Golden Age in Ohio Sports?

[Style]

Are we entering a golden age in Ohio sports? Or at least Cleveland sports and OSU? (Cinci-tucky isn't really part of Ohio, is it?) Let's take a look:

Cavs
We have the brightest young star in the game, and just upgraded our two guard by 16 pts a game (plus everything else that Hughes brings to the table). And we're not done yet! If Ferry can close out Free Agency strong, we could be in the conference championship series this year, and maybe even the league championship series! We only missed the playoffs by 1 stinking game the last two years, after all. It’s not like the cupboards were bare.

Buckeye football
JT has already brought one national title to C-bus, and with a few breaks could bring another one this year. Regardless of the final record this year, he's shown that you can bring in high character-team first players AND the top talent around. That isn't mutually exclusive. He’s got the Buckeyes back on top, and they should be perennial contenders.

Buckeye basketball
Thad Matta was a fantastic hire, the brightest young star among college coaches. He is the youngest coach to reach 100 wins, and he can get the boys to play. Last season was evidence of that. With a self imposed post-season ban and little to play for, he got those kids to play hard every night, winning many, including the upset over Illinois to close out the year. (The only other team to beat Illinois was the nation champion Tar Heels.) In addition he is overflowing with charisma, which he uses to win over top recruits. He has the number 1 class in the nation for 2006, with 4 kids in the top 30 in the nation. That’s a feat that has only happened one other time in the history of the sport, and it was done by coach K at Duke. That’s good company for Thad. And one of those 4 kids is Greg Oden, who’s not only the number 1 kid in the nation, but it’s widely believed he’d be the #1 pick in the draft if he were eligible. Good things are coming from Matta’s buckeyes!

Browns
Admittedly, the Browns are a few years away, but who would tell me that they aren’t going in the right direction? We finally have the right people at the top in Savage and Crennel. They’re building a team around high character-team first players. It’s hard to find fault with anything they’ve done so far, and they’ve been very active this off season. We’re about a year away from quality browns football. Something that’s been few and far between since Modell moved the team.

Indians
I’m no longer a baseball fan, but I do know that the Indians have a young team and that they’re winning. There is reason for optimism.


So are we heading into a golden age? We probably won’t see titles from all of the above programs, but I think the days when ESPN rails on Cleveland for being the city the sports gods’ took a dump on are nearing an end. For once, I’m not the only one who’s optimistic. There is hope in Ohio!

 

[PIP]

if it is ? it's in it's infancy-- because we haven't won a damn thing in cleveland forever..

lets win something before it's a GOLDEN AGE .. otherwise NAH!! i don't see it..

potential for success perhaps..

detroit is on the brink (if the can get a qb) basketball team has won and is good, football team is on the rise- and they have a young up and coming baseball team.

 

[cdt]

Not a Golden Age Boston is in a Golden Age...BoSox win Pats are a Dynasty Celts made the playoffs Boston College is pretty solid the Bruins were solid in hockey. We are entering a copper era right now just left the tin can era.

 

[PIP]

Not a Golden Age Boston is in a Golden Age...BoSox win Pats are a Dynasty Celts made the playoffs Boston College is pretty solid the Bruins were solid in hockey. We are entering a copper era right now just left the tin can era.

we just left a rusted aluminum era... :chuckles:

 

[Style]

We are entering a copper era right now just left the tin can era.

LOL!

Just a quick note here. I did ask are we ENTERING a golden age, not are we IN a golden age.

From a purely OSU standpoint, I really think we are entering a golden age. From a Cavs only standpoint, maybe. Browns & Indians? Too early to tell, but they are improving.

At any rate, I don't think I've had this much collective optimism about my sports teams in my life!

 

[King]

I do love to see that most of our teams are headed in the right direction. Maybe things can change around here. Im sick of our teams always being at the bottom of the food chain.

 

[Kypus]

Tin era---->Copper era The OSU championship helped out big time. I quit watching the Browns when they became the Baltimore Browns. Matt Stover's still there isn't he?? As long as he is I can't bring myself to like the sucky new Browns.

I stopped watching the Indians 2 years ago but I went to a game this year and it was pretty exciting again. If it weren't for the fluke of Juan Gon breaking down on his 1st at-bat the Indians would probably be right behind Chicago. I'll let that alone though because I'm still out of it as an Indians fan, I feel like a nub again relearning all the new guys. :chuckles: They are definitely in the best position now than they've been in for the past 3-4 years though. It's exciting!

We all know the Cavs are going to be pulling the rest of the deadweight, they are going to rock! As long as the Cavs have a golden era that's all that matters to me.

 

[Benedict_Boozer]

Cstyle your right, OSU sports is entering a return into the Golden Age, no question.

The recruiting class (Greg Oden!!) is gonna be amazing, returning alot of talent to the football team next year also with guys like Teddy G. Sucks because I just graduated from OSU this past June, but I was there for the riots/championship game and all the Mich games so I guess it all evens out

Even the women's bball team is gonna be good next year.

Great to see a fellow diehard buckeye fan.

 

[Deadlock]

All I can say is that all we can do is hope.. Been a long drought for Cleveland/Ohio sports.. Let's hope we have a good time in the near future.

 

[Namffoc]

http://www.collegesports.com/sports/m-footbl/stories/071205aac.html

There is another thing to feed on in the meantime. The only thing I don't agree with is Michigan But on the other hand, OSU being ranked 6th in the nation is huge, considering what we did last year. I have no doubt in my mind OSU will be in the top10 this year. Like it says, D wasn't the problem last year, it was the offense, and with the sprouting of Ted Ginn...I don't know what to expect---he is unstoppable.

The thing about OSU basketball, wow that is incredible. You have made my night with this post. I didn't realize we got 4 of the top30 recruits in the nation, not including the #1 guy! Where is a site for the recruits at?

Browns football, if Kellen Winslow Jr. didn't screw us over..I would expect a very good turnaround, but with the addition of Braylon Edwards..I'm very excited for this year.

Indians baseball there are rumors of them trying to go for Alfonso Soriano for some very high prospects that I don't know of. Brad Snyder and someone else. If we got Sori, the offense will explode to new heights.

And Cavs basketball...I am very excited with the signing of Larry Hughes, that should turn out well. Hopefully we can sign Saras and be off!

 

[Mac]

It blows my mind with all the arrests, all the allegations, all the ex players coming out against the unversity that they havent been put on probation yet.

OSU is one of the most dirty programs in NCAA football and they keep getting away with it.

 

[RichOne]

detroit is on the brink (if the can get a qb) basketball team has won and is good, football team is on the rise- and they have a young up and coming baseball team

2 finals apperances back to back with a ring to show. allstar game there and the superbowl is there this year. hockey is now back in hockeytown. michigan u rated in top 5 out of ann arbor again. detriot is overlooked as one of the sports powerhouse cities in america...

 

[CleveRocks]

This seems an off topic thread, but I will say the OSU basketball improvement is welcome. Columbus media is the Sahara of Basketball fans...

 

[Namffoc]

OSU is one of the most dirty programs in NCAA football and they keep getting away with it.

Wow..you are so annoying, that's all I ever hear you saying when OSU comes up. Would you stop already?

 

[Style]

It blows my mind with all the arrests, all the allegations, all the ex players coming out against the unversity that they havent been put on probation yet.

OSU is one of the most dirty programs in NCAA football and they keep getting away with it.

This is actually 100% false. All the allegations against the football program were by players with an ax to grind against the universiy, like Mo C, Marco Cooper, etc. And guess what? They were all proved false by the NCAA in their investigation. Hence, no probation.

Again, this is 100% false. The NCAA has actually praised OSU football for running one of the cleanest programs in the country, and stated that they are a good example for other universities to follow! However, stories like this don't drive ratings, so they get no air play outside of Columbus.

Concerning arrests, they are right on average with other univesity football programs. We're talking about a group of around 100 18 to 22 year old boys/young men. Of course there are going to be DUIs and kids getting caught smoking weed! We're not talking about a monastary, we're talking about college! You don't hear about it when a football player gets arrested at a smaller university like a Toledo, but it happens just as often. But being a big time program OSU is under the microscope. Even more so after the (totally uncalled for) witch hunt that ESPN held against them recently.