjoyment of watching them play at some point. Dennis Hopson is the all-time leading scorer in OSU history, but all three of those early entry guys would’ve shattered that mark had they stayed another year. Anyway, I loved Redd as a one-man show on a dreadful team – he led the Big Ten in scoring as a freshman at over 20 a game – and while I would’ve considered him more Robin to Penn’s Batman on that Final Four team, he was the scorer any great team needs. He turned into a decent pro, making an all star team and being the sharp-shooter on the 2008 Olympic team that brought home the gold medal, but he wasn’t that great a shooter at OSU, and I’ve often wondered if he had some knee issues that flared up between his sophomore and junior seasons. He was so good with a spin move at the free-throw line as a sophomore, and you rarely saw him attempt it the next year. I’ll always have fond memories of him on that Final Four team, even talking to him about the new Air Jordans after the loss to UCONN in St. Petersburg.

8. David Lighty
Here’s a guy who’s on this list as an ultimate glue guy. He came into the program with the famed “Thad Five” recruiting class, and was probably the least talented of the incoming freshmen – Othello Hunter was a junior college transfer – yet he found his way on the floor on the deepest team Matta has fielded, largely because he eschewed his need to score, which he did plenty of in high school, to become a lockdown defender. The year after the ’06-07 championship game team largely split up due to graduating seniors and one-and-done players, Lighty’s broken foot derailed what I believe would’ve been a decent NCAA run. As it was, that team won the NIT with Turner, Kosta Koufas and Jamar Butler, but Lighty ws the “glue” that would’ve helped put them over the top. At the time of his injury, Lighty was guarding opposing post players in the zone defense, despite his ability to check anyone on the wing. His loss forced Turner inside, taking away a huge advantage in the passing lanes because of Turner’s long arms. Lighty went on to get a fifth year of eligibility and was a key part of the 34-win team last year. Unselfishness would be an apt word to describe Lighty, but he was also a great locker room guy because of his ability to flash his effervescent smile at any time.

9. Greg Oden
Oh, we only knew you for such a short time, Greg Oden. His injuries at the pro level have kept NBA fans from seeing what OSU had that lone season. It was actually less than a year because he entered the campaign with a broken wrist, and came back only able to shoot free throws left-handed, which he trained himself to do rather well. Oden wasn’t a skilled offensive player that Jared Sullinger is in the post, but brute strength and extraordinary length can cover up a lot. He was most impressive on the defensive end, especially on the boards. Matta-led teams often fail to rebound the basketball because he always has players getting back on defense, and because for a few years he had to rely on the zone so much, but Oden was a cure-all for that. His performances in the ’07 tournament were a glimpse of what we could’ve seen had he been healthier to start the season, especially the way he competed against a huge front line against Florida in the title game. Had OSU’s sharp shooters knocked down even a low percentage of their shots, Oden’s offensive output of 25 points against Al Horford and Joakim Noah would’ve been viewed as one of the great efforts of all time.

10. Chris Jent
I tried to play like this guy as a middle schooler. I doubt it was always smart for me to dive into the stands at my old grade school – I probably didn’t even have a chance to get to some of those balls – but I wanted to emulate what Jent did on the floor. He was a scrappy player out there and was a big key to the teams that grabbed league titles and the ’92 team that broke my heart by losing to Michigan in the Elite Eight. He was so scrappy, that I was actually surprised, as I grew older, to learn what a highly rated recruit he was. I didn’t know scrappy and skilled could go hand-in-hand.

Honorable mention: Jared Sullinger (can still move up), Lawrence Funderburke, Terrance Dials, Brent Darby, Ken Johnson, Mike Conley, Jamar Butler, Mark Baker, Jamie Skelton, Perry Carter, Treg Lee, Derek Anderson (yes, he played for OSU), William Buford

NFL Picks

Well, we don’t handle success too well, do we? I didn’t, anyway. Atop the standings one week, bottom of the pack the next.

Congrats to tgm for jumping into the fray with a 12-win performance.

There were some surprises out there, but tgm navigated the schedule well.

Results

tgm 12 + 1 = 13
Jack Ten 11
Adman 11
Grandpa 11
Pat B. 11
JMB 10
Fulch 10
The CPA 10
Crazed Wolverine 10
Jeremiah 10
Nora Peanut 10
The Trashman 9
Amy 9
Chjm70 9
Seth 8
Jessica 8
Mary the Nurse 8
GatorBuckeye 7
tgd 7
Lucy Cashew 6

Overall Standings

1. Amy 134****
2. JMB 131**
3. The Trashman 128
3. Seth 127*
5. The CPA 126*
5. Adman 126
5. Pat B. 126*
8. Fulch 123
9. Chjm70 122
10. Crazed Wolverine 120
11. Jeremiah 119
11. Grandpa 119
13. Jessica 117
13. tgm 117*
13. tgd 117
16. GatorBuckeye 115
16. Jack Ten 115
18. Mary the Nurse 111**
19. Nora Peanut 96
20. Lucy Cashew 96

NFL Week Fourteen

Cleveland (4-8) at Pittsburgh (9-3) THURSDAY
Houston (9-3) at Cincinnati (7-5)
Minnesota (2-10) at Detroit (7-5)
New Orleans (9-3) at Tennessee (7-5)
Philadelphia (4-8) at Miami (4-8)
Kansas City (5-7) at NY Jets (7-5)
New England (9-3) at Washington (4-8)
Atlanta (7-5) at Carolina (4-8)
Tampa Bay (4-8) at Jacksonville (3-9)
Indianapolis (0-12) at Baltimore (9-3)
Chicago (7-5) at Denver (7-5)
San Francisco (10-2) at Arizona (5-7)
Oakland (7-5) at Green Bay (12-0)
Buffalo (5-7) at San Diego (5-7)
NY Giants (6-6) at Dallas (7-5)
St. Louis (2-10) at Seattle (5-7) Pts. _____

Make your picks by using the “Comments” section.

But seriously, the situation isn’t good right now, and because of the mess the Tattoo-5 et al has gotten the program into, there are upwards of 15 players either suspended, injured or not with the program anymore, not to mention the coach.

There are a few problems as I see it, but I’ll just look at the quarterback, for now.

Going into the season I felt there was a chance Luke Fickell would want to play the senior, Joe Bauserman, extensively because he’d be the more reliable option when it comes to lack of turnovers, etc. While it’s true, he hasn’t turned over the ball, he also isn’t moving the ball, and those thoughts on him throwing the ball away don’t hold water, in my opinion. He isn’t just throwing the ball away because there aren’t any options. In a lot of instances he’s getting happy feet and only looking in one part of the field, for a long time, before throwing it in the third row. He plays too short to see over the line when in motion, and can’t see who’s open in that situation.

Miller, on the other hand, hasn’t been great, but look at the position he’s been put in. He gets pulled after fumbling the center exchange on the first play of a series. What kind of confidence is that showing in the kid? And those throwaways Bauserman makes, especially the ones on roll outs? Miller would’ve tucked it and run for five-plus yards in those spots, keeping drives alive.

Put Miller in the game, just like they did with Terrelle Pryor in 2008 following the USC debacle. Give him the keys to the car and get on with the season. There is no higher ceiling for Bauserman, period.

NFL Picks

Last week’s picks were won by JMB, who picked 14 games correctly, but was also closer to the overall score of 44 than Jeremiah, who also had 14.

It was once again a close, but no cigar situation for yours truly.

Results

JMB 14 + 1 = 15
Jeremiah 14
Seth 13
Svoboda 13
Pat B. 13
Fulch 13
Adman 13
GatorBuckeye 13
tgd 12
Chjm70 12
The Trashman 12
Crazed Wolverine 11
Amy 10
Grandpa 9
Jessica 9
Mary the Nurse 9
tgm 9
The CPA 9
Lucy Cashew 9
Jack Ten 8
Nora Peanut 8

Overall Standings

1. JMB 25*
2. Seth 24
2. Jeremiah 24
2. Amy 24*
5. GatorBuckeye 23
6. Chjm70 22
6. The Trashman 22
6. Adman 22
6. Crazed Wolverine 22
10. Svoboda 21
10. Pat B. 21
10. tgd 21
10. Fulch 21
14. The CPA 20
14. Grandpa 20
16. Jessica 18
16. Lucy Cashew 18
18. tgm 17
18. Nora Peanut 17
20. Jack Ten 16
21. Mary the Nurse 15
22. Patrick F. 9

Week Three

New England (2-0) at Buffalo (2-0)
San Francisco (1-1) at Cincinnati (1-1)
Miami (0-2) at Cleveland (1-1)
Denver (1-1) at Tennessee (1-1)
Detroit (2-0) at Minnesota (0-2)
Houston (2-0) at New Orleans (1-1)
NY Giants (1-1) at Philadelphia (1-1)
Jacksonville (1-1) at Carolina (0-2)
NY Jets (2-0) at Oakland (1-1)
Baltimore (1-1) at St. Louis (0-2)
Kansas City (0-2) at San Diego (1-1)
Green Bay (2-0) at Chicago (1-1)
Arizona (1-1) at Seattle (0-2)
Atlanta (1-1) at Tampa Bay (1-1)
Pittsburgh (1-1) at Indianapolis (0-2)
Washington (2-0) at Dallas (1-1) Pts.______

Make your picks by using the “Comments” section.

Jared Sullinger

Sullinger, the youngest brother of former Buckeye J.J. Sullinger, was the most highly touted of the freshmen going into the season.

He starred at nearby Northland High School and while he’s very highly rated around the country, it isn’t because of the highlight-type stuff you usually see young players hyped for. This guy is huge, at 6-9, 270 pounds, and he’s like a junkyard dog in the paint. He will likely average a double-double, having posted one in his first outing last night, and should average 10-15 rebounds per game.

He’s the lone freshman to crack the starting lineup full of four returnees, and should be a stabilizing force on the glass as long as he remains on campus.

Aaron Craft

This point guard is possibly my favorite addition to the team. He didn’t come in with the hoopla of Sullinger, or a few of the upcoming players in my analysis, but he could be exactly what OSU needs.

Since Mike Conley left after one season, and the recruitment of his replacement, Noopy Crater, went bust, coach Thad Matta has used a patchwork approach to the point, including moving national player of the year Evan Turner there a year ago.

No, Craft isn’t a starter yet, but in the lone preseason contest, and the season opener Friday, there was a noticeable difference when he was on the floor — IE, the team actually had assists!

Don’t expect Conley, or John Wall, but do expect slick ball-handling, and heady play on both ends of the floor — he’ll get into a lot of passing lanes.

Deshaun Thomas

The most underrated McDonalds All-American you could imagine, I think. He was highly touted, as evidenced by playing in the biggest high school all star game, but Sullinger was clearly the jewel of the class, and some wondered how Thomas would fit in with already established scorers like William Buford and Jon Diebler.

The answer after one game, really well. Thomas seems comfortable on the blocks opposite Sullinger or Dallas Lauderdale, or on the wing, shooting or slashing to the hole. He easily eclipsed 20 points in his first effort, tallying 24 in just 20 minutes. It’ll be nice having instant offense coming off the bench.

Jordan Sibert

Sibert is a guard who can do a lot of things. A broken leg ended his senior year of high school prematurely, and I wonder if it’s still hampering a bit.

He’s been on the floor, but didn’t really jump out at me, but the three aforementioned freshmen are clearly the exception when it comes to the kind of impact they are making right now.

Lenzelle Smith Jr.

Smith missed most of the summer, and the preseason game, with an injured wrist, but he’s the type of guy who could handle the ball if needed, and had a reputation during his prep and AAU days as being a glue guy — one who does whatever it takes to get the job done.

J.D. Weatherspoon

Sullinger’s Northland teammate was committed to Xavier when Sean Miller left and took the Arizona job. Weatherspoon eventually landed an OSU offer and looks like he’ll be a solid player in the future, and could offer some valuable bench minutes in the meantime.

NFL Week Ten

Last week’s games created quite a logjam atop the weekly standings. Five pickers tied with 11 wins apiece, and most were near the overall point total of 11, but only JMB picked the exact overall score of the Monday night game (48).

Begrudginly, I give kudos to the Brownies for their unexpected win over the Patriots. I’m quite distraught about the recent reversal of fortunes that have seen the Bengals go nearly 50 days without a victory.

Oh well, on to the picks!

Results

jmb 11 (plus 1) = 12
Chjm70 11
Big Game 11
The Trashman 11
Teddy 11
Adman 10
Jeff S. 10
Brian I. 10
Jeff W. 10
Patrick F. 10
tgd 10
Jack Ten 10
Seth 9
Kara 9
Grandpa 9
Jeremiah 9
Fulch 9
Amy 9
The CPA 8
GatorBuckeye 8
tgm 8
Jessica 7
Mary the Nurse 7
Lucy Cashew 4
Nora Peanut 3

Overall Standings

1. Chjm70 89*
2. Jeff S. 84*
3. Seth 83
4. Brian I. 82*
5. jmb 81*
6. Fulch 80
7. Big Game 79
8. The Trashman 78
8. Grandpa 78*
8. Jeremiah 78*
8. Adman 78
12. tgd 77
12. GatorBuckeye 77
14. Kara 76
14. Jeff W. 76
16. The CPA 74
16. Patrick F. 74
18. Teddy 73
18. tgm 73
18. Amy 73
18. Lucy Cashew 73**
22. Jessica 71
23. Jack Ten 68
24. Mary the Nurse 67
25. Nora Peanut 64
26. Crazed Wolverine 62

NFL Week Ten

Baltimore (6-2) at Atlanta (6-2) THURSDAY NIGHT
Detroit (2-6) at Buffalo (0-8)
Minnesota (3-5) at Chicago (5-3)
NY Jets (6-2) at Cleveland (3-5)
Cincinnati (2-6) at Indianapolis (5-3)
Tennessee (5-3) at Miami (4-4)
Carolina (1-7) at Tampa Bay (5-3)
Houston (4-4) at Jacksonville (4-4)
Kansas City (5-3) at Denver (2-6)
Dallas (1-7) at NY Giants (6-2)
Seattle (4-4) at Arizona (3-5)
St. Louis (4-4) at San Francisco (2-6)
New England (6-2) at Pittsburgh (6-2)
Philadelphia (5-3) at Washington (4-4) Pts. _____

Make your picks by using the “Comments” section under the headline.

Jeff and I break down everything from Terrelle Pryor to some surprise starters on defense, and do our best to make sense of where the Big Ten is going once Nebraska joins in 2011.

And of course the conversation devolved into a pity party for dear Michigan…yeah.

Send thoughts about this or other content on the site by clicking the “Comments” tab at the top of the page.

With that said, it was time to turn a corner on the podcast, and to do so I turned to a baseball fan who may be as crazy about his team than I am of mine.

Steve Streicher, resident Tigers expert, joins me to talk Tigers and Reds. We break down the rosters as we near opening day and figure out which guy will get to host the World Series party first.

Final Ohio State hoops thought

I’m pretty tired of the grumblings going around that OSU was worn out at the end of the season.

Was it a really short bench? Yes, but the fact is that team played itself into a Big Ten title after starting 1-3, won three games in as many days to win the Big Ten Tournament, and played with a Tennessee team that ran 10-plus players at it.

The real answer, which would’ve also added to the depth, would’ve been to have a B.J. Mullens, or any other player with size, to throw at the Vols. But to say the Buckeyes got tired doesn’t fly with me. Length was an issue, not wind, and it would’ve come up again had they advanced to play West Virginia or Duke, or Kentucky had the Wildcats not laid an Elite Eight egg.

Leave your thoughts or comments by clicking on the “Comments” section at the top of the page.

Jeff has launched a web site, www.SportsRappUp.com, which I highly recommend.

Jeff and I talk about the performances the Buckeyes turned in last weekend, in wins over UC Santa Barbara and Georgia Tech, and about the coming week’s game(s), first against Tennessee, and then, possibly, against Michigan State or Northern Iowa.

Return of me, writing

I haven’t done much blogging lately. The past year has seen the rise of the podcast, and that has taken some of my extra time that I used to use for writing on this site. I thought I’d take this opportunity to reminisce about tournaments past, and about this OSU hoops season.

Ohio State basketball is one of my first loves, and it offers me something OSU football doesn’t. I feel I really get to know the players in each season. Possibly that’s due to the fact there are fewer basketball players than what makes up a football squad, and the fact there are two games a week from late November until tournament time in March.

It doesn’t mean I don’t love football, because I do, but the basketball season seems more like an epic tale than the weekly dates I get with the gridiron Buckeyes.

Following Evan Turner’s season, from him pulling down 17 rebounds in each of the first two games this season, to falling and breaking his back in December, to his triumphant return and subsequent charge through the Big Ten season for a regular season and tournament crown, has been great theater.

I’ve loved every minute, and I’m anxious to see it continue.

Tournament memories

I first went to an NCAA tournament game in 1999. I had just returned from my first Big Ten tournament, and though I couldn’t get to the first-round game in Indianapolis against Murray State, I was able to go see the Buckeyes take on Detroit in the second round.

I drove to Indy with a classmate of mine, Brian Fulcher, known better in these parts as Fulch, or the NFL Pick ‘em champion from last football season. He and a friend of his rode with me to the tournament and we had a great time.

I got to rub elbows with media types, while watching OSU win its game.

The following week it was off to Knoxville for the Sweet 16. This time my roommates came along, and having no presumptions of victory, we had no plans to stay in Tennessee.

When the Buckeyes defeated Auburn, and I had secured a Charles Barkley autograph in the process, it was a whirlwind trip back to Ohio before heading right back to Knoxville for the game against St. John’s.

I remember sitting at midcourt watching the game with former OSU football player Ryan Miller on one side, and OSU hoops great Jay Burson on the other. I remember how happy all the Buckeyes players were, and the postgame dance with Jim O’Brien.

I remember Boban Savovic, now infamous in Buckeye lore, collapsing by himself at midcourt when all but one beat writer had left the floor. I remember calling my grandpa from one of the phones on press row, and being told by one beat writer, now radio host, that the call had better be collect.

The trip to St. Petersburg for the Final Four was also memorable. My roommate Randy and our friend Sarah were offered a substantial amount of money for their tickets, but Sarah wouldn’t sell. The game against UCONN was a blur, with victory just outside the inexperienced Buckeyes’ grasp.

The postgame locker room had a weird feeling to it, with players not ready to leave, and media likewise wishing the ride were sustained. There was a feeling like the ride didn’t have to end, and even though the following year’s team lost in the second round, to that point, it felt like a near replica of the ’99 squad should have no problem going back to the Final Four.

In 2001, my final season as a student on the student radio station, I called my first tourney game courtside, right behind the team’s bench. That was a memory. I worked out a deal with the national radio guys to hook into their court microphones, so I’d have sounds of squeaking shoes and the ball hitting the rim on the broadcast.

I remember Ken Johnson’s huge dunk to end the first half, but I also remember Utah State’s Bernard Rock keeping my final tournament run as a student from advancing, the victim of an all too familiar NCAA upset.

In 2007 I followed the team to the Final Four in Atlanta, this time as a writer. That was such a fun run as a fan, and then, too as a media member. You’re sitting on press row and Jim Tressel comes to a seat just behind you. Eddie George is off to the side cheering his alma mater on, and there were many more famous faces.

This year’s team seems so much more memorable to me than the ’07 one, despite the fact there’s less fanfare and talent. Perhaps it’s because everyone on this squad has been around two-plus years, with David Lighty the only holdover from that ’07 run. We’ve gotten to know all these players for a more sustained period of time.

Evan Turner continues to etch his name in stone alongside other OSU greats like Jerry Lucas and Jim Jackson, and yet one bad bounce could put an end to things.

What if that ’07 team had lost to Xavier, instead of coming up with the buzzer-beater by Ron Lewis that sent it into overtime?

It’s not the same sport, but how would Central Ohio look at Troy Smith if the ’06 football team had finished a wire-to-wire run atop the polls and beaten Florida in the national championship game? Remember how the city of Columbus loved Smith and his mates after the 42-39 win over Michigan, and the whole month of December was spent adoring that team?

That season became a lost one on just one night, and the same can happen in basketball, except to be considered elite, an NCAA basketball team must win six games in postseason play.

On this, the 50th anniversary of OSU’s only national title in basketball, here’s hoping that one shining moment comes again April 5, in Indy.

Send any thoughts or comments my way by clicking on the “Comments” section above.

Brian and I discuss Ohio State’s position in the Big Ten and the NCAA, and ponder the real mysteries of life like, is David Lighty really only an honorable mention-worthy performer? Hmm.

Spring is getting ready to, well, spring, and I couldn’t be happier. Have a great week.

Send any thoughts or comments my way by clicking on the “Comments” section above.

The Big Ten season is half over and while Michigan State has a three-game lead (going into the 2/2 contest at Wisconsin), OSU is still right in the thick of things.

We break down the play of late, including the remarkable season from junior Evan Turner, and talk about the 1960 national championship team’s reunion this past weekend.

Good things appear to be on the horizon for the basketball Bucks.

If you’d still like to check out the LOST podcast, you can do so by clicking here.

We talk about the game, and preview next season, because, you know, it’s never too early to preview next season — yes, we both realize it’s nine months away!

First off, congrats to the Buckeyes for getting the monkey off their back! Rose Bowl champs, and in the immortal words of all those who came before, “They can’t take it away from” them…because really, who would try, except the NCAA?

NFL Picks

We had quite a bit of activity in the final week of the regular season and the improbable result is a three-way tie for the overall championship.

Big Game made a furious charge with a 14-2 week — he won the week and the extra point by nailing the overall score exactly at 37, while Adman and JMB also had 14 and picked 35, so close!

Big Game’s run puts him in a flat-footed tie — I guess that’s even more of a tie than just a “tie” — with Miles and Fulch for the overall pick-em championship.

Because the CPA didn’t budget enough funds for a three-person free lunch, the trio will fight to the death in a playoffs pick-em. I invite all participants to take part, but only these three can win the overall title — we’ll pick every game in the postseason and they’ll pick an overall score for the Super Bowl. I’ll even make sure they’re different numbers and we’ll see who comes out on top!

I’m secretly rooting for Fulch because I haven’t seen him since college, but that won’t change the fact that, to the best of my ability, I’ll add up the scores correctly.

Week Seventeen Results

Big Game 14 (plus 1) = 15
JMB 14
Adman 14
The Trashman 13
Brian T. 13
MIKO 13
GatorBuckeye 13
The CPA 12
Crazed Wolverine 11
Nora Peanut 11
Fulch 10
Chjm70 10
Jack Ten 10
tgm 10
Jeremiah 10
Miles 9
Will Will 9
Brian I. 9
Seth 8
tgd 8
Grandpa 8
Mary the Nurse 7

Overall Standings

1. Miles 177
1. Fulch 177
1. Big Game 177*
4. The Trashman 176*
5. Will Will 175***
5. Brian T. 175*
7. Chjm70 174
7. Adman 174*
9. Crazed Wolverine 173**
10. MIKO 172
10. JMB 172
12. Seth 171
12. The CPA 171
12. GatorBuckeye 171
15. Brian I. 167*
16. Grandpa 165*
16. Jack Ten 165
18. tgm 160***
19. Jeff 159*
20. Another CPA 149
20. Mary the Nurse 149
22. Nora Peanut 147
23. Patrick F. 146
24. Jeremiah 143
25. tgd 142
26. Kara 131*
27. Jena 125
28. Jessica 114
29. Teddy 100
30. cliffwilt 73
31. Richard S. 65
32. B-Mac 61*
33. buckeye in pa 35
34. JeffMcC 20
34. Strikes 20
36. the oh, funk 14

Wild Card Playoffs Round

SATURDAY

NY Jets (9-7) at Cincinnati (10-6)
Philadelphia (11-5) at Dallas (11-5)

SUNDAY

Baltimore (9-7) at New England (10-6)
Green Bay (11-5) at Arizona (10-6)

Get those picks in before the games start and root for your favorite of the three who are left — Miles, Fulch and Big Game.

We go down memory lane and discuss our most memorable games, good and bad, and we delve into the future and what could come of the rivalry, first with Terrelle Pryor, should he win on the road this year, and then Brian and I look at Michigan’s situation going forward with Rich Rodriguez and/or another coach.

NFL Picks

The picks were up and down like a yo-yo this week, and now it’s because of my lack of counting skills.

Following an audit of me by Another CPA, it was discovered that I miscounted Will Will’s total, which set up a three-way tie between Will Will, GatorBuckeye and Grandpa, or so I thought.

Even the auditors couldn’t save me from myself, as I failed to cross out one of GatorBuckeye’s losses — I kept telling all of you about the Thursday night game and twice didn’t count a missed pick.

Therefore, GatorBuckeye has just 10 wins, and Will Will and Grandpa each have 11. Will Will was closer to the overall score of 16, so he indeed wins the week.

I am so ashamed about my miscalculations that a full week banishment to the Man Cave may be necessary, if only I didn’t have to go to work…

***ALERT*** THERE IS A THURSDAY NIGHT GAME THIS WEEK. PLEASE GET AT LEAST THAT GAME’S PICK IN BEFORE IT TAKES PLACE. IF YOU DON’T GET IT IN, PLEASE MAKE PICKS FOR THE OTHER GAMES ANYWAY!

Week Ten Results

Will Will 11 (plus 1) = 12
Grandpa 11
GatorBuckeye 10
Nora Peanut 10
Jack Ten 10
Patrick F. 10
Fulch 10
Brian T. 10
Another CPA 10
Crazed Wolverine 10
Seth 9
Chjm70 9
The CPA 9
Jeff 9
Big Game 9
Kara 9
buckeye in pa 9
Miles 9
tgm 8
Adman 8
Mary the Nurse 8
The Trashman 8
Teddy 8
Brian I. 7
Jena 7
JMB 7
Jessica 7
Jeremiah 7
MIKO 7
tgd 6

Overall Standings

1. Brian I. 102*
2. Miles 101
3. Chjm70 99
3. Fulch 99
5. Adman 98*
5. Will Will 98*
7. Seth 97
7. Brian T. 97
9. Jeff 96*
9. Big Game 96
9. Crazed Wolverine 96*
12. Grandpa 95*
12. The Trashman 95
12. Another CPA 95
15. GatorBuckeye 94
15. The CPA 94
15. tgm 94***
18. Patrick F. 93
19. Kara 92
19. JMB 92
19. MIKO 92
22. Jack Ten 90
23. Mary the Nurse 87
24. Jessica 84
25. Jena 81
25. tgd 81
25. Nora Peanut 81
28. Teddy 75
29. Jeremiah 71
30. Richard S. 65
31. cliffwilt 61
31. B-Mac 61*
33. buckeye in pa 25
34. Strikes 20
34. Jeff McC 20
36. the oh, funk 14

NFL Week Eleven

Miami (4-5) at Carolina (4-5) THURSDAY
Washington (3-6) at Dallas (6-3)
Cleveland (1-8) at Detroit (1-8)
San Francisco (4-5) at Green Bay (5-4)
Pittsburgh (6-3) at Kansas City (2-7)
Seattle (3-6) at Minnesota (8-1)
Atlanta (5-4) at NY Giants (5-4)
New Orleans (9-0) at Tampa Bay (1-8)
Buffalo (3-6) at Jacksonville (5-4)
Indianapolis (9-0) at Baltimore (5-4)
Arizona (6-3) at St. Louis (1-8)
San Diego (6-3) at Denver (6-3)
Cincinnati (7-2) at Oakland (2-7)
NY Jets (4-5) at New England (6-3)
Philadelphia (5-4) at Chicago (4-5)
Tennessee (3-6) at Houston (5-4) Pts. _____

Make your picks by using the “Comments” section under the headline.