The Atlantic Coast Conference recently toyed with the idea of adding a ninth conference game. The ACC’s 12-team membership means that each team misses three other conference opponents. Because the Big Ten has one less team, there are only two absent teams on each schedule.

I will start by looking at the common arguments against conferences (and the Big Ten) adding a ninth conference game. They vary in degrees of legitimacy.

For starters, some opponents say that adding only one conference game makes an imperfect system only less imperfect. Unless you are going to solve the entire problem (play a round robin schedule) why mess around with it? If this argument has any merit, it is slight. If you can reduce the odds that two undefeated Big Ten teams miss each other by 50%, why would you not want to do that? Let’s be realistic, too. Even the most casual fan can identify the teams that are going to challenge for the league title every year. Schedule makers can skew the schedules two to three years in advance to make sure Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, Wisconsin, and Illinois play each every season. It may seem like an unfair handicap for the top teams but it is also a boost to the lesser teams that receive a bonus, albeit slight, in missing one of those teams.

One common reason proffered by Big Ten school officials is that the budgets are so huge that they cannot afford one less home game per season. I find this argument to be disingenuous. For example, Ohio State plays seven home games this season, eight in 2009 and 2010, and seven again in 2011. As the format stands now, every time they play a big-name non-conference opponent on the road they only have seven home games. If OSU dropped one of the lightweight opponents each year and scheduled their major non-conference road games in years when they have five home Big Ten games, the athletic department would guarantee themselves a minimum of seven home games each season. (The opposite years would be feature four home conference games and three home non-conference games.) Essentially, that means they give up two quarters of home football per year compared with the current scheduling. Read More...

We all know the economy is tightening up. As a result, those little side projects we have wanted to tackle for a while keep getting pushed to the side. Repair the deck? Hopefully, next month. Finish that Buckeye-themed basement with scarlet and gray shag carpet? Maybe, next season. Put 20s on our 1986 OldsmoBuick? We can only dream.

It seems tough economic times have come to the Ohio State Undergraduate Student Government (USG). In fact, times are so bad they have had to shelve an approved plan to build a statue of Woody Hayes. Despite the monetary pressures felt nationwide, some outrage is being voiced and demands for the statue made.

Perhaps we should follow President Bush’s cue and use his tax rebate to stimulate the statue building economy in Columbus? Just think, we could take half of that hefty check and pay off our student loans and donate the other half to the Woody Hayes Statue Fund (or, an actual, worthwhile charity – your choice, really).

In more scantily clad news, Playboy Magazine has selected its All American team and the gathering took place in Phoenix last weekend. It is, without question, the least exciting “photo shoot” in that magazine, year after year. Not surprisingly, the Dispatch has not covered this story, but plenty of other papers have so we have some details (and one photo – work safe).

No word on other Buckeyes selected by Hef (he chooses them, right?), but this is Laurinaitis second consecutive selection. Other likely All Americans include Wells, Jenkins, and Boone has an outside shot.

We have our sources snooping around the Mansion, as we speak, trying to gather more details. (Damnit, we should have taken that assignment ourselves.) The All-American team will be in the magazine’s September issue, which hits newsstands around Aug. 15.

In a slight follow up to yesterday’s piece regarding non-revenue sports, I thought I would post the current standings of the Director’s Cup.
If you are new to the Director’s Cup standings (it used to be called the Sears Cup), according to the award’s site, it is an award honoring universities maintaining a broad-based athletic program, achieving success in many sports, both men’s and women’s. Points are awarded based on order of finish in various NCAA sponsored championships or in the case of Division I Football, media-based polls.

Ohio State’s best finish in the competition is 3rd for the 2002-03 school year, followed by a fourth place finish in 2003-04. Incidentally, Stanford has won the award for Division I athletics for 13 straight years, and winning 13 out of the 14 years, having finished second in 1993-94 – the inaugural year – to North Carolina.

Top play: Normally, the Ohio State highlights that make ESPN’s “Top Plays” include Beanie Wells tearing of a huge run or Laurinaitis rattling some bones. But it is May, so that makes those last two scenarios less likely.

Instead, Ohio State Men’s Lacrosse goalie Stefan Schroder made the highlight reel with his coast-to-coast goal (for some reason ESPN is not allowing us to embed the video).

The Buckeyes take on No. 1 seed Duke next week in the NCAA quarterfinals.

Men’s Tennis: Raise your hand if you knew the Ohio State Men’s Tennis team is ranked #2 in the country. Well, they are and they just advanced to the Sweet 16 of Tennis after dominating East Tennessee State. The Buckeyes play Illinois this Friday in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Read More...

It certainly is fashionable to pile on the Michigan Wolverines these days. Buckeye Commentary could follow suit but it seems cheap to do so. We could go on and on about their new, prized coach – offensive genius is the phrase I hear thrown around – hurdling toward a trial versus his former employee, West Virginia University.

We may feel tempted to recount the alleged misdeeds of players and faculty alike, as alleged by the Ann Arbor News, where grades were essentially handled to players by a “supportive” professor. But then again, you have probably already read parts one, two, three, and four so there is no need to go over the gory details.

With all the media coverage of the Terrelle Pryor saga, we will not waste any more print describing how or why Rich Rodriguez failed to secure the commitment of a quarterback better suited for his offense than any other in the nation, letting that recruit head to his archrival. You followed right along with that one.

The Michigan community tried to play off Justin Boren as a small, insignificant incident. Besides, it is commonplace in Ann Arbor these days with players leaving the program with relative frequency. Besides, Boren is not even the original, as Ryan Mallett was the first starter to bolt the program weeks prior.

All sarcasm aside, there is no better metaphor for the Michigan program right now than the Michigan Stadium renovation. Ivan Maisel mentioned it in his March 14th piece, if only barely.

Once the renovation is complete, the Ohio State v. Michigan rivalry will own the two best stadiums in the country, if they do not already (the Horseshoe being the clear winner in my mind). I have attended games all over the country and I feel confident saying Ohio Stadium is the nicest college football stadium I have seen. Forget for a moment, the classic shape and copious history, the actual amenities and accessibility are as good as they get in college football. Not to mention it is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Hey, if Michigan is going to continue struggling under Rodriguez for at least a couple of years (see Maisel’s article) the least they can do is provide visiting Ohio State fans with a nicer environment to enjoy Tressel’s dominance.

In all seriousness, many things contribute to the greatest rivalry in sports: the games, the legendary coaches, the helmets, the fight songs, the bands, and the stadiums. Just like when the university renovated Ohio Stadium at the beginning of this decade, this renovation will help the players, fans, and staff of both teams. It will be a tremendous service to The Game.

The rivalry will forever intertwine Ohio State and Michigan in college football lore. As a result, we want Michigan to put the best possible product on the field every season. We want them to keep their funny helmets, goofy band, and smug attitude. Those are all elements that make the rivalry great. A world-class stadium is part of that product.

The ability to play college football’s greatest rivalry in the sport’s greatest venues every year is a privilege no other game enjoys. It makes the games more meaningful and the victories sweeter. Hopefully, we will taste that new sweetness on November 21, 2009.

With gas, food and other commodities shooting through the roof, you most likely cannot afford to do anything more than sit on your couch and stare at your laptop (on low brightness, of course, to save power). Don’t fret, Buckeye Commentary is here to help and provide you with some headlines from around Buckeye Nation. You may know some of this stuff already, but a second reading never hurt anybody.

Stay classy Detroit: The Detroit Free Press could not resist taking one more shot at Coach Cooper. Look for Ken Gordon to pen this headline upon Lloyd’s HOF induction: “Perpetually old curmudgeon receives honor despite splitting a championship and not winning a meaningful game in his last five seasons.” Kenny, you can borrow that one when the time comes.

Helmet to helmet: Troy Smith continues to haunt Michigan and its former players. Bill Belichick let the Patriot, Shawn Crable, know that his on-field discipline was an issue.

Tell Me Something I Don’t Know: Ohio State and USC will kickoff at 5:00pm PT. Didn’t we know this 6 weeks ago.

Tell Me Something I Don’t Know, pt. 2: We are not going to have a college football playoff anytime soon. Duh.

It feels like the first time: The site of Ohio State’s first football game was commemorated this weekend. This link has some pictures of the … um, field. How many tackles do you think that tree had in the game?

Border War: Earle Bruce is scheduled to regale hundreds at a fundraiser in Toledo today. His talk will focus on his first significant victory against Michigan … in recruiting. Ohio State coaches and players will be on hand to sign autographs.

Wind sprints: Apparently, Michigan will be less tired this season after chasing Beanie Wells all day. No word on if they plan to tackle him.

Addition by subtraction: Ohio State grabbed two junior college players after Kosta Koufos and Eric Wallace fled campus.

We’re still here: The Minneapolis Star Tribune covers the Big Ten, but basically ignores about the Gophers.

New starters: Rivals did a little post-spring breakdown of the Big Ten. According to them, Tyler Moeller is a pass rusher now and Jamario O’Neal has been a starter for a while. In other news, I can dunk with both hands.

Pattern developing: Anyone else noticing a theme here? Maybe Thad can find a free scholarship just to keep up with Tressel.

Buckeye Commentary is not one those sites always begging for money (you know who you are). Nevertheless, desperate times call for desperate measures.

If you were not already sure, EDSBS has the ability to spite your team … in horrific fashion. Worst of all, they are threatening to bring harm to our beloved Buckeyes. Thankfully, the crew over there is accepting bribes not to act counter to the ambitions of our gridiron heroes. We must act fast. Read More...