He posted the below on Facebook, which auto-feeds into his Twitter account. (It’s surprising that he actually figured out how to do that.)

Here we have two completely different statements, one of which is moronic, the other of which could be true. To say that Ohio State “should’ve lost 4 games” last season doesn’t make any sense, because it didn’t. His point about the Buckeyes playing in the SEC and losing four games is fine, though with May’s history, it’s not surprising to see his stance.

Ohio State fans aren’t taking kindly to May’s latest attack. To say they’ve gone after him on Twitter would be putting it lightly…

@mark_may dude honestly nobody cares about your opinion and nobody finds you credible. I don’t know how you have a job at ESPN

— Craig Jackson (@CraigJackson7) May 22, 2013

@mark_may good one mark. You’re terrible.

— Charlie Byrd (@CharlieByrd87) May 22, 2013

@awfulannouncing most shocking about @mark_may is that his twitter feed looks like it was written by a 16 year old

— joelswedlove (@joelswedlove) May 22, 2013

I’m not a huge Buckeye fan, but @mark_may‘s OSU trolling is ridiculous

— Will Frasure (@WillFrasure) May 22, 2013

@mark_may @awfulannouncing All the ESPN layoffs y’day, and somehow we’re still stuck w/ Mark May.

— Brian (@LiqMiquchi) May 22, 2013

@mark_may You’re a complete idiot

— Wade LaRoche© (@wadelaroche) May 22, 2013

@mark_may mark may wears women’s underwear.

— Michael Marksberry (@MikeMarksberry) May 22, 2013

@mark_may you were beaten badly as a child, weren’t you?

— OldManBrownsFan (@Animaleyz) May 22, 2013

@mark_may nobody cares too. Your skip bayless act is old. 72 and 70 points still has your panties in a bunch. We get it.

— Philip Schmelzer (@philly1622) May 22, 2013

@mark_may Shut the hell up punk.

— Jordan Roy (@IAmMrRoy) May 22, 2013

@mark_may Go haze yourself you worthless fuck.

— Bro Montana (@RobJanice) May 22, 2013

@mark_may @awfulannouncing you are a pathetic loser, may!

— Mike De Girolamo (@kworld299) May 22, 2013

@mark_may Ohio State loves you and thanks you for your support.

— jefftweets (@jefftweets1) May 22, 2013

Moving along…

Michigan wideout Bo Dever posted the above photo out this morning. For those who don’t know, Wilson’s football factory is in Ohio. 

Being an Ohio State fan, I think this is hilarious. The Michigan football team has many players from Ohio, so why are they making such a big deal about their footballs not being made in Ohio?

Michigan needs to start working on beating Ohio State, rather than focusing on making the public aware that their team footballs are not made in Ohio.

[Eleven Warriors]

These days, if your favorite college athletics program isn’t all over social media, it’s playing the game at a disadvantage. Players routinely use and check Twitter, Facebook and Instagram more than ever before.

While many schools have just one main athletics account on Twitter, others go the extra step to create separate handles for each of their teams. Someone has to monitor each of these accounts, so it’s a lot of work and manpower for a program. 

Per usual, some schools are better at it than others. Some of it is purely based on the program’s reputation, but much of it is boils down to putting the time and effort into building a readership.

Below are the 20 men’s basketball programs with the largest Twitter followings.

A few quick notes:

• There are no “former” Big East teams in the top 20
• There are no Pac-12 teams in the top 20
• The Big Ten, ACC and SEC have the most representatives
• The school in first place has over 50K more followers than the school in second place
• Many programs, like NCAA champ Louisville, don’t even have a team-specific handle

20. Miami (FL) - @CanesHoops – 12,823 followers

19. Wisconsin - @BadgerMBB – 13,941 followers

18. Baylor - @BaylorMBB – 14,855 followers

17. Florida - @GatorZoneMBK – 14,892 followers

16. Alabama - @AlabamaHoops – 15,148 followers

15. Iowa State - @CycloneMBB – 15,237 followers

14. Butler - @ButlerMBB – 15,708 followers

13. Iowa - @IowaHoops – 19,072 followers

12. NC State - @PackMensBball – 21,271 followers

11. Tennessee - @Vol_Hoops – 23,395 followers

10. Illinois - @IlliniHoops – 23,438 followers

9. Ohio State - @OhioStateHoops – 23,799 followers

8. Memphis - @UofMTigersHoops – 28,528 followers

7. Indiana - @IndianaMBB – 31,588 followers

6. Duke - @Duke_MBB – 31,906 followers

5. Kentucky - @KentuckyMBB – 34,220 followers

4. Michigan State - @MSU_Basketball – 45,346 followers

3. Kansas - @KU_Hoops – 47,773 followers

2. Michigan - @umichbball – 67,555 followers

1. North Carolina - @UNC_Basketball – 126,091 followers

Charlotte Buckeyes

If you weren’t a big-time college athlete, chances are that you probably wish you were. One guy have may have gone a bit too far in attempting to make that dream a reality.

Someone named Giovanni Strassini has been posing as a former Ohio State football player in the Charlotte Buckeyes fan club, claiming he played tight end for the school from 1973-1977, was an All-American in 1976, caught an 8-yard touchdown pass in the 1976 Rose Bowl, was drafted in the 1977 NFL Draft, and even played baseball for the school.

A simple Google search of his name leads you to many web pages that you think would back up his claim, until you realize that many of them were doctored by someone with the same IP address from Charlotte, North Carolina. For example, the “1976 College Football All-American Team” pops up, but once on the page, his name is nowhere to be found. There’s also an IMDB page set up for him that just says he played “himself” in a movie about the 1976 Rose Bowl.

Facebook

The guys over at Buckeye Planet took this and ran with it, eventually discovering that no such player ever played any sports at OSU. They also learned that the only touchdown the Bucks scored in the 1976 Rose Bowl was on a 3-yard run by Pete Johnson. They dissected his Facebook page, which is now mysteriously deleted, and found that a “1974 Rose Bowl ring” he claimed to have won with the team wasn’t even the right replica. 

Furthermore, a man named Giovanni Strassini was involved in a lawsuit last year that claimed he has done time in federal prison in North Carolina.

This is creepy. I’d say the Charlotte Buckeyes fan club has some investigating to do.

OSU

Former Ohio State Buckeye Deshaun Thomas is currently projected as a second round pick in most NBA mock drafts, but if he wants it to stay that way, he might want to start being a little more cooperative.

Thomas reportedly refused to give the San Antonio Spurs his phone number this past week. From ohio.com:

But the most interesting, he said, was the fact the Spurs’ first question was for his cell phone number and his e-mail address. He gave them the e-mail, but not the phone number.

“I can’t go around giving it out to everyone,” Thomas said Thursday with a laugh. “Now if they want to draft me, I’d be happy to give it to them.”

Last I checked, the Spurs are not some second-rate organization. And even if they were, I’d probably give them whatever the heck they wanted.

Flickr/lisatozzi

When the latest round of conference realignment was all said and done, Rutgers and Maryland had both pledged themselves to the Big Ten. Today, the conference gave us a look at what the football schedule will look like for 2014 – the first year that both officially move over.

For reference, remember that the Big Ten also changed around its two divisions. The East Division consists of Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Penn State and Rutgers. The West Division includes Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, Purdue and Wisconsin. Thankfully, the conference did away with “Legends” and “Leaders”.

Here’s a look at the 2014 football schedule – complete with all 14 teams.

East:

West:

College Spun/Antonio Venegas

Ohio State football’s entire 2014 schedule is now complete. The Big Ten released its 2014 schedule this morning.

The 2014 season will be the first that includes the two newcomers of the Big Ten: Maryland and Rutgers. Because the conference will now have 14 teams, Ohio State will have eight conferences games (six divisional games and two cross-divisional games). The Buckeyes division (East division) will consist of Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Penn State, and Rutgers. The two cross-divisional games will be vs. Illinois and at Minnesota

Ohio State’s schedule will be:

Aug. 30: vs. Navy in Baltimore
Sept. 6: Bye
Sept. 13: Kent State
Sept. 20: Virginia Tech
Sept. 27: Cincinnati
Oct. 4: at Maryland
Oct. 11: Bye
Oct. 18: Rutgers
Oct.  25: at Penn State
Nov. 1: Illinois
Nov. 8: at Michigan State
Nov. 15: at Minnesota
Nov. 22: Indiana
Nov. 29: Michigan

The first game (vs. Navy in Baltimore) may be a tough one for Ohio State solely based on the fact that Navy is one of the few teams in the country that runs the triple-option offense.  The Buckeyes had a tough time defending that Navy offense a couple of years ago when the Midshipmen came to the Horseshoe. Also, Virginia Tech and Cincinnati could be tough games for Ohio State; luckily, those two games are both at home. 

The most difficult conference games will at Penn State. at Michigan State, and home against Michigan.

St. Vincent-St. Mary’s VJ King nabs #OhioState #Buckeyes offer. Yes — unfair or not — he’s being compared to LeBron es.pn/15NhUvD

— ESPNBuckeyes (@ESPNBuckeyes) May 15, 2013

King is already listed at 6-foot-6 and played small forward this past season. He’s also already being listed as a top ten recruit for the class of 2016. Although he is only a freshman and things can certainly change, this looks like it would be a huge get for Ohio State and its basketball team.

Here are some video highlights of King tearing it up in his freshman year.

Flickr/Annemarie Mountz

Earlier this week, USA Today released its annual financial breakdown of public NCAA athletics programs. The results, while predictable, greatly exemplify the current state of college athletics. Five of the top ten schools reside in the SEC, yet Texas, Ohio State and Michigan still reign supreme.

Here are the findings. Remember, this is public schools only – calm down Notre Dame fans.

1. Texas – $163 million
2. Ohio State – $142 million
3. Michigan – $140 million
4. Alabama – $125 million
5. Florida – $121 million
6. Texas A&M – $120 million
7. LSU – $115 million
8. Penn State – $108 million
9. Oklahoma – $106 million
10. Auburn – $106 million

One surprising result is Penn State’s inclusion, given the Jerry Sandusky scandal – it would appear that it hasn’t had too much of a lasting effect on the university’s ability to generate revenue. The other is Texas A&M, though between the school’s move to the SEC and Johnny Manziel’s Heisman run, we all knew the Aggies would make a jump. 

Needless to say, our class experienced four of the best years in Ohio State Athletics history. 

2009-2010:

Football Overtime Thriller vs. Iowa:

Significance: The winner of the game would be crowned Big Ten champion and clinch a spot in the Rose Bowl. OSU had not played in Pasadena since 1997.

Highlight: On what was a beautiful and unseasonably warm afternoon in late November, the game did not disappoint. Night games are rare at Ohio Stadium, so as day turned to night shortly after halftime, the fervor in the stadium increased drastically as fans settled in for the rest of what would become a classic game.

The Bucks took a 14-point lead with just over 11 minutes left, only for the Hawkeyes to storm back and tie it up to force overtime. At the end of regulation, the stadium was silent and somber after everyone had just witnessed Iowa erase a double-digit deficit with relative ease. But once Ohio State won the coin toss, pandemonium ensued, and it was just the spark that the Bucks needed to turn momentum back on their side. Soccer player-turned-place kicker Devin Barclay knocked home the winning field goal and all was well in Columbus, as fans stormed the field out of equal parts joy and relief.

Rose Bowl Upset of Oregon

Significance: Oregon’s highly touted, spread option offense was predicted to run all over the Buckeyes, whose own offense lacked a balance attack.

Highlight: The Buckeye defense, stout all season long through struggles on the other side of the ball, was up to the task and held the Ducks to 17 points on a beautiful night in the Arroyo Seco. Terrelle Pryor had another game worthy of his top recruiting status coming out of high school, and provided hope for bigger things going into his junior year. This game meant more than just Ohio State’s first Rose Bowl victory in thirteen years, it showed that Jim Tressel could once again beat big teams in big games, and provided a bright spot in what was otherwise a lackluster Big Ten bowl season effort.

The Evan Turner Shot

Significance: Prevented an early exit in the Big Ten Tournament against rival Michigan.

Flickr/EllisMcKay

Highlight: Ask any Ohio State basketball fan about “The Evan Turner shot” and they will know exactly what you are talking about. With Michigan up two and 2.2 seconds on the clock, Ohio State inbounded the ball to Evan Turner, who dribbled up court with minimal difficulty and spotted up from 37 feet to win the game as time expired. I remember watching this game in my dorm and hearing the chorus of cheers echo down the hall as the shot went in. This was easily one of the most notable highlights of the past four years.

2010-2011:

Sugar Bowl Victory* Over Arkansas

Significance: At the time, this was a huge victory over a quality SEC team, though the win would not stand.

Highlight: Before the game, it was announced that several OSU players would be suspended the next season for NCAA violations. The decision to allow the players to participate in the bowl game was incredibly controversial, especially given that most of the players in question were some of the team’s best. The Buckeyes jumped out to a 21-point lead and held on to win by five, but the win was later vacated as punishment for the violations.

When the game ended though, it appeared all was well in Buckeye Nation. The team had just wrapped up its second straight BCS bowl victory, Terrelle Pryor appeared apologetic – though not exactly eloquent – and spirits were the highest they would be for quite some time. Ultimately, the entire season would be vacated, Jim Tressel would step down as head coach, and the school would receive a one-year postseason ban for 2012, setting the tone for the next two football seasons in Columbus.

Men’s Volleyball National Championship

Significance: This marked the first national title in program history, and Ohio State also became the first school from the midwest to win the tournament

Highlight: In previous seasons, the OSU men’s volleyball team would emerge as the dominant team through its conference schedule, only to run into a wall at the NCAA Tournament. That changed in 2011, as the Bucks beat tournament host Penn State in the semifinals and won a thrilling five game match against UC Santa Barbara in the championship. Steven Kehoe finished off a stellar college career as tournament Most Outstanding Player.

2011-2012:

Braxton’s Hail Mary

Flickr/MGoBlog

Significance: During the only night game of the year at Ohio Stadium, Braxton Miller helped breath temporary life into a season that was on a respirator from the start.

Highlight: With victory looking doubtful, Braxton Miller heaved a desperation 40-yard touchdown pass to Devin Smith with just seconds left on the clock. I still remember this moment like it was yesterday. The absolute frenzy in the stands after the pass was a combination of happiness, surprise and all out shock. No one expected a true freshman quarterback – who is not exactly known for his throwing ability – to successfully execute a last second drive with a 40 yard pass. Though Ohio State would go on to win only one more game the rest of the year, the Miller-to-Smith pass proved that not all was lost in the 2011 football season.

Final Four For Men’s Basketball

Significance: This was the first trip to the national semifinals for the men’s basketball team since Greg Oden and crew made it to the championship game in 2007.

Highlight: 2012 witnessed the most successful season for men’s basketball in this time period. The highlight for me was the overall team play of this group and how every player really found their role and filled it well. Aaron Craft cemented himself as the starting point guard and emotional leader, Jared Sullinger continued his dominance in the paint, and Deshaun Thomas emerged as a major threat. The Bucks also won the Big Ten regular season title. Ultimately, they fell short of a title game duel with Kentucky by losing to Kansas in the Final Four.

2012-2013:

Kenny G Saves the Day

Significance: Purdue proved to be one of the most serious threats to what would ultimately turn into an undefeated football season for Ohio State.

Highlight: The Boilermakers gave the Buckeyes trouble all game, and it looked like the perfect season would come to an end when quarterback Braxton Miller went down with an injury. Miller laid on the Ohio Stadium turf for what seemed like an eternity, 105,000 scarlet-clad onlookers holding their breath in hopes that their young star was not seriously hurt. Miller would return for the next game, but the comeback effort against Purdue was put in the capable hands of back-up Kenny Guiton.

With less than a minute to go and an eight point deficit to overcome, Miller’s understudy drove the team down the field with poise and confidence. A pass to Chris Fields trimmed the lead to two, and a successful two-point conversion attempt sent the game into overtime. Ohio State would go on to win on a Carlos Hyde touchdown run, preserving perfection, and prompting this fantastic celebratory outburst from Urban Meyer:

Double Buzzer-Beaters

Significance: In an NCAA Tournament full of upsets and last second heroics, the Bucks contributed their own drama in two consecutive games.

Highlight: OSU handled Iona in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, but getting past Iowa State and Arizona required more dramatic performances. Aaron Craft took charge against the Cyclones, waving off Deshaun Thomas to drain a three pointer with 0.2 seconds left. It was LaQuinton Ross’ turn against the Wildcats, a surprising subject for late game heroics. Ross knocked down a three with two seconds remaining to break a 70-70 tie and send OSU to the Elite Eight.

The most notable thing about these two shots is the players who took them. Thomas was clearly Ohio State’s best player and primary offensive weapon all season. It was up to guys like Craft and Ross to step up and contribute more offensively if the team was going to make any kind of tournament run. Ultimately, they stepped up in the biggest way possible.

All in all, it would be tough to find a better four year period in the history of Ohio State athletics. Though the Woody Hayes era may challenge the football success, I think there is no question that men’s basketball has not won as consistently as they have under Thad Matta. Add in a historic national title for men’s volleyball, and these past four years have combined to produce a laundry list of memorable moments.