How Do You Attack the OSU Defense? Baver Answers This and More.

Colin: With all these rough road match-ups, is J.T. Barrett the most important QB since Art Schlichter? How hurting are we if he goes down? 

Baver: I'm not sure if we have to go all the way back to Schlichter, but JT is pretty damn important. Joe Burrow would bring a different set of tools to the Buckeye offense. I like Burrow’s upside, but I think the offense would have to change too much if they had to make the switch. Compare that to JT replacing Braxton in 2014 where the two QBs had similar strengths that they brought to the table. You didn't have to revamp the offense much to make that switch. Also you mention the road games…JT was a man possessed in overtime at Penn State in 2014. He had a sprained knee, but no one had any luck convincing him to come out of the game, and I think he willed Ohio State to victory in the two overtime periods.

Colin: How would you attack the OSU defense?  

Baver: Hard to answer at this point with all the new guys, and with Schiano now making the defensive calls. It will probably be the most athletic defense Ohio State has ever fielded. Prevailing wisdom says: run at the speed, as opposed to away from it, right? Oklahoma has two backs custom built to do just that…..Samaje Perine and Joe Mixon…that’s a 235-pound RB backed up by a 226-pounder. And, Ohio State lacks that 310-pound-plus nose tackle that most teams have now a days.

I tend to think OSU's pass D will be the teams #1 strength, with the key defenders being ready to play right out of the shoot. As good as Baker Mayfield is, I am not sure he wants to test OSU’s secondary too much….especially when you have the Perine/Mixon combo to pound away with. 

So, that's at least how I would attack OSU's D if I'm Oklahoma.

Colin: What players do you think will break out on offense? 

Baver: I’ll say the #1 breakout guy will be Curtis Samuel, followed by Noah Brown. I’ve seen enough flashes out of Samuel to take him over Noah Brown, a WR that has one catch in his career here. But you know what “they” are saying once again this August….that Brown has been a beast in practice. The other guy that could get there is Corey Smith, but he again seems to found his way into Urban’s dog house….not a place where I would want to hang out for too long. 

Colin: How does the OSU-Bowling Green game play out? 

Baver: Bowling Green has the best set of LBs in the MAC and may have more success than you might think defending Ohio State's offense. And I think the Buckeyes will replace their defensive stars better than BG will replace their All-MAC departed QB Matt Johnson. If you sync the games over/under (64 1/2) with the 28-point spread , Vegas sees the Bucks winning this one 46-18. Both team totals seem high, and I tend to think OSU will commit some turnovers on offense with 8 new starters. My best guess is Ohio State wins by an approx score of 38-14…so I have BG covering the 28. Probably smart to stay away from this game though if you are a bettor…just too many first-time starters and too many new (key) coaches for both teams.

Colin: What are your best, worse and most realistic case win totals prediction for this year's Ohio State Football team? 

Baver: 11-1 tops, 8-4 the worst, and 10-2 the most likely scenario.

Are the Buckeyes Headed for a Rough Season? Baver Answers the Question.

Colin: I can't remember the Buckeyes losing this much talent in one season. Everybody assumes we just reload but the 1999 team was set to "reload" with Ken Yon Rambo and Reggie Germany and went 6-6. The 2004 squad featured Troy Smith, A.J. Hawk and Ted Ginn and... started the season with losses in three of their first six games. Why is this team going to be different? Or are they? 

Baver: This year’s team will be better than both of those teams. Troy Smith was not ready to play QB until late 2004, while JT is ready to go right now. In fact, both 1999 and 2004 featured first-year starters at QB. Steve Bellisari was bad all three years that he started here, and was “really” bad in 1999. And need I remind you that Austin Moherman was the starting QB in the 1999 opener?  

But point taken anyway. This “automatically reload” mentality of many OSU fans is over-the-top. It’s going to be ugly at times early on this season, and this team could easily lose three games, maybe more if they can’t catch many breaks. And even if the talent is every bit as good as a Buckeye homer thinks it will be, you don’t just push a button and gain experience overnight.

Colin: To sum up this team in a nutshell, we sent one of the best runners in OSU history to the NFL and have replaced him with a guy who has never played in a college football game. I mean, that has to be a drop off in production, right? 

Baver: Yes, maybe a huge one. And I am taking a wait and see approach on Mike Weber. As much as I hear he is a star in the making, I still hear other whispers that he has a long way to go. I feel much better about replacing Joey Bosa than I do Ezekiel Elliott. You said “one of the best runners” in OSU history….that’s an understatement. I think you can make a strong argument that Zeke is the best back that ever came through here when you think about the run/block/catch combo he brought to the table.

Colin: I'm a big Curtis Samuel fan but sometimes it feels like when a guy gets labeled "best playmaker" that is code for, "we don't have role for him". Any concern Samuel gets lost in the shuffle they way Braxton Miller did at times last year?

Baver: Good point about playmakers and true roles. I have never thought of Samuel as an every down running back and he is certainly not a true wide receiver either. But like you, I like him too....and I am drinking at least some of the Kool-Aid. Lots of talk that Samuel was never really 100% last year, and that he is about to explode. There is so much talent on this team, yet most of the coaches point to Samuel as being the guy most likely to take the next step on the Buckeye offense and special teams.

But, if Samuel does little in these first two tune-up games, this offense could be in for some rough times ahead, against some very good defensive teams on the Buckeye’s schedule this year.

Colin: As you mention, the schedule is rough. Oklahoma game #3 is looming. What areas do we need to square away ASAP to have a shot down in Norman?

Baver: Every offensive position except QB, where OSU should be fine if JT stays healthy. The Sooners have a great secondary, and I don’t think the Buckeye WRs will be fully in sync with JT that early in the season. And Zeke wasn’t really ready in game #3 of 2014; will Mike Weber be in game #3 of 2016? I tend to doubt it. And remember OSU’s young offensive line in game #2 of 2014 against Va Tech? A nightmare. What was it, 7 sacks? Gotta get these things in order very quickly or the Bucks are in big trouble at Oklahoma. 

You didn't ask about the flip side, but I now think the Bucks are in pretty good shape on defense. They will of course have their problems containing Baker Mayfield and Samaje Perine, but so will everyone else on OU's schedule.

Gene Wilder - by Johnny DiLoretto

OK, first of all, I hope to write something that will be distinguishable from every other Gene Wilder remembrance you’ll read online or hear in the news. And, secondly, I hope to figure out why I should write something that I know probably won’t be distinguishable and therefore won’t do the man the justice he deserves. In any event, I’ll try to keep it short and refrain from as much hyperbole and proselytizing as I possibly can ... Good luck to me.

As so often happens in a media-saturated culture, a decade or two passes, and, before you know it, the finest work of our greatest performers fades from our collective memories; so distracted are we with the antics of the Kardashians and other reality television morons, some of whom eventually wind up running for president. So, I just hope that you’ll read this and you’ll want to pay Gene Wilder a visit or two.

Singular. He was singular. Gene Wilder did not look like many movie stars. There was no one like him before or since – in looks or behavior on screen. I keep hearing this phrase “great comic actor” when people talk about him. That's true, but what made him a great comic actor was that, above all, he was simply a great actor. Certainly, he starred mostly in comedies because that’s where he excelled, but why he excelled was because his performances were all so rich, so deft and full of nuance and real feeling. Few comedic actors so deeply commit to their neuroses like Gene Wilder did. He doesn't act funny - it's simply that his behavior is funny. 

We think of the movie comedy greats and we think Groucho Marx, Abbott & Costello, Bob Hope, Jim Carrey, and even Will Ferrell. But these people were comedians first and if you ever got something lasting out of them, something that hit you as really humane, it was likely an accident or the result of really great directing. Now, I’m a big Jim Carrey fan, so just to head dissenters off at the pass: yes, he is a fine actor, but if you’re being honest you have to admit - especially in dramas - there’s always something a little labored about a Jim Carrey performance.

Gene Wilder never labored - even though he sometimes gave big, manic, over-the-top turns. But even his most outsized work was always rooted in human behavior.  He made humanity funny. Sometimes he made it hysterical. But he always made it human and, in making it human, he made it hilarious. Watch this scene from Everything You Always Wanted to Know about Sex but Were Afraid to Ask in which he denies being in love with a sheep. Oh, he's definitely in love with it and has been having sex with it, but watch these two reactions. The first is when his wife casually comments that he smells of lamb chops and the second is when he is actually busted in a hotel room with the animal. Skip ahead to the 2:29 mark and then stick through to 3:30 for the payoff.

Wilder started his film career in the '60s with a dramatic part in Bonnie and Clyde and then rocketed to comedic stardom in Mel Brooks' The Producers. You all know those movies he made with Brooks – The Producers, Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein. So many great films. And don't forget that great run of fun collaborations with Richard Pryor after those. But, let’s do this thing ... His performance as Willy Wonka In Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is one of the greatest gifts any artist gave to the world in the 20th century.  There, I said it. So much for refraining from hyperbole.

I loved that film as a kid, and I watched it a million times more with my oldest son when he was younger. I was worried that we would watch it too much, that we would watch the life out of it and I would risk ruining it for us, mostly myself really. But that's not what happened. In fact, every time we watched it, Gene Wilder bewildered me again and again. He lifted me. He charmed and challenged me. Mystified and delighted me. He gave me something new. Every damn time. And it was a lot of times, believe me. 

There are a few actors who, when you see them on screen, you instantly like them. Gene Wilder was that kind of actor, but he was something more than that. When we see Gene Wilder on the screen, not only are we instantly drawn to him, but we want him to like us. I don’t know if there’s anybody else in cinema like that. All I know is it’s a singular achievement. He was a singular achievement.

Now to be honest, I didn’t do a whole lot of research for this. But I did tool around the Internet a little bit and what I came across were some interviews with him. Of course, you should go back and see some of these films and you should certainly revisit Willy Wonka if only to hear him deliver the line, “So shines a good deed in a weary world.”; or to watch his entire segment in Everything You Always Wanted to Know about Sex. But, if you want to see what I mean about him being so absolutely, stark raving unique is to simply watch him in a few interviews talking to other human beings. I promise, you won't be able to take your eyes off him and all the while you'll be wishing you had known him. And that he had liked you.

Johnny DiLoretto writes and stars in the Not-So-Late Show at Shadowbox. The next performance is Thursday September 29th. Click here for ticket info and details.

Forget Facebook Posts, You Should Write for Pencilstorm - Colin Gawel

Are your Facebook posts always the best of the thread but soon disappear down the bottomless hole of the news feed? Well, we are always looking for new contributors at Pencilstorm. It's a great way to exercise your writing skills and reach a wider audience while doing it on your own schedule. If any of the areas below are of interest to you (or a friend) please inquire at pencilstormstory@gmail.com . If there is an idea not on the list we are open to any suggestions. At Pencilstorm, there are no deadlines, though we would prefer one story every couple of months if possible. Or if you get on a roll we can do a monthly feature. No pressure. Totally cool, totally cool.  Just make it good. Have fun. And, we are non-exclusive, so you can post anywhere & everywhere outside of Pencilstorm.  Hope to hear from you, Colin G. 

WWE Wrestling

Live Comedy 

Favorite Podcasts

Soccer or Hockey

Favorite Restaurants or Bars

New Album Reviews

Concert Previews or Reviews

Good reads

Business 

Television Shows

Craft beer or wine

Relationships

Comic Books

Travel - Favorite locations or things to do in different cities. Vacation Stories / Reviews 

Poetry

Serial Fiction

Parenting 

High School Sports

Copy Editing.

These are just some suggestions. Please pitch any idea you might have to pencilstormstory@gmail.com 

Let's Pretend We Are Talking in a Bar About the Great John Fogerty - Colin Gawel

John Fogerty is playing The Jack Casino in Cincinnati Friday August 27th. I'm going.

The movie Green Room made me go back and listen to Green River.

I was going to use that as the title of this story but figured nobody would know what the hell I was talking about. Anyway, it's funny how things work out. This summer my wife and I had a brief window of free time and decided on a whim to go check out a matinee screening of the movie Green Room. We had heard good things about it. The clerk at the Gateway said, "It's a lot of fun."

It was a fun movie if fun means punk kids getting stabbed in the head and young musicians getting their throats ripped out by Nazi pit bulls.  Nothing against the movie, it's pretty damn good, it's just not what we normally have in mind for our typical "date" entertainment. My wife had her hands over her face the entire time. 

As the final credits rolled and one of the pit bulls walked peacefully past what could be his final victim I turned to my wife - who was still covering her face - and said, "What is this song? It's amazing. It sounds like Creedence?" The song was "Sinister Purpose" from the record Green River.  Huh. How I did I miss this nugget? I thought I knew all the good CCR stuff. (Listen Here)

Apparently not. I decided it was time to go back with fresh ears and give it all another listen. AND I finally got around to reading John's autobiography which I had been meaning to do since reading this review by James A. Baumann.

OK, I don't have the time/energy/talent/beer to organize all my thoughts into pleasing prose at this time. I just have to get these thoughts off my mind before going to see Fogerty this Friday in Cincinnati. Let's just pretend we are standing at Colin's Coffee or Four String Brew and I just start rambling off thoughts. You can pretend you are there and start yelling back why I am wrong.

- In 1969 Creedence had the greatest year of any rock band in history. They released THREE classic albums in ONE Year. They outsold The Beatles and did it by completely flying into the face of what was popular at the time (tight, great 3-minute SONGS as opposed to endless jams or, God help us, concept records). They headlined a little festival called Woodstock, but because they refused to let their music or images be used in the film or soundtrack, not many people know they even played that weekend. 

- For these reasons, overall rocking-ness and the bands' continuing relevance, one could make the case that CCR are the greatest American rock band ever. They have hits like the Beach Boys, lyrics as strong as Bruce or Bob and the punk/grunge influence on a generation similar to the Ramones. Once again it's worth mentioning that in a two year period they had TEN top five singles, (OK, "Fortunate Son" was #6) and they outsold The Beatles in 1969 and 1970. I know The Beatles were breaking up and coming to an end, but it still counts to be the man who beat the man. Just ask Buster Douglas. 

- Taken in context of the Vietnam war, the draft, and the campus riots nationwide, the song "Fortunate Son" is the greatest protest song in American history. Or as James Baumann puts it, "the first punk rock song." 

"Some folks are born made to wave the flag
Ooh, they're red, white and blue
And when the band plays "Hail to the chief"
Ooh, they point the cannon at you, Lord
It ain't me, it ain't me, I ain't no senator's son, son
It ain't me, it ain't me; I ain't no fortunate one, no
Some folks are born silver spoon in hand
Lord, don't they help themselves, oh
But when the taxman comes to the door
Lord, the house looks like a rummage sale, yes
It ain't me, it ain't me, I ain't no millionaire's son, no
It ain't me, it ain't me; I ain't no fortunate one, no"

Holy Shit! (John, by the way, served two years in the reserves, active duty.)

- Two hundred years from now, songs like "Proud Mary," "Lookin' Out My Back Door" and "Centerfield" will be held in the same esteem as the works of Mark Twain and Walt Whitman. It could be possible that only Bruce Springsteen's songs will have left a bigger mark on America than John Fogerty. Yes, John could eventually be considered more important than Dylan.

"Left a good job in the city
Workin' for the man ev'ry night and day
And I never lost one minute of sleepin'
Worryin' 'bout the way things might have been"

"Just got home from Illinois,
Lock the front door, oh, boy!
Got to sit down,
Take a rest on the porch.
Imagination sets in,
Pretty soon I'm singin'.
Doo, doo, doo,
Lookin' out my back door."

"Well, a-beat the drum and hold the phone
The sun came out today
We're born again, there's new grass on the field
A-roundin' third and headed for home
It's a brown-eyed handsome man
Anyone can understand the way I feel

Oh, put me in coach, I'm ready to play today
Put me in coach, I'm ready to play today
Look at me, I can be centerfield"

- John Fogerty is now my favorite guitar player. I love the way John finds a guitar hook and before rushing off to the next lick, he lets you hear it a couple of times. It's why CCR "jams" like "Ramble Tamble" hold up and jam bands never do. 

Off the top of my head, my new personal guitar hero rankings 1) John Fogerty 2) Willie Phoenix 3) Bruce Springsteen 4) Chuck Berry 5) Pete Anderson 6) Angus Young 7) Willie Nelson 8) Ace Frehley 9) John Speck 10) Andy Harrison

- John got screwed worse than any white musician in pop history. He lost all his songs. He got sued for sounding like himself. It went all the way to the Supreme Court. He lost all his money in an off-shore account set up by his label. Fantasy record owner Saul Zaentz is truly an evil bastard who is hopefully rotting in hell as I write this.

- I'm sure working with John was no walk in the park but many of the greats are a huge pain in the ass. But the fact that his Creedence band mates sold their "votes" to Saul for $30,000 so he could outvote John on band issues 3-1 is beyond contemptible. John was justified in his refusal to play with Doug, Stu and his brother Tom after that knife in his back. John may have been a load to handle, but without his talent and work ethic nobody in that group gets rich or famous. 

- Still, John likes to bash his former band mates lack of musicality but I have to defend the original CCR on this one. No matter how many crack musicians John stacks in his solo band, there is a magic to the original line-up that cannot be recaptured live. The most talented band isn't always the best band. See: Neil Young and Crazy Horse in which Neil obviously was trying to follow the path CCR had laid down. Watch below. 

OK, that's it for now. Let's continue this discussion over a beer at the Cleveland Browns kick-off party at Four String Brew Sunday, September 11th. League Bowlers playing a FREE set at noon, sure to include some CCR. 

Colin Gawel is going to see John Fogerty in Cincinnati Friday August 26th. 

My Thoughts on the Upper Arlington Recall - by Colin Gawel

Author's note: This is just my two cents. I have friends on both sides of this issue. Please vote however you see fit. It's all cool with me. Have a nice day. - Colin

The question I have, my personal one million dollar question concerning the UA recall on August 23rd is the following: Why can't we just settle this brouhaha during our regular election in 2017? Isn't that the whole reason we have elections in the first place?

Best as I understand things, UA voters will be going to the polls this Tuesday for a special election to recall four sitting council members. If the recall succeeds, the current council members will then appoint four new members who will then have to run for election again next year during the regular election. Say what? Additionally, this is the first time in the one hundred year history of Upper Arlington that a recall such as this has been demanded. Why is this time so special? Why NOW? 

It's been well documented that the recall is costing the taxpayers a cool $65,000 and I am sort of wondering what I get for my money If i support it. Say it succeeds and the four council members are sacked: What improvements should I look forward to in the next 12 months before the "real" election? 

But I digress, back to my main question: "Why can't this wait?" Overturning elections is a slippery slope. If it succeeds, one must wonder if the "Recall the Recall" folks will be hitting the streets August 24th.

Forget the $65,000, what is true cost of this recall to the community?

I have seen things written by adults on Facebook pages that if I caught my son Owen writing the same about a student council election at Hastings, he would be grounded until he left for college and/or truck driving school. I know throwing Trump-style firebombs is the style of this current election cycle but these people aren't faceless bureaucrats buried away deep in the bowels of some government building in the suburbs of DC. No, the UA City Council members are your neighbors and part of the Upper Arlington community. They have friends that are your friends. You will see them at the store and at church. Your kids might know their kids. This recall vaguely implies they had criminal intent while serving the city. That's pretty rough stuff for a tough job that pays nothing, or next to nothing. Don't get me wrong, citizens are well served to engage in local politics, but when the tone turns nasty, long lasting damage can hinder compromise for years to come.

I've also seen people demonize city manager Ted Staton and I just don't get it. He has done a couple of Q & A sessions at Colin's Coffee and I came away impressed with both his demeanor and knowledge of the issues. I'm not asking you to be his biggest fan, but this idea that he is "ruining UA" rings hollow to me. We still had the parade. And the fireworks. And the kids all got laptops. And property values are at their highest point in decades. My little shop is doing OK.  The sky isn't falling. Not in UA anyway. It's OK to disagree, but why all the hate? Why so much negativity? I just don't feel it. 

At one point, it got so absurd that people were implying that the reason the UA City Council doesn't tape their meetings is because they want to keep their decisions secret from the community. Hmm... I guess that could be true though I think there is a better chance they don't tape every single meeting because NOT MUCH REALLY HAPPENS AT AN UPPER ARLINGTON CITY COUNCIL MEETING.

To clarify:

1) All the meetings are open to the public. So if you care, just attend. Easy-peasy.

2) If you can't attend, have a friend tape the meeting and post online so all the info is public. Just like a Grateful Dead bootleg. (And just as boring)

I challenge anybody to tape four city council meetings, listen to them all and then decide taping a fifth meeting is a good use of time. FREE Colin's Coffee drink of choice for winner.

But I digress...

To be fair, I've seen poison words from both sides and I don't like what I see. $65,000 is nothing to sneeze at, but you can't put a price on the ill will and negativity the recall has stirred up. Which brings me back to my original question,"Couldn't all this could have been avoided if we just waited for the regular election?" 

"Oh, that Colin sure can dish it out, but he can't take it."

Remember this summer when we were all driving the streets aimlessly, dropping F-bombs in front of our kids because we were late (again) trying to get across the construction on Tremont Road? I sure do. It seemed like every day I picked the wrong route and got stuck. I don't know what that whole project cost but it didn't look cheap. And as a UA citizen, I got very little out of it. To be honest,  I would have preferred the money to be spent on a rec center for the kids, fixing the pool or hanging some nets at Northam Park. (click here for that story)

But just because a city project doesn't meet my particular needs do I assume that city council is some branch of a shadow government imposing the tyranny of bike lanes on unsuspecting UA citizens like myself. I suspect I just disagree with the current leaders about the policies that are best for our community at this moment. That's called democracy, folks. That is why we have elections. And elections matter. And if you want to change things, you rally the troops and win the next one.

And to the recall supporters I propose that instead if simply trying to throw members out of office, why don't you run for office and show us how easy it is to please the voters in Upper Arlington. I'm sure it will be a breeze. 

I am voting "NO" on the recall.   

Colin Gawel owns Colin's Coffee in Upper Arlington and plays in the band Watershed. He isn't an expert on anything though he knows a lot about the band Cheap Trick.