'09 PA WR Je'Ron Stokes (Michigan Signee)

[HotMic]

We'll see if it holds up. On March 23rd, he doesnt have a top 5 but then on April 6th commits? Eh.

He still is visiting Illinois for the Spring Game, so i'd put him as a soft verbal.

Yet Illinois fan (not saying you for the record) gets pissed when people say Fellows is a soft verbal after taking multiple visits to Ohio State.....go figure.

Anyways, back to Stokes...

 

[brutus2002]

I would rather he commit to Tenn than a B10 school especially Michigan. Great pick-up for the Vols...congrats to J. Stokes.

 

[Oh8ch]

I would rather he commit to Tenn than a B10 school especially Michigan.

I'm changing my mind on that sentiment. The separation between OSU and the rest of the conference has been increasing - in both directions. These days anytime the SEC beats the B10 for an athlete it is a bad thing - even if it is Michigan.

 

[RB07OSU]

I'm changing my mind on that sentiment. The separation between OSU and the rest of the conference has been increasing - in both directions. These days anytime the SEC beats the B10 for an athlete it is a bad thing - even if it is Michigan.

Agreed...we need to keep all the talent in the Big10. OSU is getting killer classes but we have no solid competition because nobody else is pulling in good classes. I know that could equal a tougher ticket to the NC game but I would rather get beat once or twice by good competition in the Big10 than get waxed in the NC game by a team that's been tested all year in a good conference. Either way this is a big shock.

 

[jwinslow]

I'm changing my mind on that sentiment. The separation between OSU and the rest of the conference has been increasing - in both directions. These days anytime the SEC beats the B10 for an athlete it is a bad thing - even if it is Michigan.

True, but the annual mass exodus from this state couldn't happen to a nicer fanbase.

 

[alpo]

Agreed...we need to keep all the talent in the Big10. OSU is getting killer classes but we have no solid competition because nobody else is pulling in good classes. I know that could equal a tougher ticket to the NC game but I would rather get beat once or twice by good competition in the Big10 than get waxed in the NC game by a team that's been tested all year in a good conference. Either way this is a big shock.

Thanks, RB07OSU! Couldn't agree more! As much as I hate losing anytime to tsun or last year to Ill, would rather have him go to a Big10 school and compete against us if not for us. I was shocked that Je'Ron commited to TN, and so early...but then I don't know all the circumstances.

To support 7's point, I talk w/ biz execs all over the country every day, most of which are fans, most of which, because of the internet, are up-to-date knowledgeable. Consensus is that B10 is dying. They absolutely dread the possibility of Bucks getting another shot at NC, not just this year, but possibly next 3-4 years now that we have TP.

The media helps fuel this because they annually jump on the Big10-is-down bandwagon early in the season and sustain throughout. But in the end, or after bowl season, only the SEC seems to consistently stand out, the rest being more or less even. But we have to take the brunt...I'm sick of it!!!!

 

[RB07OSU]

True, but the annual mass exodus from this state couldn't happen to a nicer fanbase.

Good point...it's almost like watching a scUM game. If they lose, your happy to see them lose because they are scUM. If they win, it looks even better when we beat them again. It's a win-win situation.

 

[ScriptOhio]

Agreed...we need to keep all the talent in the Big10. OSU is getting killer classes but we have no solid competition because nobody else is pulling in good classes. I know that could equal a tougher ticket to the NC game but I would rather get beat once or twice by good competition in the Big10 than get waxed in the NC game by a team that's been tested all year in a good conference. Either way this is a big shock.

Good point; however, I believe that it is better to get waxed in the NC game than to never get in the NC game. Yea, we got waxed in the NC game the last two years. But think about it, there are approximately 130 other teams (obviously not Florida or LSU) that would gladly have traded the last two seasons (i.e. play for the NC) with us.

 

[Sportsbuck28]

To support 7's point, I talk w/ biz execs all over the country every day, most of which are fans, most of which, because of the internet, are up-to-date knowledgeable. Consensus is that B10 is dying. They absolutely dread the possibility of Bucks getting another shot at NC, not just this year, but possibly next 3-4 years now that we have TP.

I'm still confused on how no one talked about this kind of stuff when FSU made the title game year after year feasting on a terrible ACC.

I don't get why everyone harps on the B10 when the ACC is the worst of the BCS conferences, IMO (Yes, I'd put the Big East above them).

 

[alpo]

I'm still confused on how no one talked about this kind of stuff when FSU made the title game year after year feasting on a terrible ACC.

I don't get why everyone harps on the B10 when the ACC is the worst of the BCS conferences, IMO (Yes, I'd put the Big East above them).

Linked through Yahoo, so think it's free:
Rivals.com College Football - Was Florida State a product of weak ACC?
Sort of addresses your point.

 

[BUCKYLE]

The media helps fuel this because they annually jump on the Big10-is-down bandwagon early in the season and sustain throughout. But in the end, or after bowl season, only the SEC seems to consistently stand out, the rest being more or less even. But we have to take the brunt...I'm sick of it!!!!

No. The media created this. Does anyone honestly think the gap between the B10 and the SEC is as large as ESPN says. Funny how they ignore the bowls that the B10 wins.

 

[Gatorubet]

No. The media created this. Does anyone honestly think the gap between the B10 and the SEC is as large as ESPN says. Funny how they ignore the bowls that the B10 wins.

While I'm biased, it seems to me that the best test of a conference is when the number ones go at it. When you have the rest of the slate play each other every so often, you can have games like scUM-UF, where the gators lose to a good Big -10 team, which refutes to an extent the claims that the SEC is sooooo much better than the Big-10. But, even though you don't want to hear it, last year the Gators finished third in their division, and the Big 10's number 2 team - a highly motivated senior laden scUm team, beat the Gators (despite a home field Gator advantage. Props to them. )

But when you play number one versus number one, the vagaries should fall out, and the "my best versus your best" thing should be a better barometer. I have to say, the 06 Gators could never have played a better game than that night. A normally atrociously penalized team made few mistakes, and the uncharacteristic stupid penalties by a normally disciplined Buck team gave us short fields - which to our credit we took advantage of for the first two scores. I mean, I think we had a much better game plan that y'all, but the actual execution was as good as we can ever get.

Short version: we were not that much better than you, although we were pretty damn good that year when we got healthy.

Sad to say, until the Big 10's best beats the SEC's best you will still hear that crap. So here's to a Gator - Buckeye rematch in '08.

 

[alpo]

No. The media created this. Does anyone honestly think the gap between the B10 and the SEC is as large as ESPN says. Funny how they ignore the bowls that the B10 wins.

Thanks for your comment, and actually, I do want to agree with you...and do in the sense of the tOSU, scUM, sometimes whisky and now perhaps ILL being as good as the SEC at the upper echelons. But where I think the Big10 falls off considerably against the SEC, (and the SEC ONLY) is that everybody else in the conference matching up against the remainder of the SEC does not seem to bode well...in general on a consistent basis. Wish that PennST, Iowa, MSU and others were at least a little bit stronger.

BUT, my point is that that is NOT true with any other conference....whatsoever!!

Another recent example of media bullshit: In NCAA tourney basketball this year, all we heard about, in addition to the Big10 being down the was the balance and power of the mighty PAC10...in the end, they proved to be a joke relative to that statement...and certainly no better than us!!

 

[TJnTN]

heard on the radio here in knoxville friday that Stokes has or probably will back out of his Tennessee commitment.....any chances we jump on this?

 

[wadc45]

heard on the radio here in knoxville friday that Stokes has or probably will back out of his Tennessee commitment.....any chances we jump on this?

Zero...Illinois, PSU and Michigan are all trying to get visits.