Rumor: Ohio State to be part of special Nike presentation in Seattle

A couple of years ago I happened to be fortunate enough to attend a special Nike event held in New York City to display the Pro Combat uniforms to be worn that season by a handful of Nike sponsored football programs. It was a blast and it was a great opportunity to catch a first look at some great uniforms. Nike later showed off special bowl uniforms after the regular season in Dallas. Again, it was a fantastic opportunity for me and I have been hoping to get a chance to take part in another Nike event.

To my knowledge there were no college football-themed events last season, as Nike was focusing their energy on taking over the entire NFL uniform assignment, but this year I was hoping there would be some sort of college football event. It appears that might be the case.

On Monday afternoon or early evening Land-Grant Holy Land, an Ohio State blog on the SB Nation network, shared one of the best highlight videos I have seen in some time (shared below). In the description of the video it was said to be used for Ohio State’s Nike presentation in Seattle. There’s just one thing: There has been no presentation in Seattle that anyone seems to be aware of. The video was also pulled quickly from YouTube (but it has resurfaced thanks to the miracle of the Internet and its users), suggesting it was not for the public to see just yet. Either that or it was a strategic move to generate interest in a potential event to be scheduled.

Ohio State has worn a specially designed Pro Combat uniform by Nike since 2009. Here are the 2011 uniforms (much nicer than the Internet fake ones). The Buckeyes are one of the top programs on Nike’s roster, so it would not be a surprise to see the Buckeyes get a special uniform for the 2013 season once again. Mix in the idea that the Buckeyes could be a national title contender and there is plenty of room for hype to build off of.

Putting the pieces put together would seem to indicate there will be some sort of uniform event again prior to the 2013 college football season. I am contacting Nike to see if I can find out anything about this. For now, let’s watch the Ohio State video that got all of this buzz started.

Column: Missing out on Woody Hayes

I did not truly grab a hold of college football in the early 1990s. My parents owned season tickets to Penn State games so I was able to attend a few games, but before I actually learned about the game I often got bored and was ready to leave at halftime (much to my father’s chagrin). As I grew up I wised up of course and now today I can’t get enough of the sport.

Much of what I learned about the sport growing up I learned by watching Penn State football, led by Joe Paterno. Watching the games with my dad also carried some influence, as my dad would teach me why Miami had all the bad guys in the sport and why I should never root for Ohio State. Again, as I grew older I learned to form my own opinions on the game, its players and coaches and mechanics and more. But I also wanted to learn more about the game, where it came from and just why my dad thinks I should hate Ohio State.

If 11-year old me read what I am about to say in my next sentence, he might go ahead and tell on me.

Woody Hayes may be the one coach I wish I had a chance to watch or cover in person. Without question. … Continue Reading

2013 Hype Video: Ohio State Buckeyes

It’s that time of year again. Spring football is in full bloom and YouTube is starting to receive a fresh batch of videos to pump up fans across the nation. From time to time I will try to share some of the best out there right here on the site, in addition to any videos that I may throw together as we go.

Today’s offering is targeted to Buckeye Nation. Using the rock anthem that is AC/DC’s Hell’s Bells, Ohio State is doing a solid job of getting us ready for the season. This video was posted about a month ago but it is worth sharing thanks to the craftsmanship that apparently went in to this one, taking clips of Urban Meyer addressing his players, some good workout footage , and of course some in-game highlights.

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Athlon Round Table: Bill O’Brien or Urban Meyer for B1G Coach of the Year?

Ohio State is 7-0 in the first year under new head coach Urban Meyer. Penn State is off to a 4-2 start as they head to Iowa in the first year under Bill O’Brien. Both new coaches have sparked their programs in times of need on various levels, but which one would be the coach of the year in the Big Ten if the vote was held today?

Athlon Sports asked that question to a round table, which I was happy to participate in. Here is what I had to say…

One of the key factors I like to look at when determining who should be coach of the year is what do they have to work with. At Ohio State Urban Meyer inherited a pretty solid program from top to bottom with a Braxton Miller sitting there waiting to be groomed. At Penn State Bill O’Brien took over a program ripped of its heart and soul and destined for some of the heaviest sanctions the college sports world has seen in a long time, which would lead the team’s star running back, leading receiver and best kicker create their own exit plans in addition to a handful of others to hurt some depth. Both coaches have dealt with some adversity on the football field as well, with Meyer’s defense being shredded by Indiana most recently and with O’Brien’s team dropping the first two games of the season. … Continue Reading

Ohio State Gangnam Style

Mascots and music videos may never get old. Who doesn’t love a good mascot video?

LSU’s Mike the Tiger may have been recreating a classic scene from Napoleon Dynamite over the weekend, but Ohio State’s Brutus the Buckeye was busy putting together a music video with the Ohio State Spirit Squad with a more current theme.

That’s right, Ohio State has gone Gangnam Style!

This is a solid effort, but it is far behind one of the original mascot videos going Gangnam Style. The Oregon Duck remains the leader in the clubhouse in this category…

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