Ohio State is at it again.

[WVRed]

http://basketballrecruiting.rivals.c...asp?CID=694006

Considering Sidney was a huge UCLA lean, I am starting to wonder what is in the Kool-Aid in Columbus.

[jimbo]

Matta gives his players a lot of freedom on the court and that's why these kids want to play for him. It's going to be hard for him to build any kind of continuity though if he continues to lose his top 2-3 players every year to the NBA.

[Red Leader]

Yeah, what are you thinking? It's Columbus, Ohio and THE Ohio State University you're talking about here. Surely that is more attractive than some place in North Carolina, Texas, Florida, or California. I mean who would turn down the opportunity to play at the Ohio State University. If they offer, you go.

[RedFanAlways1966]

Any school that might be seen as a stepping-stone to the NBA will attract NBA-wannabes. What? Three guys taken in the 1st round in the latest NBA draft. Also means playing time will be available.

Perhaps the school up north can reach that level on the court someday. And if they do, I hope they know how many timeouts they have.

[improbus]

As a guy who has seen OSU basketball on probation twice in the last 15 years, I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop.

[registerthis]

Originally Posted by Red Leader

It's Columbus, Ohio and THE Ohio State University you're talking about here.

Great school, great town. I went there myself. What's wrong with me?

[Red Leader]

Originally Posted by registerthis

Great school, great town. I went there myself. What's wrong with me?

Not saying it's not a great school, or a great town.

What I'm saying is, this kid was born and raised in SoCal. He's listed UCLA and USC as the two schools that are his favorites for about 2 years now. I just think it's a little fishy that all of a sudden he declares OSU as his favorite. He's never even mentioned being interested in OSU before. If that doesn't seem odd to you, that's fine, but I've followed recruiting in a lot of sports and it doesn't seem normal to me that someone that has listed 2 schools as his favorites for years and no others suddenly changes his mind and lists a new favorite, especially one thousands of miles from home.

[registerthis]

Originally Posted by Red Leader

What I'm saying is, this kid was born and raised in SoCal. He's listed UCLA and USC as the two schools that are his favorites for about 2 years now.

Things change. Situations change. Who knows? Even THE Ohio State University has lost out on a few prize recruits now and then. Shocking as that is to believe.

[Roy Tucker]

Originally Posted by Red Leader

Not saying it's not a great school, or a great town.

What I'm saying is, this kid was born and raised in SoCal. He's listed UCLA and USC as the two schools that are his favorites for about 2 years now. I just think it's a little fishy that all of a sudden he declares OSU as his favorite. He's never even mentioned being interested in OSU before. If that doesn't seem odd to you, that's fine, but I've followed recruiting in a lot of sports and it doesn't seem normal to me that someone that has listed 2 schools as his favorites for years and no others suddenly changes his mind and lists a new favorite, especially one thousands of miles from home.

I think what a lot of people forget is that these kids are teenagers. Having 3 teens in my house (19, 16, and 14 yr. old), I can tell you that their decision making is often inconsistent, illogical, emotion-driven, and generally suspect.

Most of my talks with them start with "what about ...", "have you ever thought of ...", and "did you think about ...". My kids call it a drive-by dadding.

[Red Leader]

Originally Posted by Roy Tucker

I think what a lot of people forget is that these kids are teenagers. Having 3 teens in my house (19, 16, and 14 yr. old), I can tell you that their decision making is often inconsistent, illogical, emotion-driven, and generally suspect.

Most of my talks with them start with "what about ...", "have you ever thought of ...", and "did you think about ...". My kids call it a drive-by dadding.

That, of course, is very true.

Maybe this is just an anomaly. Possible, for sure, but in following recruiting the last couple years, both in football and basketball, it's not common for someone to list a school as a favorite that they've never even listed before. It just stands out as "odd" to me.

[Caseyfan21]

Originally Posted by Red Leader

Not saying it's not a great school, or a great town.

What I'm saying is, this kid was born and raised in SoCal. He's listed UCLA and USC as the two schools that are his favorites for about 2 years now. I just think it's a little fishy that all of a sudden he declares OSU as his favorite. He's never even mentioned being interested in OSU before. If that doesn't seem odd to you, that's fine, but I've followed recruiting in a lot of sports and it doesn't seem normal to me that someone that has listed 2 schools as his favorites for years and no others suddenly changes his mind and lists a new favorite, especially one thousands of miles from home.

OJ Mayo was born and raised in southwest Ohio/W. Va/KY and randomly decided to go to USC which really is not a basketball powerhouse. He cited Tim Floyd and wanting to get away from home as his reasons.

He might have suddenly changed his mind because OSU has suddenly become a top caliber basketball school. Two years ago I don't think any OSU basketball fan would have thought we would appear in the National Title game. Also, I'm not 100% sure but I don't think we had any of the Oden/Conley/Cook crew committed then either. A lot can change in 2 yrs in the recruiting game and a school that was on probation because of the previous coach can come out, get a few recruits, and suddenly become a national power.

I wish people would just give it a rest until something is actually proven about one of our current coaches. People just like to bash OSU because of their success and a lot of the fans cockiness. Thad has run a perfectly clean program in his 3 yrs in Columbus and is by all accounts a great recruiter and a great person.

[registerthis]

Originally Posted by Caseyfan21

Thad has run a perfectly clean program in his 3 yrs in Columbus and is by all accounts a great recruiter and a great person.

And of course nothing untoward ever occurs at places like Kentucky, North Carolina, Oklahoma, UCLA, etc.

[Red Leader]

Originally Posted by Caseyfan21

Two years ago I don't think any OSU basketball fan would have thought we would appear in the National Title game. Also, I'm not 100% sure but I don't think we had any of the Oden/Conley/Cook crew committed then either. A lot can change in 2 yrs in the recruiting game and a school that was on probation because of the previous coach can come out, get a few recruits, and suddenly become a national power.

This is a very good point. It's possible that Sidney never mentioned OSU because he never thought that they were at the level of play of someone like UCLA that is close to home, and considered an "elite" basketball program. After seeing OSU reach the championship game, maybe that possibility opened up to him. That could logically explain why he never listed them before and now lists them as his favorite.

Originally Posted by Caseyfan21

I wish people would just give it a rest until something is actually proven about one of our current coaches. People just like to bash OSU because of their success and a lot of the fans cockiness. Thad has run a perfectly clean program in his 3 yrs in Columbus and is by all accounts a great recruiter and a great person.

My apologies for the snarky post earlier in this thread. Really, it was unnecessary and I shouldn't have posted it. You're right, though, until something is proven, it's pretty stupid to throw accusations around. Ohio State is on an incredible run right now, both in football and basketball. Nothing should be surprising right now about what they do, or recruits that commit to that school, and until they are found guilty of wrong doing, people like me should probably just keep their mouth shut until that run is over.

[dabvu2498]

Originally Posted by Caseyfan21

OJ Mayo was born and raised in southwest Ohio/W. Va/KY and randomly decided to go to USC which really is not a basketball powerhouse. He cited Tim Floyd and wanting to get away from home as his reasons.

He might have suddenly changed his mind because OSU has suddenly become a top caliber basketball school. Two years ago I don't think any OSU basketball fan would have thought we would appear in the National Title game. Also, I'm not 100% sure but I don't think we had any of the Oden/Conley/Cook crew committed then either. A lot can change in 2 yrs in the recruiting game and a school that was on probation because of the previous coach can come out, get a few recruits, and suddenly become a national power.

I wish people would just give it a rest until something is actually proven about one of our current coaches. People just like to bash OSU because of their success and a lot of the fans cockiness. Thad has run a perfectly clean program in his 3 yrs in Columbus and is by all accounts a great recruiter and a great person.

I really agreed with that whole post until those last four words.

[WVRed]

Originally Posted by Caseyfan21

OJ Mayo was born and raised in southwest Ohio/W. Va/KY and randomly decided to go to USC which really is not a basketball powerhouse. He cited Tim Floyd and wanting to get away from home as his reasons.

He might have suddenly changed his mind because OSU has suddenly become a top caliber basketball school. Two years ago I don't think any OSU basketball fan would have thought we would appear in the National Title game. Also, I'm not 100% sure but I don't think we had any of the Oden/Conley/Cook crew committed then either. A lot can change in 2 yrs in the recruiting game and a school that was on probation because of the previous coach can come out, get a few recruits, and suddenly become a national power.

I wish people would just give it a rest until something is actually proven about one of our current coaches. People just like to bash OSU because of their success and a lot of the fans cockiness. Thad has run a perfectly clean program in his 3 yrs in Columbus and is by all accounts a great recruiter and a great person.

Funny you should mention OJ, he and another player went up against Sidney and another player in a 2 on 2 during one of the AAU tournaments and apparently Sidney as a sophomore dominated OJ.

I'm with Red Leader though. Even though from all accounts I have read that Oden and Conley were both heavily followed by Matta in the eighth grade, it wouldn't surprise me in the least if something came out about how the Thad Five would be on par with the Fab Five. Of course, I know there is a lot of talk on Louisville and Kansas boards about Billy Gillispie and his recruiting style too.