As we approach tip off for the Big Ten Tourney, I’m reminded of my irritation at Ohio State for the hatchet job it performed on Jim O’Brien two years ago. The unilateral termination of O’Brien is generally old news. However, as Ohio State begins the conference tournament awaiting NCAA’s announcement on the various transgressions at Ohio State under O’Brien and AD Andy Geiger (related primarily to Boban Savovic and his inability to goto class), the misinformation emmanating from Columbus intended to malign O’Brien has gone on too long.
My frustration here has little to do with Thad Matta. He’s has done a pretty nice job of getting the Buckeyes ready to play all season. A regular season Big Championship is hard-earned and well-deserved. No one will say Matta hasn’t extracted everything he can out of his players. The team plays hard. They play to their strengths. They never quit. Take a look at the LSU game if you need an example. With the exception of his inexplicable decision to continue giving substantial minutes to Matt Sylvester, a defensive liability and an offensive genius in his own mind, Matta has made sound calls all season. However, as a lifelong Ohio State fan, I cringe when I see Matta orient his offense around quick three pointers. The Iowa and Indiana games serve as reminders that a three pointer is easier to make in minute 17 as opposed to minute 38, when the game hangs in the balance.
But this isn’t about Matta. Ohio State hung O’Brien out to dry. And it irritates me when I hear Matta taking a role in Ohio State’s vilification of its ex-coach. Hearing Matta repeat the mantra that he’s rebuilding the program is more than a little disingenuous. First, the key players on this team, with the exception of Ron Lewis, are O’Brien’s players. O’Brien inherited a truly horrible Randy Ayers team; Matta inherited a team that won 20 games. I don’t remember O’Brien bad mouthing the condition of the program when he took over for the inept Randy Ayers. Second, O’Brien is a very good coach. Not only does he set up some of the finest offensive sets out of timeouts, in a short period of time, O’Brien won two Big Ten Titles and went to one Final Four.
Most importantly, let’s just be honest and view the O’Brien firing for what it was: a rush to judgment by a university administration intent on protecting itself. An administration trying to head off a full blown investigation by the NCAA at the pass. An effort to deflect further public scrutiny of the football program in the wake of Maurice Clarett. For goodness sake, Ohio State never even asked O’Brien to explain the facts related to the check given to the Croatian player. If they did, they would’ve known it may have been bad judgment but not a rules violation and they would have known that the kid paid him back. When O’Brien loaned the kid the money to bury his father, O’Brien already determined he wasn’t eligible to play college basketball because the Croatian already played professionally.
So, Coach Matta’s refrain of rebuilding a poor program (as stated throughout the season on the Big Ten Teleconferences) strikes me as self-serving and rings of piety. Lowering expectations for Ohio State, when they needn’t be lowered, is lame. Matta’s done a great job this year; there’s just no need for him to kick dirt on O’Brien.
I’m experiencing a sense of calm. I see blue skies, not gray. My chest is phlegm free.gm. I hear Josh Rouse on my stereo. I see a refrigerator full of maple yogurt and Guinness. Best of all, it’s almost time to sit on my arse all day and watch hoop. Can’t wait.
