To appease some of my loyal readers, who had no interest in my takes about Mad Men and the Pickup Artist 2, I offer a very fun list of the best clubs in the OAC over my career. Real quick, must have been very cool to be at the game last night. It had to be the best Browns game to be at in the last 10 years. The bye week is such a huge asset in the NFL. You got the feeling when the Browns came out in the Wildcat set that they werent fucking around. I mean they had to really establish some offense early and they did. When Derek Anderson makes good deep throws, he is a very effective NFL player. When Braylon Edwards makes deep plays down the field, the Browns and Chud look innovative and creative. It was as simple as this conversation: DA--Look Chud, you gotta give me some plays that are gonna fucking work. You're making me look like an asshole. I'm a pro-bowler. Chud--Alright dickhead, why don't you make some big plays downfield. You're fucking me too. I'm an innovater who might be in line for a head job if we get our shit together.
So OBVIOUSLY, this list is highly highly arguable. It is very subjective, yet at the same time, its somewhat true. You can shuffle the order around quite a bit but I think the top 5 are pretty solid picks. I dunno I am just gonna start writing it and see where I go.
10. Otterbein 2006-2007: These guys make the list for a lotta reasons, mostly sentimental. These guys beat Capital, which made us OAC champs. SO thanks for that. We had a nice win with them at home to start the season. And we played one of the funnest games of my life with them at Otterbein. OAC legend Tyler Ousely had a nice night--somewhere along the line of 25,18,6 blocks. Mimesy fouls out with about 9 minutes left. We're getting killed the whole game. And we win. We got fucked by the refs more than anything I have ever seen on a basketball court. And we win. Joe Kimener goes legend with his tip. Insane tip. His nuts were on Ousley's chin, and he could have tip dunked it, but he made sure with a layup. That was the kind of player Joe was. No flash, all business. So we play out of our asses to get up two, and we end up fouling some neck whose shooting a 3. How can you ever make that call first of all? Some ass clown is taking a 35 footer, and you call a shooting foul on the best player on the court (t walsh)? Long story short, he chokes the ft, time runs out, hysteria and euphoria on the court. Hysteria and euphoria continues in the locker room and throughout the course of the evening. These guys ended up making the final four of the OAC tourney. Decent team. Might notice that a lot of these teams are gonna be teams that I played well against and had nice games against.
9. Muskingum 2004-2005: This was a team of complete badasses that featured several stout OAC journeymen. It featured a much skinnier Jeremy Ady, who was very good when he was a freshman, and got progressively worse as the years went on(reminds me of a lotta guys including myself). They had this guy named Zach Ross, who got kicked off the team for weed the previous year. This guy was a strong build guy who could stroke and get to the line. Really good player. They had these great posts who were just tough led by Cole Pittis. These guys handed us our first loss of the season with a tip at the buzzer by Jeremy Ady(sending us reeling to 13-1) and then came back and beat us at Musky when we were up possibly 20 in the second half. These guys were tough as hell. Really strong kids. Then they had us in the final four game of the OAC tourney at Carroll, but the crowd and big efforts carried us home. Very respected team in my eyes.
8. Baldwin Wallace 2004-2005: These guys are slotted a little high for several reasons. They were supposed to be better than they really were. I think the OAC ranked them higher than us in the preseason and guys on our team were pissed about it. Then we went to BW and kicked their ass. Then they spiraled into the middle of the OAC and finished middle of the pack. Nevertheless, they got HOT and ripped the OAC tourney from us, and beat us at home during the season. They were good definitely. They lost in the first round of the NCAA. We didnt. A middle of the pack regular season and quick exit in the postseason gets you #8.
7. Ohio Northern 2006-2007: There had to be an ONU team on this list because they were a pretty good group of players. That pretty much covers it though. Good players. Great numbers. Nice individual accolades. So so team. The streaks owe them a bit of graditude though for beating Wittenberg and Wooster in the preseason. If Witt beats them, the Streaks arent dancing in 07. Plain and simple.
6. Capital 2006-2007: Picked 5th in the preseason poll. Beat us in the tourney chip. They were a good team. You have to give them their due. But we lost that chip game much more than they won it. We got a couple bad calls and a couple bad breaks. O well. Woulda, shoulda, coulda. They got wacked in the first round of the postseason. We didnt. Really really really wish I could have seen my colleague Chris Day get into a full out scuffle with Damon Goodwin. There was definite possibilities in the hand shaking line. Cap guys and our guys and Mikey Miracle should have let that go. That would have rivaled Ali-Frazier, Ryan v. his brother in the OC episode where Marissa Cooper ended up shooting Ryan's brother, New York v. Peanut in Flavor of Love 1, the list goes on. Personally, I think Goodwin was favored, but he didnt have a sweat going, or as much adrenaline as Day did at the time. Plus Day is likes-to-fight-guy. In terms of backup, Casey Brown would have caused some problems, but I would have liked Hamrick against him. If I had to get into it with someone, I would probably have gone at Ben Gunn and just gotten into his body and negated his reach advantage. I think Joe K would have mopped the floor with Stahl.
5. Heidelberg 2007-2008: These guys shot the lights out. Hibatchi. After four years of deep deep mediocrity, broke through and won an OAC tournament. Got blasted in the playoffs. Didnt have the experience. The hot shooting went cold. These guys had a lotta nice skill. They really played well when they started to play 9 guys like we do. All 9 guys were really good, but more than anything they played without fear. And thats the only way D3 players play well. When they have no fear and are just playing and having fun. No worries. Was very very pumped when I heard they beat Capital in the finals.
4. Capital 2007-2008: Ran through the league. Solid national ranking all year. Very good players. Nice team. Won a game in the NCAAs. Congrats.
3. Baldwin Wallace 2005-2006: Had a really solid year. Really crossed the league and clinched it early. Won the tourney on their home court. Must have been a fun feeling. Who did they beat? O ya, Ohio Northern. I forgot they ever made it to the Friday-Saturday of an OAC. Tori Davis one his first of two POY's. The emergence of two of my readers, one as a stopper/slasher finisher, the other as floor leader/great shooter really set them apart from the rest of the league. Won a game in the NCAAs.
2. John Carroll 2006-2007: The Kings of the OAC returned after a year absence. The acquisition of Terry Walsh, the re-signing of Brandon Mimes, a 28 year old point guard, a bad ass winner, the explosive scoring and defense of a Journeyman, and solid contributions from several rookies in their first campaign led us to the OAC supremacy we enjoyed. The season flipped when we got an emotional home win against the always tough yet alway choke ONU Polar Bears early in the season, and we didnt look back. Woulda shoulda coulda against Cap in the chip. Surged into the NCAAs, had a very fun home victory against Westminster. Great game against Lake Erie. Couldnt get it going against Wooster. It was a season of great playing, high level drinking, low level picking up girls, high level traveling, and high level Pizzazz visits.
1. John Carroll 2004-2005: Won our first 13 games. 25-6. Got as high as #3 in the country behind Wittenberg and Wisconsin Stevens Point. Win the league. Host the tourney. Take a tough loss to an inferior BW team. Put it behind us and crush Bethany by 40 in the first round of the NCAAs at home. Then we do what separates us from this entire list. We go into Witt, rip their hearts out and beat them. Not an easy task. Probably the best game I was a part of at John Carroll. Would been dancing in fucking Salem if one of the most unlucky things ever to happen in basketball history doesnt happen. I cant even describe what happened. You had to be there. It was sick. Really enjoyed that year. Was fortunate enough to play right away. Play pretty consistently with a couple highlights (11 pts in the Witt win). Got to play with some of the legends of the OAC. The Mike Grogans. The Drew Salatas. The Pete Kochs. The Kyle Roggenburkes. Met Rory O'Neil and saw him celebrate wins at bars like The Pub, and Parnells. Great experience for me. Something that I take a lot of pride in.
THATS THE LIST. PRETTY SWEET HUH? We were the only two teams to get to the sweet 16 of the NCAA. Plain and simple. No one else did, and that's why were the two best teams over the JC III era. We should have fucking gone to the Final Four in 2004-2005 for God's sakes. I mean shit. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed that piece of literature, and any comments are appreciated.
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