#4 Ohio State 63, Michigan State 54 (Final)

[Golferdow01]

Having fans whine about other people warrantlessly (MSU board) is nothing new. Heck, talk to Mr Bucknuts about his Charlie Weis rants. I'm not sure it's all that comical as it happens just about everywhere including Buckeye Country. That's just me of course.

Sure Izzo works the refs harder than most, but I don't feel he works them so hard that it puts him into his own league. Refs have plenty of experience and are going to throw a T in the face of any coach they think are going too far, regardless of their so-called "status" in the NCAA. This isn't Michael Jordan getting away with travelling here.

Basically, saying the fans follow Tom motherf*ing Izzo I think is an emotional statement about as good as whining about Matta complaining to refs. I will come to Izzo's defense every time a statement like that is made.

 

[jwinslow]

Sure Izzo works the refs harder than most

Basically, saying the fans follow Tom motherf*ing Izzo I think is an emotional statement about as good as whining about Matta complaining to refs. I will come to Izzo's defense every time a statement like that is made.

What are you defending? The F-word? NF did use a bad word for emphasis.

You seem to be admitting that Izzo complains more than most coaches, and that it was dumb for the msu fanbase to call out Matta complaining to the refs. That basically sums up NF's entire post.

 

[Golferdow01]

the number of times that the fans booed about oden's possible traveling after being manhandled was comical. i also had a nice chuckle hearing the fans boo the legitimate over-and-back call.

MSU has had a proud tradition of winning at home during Izzo's tenure. This was also their first home loss of the season. I also had a good chuckle about the over and back booing, but I think our fans would have been just as pissed at the refs had we lost a game to them at home. It's tough to see your team getting schooled by a better ballclub at home, unless of course you are Northwestern who has been used to it for years.

i've rarely seen a coach get away with standing so far onto the court while the ball is on that side of the court as weber gets away with it. he will stand a step onto the court even if the opponent who has the ball is at arm's length away.

I'll have to agree with that statement. Although I think 90% of coaches go too far onto the court, Matta included, Weber takes it a step further. I am all for throwing Ts at coaches overstepping their bounds.

i must say, though, that yesterday's game was a very poorly officiated game... for both teams. it really makes one wonder about their proficience when they review a three-pointer that was shot from at least three feet behind the arc.

Again, I agree. It's a tough profession, but they were definitely missing calls on both sides along with making calls that appeared to be nothing more than make-ups.

 

[Golferdow01]

What are you defending? The F-word? NF did have a potty mouth.

You seem to be admitting that Izzo complains more than most coaches, and that it was dumb for the msu fanbase to call out Matta complaining to the refs. That basically sums up NF's entire post.

Whoops, did someone forget to include my entire quote?

I said he does complain more that most, but NOT enough to put him into his own league. I also said it was dumb for the fanbase to call Matta out, but I also think it's dumb for Mr Bucknuts to take cheap shots at Weis's fatness week in and out. Fanbase message boards have been whining and complaining about everything from opposing coaches and teams to political decisions. There is nothing new going on here.

 

[jwinslow]

I said he does complain more that most, but NOT enough to put him into his own league.

Obviously he doesn't have to be in his own league for the inconsistency to exist, as you state below...

I also said it was dumb for the fanbase to call Matta out, but I also think it's dumb for Mr Bucknuts to take cheap shots at Weis's fatness week in and out.

Agreed... those columns were quite unprofessional and classless.

Fanbase message boards have been whining and complaining about everything from opposing coaches and teams to political decisions. There is nothing new going on here.

I don't believe anyone suggested there was... some just got a chuckle out of the inconsistency wrt Matta, which you seem to agree with.

 

[jwinslow]

I'll have to agree with that statement. Although I think 90% of coaches go too far onto the court, Matta included, Weber takes it a step further. I am all for throwing Ts at coaches overstepping their bounds.

Agreed, I've never understood why they were given so much latitude in that regard.

Again, I agree. It's a tough profession, but they were definitely missing calls on both sides along with making calls that appeared to be nothing more than make-ups.

You'd think they'd get a better crew to handle a game of that magnitude (it was thought to be a big one preseason).

 

[Golferdow01]

Well, it looks like we agree on a number of fronts JW. The debate started with the fact that I hate to see fellow buckeyes, in my point of view, stooping to the same level as fans from other boards, especially when calling them out in the same post. Seems awfully like a double standard to me. Of course I'm a total idealist in that regard, and that fact has been pointed out numerous times in the past. Tough to teach an old dog new tricks :)

 

[jimotis4heisman]

key to the game: whoever scores more points will win the game

im getting really good about calling these games...

first and foremost i read a little of the izzo complaing... izzo is a classy guy, if you ask me currently hes the dean of b10 coaches. he works the officials hard so does matta, but i dont see izzo as a complainer... matta walks that line a lot closer if you ask me.

the game. i dont think we played our best ball. which in some ways is promising. fts early could have made a difference, but down the stretch what six of six? good thing we dont have lebron... i once again see matta chaning the game the team plays. which i find a good thing, matta is really starting to mature as a coach. i see imporvement from him and his teams constantly.

hunter, i voted him for mvp. i think anyone who was at the game can agree with that. i have no idea what billy and fattie had to say about him, but i think ill be running the othello hunter fan club very soon.

oden. enjoy every moment of the kid. that being said what youve seen the last few weeksis what i expect the rest of the year, teams riding/hackin/beating on oden. when will we see righty fts again? and it was nice to see some set shots out of oden, that will continue to make him that much more dominant.

conley struggled from the floor shooting the ball, though he didnt turn the ball over and had some key buckets. this kid is growing on me every week, and i already had a healthy mancrush...

cook sturggled also with his offensive flow, though both his makes were in crucial times. defensively played excellent. also played most of the afternoon at the 2 (rather than the 3 which he normally plays)

lighty limited time, but can in and playe "stopper" very well. its encouraging to groce go to him on off/def situations.

lewis, shot selection gets under my skin. well see about him, but for some reason he can get to me. had a nice game, but often times doesnt play real smart ball.

twig, limited role again, but matt played well. i felt especially in the first half he really helped the team out and stole some serious minutes.

butler, also didnt shot the lights out. but at this point i believe i said it in the purdue thread, hes become a run killer. solid and steady, but lethal when needed.

rebounding, i harped on this so long. tied with msu. very nice. granted this isnt manteens teams, but still impressive if you ask me.

221, i harped on how awful the zone looked early. its really starting to come together. still gave up a handful of layups off it, but i believe was very effective in wearing out the bigs and morgan of msu.

ive got more but ill leave it at that for tonite.

 

[Best Buckeye]

im getting really good about calling these games...quote]
Dang you are good 100%

 

[crazybuckfan40]

im getting really good about calling these games...

Hey I have been too...:tongue2:

the game. i dont think we played our best ball. which in some ways is promising. fts early could have made a difference, but down the stretch what six of six? good thing we dont have lebron... i once again see matta chaning the game the team plays. which i find a good thing, matta is really starting to mature as a coach. i see imporvement from him and his teams constantly.

Totally agree

hunter, i voted him for mvp. i think anyone who was at the game can agree with that. i have no idea what billy and fattie had to say about him, but i think ill be running the othello hunter fan club very soon.

Not sure he is the mvp, but he is the most improved from the beginning of the season and I am all about being the vice president of that club...

oden. enjoy every moment of the kid. that being said what youve seen the last few weeksis what i expect the rest of the year, teams riding/hackin/beating on oden. when will we see righty fts again? and it was nice to see some set shots out of oden, that will continue to make him that much more dominant.

I agree here as well, just hope that he starts to get some calls instead of these phantom traveling violations.

conley struggled from the floor shooting the ball, though he didnt turn the ball over and had some key buckets. this kid is growing on me every week, and i already had a healthy mancrush...

Yeah he struggled, but I do believe he had one three and he is amazing and being able to get to the hoop, especially in curucial times.

lewis, shot selection gets under my skin. well see about him, but for some reason he can get to me. had a nice game, but often times doesnt play real smart ball.

I was going to comment on this but forgot too. I don't understand why he and Butler at times take these 3 balls that are 5 foot behind the line, when they could be taking a much easier shot from a couple feet closer. I understand if they are feeling it, and I also understand that they have no problem in making a pretty good percentage of them most of the time, but when you are jacking 30 footers with 25 seconds on the shot clock, when you know that you could work the ball in low and have a pass back out or get some sort of penetrate and kick for a 20 ft three pointer that the odds of making it are better...JMO and I do believe that Matta is ok with them taking them...

twig, limited role again, but matt played well. i felt especially in the first half he really helped the team out and stole some serious minutes.

Kid is the ultimate role player...He knows what it is and gives all he has to fill his role...

butler, also didnt shot the lights out. but at this point i believe i said it in the purdue thread, hes become a run killer. solid and steady, but lethal when needed.

Agreed. I would also like to see him maybe try and get involved earlier in the game with a little penetration, b/c it seems that in games when he is a little more aggressive is when he is also shooting the ball better...

221, i harped on how awful the zone looked early. its really starting to come together. still gave up a handful of layups off it, but i believe was very effective in wearing out the bigs and morgan of msu.

ive got more but ill leave it at that for tonite.

Agreed, I love the press and with Oden at the back of it, it makes teams break it and either force a jumper or just pull back out, not as easy to get a layup as it was with Twig or Hunter back there...

Also we seem to really be getting quite a few steals off of that too.

O and BTW I never got my greenies for answering your question about Turnovers the other day...:tongue2:

Good stuff as always tho...

 

[jimotis4heisman]

Not sure he is the mvp, but he is the most improved from the beginning of the season and I am all about being the vice president of that club...

i dont know, of all the guys hunter was probably the biggest question mark. id seen cook play half a dozen times in person. oden was oden. conley id seen play on tv a bunch of tmes and knew he played a very solid game and a smart game (the type of game that is sorely underestimated). hunter though has allowed this team to do so many things. the combination of hunter and oden pretty much eliminates the paint for the other team. with those two long, quick, defense players. assuming they do get into the paint both are erasers. i honestly wonder how many points in the paint have been given up in the paing when those two are in the game at the same time over the last couple of weeks. not many

 

[crazybuckfan40]

i dont know, of all the guys hunter was probably the biggest question mark. id seen cook play half a dozen times in person. oden was oden. conley id seen play on tv a bunch of tmes and knew he played a very solid game and a smart game (the type of game that is sorely underestimated). hunter though has allowed this team to do so many things. the combination of hunter and oden pretty much eliminates the paint for the other team. with those two long, quick, defense players. assuming they do get into the paint both are erasers. i honestly wonder how many points in the paint have been given up in the paing when those two are in the game at the same time over the last couple of weeks. not many

I am not disagreeing with anything you are saying about his game...As I love it and love the combo of him and Oden, just merely pointing out that I think that Oden or Conley have more of a most valuable player role on the team...

Take Oden away and Hunter's impact isnt as much or take Conley away and you don't have a great 2 guard lineup of him and Butler...

 

[Golferdow01]

I'd have to agree that Conley or Oden should be MVP of the year, but for Most Improved Player, it would be a toss-up between Conley and Hunter IMO.

 

[LitlBuck]

I'd have to agree that Conley or Oden should be MVP of the year, but for Most Improved Player, it would be a toss-up between Conley and Hunter IMO.

I disagree. I think we would win as many games with Butler playing the point instead of Conley so Oden would be my MVP. I am not saying that Butler is a better point guard that Conley but going back to last year I think you would be very close. I don't know which games we would have lost this year with Butler on the point.

I don't see how you can say that Most Improved Player would be between Conley and Hunter when neither one of them played for Ohio State last year so you are comparing apples to oranges. I think the Most Improved player from the beginning of the season to this point would be Hunter. Until Conley develops a consistent outside shut I don't think he has improved that much since the beginning of the year. He would be much more valuable to this team if you were a better shooter from the outside.

Please remember that I am not saying Conley is a bad point guard but on this team I think he is replaceable. I know most of you would disagree but so be it:)

 

[Mike80]

I'd have to agree that Conley or Oden should be MVP of the year, but for Most Improved Player, it would be a toss-up between Conley and Hunter IMO.

I'd go with Hunter.

I don't think anyone truly knew what OSU would get from Hunter, but he's really started playing well here in the past month or so....