First noticeable difference - Mo Wells starting at tailback for Chris "Beanie" Wells.

Two series - two three and outs. It's still a shade over half of the first quarter left and the Buckeyes look as if they have ZERO pep. Nothing. No enthusiam. NO fire. In two series they have no first downs.

Quarterback Todd Boeckman looks to be in Six Million Dollar Man slo-mo, which isn't completely his fault because he's not getting the pass protection that he should. The old axiom is true, the longer they let these guys stick around, the more confident they will get.

Update: Lawrence Wilson makes a nice interception off a ball tipped at the of scrimmage setting the ball up in OU territory only to have the offense continue a trend that developed last week - Ofer in the red zone. They settle for a Ryan Pretorius field goal.

3-0 at the end of the first quarter? Are you kidding me? This is Ohio U. Not USC. OU. Speaking of USC, it won't be pretty next week.

The offensive line is getting no explosion. The running backs have no holes to run through and the offense in general looks lackadaisical.

So yeah, I'm sitting at home sifting through OSU notes today when I get notice that the Indians 2008 schedule has been set.

I open the email like a fat guy attacking a cupcake only to see that the Indians' first home game of the season will arrive on March 31. March 31? MARCH 31?!!!!! Are you freakin' kidding me or did the brain trust at Major League Baseball not get a look at Opening Day 2007.

Ya know, take me out to the ball game…buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack and, gee, by the way, my freakin' limbs are freezin' so gimme some hot chocolate.

I don't know who is responsible for this debacle, but this date does Tribe fans a disservice. Better they start praying for good weather beginning March 1 and hopefully the baseball gods will be listening. Of course, we know what happened with them last week now, don't we?

If first impressions mean everything in any relationship, Joe Thomas, Brady Quinn and Eric Wright, the Cleveland Browns top three draft choices made huge ones Sunday in Berea, the day after they were selected in the first, first and second round respectively.

Some might expect that of Thomas and Quinn, but given the perceived baggage that's accompanying Wright, many might prefer to adopt a wait-and-see attitude.  For those who need a summary of his past problems, they can be found here.

In light of the NFL's new player conduct policy, it would seem that Wright is a huge gamble.  It was last night and it may still be, but after the way in which he turned on the charm in Berea Sunday, it's easy to see why the Browns selected him.  He's an articulate, charismatic guy with an easy going sense of humor, who's faced his issues and is ready to move on.

“It was definitely a long road and it was very hard. It was a roller coaster ride if you will. I feel like it made me weary of the people I trusted and weary of the people I associate myself with. I grew up in strong household and was an honor roll student my entire life. I went to an all boys catholic school and that sort of thing. I really need to present myself in a proper light so people can really know who I am," he said.  "I think this organization has done all they could to get the proper information. That’s why I think they were comfortable in picking me and trading up to get me. I really appreciate that.”

As for Quinn, it's difficult to not like the guy.  Did anyone notice that after the Browns traded up and selected him that as he walked to the podium, he seemed to be on the verge of tears.  Even as he held his new jersey, he looked as if he were about to cry.  He mentioned more than once in interviews that playing for the Browns was a dream come true.

“It was always something where we started watching Browns games. When I was seven, we started going to Browns games," Quinn said.  "My mom’s father, who passed away when I was younger, was huge into the Browns. I think he gave the uniform I was wearing when I was younger that was flashed on TV. It was ingrained in me from day one.”

The last quarterback that wanted to come to Cleveland and lived in Ohio had a pretty good run here.  It took a gutsy move on General Manager Phil Savage's part to take a gamble and move up to acquire him.  Quinn dropped to the 22nd pick, a fate that normally hits some bewildered QB.  The Browns should send flowers, chocolates and a new Lexus to Ted Ginn and the Miami Dolphins for selecting him.  Conventional wisdom said that the Dolphins, who are in need of a QB, would take Brady if the Browns passed on him.  Shows how unconventional the draft can be.

As for Joe Thomas, having grown up in Northeast Ohio I feel comfortable saying he's the type of player the Browns fan base can take to.  Another bright guy to be sure, but what struck me is his attitude.  He's a blue collar type of guy who wants to pack his lunch pail, go to work and do his job.

"I didn’t want to take this off season and waste it. And what I mean by that is waste it by preparing for the combine or the draft. The most important thing is to be ready for your NFL career. I wasn’t going to judge my pro career by where I was drafted yesterday," he said. "I was lucky enough to be drafted high by a great organization and by a team and a city that I fit in very well with. For me, the work has just begun now. The important this is how I play in my career, not where I was drafted. That was the mentality that I took over the off season.”

Ultimately these words will ring hollow if Wright, Quinn and Thomas don't perform on the field.  But proud cynic that I am, I have to confess that when I left from covering the Browns Draft Party Saturday and the dark clouds from the morning had given way to afternoon sunshine, I was optimistic.  Draft Day euphoria?  Maybe.  Ultimately we won't know until next season.

I don't know whether he was slacking or pacing himself, but LeBron James has found a second wind and is ready to lift the Cleveland Cavaliers on his back and carry them into the playoffs.

Consider tonight that LBJ tallied more than 29 points for the eighth game in a row when he dropped 32 on the Houston Rockets.  The difference in his game has been noticeable since just before the All-Star break.  While he settled for jump shots much of the time then, he's being more aggressive going to the hoop more now, yet his the jump shot is still working.  When he's able to drive and hit the J, he's unguardable.  What continues to be troublesome, however, is the inability to hit free throw shots. 

Also give some much deserved respect to Larry Hughes, the man brought in to be James' Scottie Pippen.  So far - primarily due to injuries - Hughes has been missing in action.  Apparently not anymore because as go  James, so goes Larry.  And Hughes knocked down 22 points Monday night.

It's tempting to think what could be if James and Hughes, along with help from Andy Varejao, Zadrunas Ilgauskas, Sasha Pavlovic and a benched bolstered by two rookies - Daniel Gibson (though currently injured) and an energized Shannon Brown.   But I'll wait, thanks.  There are six weeks left in the NBA - an eternity and the Cavs' current surge of energy could dissipate as quickly as it arrived.

Gene Hickerson, regarded as one of the premier pulling guards of his era, finally received his just reward with election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, today.

Forgive me for saying this: but it's about damned time!   Hickerson's list of accomplishments in the NFL is vast and impressive according to a release from the Browns:

Hickerson, who played 15 seasons (1958-60, 1962-73) for the Browns, appeared in six Pro Bowls (1966-71) and was voted an all-league selection on five occasions (1966-70).  Hickerson was also named the NFL’s most outstanding blocker in 1969.  

Hickerson, 72, joined the Browns as a seventh-round draft choice out of

Hickerson played in every game during his career, except for the 1961 season when he missed the year with a broken leg.  Known as a versatile lineman, he broke into the starting lineup at right guard his second season with the Browns in 1958 and remained at right guard through the 1971 season.  Hickerson moved over to start at left guard for the final two seasons of his career from 1972-73.  Hickerson helped running back Jim Brown lead the NFL in rushing in eight of his nine seasons and also helped Leroy Kelly lead the league in rushing in 1968.

And he should have been in years ago.  Comedian Richard Pryor, a friend to Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown, used to have a line in his stand-up routine to highlight the racism that existed in the era in which Brown played.  He essentially said that Brown was really the best because he didn't have anyone blocking for him.  Brown knew that wasn't true and said as much in numerous print and electronic interviews over the years.

But what troubles me about his long wait is that he was nearly forgotten.  While tooling around my car this week and listening to ESPN Radio on XM Satellite Radio, I heard numerous hosts reel off the names of who should get in:  Art Monk, Derrick Thomas and others.  All great in their own right, but it showed that some of these hosts lack any semblance of perspective and appreciation of the game's history.

Hickerson blocked for not one, but two Hall of Fame running backs. The other:  Leroy Kelly.  The HOF is about the best, not the very good.  My fear was that because of a more recent history, some of the very good would make it ahead of Hickerson on what was reportedly his final opportunity. 

They say that those who forget history are destined to relive it.  It's good to see that the 39 individuals who have voting power for the Pro Football Hall of Fame haven't forgotten that today's NFL was built on the blood, flesh and pain of previous players.  There are some out there who still deserve this recognition.

This is why there's no off-season in the NFL, there's always some semblance of drama unfolding with America's favorite sport.

In this case, it's Marty Schottenheimer and the ringing endorsement the San Diego Chargers have given him in a statement from COO Dean Spanos.  Yup, they're willing to allow Marty, the third winningest coach the past three season and fifth winningest active coach in the NFL to work next year and they even offered him a whopping one-year extension.  Yee Haw!!!  Betcha Marty's turning somersaults over that one.  Actually, he turned the Chargers down, according to reports.

At this point in time San Diego, the fans of Cleveland would be perfectly willing to take him.  This isn't a knock on current Browns coach Romeo Crennel - he's only had two seasons - but should the Browns not make significant strides on the field next year, I can't envision a scenario in which Crennel stays.  That makes things very interesting with respect to coaching vacancies next year.

Yes, we all know the knock against Schottenheimer.  Hell we'd better considering it started here - he can't win the big one.  He can't kick it to the next level.  We all know it was Marty who was playing defense when John Elway engineered The Drive.  We all know that he was carrying the ball when its loss soon became known as The Fumble.  Hell, Marty's the reason the Cuyahoga River caught fire decades ago.  We also know that last weekend it was Marty on the field when his Chargers committed four turnovers and at least two idiotic penalties that I can recall.

With all fairness, I'm hoping that the Browns make the playoffs next year.  That's a big hope at this point.  You know - like hoping for world peace and actually getting it.  But allow me to look forward in my mental time machine for a second and the Browns have muddled through another year of mediocrity. 

Schottenheimer and former Pittsburgh Steelers coach Bill Cowher are out there - who do you take? An intriguing possibility isn't it?  When Schottenheimer left the Browns unceremoniously after the 1988 season, I was always under the impression that he left feeling the job was unfinished and he took a lot of flak for what happened in two AFC Championship Games.  As for Cowher, he's a Marty disciple who played here and coached here under him.  Should the Browns find themselves in the unenviable position of searching for yet another coach, either would suit me just fine thanks.  The year of intrigue has begun.

Another reason I stayed away from this space - I'm on vacation.  It's late at night currently and I have no life, this is why I am blogging.

But last night - as a reveled in a stellar hoops display by the Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers - I hung out at my local watering hole.  Now as I've mentioned before I rather enjoy having a couple of beers in my off hours.  It's a scary proposition that I have many off hours coming up in the next couple of weeks.  At any rate, the conversation between the bartender, myself and a few other guys turned to who we wanted to see win the Super Bowl.  Having been done in by the curse of Marty Shottenheimer once again (I was pulling for Marty to get his championship), I said that I wanted the New Orleans Saints to win.  Right now, I believe the Saints will go all the way.  No, this isn't based on any inside knowledge.

But the stars are aligned in a funky way in my estimation.  The Saints will be a sentimental choice for a lot of folks and we all know why.   The Saints would be like a do-good from God.  It's as if that omnipotent being is saying:  "Yeah, well, I owe you one for that little storm that leveled the city last year." No, I'm not making light of the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina, but it feels as if everything is lining up that way.

That lead one person in the conversation to utter the phrase:  "Maybe Ohio could get a tornado so one of our teams can win one."  Such is the discontent on the North Coast that we have to wish for agony before enjoying a little ecstasy.  Is this what it has come to?  Maybe?  Or perhaps, just perhaps, our sense of propriety has gone by the wayside in the quest for sports nirvana.

A lot of my friends knew that I was in Phoenix covering the championship game.  They also know that I am a Buckeyes fan (primarily because I spent a couple of years in my college career there).  I can maintain my objectivity and still be a fan.  They all thought that I'd freak out about the fact that the Buckeyes lost.  No, I did not.  I didn't play the game. And that is one of the reasons I can maintain a level head when writing about the Buckeyes - I remember that it's just a game.

Yes, after last Monday night's game I stayed away from this space purposely.  The Disintegration in the Desert proved a bit hard to digest for a myriad of reasons, but there's little sense in rehashing them.  It's best to just thank the Buckeyes for the ride this year and deal with what's going on around the team.

Well, gee, George, what might that be?

Well, considering that other than Troy Smith, who is graduating, Anthony Gonzalez, Ted Ginn Jr. and Antonio Pittman are all coming out as juniors.  That's gotta leave Coach Jim Tressel wondering who the heck is going to be scoring for him next year.  Yeah, that's a good question.  That will sort itself out in spring practice, I assume.  We shall see, but Bucks fans should probably forget any dreams of a national championship sprint for the next couple of years. But no one should begrudge the three above for pursuing NFL dreams, because they have to believe they've done everything they could to get the Bucks over the top.  All of them, however, should find success playing on Sundays.

What I'm going to be interested in seeing, however, is where they fall.  The only sure-fire first round pick the experts claim is Ginn.  I can believe that, but he may not have been the best receiver on the Buckeyes' roster coming out.  The NFL loves speed and he's got that to spare, but Gonzalez may actually be the better receiver.  Reports say Gonzalez is just as fast as Ginn, but he's also savvy, comes through in the clutch and has reliable hands. Reports say that he would fall to the second round.  With all due respect to those suffering from a case of Homeboyitis (those who want the Browns to draft Troy Smith), I'd take Gonzalez before him, but of course the Browns have too many glaring needs to ever consider drafting yet another receiver in the second round. And they'd best not be casting their eyes on a quarterback either, no matter how attractive and popular he might be.  It's football, not public relations.

Pittman is an interesting case.  He's projected as a second or third rounder.  With Oklahoma's Adrian Peterson coming out, he's going to fall a wee bit further down the draft ladder unless he blows the scouts and execs away with a stellar workout.  We shall see.  If nothing else, this off season is setting up to be an intriguing experience.

GLENDALE, Ariz. - Yes, I heard the Buckeyes talk about the pent-up frustration and just wanting to get things over, but that was a heck of a way to come out of the gate with Ted Ginn Jr. going 92 yards for a TD.  Of course as it showed on Florida's subsequent return, that could work against you as well as the Gators got a decent return also. 

 Update:  It's clear that on Florida's opening drive they're only going to take what the Buckeyes give them and Urban Meyer isn't going to have a problem switching things up as you can see with Tim Tebow getting a carry.

Then on the TD one of the Buckeyes DBs cheated up, leaving Dallas Baker uncovered.  The Bucks D should settle down and play after that.  If you remember the regular season, however, they always gave up points early then proceeded to calm.

 Update II Bucks First Drive:  It's too early in the game to call anything crucial but for the Gators to come out and stop the Bucks' offense on the opening drive only builds momentum for the defense and entire team.  And now they're going to compound things with dumb penalties.  Here's the reality of the situation, about the only thing that can stop the Buckeyes is the Buckeyes.

Update III Florida's Second Drive:  So right now, it's apparently clear that one team showed up in the fist quarter at least as Florida continues to drive down the field.  You want to talk about a momentum shift.  Here it is.  The Buckeyes came in with all the cred in the world, yet here in the first quarter they've given up 14 primarily because of a short field and two dumb penalties.  I wrote a couple of times that they ran the risk of becoming Miami - the team they beat in the 2003 Fiesta Bowl - if they didn't play to their abilities.

Update IV OSU's Second Drive:  You would know that they put me in a section next to a bunch of liquored up Gator fans.  I'm not in the pressbox.  I'm in the spill over media area.  Impressive return by Gonzalez and it's needed too because you know that after that opening kick off the Gators will not be kicking to Ginn again.  This drive is where the Buckeyes just might have to go Woody Hayes on the Gators.  Establish Pittman.  Establish the fact that their O-line is more powerful than their D-line.  Pittman's first down was essential.  Smith loses 10 yards on a sack.  Think that doesn't weaken any momentum that first down gave the offense?

What's that I said about dumb penalties? You think they'd be debating that long layoff between the Michigan game and whatever bowl game the Bucks end up in again?  I do.  Is there a rust factor here? Three dumb penalties and a rare Troy Smith interception says that it doesn't hurt.  And where are the O'line that he thanked in his Heisman speech?

Update IV Florida's Third Drive:  You think that Urban Meyer skipped the Michigan and actually may have studied film from the Northwestern game when Ohio State was hit more than a few times deep and over the middle?  They're giving up chunks of yardage that way and it highlights a glaring weakness the team has had all year.   And it's quite obvious OSU didn't study up on the trickeration.  I don't know if they thought the Gators would come out using reverses the entire game, but the D's heads are not into this game.

Quarter break:  Without a doubt that was the worst quarter of football that the Ohio State Buckeyes have played all year.  There's no offensive flow.  They're borderline comatose out there.  The strength of this team was supposed to be in its veteran leadership.  Well these fifth year seniors - Smith, Datish, Pitcock, Richardson - had best step up real soon or this will have been for naught.

Update IV Florida's Third Drive (continued):  Three for three.  Three possession three touchdowns.  So far the Buckeyes offense left their game back on Nov. 18. 21-7.

Update V OSU's Third Drive:  OSU finally shows some semblance of life with the official's help. Hartline gets a 13-yard grab and a penalty is tacked on.  Troy Smith takes off when the pass isn't there and he may have to do more of that.  And like I said, it's time to go Woody Hayes - start off by pounding the ball, do you really think they expect that? Pittman TD …NUFF SAID.

Update VI Florida's Fourth Drive:  Here is where the defense needs to step up and tighten it up.  The rust had better been shaken off after giving up 21 points.  Someone said something to Aaron Pettrey as he sends a kickoff through the end zone.  The Buckeyes are showing the ability to press Leak. Although he's not made a mistake yet, he did throw 13 picks this year for Florida.  You hit him and you might be able to rattle him. This is a pivotal third and five situation.  The Bucks either make a statement or this becomes a shootout and you don't make a statement with shoddy tackling, they had a chance to prevent the first down.  All right, someone said something to the defense.  That's the best they've looked all night.

 Update VII Buckeyes Fourth Drive:  Smith misses wide on a throw, but the scary part is that he had the entire left side of the field open to run.  I realize that he wants to be a passer, but he cannot be afraid to pull the ball down and run with it if it's there - and he won't be likely to have that much room to rumble again.  A third and 10 and he misses wide. 

Update VIII Florida's Fifth Drive:   Apparently the Gators D won't have to worry about Ted Ginn any longer, apparently he's done.  The Gator placeckicker is mediocre at best, yet he splits the uprights - an ominous sign?

Update IX Buckeyes Fifth Drive:  That's not exactly what was meant by ground it out.  Are you kidding me?  Fourth and less than a yard on the Bucks 31 and we go for it?  What lunacy is that?  I realize that you have a high-powered offense, but that is akin to admitting that you're desperate to build momentum - any momentum.  It also puts a defense that has been less than stellar so far with their backs against the wall.

Update X Florida's Gift:  I can't even call that a drive because any reasonable person would have to question Tressel's decision to go for it on fourth down that deep in your own territory.  There's 1:47 remaining in the half.  If the offense needs to put some points on the board to go into the locker room with any sort of momentum.  Right now Big Mo is on Floriday's side - even more so with that fumble by Smith.

Update XI Florida's Second Gift:  I don't see the confidence, nor do I see the swagger.  What I do see is this team killing itself.  There's little doubt about that and we may very well have watched the game be over right there as Florida scores again.  QB Tim Tebow baited the Bucks into thinking he was going to run only to pull up and throw it. 

The brual reality:  Outcoached.  Outplayed.  That's the only way to put it.  The Bucks showed a lack of discipline on Florida's first two drives getting flagged for 15-yard penalties.  Troy Smith has been harassed for the better part of the half and with his willingness to hold on to the ball until his receivers spring free, he's getting hit.  On at least two occasions he had little but wide open field in front of him.  The Buckeyes had the opportunity to take charge of this on the ground, but have persisted in throwing the ball.

Tressel blew that label of being too conservative into tiny little pieces with that ill-advised fourth down call in the Buckeyes own territory forcing the defense that hadn't performed thus far to hold back the Gators, to their credit they held them to three points.  But what of most of the rest of the half?  Meyer and his coaching staff exposed those holes that everyone thought to be there this year, especially in the passing game.

You play football for four quarters, however.  If Florida had a substantive run game, I'd say this was over - but they do not.  Is this over?  Maybe.  We'll see if Tressel and his staff can adjust and if his players wake up.

 Florida offense: 220 total yards.  Buckeyes:  73.  Florida 34-14.  Remember the 2003 Fiesta Bowl?

You can tell a coach is getting antsy when he opens a press conference with the lines:

"I don't know what else to say except that we've received terrific treatment as always." So said Jim Tressel in his last pre-game press conference before tomorrow's big rumble in Glendale, Ariz. Those words alone suggest he's ready to get this thing over. I know the players have been ready to go for some time, they said as much during the media day in Columbus last month.

Any reasonable football fan would have to wonder how a 51-day layoff would effect the team and even Florida has been idle for more than a month. Fun, fun fun. That begs another question. Has the time lapsed between the end of the season and now led fans to have a ho-hum attitude? You couldn't say thate judging from those that attended the Buckeye Bash at Chase Field, home of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

But if you look at the on-air advance play on the host network, FOX, there isn't one-tenth the build up we've seen in other games. Remember the game-of-the-century hype for OSU vs. Michigan just this past November? Instant classic they said?

I think that part of the collective yawn that there appears to be out there comes courtesy of a belief by many that the Buckeyes will systematically dismantle Florida. I am going to repeat this one more time. Remember the 2003 Fiesta Bowl. Folks said the same about the Miami Hurricanes. We all know how that ended.

There are significant differences, however. Ken Dorsey was no Troy Smith, he lacked the toughness, mentally and physically, that Smith possesses to spare. This Buckeyes team has too many weapons. Rushing? Antonio Pittman with Beanie Wells backing him up. At receiver? HAH!! Although Dallas Baker, Jemalle Cornelius and Percy Harvin are impressive, if Smith can't hit Ginn, he'll hit Gonzalez. If he can't hit Gonzalez, there's Roy Hall. What, no Hall? There's Robiskie. No Robiskie? Hartline. 'Nuff said.

If there is a weak link, and they've heard this all year, it's the Bucks' defense. This is likely where the game will be won. You have to know that University of Florida Coach Urban Meyer has been studying the film from the Michigan like a teen-ager watching The 40 Year Old Virgin for the 50th time on DVD. Like any football game it's simple. They control the line of scrimmage (along with minimizing the effect of trickeration) and OSU wins.