O is for Overrated

You know the old saying--"Excuses are like assholes, everyone has on"--well if that is true, then according to the 2000 census report, Columbus, Ohio is the home of 711,470 assholes. After the 32 point beat down Ohio State received on Sunday from a far superior USC team, you could already hear the cries from every OSU faithful......"but we didn't have Chris Wells".

Certainly Wells would have changed the complexion of the OSU offense.......but how would he have changed the fact that Joe McKnight averaged nearly a first down a carry......or that Matt Sanchez threw for 4 scores......or that USC was the bigger, stronger, faster more talented team?

We always hear that what the Big Ten lacks in athletes at the skill positions, it makes up for it with bigger and more physical line play. Well, if the performance of the OSU linemen is what constitutes physical in the Big Ten, then my 87 year-old grandmother would scare the hell out of Big Ten teams.

I mean seriously, on most pass plays, the only thing that kept Todd Boekman upright was someone on the OSU side holding onto a USC defender for dear life. On a couple shots that Boekman took I was wondering if he swallowed his mouth piece. And what about the Buckeye defense.....you have a QB whose knee injury made him about as mobile as a one-legged Drew Bledsoe, and you cannot get to him on a consistent basis? Here's 5 bucks, go buy yourself a pass rush.

The most telling stat of the game was Ohio State had the ball for 20 minutes in the first half and outgained the Trojans 177 -172.....yet trailed 21-3. Memo to Jim Tressel: The US Postal Service thinks your offense is inefficient and as outdated as your style (only the General can rock the sweaters). USC was obviously concerned about Terrelle Pryor's big play ability....yet Tressel stuck with Boekman........even though after the umpteenth hit he took I think Boekman wanted to VY it and get the hell off the field. I mean did Tressel get some sick enjoyment watching his QB become the USC defense's pinata.....nevermind the 2 picks and 4 yards per pass attempt....Pryor should have been out there.

Maybe that OSU trailed to a now 0-3 Ohio team late in the 3rd quarter last week was not a fluke. Maybe OSU was not deserving of a National Championship game last year and was undeserving of a top 5 ranking this year---insert rant about pre-season rankings here.

What is not a maybe, is that Chris Wells would have made ZERO difference in the outcome of the game yesterday. OSU is 2-4 against non-conference top 25 foes since 2005, lost back-to-back title games by a combined 38 points and looked like a JV high school team against USC. Perhaps the O in OSU doesn't stand for Ohio this year......maybe

Overrated

State

University

is more fitting. Face it Buckeye fans, your team has been exposed and Chris Wells would not have helped to change that fact. Your team was dominated in every aspect of the game, and with PSU, UW and UI still waiting, you may not have the opportunity to back into a BCS Title game again.....................but cheer up Buckeye fans, at least this year you'll be able to watch your team finish its season before the end of the year.