A Closer Look at Everbank Field, Home of the Jacksonville Jaguars

Ohio State and Florida will face off Monday, January 2^nd in the 2012 Gator Bowl, and in case you are going to the game, our friends at Stadium Journey dropped us a link to their review of the stadium in Jacksonville which you may find useful.

Jaguars’ Half-Empty House: A Good Bargain
Official Review by Jack Harver, Stadium Journey Correspondent


Ten weeks into the 2009 season, Jacksonville Municipal Stadium has been one of the NFL's most buzzworthy facilities. Not for being big and flashy like the Dallas Cowboys' new billion-dollar home—it isn't—and not because it's on a farewell tour like Giants Stadium. (Not yet, at least.)

Instead, "The Jack" has been a hot topic for the national media because it's practically empty for Jaguars games.

There are over 67,000 seats in the stadium, not including almost 10,000 in the upper corners that remain covered—like training wheels for drawing a "sellout" crowd. But Jacksonville sold less than 46,000 tickets on average for each of the team's first three home contests this year, with reported attendance figures closer to 40,000 per game.

The upshot? Walk-up ticket buyers can score seats that would be prime real estate in other NFL stadiums.

Lower-level tickets were available on the team's website less than a week before the game, including one in the corner of the north end zone that provided an excellent view of the Jaguars' 24-21 win over the Kansas City Chiefs.

Inside the Jack, Section 118, Row H

With Jacksonville residents spending their Sunday afternoons elsewhere—in one of the many churches within walking distance of the stadium, perhaps—the Jaguars have won three of their four home games.

At 5-4 on the year, they're dark horse playoff contenders despite bidding good-bye to over half of last year's 53-man roster and starting four rookies from their 2009 draft crop.

Factor in top-tier superstars like running back Maurice Jones-Drew and cornerback Rashean Mathis, and Jacksonville's on-field product figures to be respectable for years to come. Like the team, the fan experience at The Jack isn't mind-blowing, but it has its pluses.

View and read the article in its' entirety at StadiumJourney.com

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NCAA Issues Ohio State One-Year Bowl Ban

Graphic Designer Gary Finkler of 7thInningSketch.com dropped us an email sharing his latest sports cartoon -- a depiction of Ohio State and the NCAA regarding the announcement of the Buckeyes 2012-2013 bowl game ban.


I grew up watching Seinfeld, so I get it, but I'm guessing not everyone -- especially younger fans -- watched the show and thus, they do not understand or appreciate the illustration as I do.

Hopefully this will help.

I must admit, while the ban seems excessive and I do not agree with the NCAA decision, the cartoon is humorous. The decision is final and Ohio State apparently won't appeal.

As much as I hate the ruling and as bitter as I was about it right after hearing it, I have to say -- Thanks for the laugh Gary!

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Ohio State - NCAA Sanctions article from Nick Weaver coming later today.

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Urban Meyer, Ohio State Land Nation's Top Defensive Lineman

by Nick Weaver - BlockONation Contributor

The recruiting genius that is Urban Meyer has done it again!

Urban landed 5-star recruit Noah Spence today (both pictured at right), bringing his total to three 5-star prospects in as many weeks.

Spence is the No. 1 rated DE in the country and for those keeping track, that is yet another highly-touted defensive lineman to join the Buckeyes since Meyer was hired.

Spence is 6'4 and weighs in at 245 lbs. He is a defensive end from Bishop McDevitt High School in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He will be joined on the ends by Adolphus Washington and Se’vone Pittman.

Spence was recently considered a Penn State lean -- as recently as two to three weeks ago Ohio State wasn't even on Spence's radar -- but with the Jerry Sandusky sex-scandal still in the news, it looks like the Nittany Lions troubles (and Urban Meyer) may have pushed Spence to OSU.

Noah was impressed with the guys as much as the coaches on his recent visit to Columbus. He blessed his twitter followers with the news. Here are some of his comments:

“I wasn’t really into them a whole lot, and as I got to learn about the staff and what they’re trying to do and how close it is to my home, it felt right.”

It feels right to us to Noah, welcome aboard the championship train!

He also said, "everyone was talking about their families and everything like regular people, everything wasn’t about football." He said that made him feel comfortable.

Noah, wait until September when you get to meet the rest of the Buckeye family we like to call, “Buckeye Nation”!

Since November, this is Ohio State’s 4th ESPN top 150 recruit.

TE Jake Stoneburner also acknowledged Meyer’s recruiting prowess on his twitter. “I guess our coach can recruit, huh”.

I did say earlier there would be more presents under the tree for Buckeye fans!

Wonder what we will get to unwrap next?!

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Since We Have Florida's Old Coach, Maybe It's Time That We Get On The Bandwagon Of Their Old QB, Tim Tebow

Today, the New England Patriots face the Broncos in Denver in the pre-Super Bowl Super Bowl and the Golden Boy, Tom Brady, takes on the Godly Boy, Tim Tebow, in what is sure to be a huge ratings draw, but enough about the actual game!

If you haven't seen this .GIF image, or these videos yet, you're missing out — I'm sure if current-Buckeye coach and former Florida/Tebow coach Urban Meyer has seen these, he was cracking up too!

All I can say is WOW and LMAO — Enjoy and God bless.








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Urban Meyer Landing Some Big Fish In The Ohio State Recruiting Net

by Nick Weaver - BlockONation Contributor


Urban Meyer is doing what he does best — setting fire to the recruiting trail.

A great movie phrase comes to mind here -- “If you build it they will come”.

Urban has built a great reputation with Florida and it has carried over to tOSU. I have to insert my props to Coach Tressel for building a super foundation that Urban can just step in and run with.

I know what you are thinking, what about Luke? I know many think he did a good job, but me, I am not so sure.

I believe with the structure that was set up anyone could have went 6-6 with this Buckeye team. Let me get back on point, however. Urban has swooped in and made an impact in recruiting in just a couple weeks.

Meyer has been robbing the cradles of the other power house B1G teams.

With the verbals received from Tommy Schutt and Se'von Pittman (pictured at left), both Penn State and Michigan State have already felt the intoxicating effects of Urban, while Wisconsin is next up to get robbed. I can't wait to hear Biliema's remarks afterwards.

Running back Bri'onte Dunn realized his future will be better at Ohio State instead of going up north to scUm, and reassured the Buckeye Nation that he is 150% Buckeye!

Meyer has been able to do all that along with staying in tune with the fight going on over the baby bearing Urban as his middle name in Florida. Urban has developed a simple pitch that he tells the recruits -- “Not a Big Ten championship, not a national championship, but multiple championships”.

I really believe there are several top-notch guys yet to change their allegiances out of the top 150. Urban has now locked in his coordinators and the two-week Christmas break could see a couple other Christmas presents under the tree for Buckeye fans.

The Meyer camp has already started to turn down WRs because the team is practically overloaded at the position -- Urban recently added a couple of height and speed guys to our already fast receiving core.

While many complain that it is unfair for tOSU to have two separate coaching staffs, I say rubbish! It's an NCAA rule that many other schools have been granted use of.

Over a few thousand dollars in tattoos, the NCAA launched an investigation that has almost totaled one-million dollars (in my Austin powers voice) in costs.

I didn’t hear those critics feeling sorry for OSU during the season, amazingly enough. I can’t imagine the bill to investigate the “U” when that gets going.

The way I see it, the NCAA owes Ohio State this much, seeing as how they came in and took our lunch and ate it right in front of us, i.e. Hall, Howard, Herron, and especially Posey (excessive) suspensions.

I know everyone is as excited as I am to see what will happen the next couple months right up until NSD in February. I have already talked to many folks that wish it were Spring, 2012 NOW!

It can't get here soon enough.

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Ohio State—Ann Arbor Highlights (Week 13, Game 12 - 11/26/2011)

In the midst of all the Urban Meyer to Ohio State news, we inadvertently overlooked posting the Ohio State @ Ann Arbor highlights.

Despite the narrow defeat to Ann Arbor -- Ohio State's first (and last for a while) since the 2003 season -- the young Buckeyes, led by true freshmen QB Braxton Miller, fought hard and were never out of the game -- unfortunately coming up just a little bit short in the end, 40-34.

Ann Arbor fans better enjoy this one, because the young, yet talented Bucks are trending upwardly and with Urban Meyer taking over at Ohio State, the talent pool is only going to get deeper -- meaning Ann Arbor can expect another long Buckeye winning streak to commence in 2012, 349 days from today.

Now, without further delay, here are the Ohio State-Ann Arbor game highlights.



This Ohio State-Purdue highlight video was produced by lednerk and is brought to you exclusively by BlockONation.

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BlockONation.com / @BlockONation College Football Bowl Mania ESPN Pick'em League

Hey all -- It's that time of year again!

It's time to create your entry for the 2011-2012 BlockONation.com / @BlockONation College Bowl Mania League!



The league is public and open to anyone (even State Penn fan @NittanyNation88).

League winner will receive an autographed football card of former Ohio State and 2002 BCS championship QB, Craig Krenzel.

Entries must be submitted to the league on ESPN.com by the posted deadline.

Have fun and good luck to everyone!

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