Big $ has confirmed that the North Coast Posse has switched cable service at the Pencilstorm offices from Wowway to Direct TV to intentionally avoid watching the "Battle of Ohio" this weekend. Even better, having the Browns v Bengals game blacked gives them an excuse to go to a bar and get blacked out themselves. You can still follow them on twitter @northcoastposse
Baver's Got OSU Rumors, Future Lines and Even Talks USC v Cougs
Tune into the CD1025 Morning Show with Brian Phillips every Friday at 7:40 to hear Baver's thoughts on Ohio State football and other stuff. follow @baverbuckeybag
Colin: Which stat is more important: OSU breaking passing records against UNLV or 0-3 Baylor hanging 41 points on Oklahoma?
Baver: It’s a hard game to figure out sometimes, isn’t it? Obviously Oklahoma wasn’t up for Baylor like they were against Ohio State. But the Sooners did what good teams do, and still got the “W” despite not having their best stuff. If I had to pick four Playoff teams right now, Oklahoma would still be one of them.
Colin: Do you see any encouraging signs in the Offense that could lead to consistent success against a good defense like say, Penn State?
Baver: I don’t know; I guess the Buckeye WRs are making some strides and Austin Mack appears to be on his way to big things before he leaves Columbus. JT again was JT with some passes that make you go “wow”…..and not ”wow” in a good way. But he settled down and started throwing the ball well in the 2nd quarter. And JT is the guy…..there will be no change at QB. We saw why he starts, as Dwayne Haskins looked like a freshman in his first extended action. Can the OSU offense get it done against a good D? I have my doubts. Dedicating 25+ carries to the tailback position against those D’s would help matters.
Colin: Speaking of Penn State, is Barkley the best player in the country and would you prefer the N lions lose to Michigan or come to the Shoe' undefeated.
Baver: Barkley is ridiculous, and I’m not sure I have ever seen a prototype tailback quite like him. He’s 230 pounds of solid brick, and watching a kid that size juke Iowa defenders in the open field was jaw dropping. I’d rather face an undefeated Penn State team when they come to town. I think Ohio State needs to show the rest of the nation that they are capable of beating a top-5 team…and need to show it sooner rather than later.
Colin: What can you tell me about Ohio State that may not be common knowledge to most Buckeye fans?
Baver: The rumor this past April was that DT Michael Hill was facing a 6-game suspension to start the 2017 season. Urban then told us in early August that Hill would be held out “a few games”. Meyer now says Hill will miss this week’s Rutgers game, which would be the 5th game Hill will have been held out. What else? Multiple off-shore sites have “Games of the Year” lines that they update weekly as the season progresses. 5 Dimes as of today has OSU fav’d by 7 vs Penn St, OSU fav’d by 14.5 at Iowa, and OSU fav’d by 3.5 at Michigan. The bettors think more highly of Ohio St’s chances than OSU fans do.
Colin: Since you appear with notable Washington State fanatic Brian Phillips on his CD1025 morning show every Friday at 7:40 am, what are your thoughts on the Cougs hosting USC and other games and lines you will be keeping an eye on?
Baver: Urban decided to actually pull his starters in the 1st half last week, and that cost me a cover on OSU, but I did hit the 3 other games, so I am 10-4 against the spread overall now including 3-1 on OSU gms. I see nothing I like really spread wise this week, so let’s look at the OSU – Rutgers game and USC’s trip to Pullman to face Brian Phillips’ Wazzu team.
I think Chris Ash has settled in a bit as a head coach, and will see his squad play OSU a bit closer than the 62-3 drubbing they took in the ‘Shoe last year. If Janarion Grant is full-go for the Knights, that will certainly help their cause. I think Rutgers +30 is the play here. The call: OSU 37 Rutgers 10.
USC played their best game against their best opponent this year (Stanford). But that was in the Coliseum, and now USC must travel to Pullman to face an underrated Wazzu team. Washington St D-line with Mata’Afa, Oguayo, and Luvu will make life difficult at times for Sam Darnold. I see this game going down to the wire, making Wazzu plus the 4 the play, but put a gun to my head and I’d say USC finds a way to win another tough one.
Big $ Checks in from Indianapolis before Browns v Colts
The Browns are road favorites for the first time since 2014. To mark the occasion, Big $ took the North Coast Posse Gremlin West on I-70 to watch the game at a bar close to Lucas Oil Field. The following report was filed on his cellphone from The Whistle Stop Inn two hours before kick off.
The Browns enter a stretch of four games that look to be competitive. What has to go right to beat the Colts this weekend?
Big $ - "Competitive" is such a relative word in Browns land. If they play with the mental acumen of a codeine laced juggalo as they did this past week, they would not win the MAC east. It does not take much to deflate the sheerest glimpses of optimism that we are afforded as Browns fans and the Ravens game left plenty of holes for air to escape, The only factor that I think would lead to a victory this Sunday is if the Colts commit more significant mistakes.
Corey Coleman is injured again and the ghost of T Pryor is looming larger by the minute. Has anybody figured out we paid Kenny Britt instead of TP?
Big $ - I have not combed through Kenny Quit's advanced stats, but I am assuming that he must have some Joey Votto like sabre metrics going on to have pulled the wool over the money ball boys' eyes the way he did. When you have grand canyon sized space in your salary cap, you don't let the only playmaker on your offense walk, no matter how big of an S.O.B. Drew Rosenhaus is.
Kizer left the game with a headache. Is this troubling?
Big $ I know that playing the role of "Mr. Football Guy" in today's P.C. world is very unpopular, but I am quite wary of a Rookie with much to prove taking a few quarters off for a migraine. I'm no doctor, but if a headache is severe enough to excuse yourself, MID GAME, from your $800,000 a year job quarterbacking the Browns offense, you should probably spend the rest of the day in a dark room. I think there is room for concern in this case.
OK, it's time, who should Lebron start for this week?
Big $ - Literally, I do not know if there is one current starter at any position on the Browns who i am confident would be better than Lebron
What are you eating right now?
Big $ - These breakfast nachos are pretty awesome though the syrup mixed with salsa takes some getting used too. I slipped in a couple Hilltop Lagers just to save some cash for the ride homw.
The Winter Olympics Are Coming In Less Than 150 Days - by Wal Ozello
The 2018 Winter Olympics are less than 150 days away. Pencilstorm Contributor Wal Ozello will be providing on-going coverage leading up to the Olympics helping you prepare for what to watch for.
The Winter Olympics is coming in 2018 and while it seems far on the horizon there are stories playing out today that will have a bigger impact than who are Jon Snow’s real parents. Here are the Top Three stories to pay attention to today.
Location, Location, Location…
The 2018 Winter Olympics are in Pyeongchang. When you search for that on Google Maps you’ll find it in South Korea with the Pyeongchang Olympic Stadium about 55 miles from North Korea. The Opening and Closing Ceremonies will be as closer to North Korea than Mansfield is to Columbus. For those of you living under a rock for the past year, the relationship between North and South Korea, let alone the rest of the world, has been less than ideal. Earlier this year, South Korea reached out to its northern neighbor for some Olympic partnership that only sports can create. They proposed a joint North-South Korea women’s hockey team and offered to host some of the ski competition at a new North Korean ski resort. North Korea declined both offers. Since then, North Korea has been testing several intercontinental ballistic missiles and the U.S. and South Korea just finished joint bombing drills… in Gangwon Providence - which Pyeongchang County resides in. Then at the UN on Tuesday, President Trump declared that, “If it is forced to defend itself or its allies, we will have no choice but to totally destroy North Korea.” Whoa. Khrushchev must be have looked down on that and said, "I just banged my shoe on that table, you sir, just drove head first into the deep end of the crazy pool." All-in-all, this is much deeper argument than new Metallica vs. old Metallica. Keep an eye out folks, this story isn’t over, yet.
Falling Down The Mountain
Lindsey Vonn and potentially Bode Miller will be returning to compete in the Olympics. Lindsey is the one of the most successful women American skiers with Olympic medals, World Championship medals and World Cup titles. She’ll be 33 in South Korea and this Olympics could be her last. While most thought Sochi would be Bode’s last Olympics, rumor is that he’s planning to compete in Pyeongchang at age 40. He’s the most decorated Olympic Athlete in alpine history and chances are he’s looking to solidify that position. But those aren’t the name to look for… watch for Mikaela Shiffrin. She’s reigning Overall World Cup champion and the reigning Olympic and World Champion in slalom. Back in 2011 she became the U.S. Champion in Slalom… at age 16. Mikaela won her first World Cup event at age 17. The following year she won Gold in Sochi, becoming the youngest slalom champion in Olympic History. Since then, she’s won two World Championship gold medals, three World Cup slalom titles, and 24 career wins. Mikaela will do for the Olympic Alpine Skiing what Wonder Woman did for the Summer Blockbuster Movies… kick everyone else’s ass. Here’s an impressive run for the 2017 World Championship where she beats her closest competitor by 1.64 seconds.
That "Other Team" Up North
Forget men's ice hockey during the Olympics. It's a glorified all star game that lasts two weeks too long. The real competition is in Women's Ice Hockey. They leave it all on the ice because they are competing at the highest level in their game and it's full contact guts and glory. The competition between the U.S. team and the Canadian team is fiercer than OSU vs. Michigan. While the U.S. team has won the World Championships the past four times and eight out of the last ten meetings, they haven't won Gold in the Olympics since 1998. Who's beat them each time? Canada. They won gold in 2014, 2010, 2006 and 2002. The last time the Canada held silver was the year U.S. got the gold - 1998. The two teams will face each other at least four times before Pyeongchang, starting on October 25. Keep a close eye on these showdowns. While the U.S. has a great winning streak, I'm sure Canada's montra is going to be "The North Remembers."
And for those of you that don't think these girls can play, I can personally attest they can play hard. A few years ago, I had the privileged of producing a profile of a High School Senior Goalie up in Duluth, Minnesota. I stood on the ice as these girls skated a whirlwind around me. It was just mind-blowing. They want to prove they kick ass stronger than the Runaways wanted to prove they could rock with the best. Want to see some tough hits and and killer goals? Check out this video below.
That's enough of a download for this week. It's going to be a long winter ahead and I'll have more updates in the weeks to come.
Wal Ozello is a science fiction techno-thriller novelist and the author of Assignment 1989 , Revolution 1990, and Sacrifice 2086. When he's not writing or singing with the Columbus hairband, Armada, he can be found at the regulars table at Colin's Coffee.
Baver Answers Questions and Picks Some Games to Kill Time Until Penn State.
Follow Brent @baverbuckeyebag and tune in CD1025 Morning Show with Brian Phillips to hear him talking for real and stuff.
Colin: Did we learn anything from the Army game that will matter against Penn State?
Baver: Not a lot. You saw Ohio St get the ball to the WRs on the perimeter in space more so than in the Oklahoma game, and the plays were actually successful against Army. Similar plays against Oklahoma were not. We did get to see Dwayne Haskins, but not until the final drive of the game. Haskins, like in the spring game, and like the whispers you hear from practice, looked good. And the Bucks may have a big time middle linebacker in Tuf Borland who replaced an injured Chris Worley. Worley is going to have a tough time getting his middle linebacker job back as Borland had double-digit tackles in a little more than a half of football.
Colin: Does it look like Kevin Wilson is taking control of the offense?
Baver: It looked like it against Army more so than against the Sooners, but it was Urban’s offense that I saw against Oklahoma. Your wider question really can’t be answered until after the Penn State game on Oct 28, as you surmised in your 1st question. I certainly still have a lot of confidence in Urban Meyer coaching this team, but I’d feel a heck of lot better if Wilson called the shots on offense against the Nits. Until then, it probably isn’t going to matter who is running the offensive show. The Bucks should put up 50+ against UNLV and handle Rutgers without working up too much of a sweat. Maryland could hang around and Nebraska could play OSU tight, but I still expect to see a one-loss Buckeye team playing Penn St Oct 28th. And that team will need Kevin Wilson’s help come 3:30 that afternoon.
Colin: I have no questions about UNLV though I know you’re hot picking Ohio St games against the spread….for I think a long time now. Do the numbers bear that out?
Baver: Yeah, I just ran the #’s and I’m 30-13-1 against the spread picking Buckeye games since the start of the 2014 season, my first year with Pencil Storm. A hell of a lot of luck involved, and there’s a 6-game losing streak built into those numbers. But, I’ve had the Buckeyes pulse as of late, going 22-7 since the start of the 2015 season, including 3-0 this year. Ohio State is laying 40 against UNLV Saturday. Urban will want to pile it up, and see the Bucks covering for the 3rd time in 4 games this yr. I like Ohio State 56-10.
Colin: What other games / lines will you be keeping an eye on this weekend and how have your picks on other games been going so far?
Baver: 4-3 ATS on non-OSU games. Not really feeling it except on Buckeye games, but I did hit all 3 of the other games last week. Michigan isn’t playing well, and travels to West Lafayette to play a much improved Purdue team, but Vegas seems to have over-adjusted for this one, with UM only laying 10. Michigan I think is probably the best play of the week at that number. Last year, Saquon Barkley basically said Iowa quit in the 2nd half of Penn St’s 41-14 lambasting of the Hawkeyes in Happy Valley. I know 19-year-olds will be 19-year-olds, but Iowa is going to be fired up Saturday night. I like the Hawkeyes plus the 12 ½ at home, at night. And I like Georgia laying 5 against Miss St in a situational play, with the Bulldogs off the big win against LSU, while Georgia comes off a meaningless game they had against Stamford.
North Coast Posse and the Browns March on Baltimore
All Browns fans should follow the NCP @northcoastposse
Q: All things considered, not a bad way to start the season. What did you think about Kizer's debut and the rest of the offense?
Big$: I'm sure he would love to have the interception back, and he definitely held on to the ball a bit too long on occasion, but a lil film study will iron those wrinkles. Outside of that he showed off an NFL ready cannon and was putting the ball on the money. Plus, he looked like the statuesque AFC north behemoth QB behind center. I think Hue is all in on him which is key, if he can mitigate the hits he was taking (not playing a bunch of degenerate yinzers will help) it should be a fun year.
K-Dubs, the Soldier: Despite Kizer’s promise, if this offense is going to click, it needs to get the running game going. Isaiah Crowell had just 33 yards in the opener, averaging less than 2 yards per carry, and the team had just 57 yards total. The game only gets harder when Kenny Britt, the purported replacement for Terrelle Pryor, is dropping passes, like he did on a key third down last week. Rookie David Njoku did snag a couple passes, and fellow tight end Seth DeValve emerged as trusted target for Kizer, but the receiving core really needs to step up and aid in Kizer’s development.
Q: Thoughts on the D holding the Steelers to 14 points?
K-Dubs, the Soldier: I hate to play the “yeah, but” game, but if not for truly scrumtrulescent Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh was doing nothing on offense. If you take away his numbers, the Steelers had just 81 yards passing. And Le’Veon Bell was a nonfactor. The D also held tough on a couple of key short-yard situations and picked off Big Ben on the goal line. I truly believe this is the beginning of a defense that will get Browns fans barking again.
Big$: My thoughts can be summed up in 2 words: Carl Nassib. Dude gets after it, I'm expecting more improvement from him over the next couple of weeks and then the big 9 and 1/2 sack game against the Bungles.
Q: Vegas still isn't impressed. Browns were 9 point dogs last week and now 8 points against the Ravens? Do they cover? Could they win?
Big$: Several times a year I sit in wonder at just how accurate the odds-makers out west are. The 8 point spread is about right especially if you're looking to lure the easily excitable Browns faithful into laying their mortgage on the Brown and Orange. With that said, anybody know a bookie????
K-Dubs, the Soldier: Take the points. The Ravens defense forced 5 turnovers and registered 5 sacks in a 20-0 shutout of the hapless Bengals in the opener, and they will be taking on a rookie QB in Kizer. No doubt, the offense will have some tough sledding on Sunday. Baltimore’s offense, though, gained just 268 total yards, with only 111 yards in the air. If the Browns could play the Steelers offense as strong as they did last week, I like their chances of bottling up a Ravens team that has Cleveland-reject Terrance West as its featured back.
Q: Final question: Who is going to be missed more this season Terrelle Pryor or Kyrie Irving?
Big$: Oh man, this rips me to the core. I can't imagine how beneficial TP would’ve been to Kizer's development, but he is outta site outta mind in "R word" football purgatory. Kyrie, on the other hand, will be in our face on the regular as a member of our closest conference rival. Therefore, the reluctant answer I must give is Uncle Drew.