Hiatus completus

The brief sabbatical is over.

The pounding Ohio State received at the hands of Southern Cal last weekend shook the foundations of Buckeye Nation. The result made me (and certainly others) wonder if what "they" have been saying about the OSU football team and the Big Ten for the last 20 months or so is true.

The USC game also made me briefly lose interest in all sorts of important things. You know, like Ohio State football, sports, pizza...oxygen. [SIGH]


THAT'S OVER.

A few more thoughts on the Southern Cal game and then we'll put that behind us.


- While it is right and fair to link together the Buckeyes losses to Florida, LSU and USC, it is also correct to assess all three of those games in and of themselves.

- For now, it appears that the loss to Florida was probably the most egregious. The offensive capabilities of that team were well beyond those of the 2007 Buckeyes or the pre-Pryor team of 2008.

- In general, I find the defense' lack of punch in these high-profile games far more galling then the offensive ineptitude.


As far as Southern Cal is concerned...

- I am still hoping that the Trojans pound everyone else on their schedule, including whoever they would face in Miami. History might be a bit more kind to the Buckeyes if this turns out to be the case.

- Interesting that Pete Carroll has figured out how to get himself a bye before AND after his most important non-conference games recently. If I'm not mistaken this year is not the only year he's pulled that off. Carroll reportedly even told his recruits to stay home for the Ohio State game so he could concentrate on the game. It's good to be king I guess.

- Joe McKnight is perhaps the most impressive running back in the country not named "LaDanian Tomlinson". I find it rather curious that the star backfield burner at Southern Cal would have "Pay Day" written on his eye black. Anyone at that university ever hear of Reggie Bush?