Ray: I offer another comment on the starting QB battle. I have faith that the Buckeyes coaching
staff will make the decision on whom they feel will give our team the best opportunity to repeat as
national champs.
If No. 16 wins the battle, it will be another exciting season. The same with 12 Gauge. But if
J.T. Barrett gets the job, we can scratch (Ezekiel Elliott’s) spot on the Heisman watch list. Based
on last year, if Cardale Jones is chosen, Zeke could get close to 3,000 yards this season.
— Jerry Miller, Columbus
Jerry: I’m not sure about 3K, but it’s hard to argue the numbers: In the final three-plus games
taking handoffs from Jones, Elliott averaged 57.5 yards on six carries — per quarter
.
>> Any reason why you’re not
following @buckeyextra on Twitter?
Ray: With the season upon us, my Buckeye buddies and I were having a round-table discussion on
expectations of this year’s team. I about had a panic attack when someone asked, “When is the next
time OSU will lose a game?”
I fed right into it. I got out my future OSU football schedule and said “maybe Sept. 17, 2016 at
Oklahoma.” I hope this takes care of expectations.
— Brooks Moss, New Albany
Brooks: Hmm. I was thinking the next blemish perhaps would come at TCU in September 2018. And
hoo boy, there’s going to be hell to pay if the Buckeyes lose that one.
Mr. Stein: Nowhere in Michael Arace’s column (on Aug. 8) about the Browns coming
to Columbus for preseason camp is it mentioned the real background, which is that the Browns
facility in Berea needs some upgrades and Truckstop Jimmy Haslam is trying to whipsaw two cities in
order to squeeze some “free” tax money so he doesn’t have to pay.
Fifty percent of the value of the professional sports model comes from taxpayers
funding the majority of their facilities. Follow the money.
— Michael Garapic, Canal Winchester
Michael: Asking the citizenry to help pay the bills is not a new tactic in pro sports
ownership, of course, but it seems that more folks than ever are getting tired of the game. You
know the problem is real when comedian John Oliver devotes 20 minutes to it (hilariously, I might
add).
Editor: I’m surprised you allowed a childish comment about our hockey team (last Sunday) in the
Mailbox. Not everyone is a fan of everything in the sports page. The things that don’t interest me,
I ignore.
I’m sure some won’t mention the Blue Jackets by name because of the mention of something to do
with their chief rival. I don’t expect
The Dispatch to feed into the narrow-mindedness!
— Joseph Ferraro, via email
Joseph: There are many animals that quench their thirst at this watering hole. Airing their
opinions is not an endorsement of their views.
Ray: I see a lot of soccer and baseball with a little golf. Your sports page is the absolute
puke of sports pages. You have a few good qualities, but for the most part, you suck.
The Dispatch is the biggest area newspaper, so I enjoy reading the rest of the news, but
the Sports section really sucks and has for about five years. The Sports section is a great example
of why there will be no newspapers in the future.
You suck at your job and have zero fingers on the pulse of central Ohio sports fans.
— Miles Haines, via email
Miles: I generally try to keep my fingers to myself
— unless, say, I’m cut off in traffic. Meantime, I’ll have to guess what sports
news you seek that we don’t provide.
***
Ray Stein is sports editor of The Dispatch.
rstein@dispatch.com
