Don't Believe The Hype

I hope you're all enjoying your summer vacations and keeping your nose clean. I know you're out-Barwising everyone in the weight room, because we all know that's where championship seasons start. Remember that where ever you go, and whatever you do the goal is a championship and what you've done so far doesn't matter, and hasn't been good enough.

That's right, your best hasn't been good enough to this point. For incoming freshman, lots of people are stars in high school sports. Only something like 10% of high school football players make it to the NCAA and only 10% or less make it to the NFL. What you've accomplished so far has only got you one thing: the opportunity to prove yourself all over again. Remember that. You haven't played a down at OSU yet. Haven't seen the field and most likely you won't crack the starting line up unless you work harder than you've ever worked before. You probably think you have, but this where the mythical "110%" comes in to play. Play hard, practice and train harder. Above all else, Don't Believe The Hype (DBTH).

I bet you returning players think you're getting off scott-free. Wrong. You've been there and done that. You've played at least one season of NCAA football at a top 5 program. You're on top of the world, living the dream and so forth. Jersey-chasers want you, fellow students want to be you. You even won a Rose Bowl last year, the first bowl victory for our beloved Buckeyes since 2005. That was last year. Consider those victories to only exist in the history books, and you aren't taking that class this quarter. This is the year, if you make it the year. Say you take every game one at a time, and more importantly mean it. Mean it like you've never meant anything else in your life. DBTH.

Better teams have fallen in to the trap before you. The 1995, 1996, 1998, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, etc teams all fell short. It's not easy starting another season with a bulls-eye on your jersey. That silver helmet makes you a marked man. Being a pre-season All American, pre-season top 5 and on the cover of magazines don't matter. What you've done up to this point in your football career doesn't matter. It's gone and barely remembered as soon as you break the hive and take he field against Marshall NO ONE will care about last season. This is our year. This is your year as long as you don't buy in to your own hype.

Dear OSU Football Players: Don't be like VY

Hey Guys,

With Spring football well in the rear-view mirror and summer football camp still a ways in the future we have entered a bit of a dead zone. I know you're all still working out, running drills and other things but you've got a lot more time on your hands than you're used to. Have fun! Do things you normally don't have time for but for the love of God, whatever you do don't pull a Vince Young. Now I'm not here to lecture you on the evils of "scrip clubs" because I've been known to partake in the past(been a while, but I've been). All I ask is that you don't get in to trouble. Don't go VY and beat some guy up for throwing up and upside down "hook-em horns" sign, that's just dumb. Don't go Doug Worthington on us either and get pulled over for a DUI a few weeks before the season opener and get suspended for the first game. Also, Don't accept money from boosters, not $20, not $200. None. I don't want Justin Zwick 2.0 starting any games for us. Don't get drunk and try to do a burn-out during scUM week. The easiest way to to learn isn't by experience in this case, it's by example.

I know it's summer, it's time for vacation and fun. Heck, even us bloggers take vacations from our hard work.(I'll be on one of those next week in fact) Just be smart, because we care way too much when something bad happens. There's a lot on the line this year, remember to be smart and DBTH.

-SBB