Hunting Big (?) Game he is

[JKC74]

<<OSU will likely have a good season and that is fine but as long as they are unwilling to play Xavier, UD, and UC they deserve criticism.>>

Maybe, but it's not uncommon at all for the big state school not to play other schools in the state. Look at the obvious points-

(1) OSU has little to gain and more to lose by playing X, so there's no incentive for them to schedule us.

(2) X, on the other hand, has more to gain and little to lose, so we'd like them to play us.

(3) OSU already has more than its share of "big-name", TV-ready conference games, so they don't have to front-load their non-conf. schedule.

(4) X's conf. schedule does NOT give us that opportunity, so we need big-time non-conf. games.

Yes, I'd like to play OSU in a non-conf. game, and I'm sure it would be a big attraction, but I can guarantee that OSU fans and alums aren't clamoring for the Buckeyes to schedule us (for several reasons), and OSU can make just as much money, if not more, by scheduling other teams, so it's not like a Xavier game is a guaranteed cash cow, either.

How long did it take for Kentucky to agree to play Louisville in anything??? It's not unusual

[Mr. Neutral]

<<How long did it take for Kentucky to agree to play Louisville in anything??? It's not unusual>>

It took the Kentucky legislature mandating that the two schools play, which seems a little unusual, I'd think.

For years, DePaul (when it was good) wanted a non-conf. game with Illinois. Illinois saw no upside in it, and therefore it never happened.

To me, it's a simple issue: what is the upside to OSU from their point of view (not ours)? OSU is already a nationally-known school (admittedly more for football), they've won NCAA titles, and more recently, been to the NCAA final game, they already get enough TV exposure via their conference games, and their non-conf. schedule already includes Miami (FL), ND, Butler and West Virginia.

So, once again, a Xavier-OSU matchup helps us more than it helps them, so there's no really good reason for the Buckeyes to want to schedule us.

It's similar to our gripe about why Gonzaga doesn't play us; if the Zags thought a game with us would help them in any way, they'd do it. They don't, so they haven't.

[Shadow]

But wouldn't Thad enjoy returning to an arena in which he is so well adored (he says with tongue in cheek).

[D West]

[quote="Mr. Neutral"]<<OSU will likely have a good season and that is fine but as long as they are unwilling to play Xavier, UD, and UC they deserve criticism.>>

Maybe, but it's not uncommon at all for the big state school not to play other schools in the state. Look at the obvious points-

(1) OSU has little to gain and more to lose by playing X, so there's no incentive for them to schedule us.

(2) X, on the other hand, has more to gain and little to lose, so we'd like them to play us.

(3) OSU already has more than its share of "big-name", TV-ready conference games, so they don't have to front-load their non-conf. schedule.

(4) X's conf. schedule does NOT give us that opportunity, so we need big-time non-conf. games.(quote]

Gary, this sounds like the UC argument for the last 20 years?? "We really don't have anything to gain playing little X-avier especially when they kick our ass..........."

"Big-name" is playing a Big Ten opponents? Please.........give us another shot at Indiana, Wisconsin, Illinois....

[Mr. Neutral]

<<"Big-name" is playing a Big Ten opponents?>>

Well, when we played those teams, especially Indiana and Illinois, they were signature games for us.

And which game is likely to get more national exposure and coverage-OSU v. Illinois or Xavier v. URI?

[madness31]

I don't disagree that X has more to gain nor that OSU has a lot to lose but that is why X fans should criticize OSU. Why should a program be respected when they refuse to play someone out of fear of losing? As more and more Big 10 schools schedule X, OSU will look worse and worse.

There are plenty of large state schools that play smaller in-state rivals. Obviously not every school deserves a shot at an in-state BCS opponent but successful programs do. What is the argument against OSU playing UC? The Big East is easily better than the Big 10. It is strictly fear of recruiting problems if OSU loses to other Ohio Universities. If OSU wants respect they should schedule UC and XU every other year and probably rotate UD, Kent, Akron, Miami, BG, and Toledo in another game. Some of these teams have and will continue to have a place on the OSU schedule but they are of course the least likely schools to beat them with the exception of possibly Kent.

Thad is not a reason to dislike OSU but their unwillingness to schedule X as well as other solid Ohio programs is.

[Mr. Neutral]

At the risk of repeating myself, every school schedules in its own best interests. It would help X to play OSU more than it would help OSU. There's no incentive from OSU's perspective to play us. There is an incentive from our perspective to have such a game.

It's no different than buying a house. I have an incentive at buying it at one price. The seller has an incentive to sell it at another price. Sometimes, you meet in the middle, sometimes you don't.

[muskieman]

Gary, I see your point and I really could care if osu and X play. When it is a state school, just like when UK was forced to play in state and osu was encouraged to play (in football) in state schools, the argument was the money that support state schools comes from taxpayers and they (XYZ school) should help other state schools financially which in turn helps taxpayers.

Again I could care less if osu plays X....it would be nice but I lose no sleep over it. X can get more national pub playing other high profile schools than in playing osu.

[madness31]

I never argued it was in OSU's interest to play X. The point remains that X fans should hold it against OSU for being afraid to schedule the game. It has less to do with Xavier's conference and everything to do with possibly losing recruits to other schools in the state. If it was about conference they would schedule UC.

I do agree that Xavier has no need to play OSU since more and more strong programs want to put us on their schedule. Hopefully the A10 will have another strong year so that a reputation begins. Of course the league will need more than 1 team to get out of the first round sometime soon for everyone to take notice.

[Mr. Neutral]

<<If OSU wants respect they should schedule UC and XU every other year and probably rotate UD, Kent, Akron, Miami, BG, and Toledo in another game.>>

While fans and alums of the schools you listed above may not "respect" OSU for not scheduling them, I feel I'm on pretty safe ground in saying that not a single college basketball fan in the country (again, other than fans/alums of the other Ohio schools) has less respect for OSU because they don't play other in-state schools.

I have never seen a single article, nor been involved in a single conversation, where an impartial college b-ball observer said "I'd respect Ohio State more if they played Xavier (or Toledo, or UC, etc.)".

It's our gripe, not that of the college b-ball world.