A lovely autumn offers a horn of plenty for Ohio sports fans to enjoy | Michael Arace
While our fair state is prone to inclemency of all sorts, autumn is the best time of year, especially apple-picking time. The kids are back in school, they’re running cross country, playing soccer and field hockey, planning for Homecoming. TGIF has turned into Football Friday Night, which lights the way to the weekend, when big-screen TVs work overtime at over-the-top tailgates, on the heated patios of sports bars, in cozy dens and finished basements.
The college and pro football seasons are in a weekly rhythm. NBA and NHL training camps are underway, and their opening nights beckon with promise. The MLB season is coming down to the wire. MLS playoff races are hurtling toward Decision Day.
It is a cornucopia and, at this time and in this place, the bounty is rich. It is a good year to be a sports fan in Ohio – maybe, unprecedentedly good.
Let us first look into our own backyard.
Ohio State football (4-0) is ranked No. 3 in the country behind Georgia and Alabama. And we know who’s No. 4, eh? Another Game of the Century may be in the offing by the time The Game rolls around Nov. 26.
The Buckeyes scored a total of 129 points in their previous two games and are expected to put up at least 200 points in their next game, against Rutgers in Ohio Stadium Saturday. In the background, OSU basketball coach Chris Holtmann is readying to fine-tune a roster that includes the No. 8-ranked recruiting class in the country.
The Blue Jackets are through two weeks of training camp as they look forward to their season opener, at Carolina on Oct. 12. While there is no apparent reason to trust their defense (wait a couple years), they have never in their history had the type of elite offensive talent they have right now. Not even close.
Big-ticket, free-agent signee Johnny Gaudreau had 115 points in 82 games with the Calgary Flames last season. Patrik Laine was a point-per-game producer for the Blue Jackets last season. The most intriguing question looming over training camp is, who’s going to center that duo? I’ll say this: I don’t know if rookie Kent Johnson can win a faceoff but, goodness, when the puck is on his stick, he is electric.
The Columbus Crew are sitting in eighth place in the Eastern Conference, just below the playoff bar. Saturday night, the New York Red Bulls visit the LDC for what will be the Crew’s final home game of the season. Bet on a tie.
By and large, it has been a disappointing season for the Crew, the Thomas Dewey of MLS. But they’re still right there in playoff contention with three games remaining, and coach Caleb Porter believes the whole season was saved after a recent team meeting.
Decision Day – the last day of the regular season, when all the East games begin at 2:30 p.m., and all the West games begin at 5 p.m. – is Sunday, Oct. 9. Here’s a good bet: FC Cincinnati will come in above the playoff bar. They probably need one more victory to punch their ticket and three points will be in the offing in their home finale, against Chicago (3-9-4 on the road) in TQL Stadium Saturday night.
Did you see the Cleveland Guardians clinched the American League Central title Sunday night? The Guards, as my Cleveland correspondent calls them, are the youngest team in the league. They’re much younger, on average, than my 30-year-old Cleveland correspondent. The way they play baseball brings joy to old souls. Their first playoff game is Oct. 7.
The Cavaliers opened training camp this week. The Cavs, who made it into the play-in round of the playoffs last season, may once again be the youngest team in the NBA. They will have three All-Stars (Darius Garland, Jarrett Allen and newly acquired Donovan Mitchell) and a first-team All-Rookie pick (Evan Mobley) in the starting lineup.
The top five in the East, in some order: Boston, Milwaukee, Philadelphia, Miami, Cleveland. Discuss. The Cavs’ season opener is Oct. 19.
This being Ohio, the birthplace of pro football, we have to mention the Browns and the Bengals. The Browns are 2-1. How often have they been 2-1 this century? It’s a blessing. The Bengals are 2-2, but the defending AFC champions are not a 2-2 team. If somebody blocks for Joe Burrow, they'll be fine.
Have a nice weekend.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: A season of plenty for sports fans in Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati
