Those in tune with the college basketball scene may be aware that the ACC-Big Ten Challenge
pairings for 2010 were announced earlier this week. Last year was the first year that the Big Ten prevailed in the Challenge, picking up huge wins from Illinois, Wisconsin, and of course the Buckeyes in the final day. The Scarlet & Gray will be matched against Florida State for the second year in a row when the games tip-off in November, and given the anticipated strength of the Big Ten Conference this coming basketball season, there is hope that the good guys will deliver a repeat performance in claiming the victory.
It’s understandable if you missed the announcement of the pairings this week amidst the excitement surrounding the fast-approaching football season. With both a dominating football team and a powerhouse basketball team to follow, Ohio State faithful may find their focus pulled in different directions occasionally, and around this time of year the main attraction will naturally be the gridiron. However, one wouldn’t be surprised to find that Coach Tressel, even now, is well aware of the goings-on related to his team’s hardwood counterparts. At Ohio State there is the sense that Thad and Tress genuinely respect and support each other, and it’s not unusual to see Coach Tressel sitting on the sidelines in January or February cheering on the basketball Buckeyes.
As we draw closer to the first kickoff of the season, and eagerly anticipate seeing our favorite class-act Coach once again leading the team onto the field, this juxtaposition of sports prompts a question: What if Tressel wasn’t just sitting on the sidelines at basketball games, but rather walking the sidelines? What would Ohio State basketball look like with Tressel at the helm? Here are ten ways that things might look a bit different…
1. The rebirth of the Four Corners Offense. That’s right – think Dean Smith and UNC from a few decades back. Why? Ball control. Protect that lead. Play it conservative. Tresselball in action. Shot clocks? We don’t need no stinkin’ shot clocks!
2. The Trifecta baby! The three-pointer, always a fan favorite. This was instituted in the NCAA men’s game right around the same time the shot clock was making the Four Corners obsolete. At first you may think to yourself “Three-pointers? Wouldn’t pounding it down low for a closer shot be more Tressel’s style?” Not quite. Remember, Tressel is always happy to come away with the three-point field goal.
3. Drive, no dish. In case you were worried that Tresselball on the court was going to turn into a steady diet of bombing away from downtown, rest easy. In true Ohio State fashion, plenty of driving through the middle can be expected. However, don’t look for the drive-and-dish approach (too much like the option). If you’re taking it through the lane, you better be prepared to take it all the way to the rim. Not only that, but you better have a good handle on that ball, because…
4. Turnovers will NOT be tolerated! Just as fumbles can kill you on the field, sloppy ball-handling can be the difference in a close game on the court. Keep that dribble low and that elbow up. Just try not to throw a stiff-arm. That’s a foul.
5. And now Buckeye fans, off your seats and on your feet! Let’s meet our starting lineup! At power forward, from Jeannette, Pennsylvania, number two, Terrelle Pryyyyor!!!
6. As painful as it may be to say it, there would probably be a shift back toward a style of basketball characteristic of another Jim. Yes, Jim O’Brien. Not a lot of flash, but a whole lotta defense. Hard-nosed, grind-it-out, relentless defense. Defense, defense, defense. Locking your man down is a must.
7. Work the ball around, be patient, get an open look. In other words, use every second of the aforementioned shot clock. The more you have the ball in your hands, the better off you’ll be. Clock management is essential in Tresselball.
8. Suddenly, the guards are actually bigger than the center! Weird.
9. Although it may be going out on a limb to say this, it’s reasonable to expect that a Tressel-coached basketball squad would set the new record for charges taken in a season. When you have tough players willing to do the little things, that’s what happens. You can bet that no player on Tressel’s team is going to become faint of heart when standing in the way of an opponent’s full-speed foray to the hoop.
10. Whenever he plays Michigan, instead of beating a former West Virginia coach, Tressel would be beating a…….oh, wait……
So there you have it, a quick snapshot of how things might be different if The Sweater Vest suddenly appeared on the bench to lead David, Jon, Dallas and the guys in the Schott. There are probably a lot of unanswered questions still swirling in your mind, not the least of which is “Would Tressel have picked up the gum?” (He can’t do that kind of thing on the field, you know. Nasty faux turf taste would get into the Juicy Fruit).
Hopefully, unlike us, Tressel doesn’t spend too much time pondering this alternative career path. After all, September 2nd is only three weeks away!
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