2008 Woodie Awards
The view from up here
Florida vs. Ohio State Part II
Jake Garcin
Issue date: 4/2/07 Section: Sports
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Although on the surface Monday’s college basketball title game appears to share striking similarities with the 2007 BCS Championship game the two match-ups are actually worlds apart.
In January the Gator football team prepared to silence critics who said FU had no outside shot at knocking off the powerful Buckeyes and their Heisman-trophy-winning quarterback Troy Smith.
History has a way of making everyone, especially me, look like an idiot - the Gators silenced all critics with a decisive win to capture the crown.
The championship gave the University of Florida its second major national championship in 10 months, which quite honestly made me throw up a little bit in my mouth.
To make matters worse for any one not thrilled with the thought of a Florida dynasty, the basketball team returned everyone from last year and are a favorite to make it three trophies in a year’s span.
The only team standing in the way - Ohio State University. The Buckeyes were picked as a national championship contender in 2007 long before half the team had even stepped on campus. Why? Because OSU Head Coach Thad Matta was able to ink the greatest recruiting class since the Michigan Fab Five in 1991.
The most amazing part of Thad’s fabulous freshman is they got their winning vibe going together long before most the country knew who they were. Oden, Michael Conley Jr. and Daequan Cook all played for the Spiece Indy Heat AAU team, which won the Las Vegas Big Time AAU Tournament on back-to-back occasions.
Oden and Conley didn’t stop with their titles in Vegas. The duo carried it over into the Ohio State High School basketball tournament three times, winning the 4A crown at Lawrence North High School in Indianapolis, Ind., back-to-back-to-back times.
Between Oden and Conley combined the Buckeyes have 10 titles worth of experience in the past four years and even if they were in high school, these kids know how to win.
Throw out the fact Florida beat the Buckeyes by 26 points earlier this season. Greg Oden was shooting free throws left handed while rehabbing his shooting hand from off-season surgery and Conley was still figuring out where the OSU cafeteria is located.
Fast forward a few months and the Buckeyes have won 22 consecutive games, including five big time NCAA tournament games. Sure they may not have played in an NCAA title game, but I can’t help but feel there is an aura surrounding this group of youngsters.Maybe its because I’m sick of seeing Joakim Noah pound his chest after every single and-one he converts or maybe its out of spite for the FU fans who have gotten to enjoy so much success as of late. I’m about to throw up a little bit in my mouth again.
Regardless of my true motives there is only one thing that I see in the crystal ball - Ohio State cutting down the nets as Florida watches in disbelief. If not, we shall never speak of this game again.
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