Ohio State makes Edsall obsolete 49-28

The Ohio State Buckeyes were tied for a while in the third quarter before ripping off four consecutive touchdowns to defeat the Maryland Terrapins 49-28 in Columbus.
Ohio State used both Cardale Jones and J.T.Barrett and were rewarded with quality outings from both.
Jones threw for 291 yards and two touchdowns,while Barrett ran for three more as the red zone specialist.
Ezekiel Elliott ran for two touchdown and his 106 yards continued his string of 100 yard rushing games.Michael Thomas went over 100 yards receiving on the day on seven catches.
The now 6-0 Buckeyes become bowl eligible and will host Penn State next week...

Olentangy Offerings

1) I'm not sure on the two quarterback usage,but it worked well today.
Cardale Jones was able to throw deep and J.T. Barrett was able to be used as a runner in the red zone with the decision ending with Buckeye touchdowns on all six chances...

2) Why was this game so close?
One reason-Ohio State simply refused to use a linebacker to key on Maryland quarterback Perry Hills.
Hills would finish the day with 170 yards and two touchdowns and had the Buckeyes simply made one small adjustment,this game could have been even more lopsided.

3) Braxton Miller caught a touchdown pass and was more involved in the offense than he had been since the opener vs Virginia Tech.
Miller finished with five catches for 79 yards and made one catch that could have been a score had he not had to leap for the football...

4) As noted in the intro,Ezekiel Elliott continued his 100 yard run and extended it to 11 games.
Elliott didn't go over the barrier until fourth quarter action,but the offense appeared to really click when the offense made the attempt to get Elliott the football...

5) Joey Bosa had not been the same force as in 2014 this season as he entered the game with just a half sack.
Bosa turned the clock back with a sack and multiple hurries of Perry Hills.
Hopefully,Bosa is beginning to hit his stride...

6) No turnovers for the Buckeyes in this one.
Ohio State entered the game with 13 turnovers,so this was a positive development....

7) Much of the talk before the game was about the rumored impending firing of Maryland's Randy Edsall.
As a Terrapin fan,all the way up to their entry into the Big 10,I was disenchanted with the hire from day one.
Even though my rooting interest has changed,I still have a soft spot for the Terps and I hope they make a good hire.

8) Discussing the open Maryland job,I was wondering this-if the home run hire that Maryland's dreams of in the Philadelphia Eagles Chip Kelly comes true,couldn't the Big 10 East have the potential to be the "new" SEC West?
Ohio State with Urban Meyer,michigan with Jim Harbaugh,the upswing with Michigan State being a top program,the past tradition at Penn State and Maryland with Chip Kelly could have the potential to being the division in college football.

9) Next week should be an interesting matchup with Penn State.
The Lions crunched Indiana after OSU battled with them,but went down to the wire at home with Army.
Christian Hackenberg is rated by some to be a first rounder next year and I have a feeling that this is either a close game or a game that finally sees the Buckeyes put together a huge win..

Devils drop opener to Jets 3-1

In what looks to the first of many in a long season,the New Jersey Devils fell to the Winnipeg Jets in their opener by a 3-1 score at the Rock.
Jiri Tlusty was credited with the only Devils goal (1 power play) to cut the Jets lead to 2-1 before a Jets goal in the third period by Andrew Ladd put the game firmly in the Winnipeg victory column.
The Devils travel to Washington tomorrow night...

Hell Raisers

1) Jiri Tlusty was credited with the Devils goal,but he really didn't have much to do with the only New Jersey goal as Winnipeg's Jacob Trouba put the puck into the Jets own net for the only N.J. goal.
I'll take those when you can get them,but you won't win many games counting on those types of goals..

2) Cory Schneider allowed three goals,but the first was deflected off David Schlemko.
Not a good night for the Devils netminder,but not an awful one either.
New Jersey isn't going to be good enough to win,if Cory Schneider is just OK...

3) I'll give David Schlemko a pass on the deflection,but he otherwise looked pretty overmatched.
Schlemko looks to be a seventh defenseman and playing him over Eric Gelinas is against what this team should be trying to build.
If the Devils were going to play slow,mediocre defensemen,they could have just kept Peter Harrold.

4) Winnipeg is a bad matchup for this Devils team.
They skate well,put lots of pucks on the net and just are faster than the Devils.
In other words,they are the type of team that the Devils should hope to be building towards.
Winnipeg didn't build this overnight and the Devils will not either,but there is hope...

5) Andy Greene was named captain before the game.
I think this is a good choice.
Greene could be around for a while and has the respect of the younger defensemen.
I suspected that Greene and Travis Zajac were the leading contenders for the spot and Zajac was named as an alternate captain along with Patrik Elias (upon his return) and Adam Henrique..

6) I liked the team coming out to AC/DC's Hell Bells.
With the Devils name,it lends itself to many cool songs and other interesting things that can be used to add electricity and excitement to the arena.
Hope to see it continue....

Pigskin Picking Machine

The PPM returns for another week.
I didn't realize that Washington played on Thursday,so welcome our standby team for bye weeks and early games-the Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders to the PPM....
It's possible that MTSU will be added to the full time PPM for 2016.

Last Week:5-3
Overall: 31-10

College
Ohio State over Maryland 41-14
Bowling Green over Massachusetts 49-17
Boise State over Colorado State 36-24
Texas Tech over Iowa State 55-23
Middle Tennessee State over Western Kentucky 26-24

Game of the Week
Utah over California 46-43

Pro
Ravens over Browns 24-13
Eagles over Saints 24-21

Game of the Week
Bengals over Seahawks 24-17

New Jersey Devils Preview

The New Jersey Devils continue to rebuild and rebrand as for the first time since parachute pants were in style,Lou Lamoriello isn't calling the shots.

With a new coach (John Hynes) and a new general manager (Ray Shero) in town running a team still adjusting to relatively new ownership,the New Jersey Devils are a team that is either in transition (best case scenario),rebuilding or in the worse case-a total reconstruction from a team that could,depending upon how the cookie crumbles-be the worst team in the game...

The Devils still have huge scoring questions and because these things are always so fluid,I'm not going to even try to group the forwards by line,so I'll discuss by the returning players and then the newcomers...

Travis Zajac returns with the heftiest paycheck,if not the largest production with just 25 points last season.
I could live with the 11 goals,but the 14 assists from a player that is best known for his passing being his top offensive asset needs to at least double,if the Devils have any hopes of improvement.
Mike Cammalleri scored 27 goals in 68 games,so the oft-injured Cammalleri notched a strong first season with the Devils.
If Cammalleri can stay fairly healthy,30 goals isn't out of the question for a team in desperate need of people to put the puck in the net.
Adam Henrique's goals dropped from 25 to 16,I think Henrique is more of a 20 goal scorer,so if the Devils got that production from the player that will eventually be a captain,I (and they) would be pleased.
After those three,you just cannot count on anything from the remaining returnees.
Patrik Elias will miss the start of the season with an injured knee,is now 39 and appears to be fading badly.
Anything out of Elias should be considered a plus.
Jordin Tootoo scored ten goals and brings a gritty game to the table,but is unlikely to give you ten goals every year.
Stephen Gionta is much like Tootoo and brings fourth line energy,but not much in the way of offense.
Jacob Josefson showed signs last season of perhaps beginning to break away from disappointment,but this could be his last opportunity to break into the lineup as a featured player.
I've always liked Tuomo Ruutu,but at this stage of his career,he is the "Roger Dorn" of the Devils-High priced without the numbers to back it up.
Reid Boucher and Stefan Matteau both come to New Jersey after spending most of last season with the AHL Albany Devils.
Boucher brings some speed to the lineup,Matteau is more of a power forward type,but both have plenty to prove with the parent club.

The Devils have added a few forwards from outside the organization to accent the new attitude that is intent on speeding up the slowest team in the league.
I think they have done that,although the jury is out on how much actual scoring they have added.
Kyle Palmieri was obtained during the draft for a draft pick with the salary cap challenged Ducks.
Palmieri brings some speed and scored 14 goals in each of the last two seasons.
With the increased playing time,Palmieri could approach 20 goals .
Jiri Tlusty was signed as a free agent after he split last season between Carolina and Winnipeg.
Tlusty had a career year in the lockout year (23 goals in 48 games) and has scored 16 and 14 since.
Tlusty could surprise and with a one year deal should be highly motivated.
Well traveled Lee Stempniak (the Devils will be his eighth team) made the team after coming to camp without a contract.
Stempniak has not finished with double digit goals since 2011-12 and I'm not really sure just what he has left at this stage.
24 year old Sergei Kalinin arrives from the KHL,but his all-time goal high in a league not known for defense is only 12,so Kalinin has question marks as well.
Brian O'neill was traded for with the Kings after being the AHL MVP last season.
O'neill is undersized (5'9) and 27 years old,but reported to be a skilled skater and scored over 20 goals in each of the last two seasons in Manchester....
Not the most overwhelming bunch as far as offense,but they should be quicker than last year's group and change doesn't come overnight...

The defense is the part to be excited about.
Andy Greene is the veteran as well as the most well rounded of the corps and Greene could be named as captain.
I would not be surprised to see his name floated as trade deadline bait and could bring a nice return.
Adam Larsson signed a long term contract and played very well once the Devils fired Peter DeBoer last season.
I look for Larsson to put together an excellent season.
Jon Merrill was a DeBoer favorite,who did the opposite of Larsson and regressed after DeBoer got the axe.
Hopefully,Merrill can bounce back.
Damon Severson looked very promising before an injury cost him 30 games and I really look for him to take a leap forward.
Eric Gelinas may have some defensive issues,but with a booming shot,should be a power play specialist at worst...
Former Ranger John Moore was signed as a free agent after finishing last season in Arizona and David Schlemko should fill the seventh defenseman role after playing for three teams last year.
I like this group for the most part and the young defensemen getting consistent time to mature and grow should be the most fun thing to watch this season.

Cory Schneider and Keith Kinkaid return in goal from last season after strong seasons from both.
If the Devils are going to have any chance at all for a playoff spot,both will have to repeat their seasons,if not improve.

John Hynes will be the youngest coach in the league and there will be a learning curve for the former AHL coach of the year.
It'll be fun to see how Hynes handles the new job and who breaks out as a surprise in playing time that we don't expect.

I don't think this is a playoff team unless Cory Schneider stands on his head and carries the Devils there.
Other than that possibility.I just don't see it happening.
The ceiling for this team-Everything goes perfect and the Devils earn the 7th or 8th seed in the Eastern Conference.
The floor will be that they are the worst team in hockey and the Devils have the highest chance of the top overall draft pick before the new draft lottery ( the lottery now determines the 1st 3 picks).
Split the difference and I'll say somewhere in the lowest five teams in the league,likely not the worst as they battle with Carolina to stay out of the basement in the Metropolitan Division....

Podcast-Jason Christensen

We talk with special guest Jason Christensen about the Binghamton Mets,autographing,a pro wrestling story and more!

One and Done-Pirates fall to Cubs

The Pittsburgh Pirates ,for the second season in a row, had home field advantage for the wild card game and for the second year in a row,scored zero runs.
Being that scoring zero runs gives you no better than a scoreless tie,you better be perfect.
They weren't as the Chicago Cubs behind the arm of former Frederick Key Jake Arrieta dominated in a 4-0 win.
Gerrit Cole allowed all four Chicago runs over a five inning stint with the main damage being homers off the bats of Kyle Schwarber and Dexter Fowler,

Pirate Hooks

1) Feels good to settle in for Pirate Hooks,
Been a long time as I don't get to watch as many games as I used to.

2) There were really just two entertaining parts of this game for a Pirates fan and both spun off of a seventh game bench clearing incident after Jake Arrieta was drilled in the rump by Tony Watson.
The actual incident was pretty much your typical baseball incident,pushing,shoving and screaming,but still for Pirates fans,that was about as good as it got...

3) Other than the ejection of Sean Rodriguez,who was started for defensive purposes at first base,only to be removed after the Pirates fell behind 3-0 for the bat of defensively challenged Pedro Alvarez.
Rodriguez was the only player ejected,which didn't harm any plans for Clint Hurdle since he was already out of the game,but gave the internet ammo for a while with a bizarre six punch combination on the water cooler,that made me think of Stetson Allie's pounding of another water cooler at the Muni.
Not sure what got Rodriguez all fired up,but had to like his spirit...

4) Gerrit Cole really didn't pitch badly,just left two pitches up and they were taken care of.
Cole had a terrific year and what should make people feel even better about him is that he still is somewhat of a work in progress.
Power pitchers give up homers,that's to be expected- a little refinement and Cole will be in the elite category.

5) Pittsburgh had two shots at getting back into the game against Jake Arrieta.
The first came in the sixth as Travis Snider singles,Josh Harrison was plunked by a pitch and then a grounder by Andrew McCutchen was misplayed by Addison Russell.
The Pirates looked for a rally with cleanup man Starling Marte at the plate,but instead watched as Marte rapped the ball to Russell,who then started a 6-4-3 double play...

6) The next chance came in the seventh,while I was driving to work.
Francisco Cervelli singled and was followed by a Neil Walker strikeout.
Aramis Ramirez came up as a pinch hitter,which could be the final at bat of an excellent career.
Pirates radio announcer Greg Brown (ugh) squealed in excitement as he described a smash down the third base that looked to be extra bases until third baseman Kris Bryant speared the ball and started a 5-4-3 double play.
The Pirates seemed to lose all spirit after that...

7) Give the Cubs all the credit in the world for turning Jake Arrieta from a failed Oriole prospect/big league disappointment into one of the best pitchers in the National League.
Arrieta's win was the first ever complete game shutout with double digit strikeouts and zero walks.
Dominant might be a light word to use...

8) One thing that I did notice was the difference in the lineups.
Joe Maddon with the Cubs gambled on an offensive lineup,losing a little on defense with Kris Bryant starting in left and Kyle Schwarber in right.
Clint Hurdle went with defense first and it showed.
I'm a pitching guy,but when it comes to position players in the postseason,you need to address every avenue to get bats in the lineup...

9) I really hate the one game wild card.
It's so gimmicky and unfair,so here's my solution.
A mini,best of 3 with the team with the better record having the choice of either game one at home or games two and three at home with (wait for it old school fans) a doubleheader to keep the schedule humming along.
Imagine the fun and strategy a doubleheader to decide advancement could bring!

10) Pittsburgh finishes with the second best record in baseball and they are gone after one game.
If you still like the one game so much (I don't) what about the two teams with the worst records playing it?
Even with the Cubs winning,they won 97 games and draw the 100 win Cardinals,while 92 game winner Los Angeles plays the 90 game winning New York Mets.
If you are going to play this gimmick,make it somewhat fair or be really radical-get rid of divisions altogether and the top five make it in...

11) Does it sound like I'm bitter about the wild card?
Well,it played to the Giants advantage twice before and I still hate it.
Pittsburgh deserved better and under the format,it is what it is,but still doesn't make it right...

12) Onto the off-season where the Pirates have three free agents to make decisions on (Corey Hart,Antonio Bastardo and Sean Rodriguez,but the bigger decisions come in arbitration with Neil Walker,Pedro Alvarez,Mark Melancon and Francisco Cervelli all in line for huge raises in their final year before free agency after 2016.
Do they keep them all at inflated costs for one more run?
Do they move some of them to keep the salary costs down?
Very interesting decisions for Neal Huntington's bunch in Pittsburgh....

Dilapidated Memories

We all get nostalgic at times, some more than others.
Some times, I think back to the happiest part of my childhood and most of them were up until I was 11 or 12-the elementary school years.
I've mentioned Fountain Rock school before but living in a rural area that occasionally saw a bad element (the mean streets of Fairplay/Tilghmanton had nothing on NYC! LOL) there were occasional good things that mixed with bad things.

It truly was a sign of the times that at eight years old, I was walking along the Sharpsburg Pike and walking to various places to play.
I played pickup baseball through those years at the District 12 Ruritan and faced players like future major league pitcher Mike Draper, played tackle football at the "beautiful" Fairplay Carnival grounds which was had to be the local equivalent of this lovely facility,but of the local pickup games,what I enjoyed most was basketball.
Basketball was played at the abandoned Fairplay Elementary school against people that aren't household names outside their households and often shoved off the court.
Have you ever noticed that sometimes when we read books, we insert backgrounds from our own lives for the environment around the story?
Well, anytime that I read about inner-city basketball-the backdrop is usually this tossed aside schoolyard (it was already vacant even by my childhood).

It was this court that had an astonishing lean from left to right that saw many a ball roll off the court that was my childhood home base (Other than a hot attic to hunker away and read or play with figures).
Practicing jumpers as my favorite college or pro players of the time and especially Pistol Pete Maravich, I usually fared very well against extremely limited competition until the older kids arrived.
And when I mean older kids, I mean high schoolers and guys outside of school age.
I used to really despise this one kid that was just two years older than I that was always allowed to play because he had an older brother in this bunch.
He was one of these guys that thought he could play, but it really was because he was "hands-off" because of the brother.
Between that and an elitist attitude, I never changed my opinion of this guy throughout school...

I thought about those days one day last March and snapped these pictures on the court.
Decayed, with one goal completely removed and the other with the same backboard that I played on standing, but beyond repair, the court still looked much the same.
Grass growing in between the blacktop and an increasing sun bleached surface wasn't much different than all those years ago, but it's odd returning to a ghost town.
I can't imagine having my kids go places alone at the age I did and considering how kids have so many activities these days,I have no problem believing how this rural court has fallen in such disrepair.

It's funny and sad when you look back at the places of your youth and how time marches on.
The place I grew up is similar yet different.
The snack bar (the only place you could get ice cream locally and a future post) has fallen victim to a more mobile society and only a gas station and liquor store a mile up the road in our "bitter rival" Lappans remains of the places that I went to pass the time as a kid.
You remember the things that you miss when they are there.
I remember looking across the street from my grandmothers' porch and seeing a long gone billboard advertising Pepsi and the snack bar and the Coke scoreboard at District 12 was small little nuggets of a time gone by.
I guess it's people like me that keep the nostalgia merchandise business rolling!

It's funny looking back at those days on the playground that is no more.
I guess the kids in the area now are in the higher priced new homes that have basketball hoops in their driveways and have no need to play and it does seem that there are fewer children living in the older homes in the neighborhood that need places to play.
The Fairplay school closed before I was in school, but for kids of my age, it still was the little focus of the area and I guess sooner or later, someone will just tear the building itself down.
But until then, the school and the court will stand steadfast through the seasons as it stands guard with all the ghosts and memories.....