Today the Ohio State Buckeyes play their annual spring game. The football team has been practicing for weeks, and with the spring game they finally get to strut their stuff in full uniform in front of adoring fans.
The most interesting thing about this year’s game is that it’s not in Ohio Stadium. Because the old Horseshoe is undergoing maintenance, the game has been moved to Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati. Fitting, because Paul Brown once coached the Buckeyes, before he went on to a legendary NFL career, and also fitting because Ohio State doesn’t dominate the sports conversation in Cincinnati like it does in other parts of the state.
The people of Cincinnati — the southernmost and westernmost of Ohio’s larger cities — have divided loyalties. Some follow the University of Cincinnati Bearcats, some are fans of the University of Kentucky, and some pledge their allegiance to old Notre Dame. By playing the spring game along the banks of the Ohio River, Urban Meyer and the Ohio State braintrust hope to increase their toehold and their visibility in one of the prime football cities in the state. They’ll be giving the Buckeye team a full taste of Cincinnati, too, complete with hometown favorites like Montgomery Inn ribs, Skyline Chili, and Graeter’s ice cream.
As for the game itself? The rules will make it a pass-happy affair, to try to cut down on the possibility of injury, so it won’t be like a real game. We’ll get a chance to evaluate QB Braxton Miller’s continuing progress, and see with our own eyes the new players who’ve been dominating the news reports on spring practice — players like defensive linemen Noah Spence and Adolphus Washington. Every spring game there is one player who has a flashy performance. Then we will put away the pads and wait until fall practice, when things get real with the Big Ten season looming on the horizon.
This was a tough, tough win — just what you would expect in a Sweet Sixteen matchup. The Buckeyes rode the stellar play of Deshaun Thomas and Jared Sullinger to a 12-point halftime lead. Thomas, in particular, was spectacular, making shots from all over the floor as the Bearcats tried desperately to find someone who could match up with him.
Smith, on the other hand, made some great passes, got some crucial buckets, and helped to shut down the Bearcats when the game was in the balance. This game showed why Coach Thad Matta likes to have Lenzelle in the lineup. When he is playing his game, he contributes in so many different ways.
This was a very good win against a very good team. The Buckeyes were out of sorts early and were getting killed on the boards. Shouted epithets rang through Webner House as the Bulldogs got put-backs and second-chance points after grabbing offensive rebounds. But with Jared Sullinger on the bench with two fouls, the Buckeyes clawed their way back. Amir Williams gave Ohio State a presence in the middle, and Aaron Craft and Deshaun Thomas brought the Buckeyes back to lead at the half. In the second half, the terrific Craft led the way and the Buckeyes built up a 10-point lead. Then, Gonzaga wisely went to a zone, the Buckeyes were thrown off stride, and their lead ultimately dwindled to nothing. But Ohio State stuck at it, made their free throws, and finally got the crucial rebounds. The final score was 73-66, but the game was a lot closer than that.
This may have been the gutsiest effort by Ohio State this year. They played, and beat, an experienced team that is a perennial NCAA Tournament contender. Equally important, it was a true team effort — perhaps the most total team effort of the season. Four players scored in double figures and the Buckeyes got quality contributions off the bench from Amir Williams and Shannon Scott. It was good to see William Buford on the line at the end, knocking down free throws to ice the game. Buford deserves some love and respect from Buckeyes fans for coming back for his senior year when he easily could have gone pro and providing the team’s most dependable outside shooting.
I’m not sure precisely how the $400 million will be spent, but a lot of infrastructure work needs to be done. Columbus does not have a train station, although the convention center supposedly was designed to include an area that could be easily modified to serve as a train hub. Ohio also is going to have to come up with at least $17 million a year to subsidize the route, and this is a time of great budget pressure. If the state is serious about it, legislators are going to have to make some tough budget choices, like taking money from ongoing highway construction and widening projects and allocating it to the rail program instead.
The Who concert tragedy occurred when I was in college, in the prime of my rock concert attendance days. It was one of those events that shook your world view and made you pause for a moment. I’ve never had a problem being in a big crowd, and I’ve felt the awesomely powerful surge as a mass of people move forward in unison. It’s a real adrenalin rush. The Who concert deaths made me realize that if I fell or was pressed against the wall, the crowd would not stop or falter — and then, being young, I went ahead and attended the concert or sporting event anyway.
