* March 31st
- Several basketball notes after speaking with Ohio Bobcats head coach Tim O’Shea today.
- As expected, ‘Cats guard Allen Hester will not be back next season, but head coach Tim O’Shea did confirm to me today that Bert Whittington IV will stay with the program. Don’t be surprised if Hester transfers to a D-II or NAIA school, where he would be allowed to play right away next season.
- O’Shea said that Ohio will look to fill the open scholarship spot left by Hester with a point guard. This presumably means that Chillicothe H.S. forward Ray Chambers has not and will not be offered a scholarship at Ohio.
- O’Shea is working hard to complete next season’s schedule. The Bobcats will travel to George Mason on November 29th in a re-match of the Bracketbuster’s matchup this past season. Ohio will host Holy Cross on December 22nd, St. Francis on December 30th and Bucknell on January 3rd, O’Shea said.
- O’Shea also noted that he is talking to Cornell and Temple right now as well.
- Including the Bracketbusters game, Ohio played 14 regular season non-conference games last season.
- More to come.
* March 27th
- It’s been way too long since I have been on the blog updating, so while watching WVU-Xavier I figured it’s about time.
- It was great to see Holzer Clinic and Ohio University come together for the huge sponsorship today. Maybe this will make other local businesses or wealthy donors step up as well.
- Am I off target for saying in today’s Athens NEWS column that it is good to see the men’s basketball season end? Click Here to Read the Column
- Kirby Hocutt already has his hands full at Miami. SID and Child Porn at Miami
- Random fact of the month: I sat behind New England Patriots running back Laurence Maroney on my flight from Chicago to St. Louis this morning. He’s big.
- My favorite CBS broadcaster for all of the March Madness? This guy
- Stay tuned to the blog the next few days. Some good football news will be posted here shortly.
- Back in Athens next week. It will be fun to get back behind the microphone and talk sports on “The SportsFan”.
* March 17th (10:20 pm)
- The Ohio University women's basketball season is now officially over. The 'Cats did not make the Women's NIT and the Women's National Invitational Championship folded before it even began. The WNIC, much like the men's CBI, was supposed to offer another spot for the good but overlooked women's teams. It would have been a field of 32 teams.
* March 17th (12:15 pm)
- Just back from the volleyball press conference announcing the hire of Ryan Theis. You’ll hear more from me about the hire in Thursdays Athens NEWS.
- Theis said he has already been in contact with both of the 2008 recruits and their families. He was hopeful and optimistic both recruits (Katie Post, Rachel Hockaday) would stand by their commitment, but it sounds like nothing is definite.
- Theis has been in Athens since last Monday, which was just three days after his baby boy, Carter, was born. He will fly back to Gainesville tonight.
- The former University of Florida assistant said he has been in contact with a couple of coaches about joining his staff as assistants at Ohio, but Theis would not release any names.
- A brief note on the CBI after speaking with Ohio Director of Athletics Kirby Hocutt this morning.
- Ohio will owe $60,000 to the CBI for hosting a first round game against Brown. Ohio would then go on the road for rounds two and three before the championship, assuming Ohio keeps winning. The ‘Cats will pay whatever they earn from ticket costs immediately to the CBI. Whatever is left of that $60,000 owed after the gate fee is paid, Ohio will make up by playing a money game next season.
- “Tim (O’Shea) has accepted playing another money game next year,” said Hocutt. “Tim’s having conversations with three or four programs right now. Hopefully over the next three to four weeks that will materialize and be final.”
- Hocutt said those programs include powerhouses Kentucky and Louisville as possible opponents next season.
- The game against Brown on Tuesday will be at 7 pm. It will be carried on WXTQ-FM in Athens with coverage starting at 6:30. Students will be able to get in free on Tuesday. All other tickets are $10 with seating being first come, first serve. I’m sure OhioBobcats.com will have more shortly.