While We’re Waiting serves as the early morning gathering of WFNY-esque information for your viewing pleasure. Have something you think we should see? Send it to our tips email at tips@waitingfornextyear.com.
One year ago on Memorial Day, everything changed for the Buckeyes. This column looks at the year of chaos in college football beginning with the Vest’s departure: “But few in Columbus, Ohio, ever will forget Memorial Day 2011, even if they’d like to. That morning, Jim Tressel resigned under pressure as Ohio State’s coach, nearly three months after admitting he had failed to provide information about Buckeyes players receiving improper benefits from a local tattoo parlor owner.
Five weeks earlier, in what turned out to be his final major public appearance as Buckeyes coach, Tressel, known for his trademark sweater vest, wore camouflage pants, desert boots and a camouflage hat during Ohio State’s spring game as a tribute to the military. Then, on a day dedicated to U.S. military members who made the ultimate sacrifice, Tressel, one of the nation’s most decorated coaches, stepped down from his post in disgrace.” [Adam Rittenberg/ESPN.com]
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I’ve enjoyed these detailed reports over at 11W. The latest one is on the stats behind Urban Meyer’s usual tight end usage: “What is probably more interesting is that really only a single player each year managed to really make an impact on offense. Each season, only one player was able to record more than ten receptions, and there was only one year in which two tight ends snagged over 100 yards (Aaron Hernandez’s freshman year). Furthermore, in every year except for Aaron Hernandez’s junior year, the starting tight end had 380, 508, 381, and 210 receiving yards.” [Chad Peltier/Eleven Warriors]
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A look back at the spectacular statistics produced by Kyrie Irving this past season: “Kyrie averaged 18.5 points, 5.4 assists, and 3.7 rebounds per game. Those are some pretty nice numbers. Obviously we’d like to see more assists from your point guard, but that will come with time. Once he gets some weapons around him, I expect he’ll get many more. Another thing worth noting is that he accumulated these numbers in just 30.5 minutes per game. Byron Scott did a nice job of managing his minutes in the shortened season, but his total numbers suffered because of it.” [Conrad Kaczmarek/Fear the Sword]
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Speaking of 2011-12 point guards, it appears that former Cavalier Ramon Sessions is on target to return to the Lakers next season: ‘”Oh yeah, definitely,’ Sessions said when asked if he’d like to return to the Lakers. ‘Talking to Mitch before I left, they definitely want me back and I’d love to come back. This is a first-class organization. There are banners all over the gym and there’s a lot of history here. From the top to the bottom, everything was great. They’re first class all around.’” [Alex Kennedy/Hoops World]
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I’m not generally a big fan of comparing the Browns’ attendance to the Tribe’s. But this is a neat look at some of the differences between the two franchises: “Why is it so different for the Indians? It is Cleveland’s dream that the Browns could be as competent as the Indians. The Indians run a good franchise. They’re competitive. After the glory years from 1994-2001, they’ve run out teams in ’05, ’07, ’11 and ’12 that have competed for or made the playoffs. That means that the Indians have been in a pennant race or better 12 out of the last 19 seasons. That’s Cardiac Kids/Bernie Kosar era numbers there.” [Steve Eby/Did The Tribe Win Last Night?]
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For those who always blank on this, the MLB draft begins next Monday. Here’s a look at a potential good fit for the Tribe: “15. Cleveland – Stephen Piscotty, 3B/OF, Stanford. The Indians have a long history of drafting bats from Stanford. Piscotty is a big right handed bat, who is not only a good value, but also fills an organizational need. I think he is best suited to be an outfielder, but just looking at Piscotty you have to like what you see at 6’3” 215. In 161 college games his line is .346/.411/.476 with 40 doubles, 12 home runs, 59 walks, and only 61 strike outs. … Yet here is a guy here who could fill the biggest need of the Tribe and the entire system, a right handed bat with some power. You never draft for need, you draft value, but this is a perfect case where value meets need.” [Jeff Ellis/Indians Prospect Insider]
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And, finally, a nod to these two Buckeyes for their national championship crown in tennis: “Chase Buchanan and Blaz Rola of Ohio State defeated Raony Carvalho and Gonzalo Escobar of Texas Tech 7-6(4), 6-3 to win the NCAA Division I tennis doubles championship today in Athens, Ga. The match was the last as a collegian for Buchanan, a senior from New Albany. Rola is a sophomore from Slovenia.” [The Columbus Dispatch]
