Dave Thurman (7:12 pm)

Evan Turner is the newest media darling.  With college basketball's player of the year award all but conceded to him, the only thing that remains for Evan to do is lead the Buckeye roundballers to the Final Four.  

Of course nobody can debate his greatness this season.  Turner has done everything but sell hot dogs at halftime, and I'm surprised the team hasn't asked him to add that to his list of tasks.  While not the best at any single aspect of the game, I'm not sure I ever remember a college player being more versatile.  So ET deserves all the accolades, the magazine covers, and the hardware that is coming his way. No debate here!

But, while we celebrate a special season by an amazing player, let's not forget the incredible coaching job that has quietly taken place on the OSU sideline in 2009-10. With an impressive resume already at his disposal, Matta has taken his x's and o's to another level this year. 

Think about it.  Lacking a solid point guard, a big man who can post up and be a threat to score, or any depth at all, he has once again led the team to a Big Ten title, their third in five years.  Early entries to the NBA draft, transfers, and defections have cost this squad a long list of players that could still have eligibility including Greg Oden, Mike Conley, DaeQuan Cook, Kosta Koufos, B.J. Mullens, Walter Offut, Eric Wallace and Noopie Crater.  Forced to play a somewhat short center (6-8 Dallas Lauderdale) who possesses hands of stone, and a very small power forward (6-5 David Lighty), the team managed to somehow out rebound the opposition.  And often using but six players, and rarely more than seven, the team stayed remarkably fresh and seemed to finish with a flourish.

Now obviously none of it would have been possible without Turner who played every position except center, while nearly averaging an unheard of 20, 10 and 6 (points, rebounds and assists).  But in case you haven't noticed, Matta was winning big games and upsetting opponents before Evan entered high school.  He did it at Butler, with a group considered too unathletic to compete.  He did it again at Xavier, turning a mid-major program into one of the elite teams in the nation.  And, lest one forgets, he did it at OSU PO (pre Oden) with a bunch of "misfits" inherited from Jim O'Brien.

The unfortunate truth is that most of the nation sees Thad Matta as a brilliant recruiter who wins because he brings in A+ talent.  True, the man can definately lure big time talent.  But this year's team lacked one true 5 star recruit.  Yes, both Buford and Turner were great high school players, but compare the Buckeye roster to teams like Texas, Oklahoma, and North Carolina and you'll see that Matta got a lot more with less.  In a career marked by excellent coaching I believe this was his finest job yet, as he guided a shorthanded Buckeye squad to a Big Ten title and top ten ranking.

So, give Turner all the praise he deserves.  But don't forget the architect who prowls the sidelines while chewing the flavor right out of his gum.  Thad Matta has made hoops in Columbus more than just a distraction between the bowl game and spring football.  The man can flat out coach!