Ohio State’s final home Big Ten Conference weekend of the season – May 9-11 vs. Illinois – will be a celebration of 125 years of Ohio State baseball that will feature two legendary coaches being honored for their accomplishments.

Marty Karow, Ohio State skipper from 1951 until 1976 and who led the Buckeyes to four College World Series, winning the national title in 1966, will have his jersey – No. 13 – officially retired by the athletics department in a ceremony between doubleheader games May 10.
Bob Todd, the winningest coach in Ohio State history with more than 800 wins in his 21 seasons as Ohio State coach, will be honored before the Friday, May 9, game on his induction into the American Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame.

Karow, who won a then-record 479 Ohio State games, will be only the third individual to have his jersey retired. Fred Taylor, Ohio State’s first baseball All-American, had his No. 27 retired in 2003. Steve Arlin, the great Ohio State pitcher who led the Buckeyes to back-to-back College World Series and to the 1966 CWS championship, had his jersey No. 22 retired in 2004. Karow’s jersey will be retired 33 years to the date of his last home game as coach: a 1-0 win over Michigan May 10, 1975. He passed away in 1986, three months shy of his 82nd birthday.

Todd, who has 947 career victories in this, his 25th season as a collegiate head coach, has guided Ohio State to six of its 14 Big Ten Conference championships and he has also led the team to a Big Ten record eight Big Ten tournament titles. In addition, he has led the team into 12 NCAA tournaments. Todd has done more than win championships at Ohio State, though. He was the driving force behind the fund raising efforts and the building of the majestic Bill Davis Stadium.

The Illinois weekend will also be an opportunity to celebrate the current student-athletes as well as the past accomplishments of those before them. Among the efforts planned for the weekend:

Ohio State’s baseball captains –151 different individuals have served as captain over the years including this year’s captains, Dan DeLucia and Justin Miller – will have their annual captain’s breakfast Sunday morning.

This year’s four seniors– DeLucia, Tony Kennedy, Chris Macke and Rory Meister – will be honored on the field prior to the 1 p.m. Sunday game.

In conjunction with the Diamond Club, the baseball program’s booster organization, a BBQ picnic will take place on Saturday and will be open to the public for a minimal charge with all proceeds benefiting the baseball program.

A display of past Ohio State baseball trophies, including Big Ten Conference championship trophies and the 1966 College World Series trophy, will be assembled at Bill Davis Stadium throughout the weekend.

CWS and Big Ten Recognition Plaques
Permanent recognition will also be added to Bill Davis Stadium. The retired jersey numbers will have a permanent place on the outfield walls and jersey plaques and bios for Taylor, Arlin and Karow will be placed on one side of the arched wall in the stadium concourse.

On the other side of the arches, the side facing Borror Drive and the entrance to the stadium, Ohio State’s College World Series years – 1951, 1965, 1966 and 1967 – will be displayed along one end and Ohio State’s Big Ten Conference championship years – 1917, 1924, 1943, 1951, 1955, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1999 and 2001 – will be displayed on the other end.

In addition, “Ohio State” and “Buckeyes” will adorn the tops of the dugouts similar to the way those brands are displayed in the end zones at Ohio Stadium and on the end lines on the basketball floor at the Jerome Schottenstein Center. A new back stop behind home plate will also be installed.

Tickets for the weekend games are available at the Ohio State University ticket office in the Jerome Schottentein Center, online at OhioStateBuckeyes.com or by calling 1-800-GO-BUCKS.

Popularity: 30% [?]

First, I have to say that reducing the time limit on the first round picks from 15 minutes to 10 minutes was a genius move. The pace picked up and it wasn’t so agonizing that I could actually watch the whole round without thinking the world was passing me by. The first day was reduced from 6.5 hours to just fewer than 4. Great job Mr. Commissioner!

Congratulations to Vernon Gholston! The 6th overall pick to the New York Jets in the first round. Great decisions all around. I’m not a big fan of a player leaving early unless he is assured a first round selection and if he is legitimately ready for the next level at his position. Vernon is ready to play in the NFL and he went where expected, to a team that can really use a player with his abilities. Now it’s time to prepare for a much longer season in a whole new world. Good Luck Vernon!

We knew with so many Buckeyes electing to return for their senior season, the draft would be thin for the Bucks but I was glad to see Kirk Barton and Larry Grant get drafted. After the first couple of rounds, it is impossible to predict where you may go. There are so many trades and moves, that in some instances it is sometimes a good idea to wait and sign as a free agent, so you can pick a team that would give you the best chance of making a roster. But on the other hand, it is very hard to reject an offer to be drafted, regardless of the team.

Larry Grant was the first of the two to go in the 7th round (214 pick) to the San Francisco 49ers. Grant is from California and went to San Francisco Junior College, so he gets to go home and even though he didn’t get the spot light at OSU, I think the 9ers will be pleasantly surprised with their last pick. Good luck Larry!

Barton was the 247 selection in the 7th round to the Chicago Bears. This may be a tough place for Kirk to make the roster but a good place for him to prove his worth to the league and if he doesn’t make the cut, he could get picked up down the line by another team looking for a tough, well coached, high quality young man with great credentials. Hope he makes the cut but I still see him spending some time in the league. Go getem’ Kirk!

I thought the feel good story of the draft was Caleb Campbell from Army going in the 7th round to the Detroit Lions. Obviously he is a long shot to make the team as a DB but may make the roster as a special team player. The reason this is so cool, is that for the first time, the military has changed their policy on athletes going to the pros after their military commitment has ended. Caleb, if he makes the roster, will be able to stay with the team and serve his country in the off season in a domestic role as a recruiter or the like. Good PR move Mr. Chief of Staff.

Then there is always the Mr. Irrelevant pick. This is the last man selected in the draft. This goes to Davis Vobora, a DB from Idaho to the St. Louis Rams. Now, even though he did get drafted and has a very low chance of making the Rams roster, he does get a shot at stardom since Mr. Irrelevant gets a guest spot on the David Letterman show. Maybe he can sing or dance?

As far as the rest of the draft, beyond moving much faster, it went pretty much as planned. There were a couple very good moves for some teams moving up to get there picks. I think that Washington and Baltimore did well. I think the Brown and Bengals improved their opportunities and the Colts, Giants and Pats filled some of their holes. I thought it was interesting that the “character” issue was so pronounced in the league and with the media. I know it’s a lot of rhetoric for the “analysts” to waste hour upon hours talking about but I hope it makes the up and comers more aware of the off-the-field exploits in the future. We’ll see how it all falls out. A lot of guys go in every year and most of them end up preparing for the real world.

On the rest of the Bucks, only the two fullbacks, Dionte Johnson and Tyler Whaley signed free agent contracts on draft day. Dionte went to the Cardinals where his father’s teammate Maurice Carthon now coaches the running backs. Tyler was picked up by the Bengals where his dream will continue after walking on at OSU. Good luck guys, give’em your best.

Popularity: 25% [?]

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Three former Ohio State men’s hockey players are in action in the 2008 NHL Stanley Cup playoffs. Dave Steckel (2001-04) and his Washington Capitals are taking on R.J. Umberger (2001-03) and the Philadelphia Flyers in a first-round series. Rod Pelley (2002-05) is on the New Jersey Devils’ playoff roster in their series vs. the New York Rangers.

Steckel scored a goal last Friday in his first playoff game as the Caps downed the Flyers, 5-4. During the regular season, he played in 67 games for Washington, record five goals, seven assists and 12 points. Steckel has seen action in 79 career NHL games.

Umberger scored in the Flyers’ 2-0 win over the Caps Sunday as Philadelphia tied the series at one game apiece. Umberger played in 74 games this season, posting 50 points, including 37 assists. He has played in 228 NHL games, all with Philadelphia, recording 49 goals, 67 assists and 67 points.

Pelley has not seen action for the Devils yet this postseason, as they trail in the series with the Rangers, 2-1. He last played for the NHL team in four-consecutive games March 15-22. He played in 58 regular-season games this season and had two goals and six points. Pelley has played in 67 career games at the NHL level.

Former Buckeye Ryan Kesler (2003) also played in the NHL this season, skating in 80 games for the Vancouver Canucks, who did not qualify for the playoffs. He had 21 goals and 37 points in 2007-08 and has a 39-42-81 line in 238 NHL games.

Nate Guenin, a Buckeye from 2002-05, also is a member of the Flyers organization. He was recalled by the NHL club April 10, but was returned to the Philadelphia Phantoms in the American Hockey League the next day. Guenin skated in two NHL games in 2007-08 and has played in 11 games at the NHL level in his career, posting two assists.

Ohio State was one of 19 schools to have five or more former student-athletes in the NHL during 2007-08 and tied for fourth in the CCHA in current NHL players.

Popularity: 27% [?]

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Popularity: 36% [?]