Death Penalties, Gold Pants, "New" Cars, and a Red Vest

So, I'm sure many of you were expecting a post after Game 2, but that is too homerish of me. I can't not post after Game 1 and then post after Game 2 when they win. I will make a few key points on the first two games though:

1. Chris Bosh sucks. All you people who called me out on that need to realize that he indeed sucks. He is shooting 26% and has more shots than LeBron. He is never doubled, he is either played man up or drives into a zone. He doesn't face the same defensive scrutiny that Wade or LeBron has this series and he can't produce. It's because his offensive game is a broke man's version of Dirk's. Of course, lets not forget the blow-by that won the game for Dallas last night. This is not a super fast athletic guy blowing by Bosh, it's Dirk who just straight abused him. I told a friend last night there are 40 guys in the league I would rather pick first for my NBA team for just this year over Bosh. A premiere player who gets 1 on 1 looks the WHOLE game would put up 30 every game. Bosh sucks. He also looks like an ostrich.



2. Miami's half-court offense sucks. I was dead-on with this as well. If Dallas can protect the ball, they can draw Miami into stagnant offense because they do not have any good half court offense. Dallas of course failed to protect the ball and that led to highlight after highlight until the last 6 minutes when Dallas scored every time down and forced Miami into half court offense and that was the most crucial part, forcing Miami to do what he does worst: half-court offense.

3. Dallas can not continue to miss open looks and expect to win. They have done it two games in a row. I understand the tough shots and the crazy team speed of Miami's defense, but Dallas has gotten plenty of open looks or drives to the basket they can't finish. They also can not turn the ball over like they did Game 2, that leads to what Miami probably does best: create a top 10 highlight on ESPN. I'm not going to say Dallas got lucky in winning Game 2, because they earned it, but they definitely beat the odds. They just can not keep doing that.

4. If Miami's shooters continue to shoot 3s how they have the first 7 quarters of this series, Dallas is in trouble. Part of the blueprint for beating Miami once you ge them in half-court sets is to make the jump shooters. All of the sudden LeBron James is Reggie Miller bombing threes, and Chalmers and Bibby have actually been executing their shots, something that hadn't happened much these playoffs.

5. Dallas in 6.

Alright enough of that. I am glad Dallas tied this series and gave me something to live for, but all it is now is a best of 5 series with Dallas having homecourt advantage. Still way too much to go. So a friend requested a post on Ohio State and college football in light of the recent news and I am happy to oblige. As long as the request comes within the scope of this blog, I will happy to write about anything you guys want me to.

So, I for one, have taken great pleasure in the dramedy (yes drama-comedy) surrounding Ohio State. Outside of Florida State, I may dislike Ohio State atheltic the most. I hate their stupid band, I hate those colors, I hate the Big Ten, and I think they are always grossly overrated by the media. Terrelle Pryor showing up to Jim Tressel's resignation in a brand-spanking new car is high on the unintentional comedy scale. How unbelievably stupid do you have to be to even do that? You know the light falls on you now, and if there is a high profile player who needed his senior season to make waves in the NFL Draft next year it was him.

Let's get this out of the way: USC and OSU's difficulties are completely different. USC had a lack of institutional control over multiple sports and basically flaunted the rules. Ohio State is being tagged for selling personal items that are not eligible for sale until after they leave for a few thousand bucks, and then Tressel covered it up. This is not benefits granted in the six figures like it was in USC's cases with Bush and Mayo. I think NCAA has said this isnt a death penatly case and I think if you are using USC as the standard it's the right call from precedent.

I think the wrong call is using USC as the standard for the "death penalty". I have already discussed the pay to play earlier and I reiterate that idea as helpful to avoid these "scandals". One thing I want to add to it, is that if they did pay to play, then the penalties for the violations need to be monstrous. In fact, the penalties need to be much stiffer in the first place. The NCAA has an awesome on field product. With the 3 year out of high school rule in place in the NFL, the kids have to play somewhere. Europe isn't an option like it is for NBA players so the NCAA shouldn't worry about a loss of talent while tightening the restrictions. The talent has to come, but if there are going to be rules in place, the penalties need to send a message. I think the NCAA is coming around on that but in the case of Ohio State, Tressel needs to be banned for years, and if there is some impropriety with Pryor's cars, he needs to be gone as well.

I worry about the image the NCAA is getting. As I stated above, they will always have a good product on the field. These kids are talented, there is variation in offense and defense schemes and there is always scoring. The NCAA stands to gain big if the NFL lockout continues, but I think too many of these "scandals" overshadow them, and give it more of an international cycling feel to it, rather than an NFL feel. People expect the schools to break the rules and just live with it since they assume every major program breaks them. So either abolish the rules, or come down with an iron fist. The NCAA makes way too much money off of college football to be unable to afford a very strong watchdog arm for violations.

I think Ohio State, the institution, comes out of this unscathed. I think OSU football will have a problem this year. But the only way you get through to the schools is to start whacking scholarships. If a coach does something wrong, suspending him or allowing him to "resign" just allows the program to go spend another 3 mil a year on someone else really good. Whacking the scholarships impacts the coach in a much more profound way. OSU needs scholarships whacked for 3 years the same way USC did. In fact, anytime a member of the football staff makes a violation it needs to be 3 years of scholarship whacking. I am tired of my second favorite sport continuing to have media coverage regarding crap like selling gold pants charms and the coach covering it up. Send messages NCAA and do it now.

Lastly, if Urban Meyer ever coaches OSU, I will be very upset. That will be tragic for any red blooded college sports fan that understands what a joke OSU and the Big 10 are. Let's hope the NCAA gets its act together and start ripping programs until they get the message.