The Independence Day Buckeye All-STAR Team
written by LordJeffBuck (7/4/2004)
Today is the Fourth of July, the day on which we commemorate our independence from Britain. On this date, we celebrate our country, our history, our people, and our greatest symbol - the flag. As you probably know, the red in our flag stands for courage, the white for purity, and the blue for justice; the thirteen stripes symbolize the original colonies which broke away from British rule and created a new sovereign nation; and each of the fifty stars represents a state in these United States of America, which came together to form a more perfect union.
With the above in mind, I have come up with the following Buckeye All-STAR team: Each position on the team is filled by a player from a different state (corresponding to a different star on our flag), with no duplications, and with as many states as possible being represented. The idea is not to come up with the best player from each state, but to fill every position with a different state.
Minnesota: This one is easy - 365 tackles, 15 sacks, 9 interceptions, three-time All American, two-time Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, Butkus Award, Nagurski Award, Lott Trophy, Lowe's Senior CLASS Award ... and virtually no competition from his home state. Obviously, we're talking about middle linebacker James Laurinaitis.
Arkansas: H-back K.J. Hill is another easy choice, because he is the only Buckeye from the state of Arkansas. Although not a true star, Hill has had a decent career so far: 74 receptions for 811 yards and 4 touchdowns through his first two seasons.
Louisiana: Outside of true freshman Nader Abdallah, the only other Buckeye from the bayous is Jonathan Wells. Although Wells isn't in the same league as the great OSU tailbacks like Griffin, Byars, Smith, George, and Clarett, he was a solid player, and good enough to be the featured back on this team.
Washington: You probably figured that a Griffin would make this team, and you were right. However, the tailback spot has just been filled, so Archie is no longer available. Although he never won a Heisman (much less two), Washington's Kevin Griffin can be one of our safeties.
Hawaii: Unless Mili wants to make a comeback, our choice of Hawaiians is limited to punter Scott Terna and safety Wes Scott. Since the latter is a freshman who hasn't seen the field yet, Terna wins, hands down.
Colorado: As far as I know, speedy wide receiver Chris Sanders is the only player to come to OSU from the Rocky Mountain State. He had a pretty nice career, and went on to some success in the NFL; now he's a member of this All-Star team.
Kansas: By my count, the State of Kansas has sent only two players to Columbus - junior college transfer Jamie Sumner, who started at guard for a couple of years, and little-used lineman Mark Bean. Sumner gets the nod.
District of Columbia: Even though the District is not a state and doesn't get a star, it produced one for the Bucks - quarterback Cornelius Greene, the maestro of the great OSU teams from the mid-70's.
North & South Carolina: Only a few Carolinians have played at OSU, but two were stand-outs - NC's Jamie Holland at wide receiver, and SC's Derrick Ross at cornerback. They both make this team.
Missouri: Chris Gamble was the Bucks first two-way player in decades, but Butler By'not'e was a versatile performer in his own right, playing running back, wide receiver, and kick returner at Ohio State before becoming a cornerback in the pros. Plus, he's from Missouri, which helps get him a spot on this team as an "athlete".
Arizona: If you had to name one Buckeye from Arizona, it would most likely be Joe Germaine. Since the quarterback spot is taken, how about Germaine's teammate, defensive lineman Joe Brown, a four-time letter winner.
Maryland: Arguably, the best of the many great Buckeye cornerbacks was Maryland's Shawn Springs, an All-American in 1996. Given the paucity of Bucks from his home state, Springs easily makes this team.
Connecticut: Defensive back Scott Leach is variously listed as being from White Plains, New York, or Bridgeport, Connecticut. We'll opt for Bridgeport, and use him as our nickel back and representative from the Nutmeg State.
Massachusetts: Only a few Bay Staters have become Buckeyes over the years, and for some reason, most of them have been linemen. The best of the bunch was defensive tackle Mark Sullivan, a four-year letterman (1975-78).
Illinois: Although it is a hot-bed of football talent, Illinois has produced relatively few Buckeyes. Eric Kumerow was as good as any, plus he fills a need in the linebacking corps.
Georgia: Despite being in the deep south, the Peach State has produced some decent Buckeye talent, with the likes of wide receiver Bobby Olive, defensive tackle Spencer Nelms, linebacker Kevin Johnson, and defensive back Tim Walton. However, we still need some offensive linemen, so we'll take tackle Rory Graves, a three-time letterman who went on to play in the NFL.
Texas: Lone Star Buckeyes are few and far between. Wide receiver David Boston and quarterback Rod Gerald are obvious possibilities, but their respective positions have already been filled. That leaves All Big Ten tight end Rickey Dudley, not too shabby!
California: The country's most populous state has produced its share of Bucks over the years, most notably on offense - Jim Karsatos, Michael Wiley, Nicky Sualua, and Ken-yon Rambo, for example. However, the best of the Californians might have been a defender, linebacker Na'il Diggs, who was an All-American in 1999.
West Virginia: Despite its proximity to Ohio, very few West Virginians have played for the Bucks. The two best are safety Tim Anderson, an All-American of the Super Sophs team, and defensive lineman Darrion Scott, an All Big Ten performer in his own right. This was a tough choice, but Anderson wins by a nose.
Virginia: Surprisingly, Virginia has produced a number of exceptional Buckeyes - Ron Springs, Kelvin Bell, Jim and Shaun Gayle, Ricardo Volley - but the Old Dominion's entrant on this All-Star team is kicker Pat O'Morrow.
Kentucky: A smattering of players have headed north from the Bluegrass State, but only one deserves real attention - All-American fullback Bob White, who starred for the Bucks in the late 50's.
New Jersey: Obviously, Jack Tatum is the selection from the Garden State, right? Wrong. Well, then it must be either Alonzo Spellman or Bruce Elia. Nope, wrong again. Because we need an offensive guard, we're taking Jason Winrow, a three-year starter in the early 90's.
New York: The Empire State has produced a plethora of talent for OSU, including a legion of big, bruising backs - Matt Snell, John Brockington, Pete Johnson, and Scottie Graham. However, the best Buckeye from New York might be All-American Will Smith, and he makes this team as a defensive end.
Pennsylvania: The Keystone State has been gracious enough to have given the Buckeyes a three-time All-American (Tom Skladany) and a Heisman winner (Eddie George). In fact, we could field a pretty good team from our neighbor to the east - Jan White, Brian Bashnagel, Doug Plank, John Frank, Lorenzo Styles, and Fred Pagac, Sr. to name a few. However, the choice for this team is a position of need, offensive lineman Scott Dannelley, who blocked for Archie Griffin and company.
Michigan: That state up north has occasionally sent some players to Columbus. The one that they regret losing the most is probably All-American linebacker Thomas "Pepper" Johnson.
Florida: The Sunshine State has sent many great players up north, and we could probably create an all-star team exclusively of Floridians. We have only two spots left, and defensive tackle is one of them, so we'll go with Ryan Pickett.
Ohio: Of course, native Ohioans could fill every position on this team, several times over. So let's select arguably the best Buck of all, All-American offensive tackle Orlando Pace, who won the Outland Trophy once, and the Lombardi Award twice.
Even with the geographical restrictions, this team still has eight All-Americans and several other All Big Ten selections. Let me know what you think!
QB: Cornelius Greene (District of Columbia)
TB: Jonathan Wells (Louisiana)
FB: Bob White (Kentucky)
HB: K.J. Hill (Arkansas)
WR: Jamie Holland (North Carolina)
WR: Chris Sanders (Colorado)
TE: Rickey Dudley (Texas)
OT: Orlando Pace (Ohio)
OT: Rory Graves (Georgia)
OG: Jamie Sumner (Kansas)
OG: Jason Winrow (New Jersey)
OC: Scott Dannelley (Pennsylvania)
ATH: Butler By'not'e (Missouri)
PK: Pat O'Morrow (Virginia)
DE: Will Smith (New York)
DE: Joe Brown (Arizona)
DT: Ryan Pickett (Florida)
DT: Mark Sullivan (Massachusetts)
LB: Na'il Diggs (California)
LB: Thomas "Pepper" Johnson (Michigan)
LB: Eric Kumerow (Illinois)
LB: James Laurinaitis (Minnesota)
CB: Shawn Springs (Maryland)
CB: Derrick Ross (South Carolina)
SS: Tim Anderson (West Virginia)
FS: Kevin Griffin (Washington)
NB: Scott Leach (Connecticut)
P: Scott Terna (Hawaii)
written by LordJeffBuck (7/4/2004)
Today is the Fourth of July, the day on which we commemorate our independence from Britain. On this date, we celebrate our country, our history, our people, and our greatest symbol - the flag. As you probably know, the red in our flag stands for courage, the white for purity, and the blue for justice; the thirteen stripes symbolize the original colonies which broke away from British rule and created a new sovereign nation; and each of the fifty stars represents a state in these United States of America, which came together to form a more perfect union.
With the above in mind, I have come up with the following Buckeye All-STAR team: Each position on the team is filled by a player from a different state (corresponding to a different star on our flag), with no duplications, and with as many states as possible being represented. The idea is not to come up with the best player from each state, but to fill every position with a different state.
Minnesota: This one is easy - 365 tackles, 15 sacks, 9 interceptions, three-time All American, two-time Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, Butkus Award, Nagurski Award, Lott Trophy, Lowe's Senior CLASS Award ... and virtually no competition from his home state. Obviously, we're talking about middle linebacker James Laurinaitis.
Arkansas: H-back K.J. Hill is another easy choice, because he is the only Buckeye from the state of Arkansas. Although not a true star, Hill has had a decent career so far: 74 receptions for 811 yards and 4 touchdowns through his first two seasons.
Louisiana: Outside of true freshman Nader Abdallah, the only other Buckeye from the bayous is Jonathan Wells. Although Wells isn't in the same league as the great OSU tailbacks like Griffin, Byars, Smith, George, and Clarett, he was a solid player, and good enough to be the featured back on this team.
Washington: You probably figured that a Griffin would make this team, and you were right. However, the tailback spot has just been filled, so Archie is no longer available. Although he never won a Heisman (much less two), Washington's Kevin Griffin can be one of our safeties.
Hawaii: Unless Mili wants to make a comeback, our choice of Hawaiians is limited to punter Scott Terna and safety Wes Scott. Since the latter is a freshman who hasn't seen the field yet, Terna wins, hands down.
Colorado: As far as I know, speedy wide receiver Chris Sanders is the only player to come to OSU from the Rocky Mountain State. He had a pretty nice career, and went on to some success in the NFL; now he's a member of this All-Star team.
Kansas: By my count, the State of Kansas has sent only two players to Columbus - junior college transfer Jamie Sumner, who started at guard for a couple of years, and little-used lineman Mark Bean. Sumner gets the nod.
District of Columbia: Even though the District is not a state and doesn't get a star, it produced one for the Bucks - quarterback Cornelius Greene, the maestro of the great OSU teams from the mid-70's.
North & South Carolina: Only a few Carolinians have played at OSU, but two were stand-outs - NC's Jamie Holland at wide receiver, and SC's Derrick Ross at cornerback. They both make this team.
Missouri: Chris Gamble was the Bucks first two-way player in decades, but Butler By'not'e was a versatile performer in his own right, playing running back, wide receiver, and kick returner at Ohio State before becoming a cornerback in the pros. Plus, he's from Missouri, which helps get him a spot on this team as an "athlete".
Arizona: If you had to name one Buckeye from Arizona, it would most likely be Joe Germaine. Since the quarterback spot is taken, how about Germaine's teammate, defensive lineman Joe Brown, a four-time letter winner.
Maryland: Arguably, the best of the many great Buckeye cornerbacks was Maryland's Shawn Springs, an All-American in 1996. Given the paucity of Bucks from his home state, Springs easily makes this team.
Connecticut: Defensive back Scott Leach is variously listed as being from White Plains, New York, or Bridgeport, Connecticut. We'll opt for Bridgeport, and use him as our nickel back and representative from the Nutmeg State.
Massachusetts: Only a few Bay Staters have become Buckeyes over the years, and for some reason, most of them have been linemen. The best of the bunch was defensive tackle Mark Sullivan, a four-year letterman (1975-78).
Illinois: Although it is a hot-bed of football talent, Illinois has produced relatively few Buckeyes. Eric Kumerow was as good as any, plus he fills a need in the linebacking corps.
Georgia: Despite being in the deep south, the Peach State has produced some decent Buckeye talent, with the likes of wide receiver Bobby Olive, defensive tackle Spencer Nelms, linebacker Kevin Johnson, and defensive back Tim Walton. However, we still need some offensive linemen, so we'll take tackle Rory Graves, a three-time letterman who went on to play in the NFL.
Texas: Lone Star Buckeyes are few and far between. Wide receiver David Boston and quarterback Rod Gerald are obvious possibilities, but their respective positions have already been filled. That leaves All Big Ten tight end Rickey Dudley, not too shabby!
California: The country's most populous state has produced its share of Bucks over the years, most notably on offense - Jim Karsatos, Michael Wiley, Nicky Sualua, and Ken-yon Rambo, for example. However, the best of the Californians might have been a defender, linebacker Na'il Diggs, who was an All-American in 1999.
West Virginia: Despite its proximity to Ohio, very few West Virginians have played for the Bucks. The two best are safety Tim Anderson, an All-American of the Super Sophs team, and defensive lineman Darrion Scott, an All Big Ten performer in his own right. This was a tough choice, but Anderson wins by a nose.
Virginia: Surprisingly, Virginia has produced a number of exceptional Buckeyes - Ron Springs, Kelvin Bell, Jim and Shaun Gayle, Ricardo Volley - but the Old Dominion's entrant on this All-Star team is kicker Pat O'Morrow.
Kentucky: A smattering of players have headed north from the Bluegrass State, but only one deserves real attention - All-American fullback Bob White, who starred for the Bucks in the late 50's.
New Jersey: Obviously, Jack Tatum is the selection from the Garden State, right? Wrong. Well, then it must be either Alonzo Spellman or Bruce Elia. Nope, wrong again. Because we need an offensive guard, we're taking Jason Winrow, a three-year starter in the early 90's.
New York: The Empire State has produced a plethora of talent for OSU, including a legion of big, bruising backs - Matt Snell, John Brockington, Pete Johnson, and Scottie Graham. However, the best Buckeye from New York might be All-American Will Smith, and he makes this team as a defensive end.
Pennsylvania: The Keystone State has been gracious enough to have given the Buckeyes a three-time All-American (Tom Skladany) and a Heisman winner (Eddie George). In fact, we could field a pretty good team from our neighbor to the east - Jan White, Brian Bashnagel, Doug Plank, John Frank, Lorenzo Styles, and Fred Pagac, Sr. to name a few. However, the choice for this team is a position of need, offensive lineman Scott Dannelley, who blocked for Archie Griffin and company.
Michigan: That state up north has occasionally sent some players to Columbus. The one that they regret losing the most is probably All-American linebacker Thomas "Pepper" Johnson.
Florida: The Sunshine State has sent many great players up north, and we could probably create an all-star team exclusively of Floridians. We have only two spots left, and defensive tackle is one of them, so we'll go with Ryan Pickett.
Ohio: Of course, native Ohioans could fill every position on this team, several times over. So let's select arguably the best Buck of all, All-American offensive tackle Orlando Pace, who won the Outland Trophy once, and the Lombardi Award twice.
Even with the geographical restrictions, this team still has eight All-Americans and several other All Big Ten selections. Let me know what you think!
QB: Cornelius Greene (District of Columbia)
TB: Jonathan Wells (Louisiana)
FB: Bob White (Kentucky)
HB: K.J. Hill (Arkansas)
WR: Jamie Holland (North Carolina)
WR: Chris Sanders (Colorado)
TE: Rickey Dudley (Texas)
OT: Orlando Pace (Ohio)
OT: Rory Graves (Georgia)
OG: Jamie Sumner (Kansas)
OG: Jason Winrow (New Jersey)
OC: Scott Dannelley (Pennsylvania)
ATH: Butler By'not'e (Missouri)
PK: Pat O'Morrow (Virginia)
DE: Will Smith (New York)
DE: Joe Brown (Arizona)
DT: Ryan Pickett (Florida)
DT: Mark Sullivan (Massachusetts)
LB: Na'il Diggs (California)
LB: Thomas "Pepper" Johnson (Michigan)
LB: Eric Kumerow (Illinois)
LB: James Laurinaitis (Minnesota)
CB: Shawn Springs (Maryland)
CB: Derrick Ross (South Carolina)
SS: Tim Anderson (West Virginia)
FS: Kevin Griffin (Washington)
NB: Scott Leach (Connecticut)
P: Scott Terna (Hawaii)
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