Run Like A Cheetah, Score Like B. Sanders

THE VIEW FROM THE HEDGES

Like millions, I am entranced by the mythos of Muhammad Ali.

An undersized heavyweight, Ali became the greatest boxer of all-time and the godfather of talking smack. Throughout his career, Ali made brash statements about his greatness and his opponents. When he was still young Cassius Clay, he emphatically predicted victory over the impressive champion at the time, Sonny Liston, and Clay backed up his words with two victories over Liston. As an aging, declining boxer Ali said that he could beat the stronger, ferocious George Foreman and he kept that promise too.

Beanie Wells is no Muhammad Ali.

At least, Wells does not compare with Ali in terms of arrogant self-promotion.

On Thursday, Wells told the media that he wants the Heisman. As you can read in the article, Beanie spoke plainly and truthfully. He also did not guarantee winning the Heisman or belittle any of his potential competitors. He simply said that he thinks about winning a little metal man trophy (and presumably, the kind of games that it will take for him to do it).

I am fine with this. In fact, I support it.

While these comments might make "bulletin board" material for OSU's opponents, they also serve a purpose in pumping up his team.

He is saying that he knows he is good and so too is his offensive line. Now its on him and them to make Beanie's wish come true. Sure, these statements put pressure on Beanie and Jim Cordle and co. to perform but an athlete without ambition will be Bode Miller. An athlete should have goals, and Beanie on Thursday just put his out there. Now, I know winning the Heisman is a big goal, but after you've run for a record 222 yards against Michigan (and 957 yards your last six games), how do you top that? Answer: by winning college football's most prestigious award en route to a national championship, of course.

Additionally, I am about as positive as Magic Johnson that some reporter asked Beanie about the Heisman; he did not go off shooting his mouth about it. Not that Beanie shot his mouth about anything, saying that he wanted to win the trophy is much different than saying he would win it. The whole college football considers Beanie a preseason Heisman favorite; Beanie knows this and there is nothing wrong with him admitting that he wants to win it. That's like Bill Murray admitting that he wants to win an Oscar or me saying I want to make out with a hot girl--it might not always happen, but a man can always dream.

Dream big, Beanie, dream big.

Thoughts not worthy of an entire article: Davidson-Kansas and Xavier-West Virginia are the two of the most recent examples of how to blow your last second shot opportunity (although Xavier prevailed in overtime). In both cases, the guards, Stephen Curry and Drew Lavender respectively, waited way too long before doing anything in order to get a good look, which is a perfectly good way to ruin a good game. For more about Davidson, read Big Daddy Drew's take on deadspin . . . Congrats on the Basketball Bucks and their NIT Championship. But the refs really let them bang away on each other--so many blocks, so many rebounds, yet only one player fouled out . . . With only 159 games remaining and the Indians and Reds both at 2-1, there's no way an Interstate 71 World Series doesn't happen this year.

Res ThaSequel lives alone, unless you count posters of Jerry Rudzinski. He is seriously considering buying an NIT championship shirt.

Silver Bullet Points

Catch your breath

Because we're approaching the recruiting home stretch when, like the Tri Delt semi-formal, anything goes.

Feb. 6th, National Signing Day, marks the first day that high school seniors can sign a letter of intent (LOI) to the college of their choosing. Despite marking when hundreds of minors sign binding contracts with large, powerful, usually state-funded institutions, National Signing Day has somehow managed to put an incredibly exciting spin on it's image. Lord knows I can't wait.

As of today, OSU has offered up 18 schollys and still has a few left to give (see "Freeman stays on board.") Terrelle Pryor, OL Josh Jenkins and DL Keith Wells, who recently de-committed from Florida St. and is reportedly leaning towards OSU, are all still without a date to the big show on Saturday afternoon and any one of these players would be icing on top of this class which is currently ranked 6 by Rivals and 9 by Scout.

During these remaining 20 days keep in mind that, even if OSU doesn't close the deal on any other marquee players, Tressel and his team have a knack for getting the most out of what they have. Even Scout concedes that a 3-star recruit turned All American is no longer an anomaly.

But let us not forget the most important recruits, those who became the current OSU junior class. More to come...

• Ever wonder what happened to Antonio Pittman?

• Something to drool over. CFN's 2009 top Draft prospects. No, it's not too early. Yes, 6 Buckeyes are listed.

• The final list of early entries. A once-over of this page is all the evidence needed to support the pre-season hype that will surround Beanie Wells. James Davis, Kevin Smith, Darren McFadden, Felix Jones, Steve Slaton, Jonathan Stewart, Rashard Mendenhall, Ray Rice... these are now names of running backs formally considered for the Heisman award.

Silver Bullet Points

Not to go over-kill with Troy Smith sightings, but #10 was in the ESPN studios yesterday for appearances on Cold Pizza and College Football Live. Good to see someone outside of Columbus still acknowledges his Heisman and place in the college football pantheon, even though he was clearly just the "de facto player of the year"...

• Heacock takes bow for OSU's defense

• A nice Wednesday afternoon read here. Joey Johnston, the college football writer for MSNBC.com who evidently moonlights at the Tommy Bahama outlet store in Las Vegas (see photo), really puts himself out there as the 73rd columnist to predict a Buckeye loss in the National Championship. This article, however, is particularly insulting and acutely contradictory to last year's manifesto titled: "Florida won't stop Ohio St. in title game."

• Finally, head over to Collegefootballnews.com and peruse their trademark listings of hypothetical scenarios. No, really. Today they unveiled an impressive collection of Heisman related features including:
  
• "If The Heisman Came After The Bowls"
• "Ranking the All-Time Heisman Winners"
• and "2008 Top 25 Heisman Contenders

• Even though CFN unceremoniously stripped Troy and Eddie of their awards, the Buckeyes fair well throughout the conversation. Particularly flattering are the five OSU trophies ranked in the top 40 of all time. Beanie/Boeckman '08.