I see the talent that he has. How could you miss it? But the fact of the matter is that he’s being made out to be some basketball Jesus who can do no wrong. I think he’s a great shot blocker and a very good rebounder, no doubts about that. What I do expect to see from a player with the hype that he’s received is to see him take over a game. He’s in there getting banged around by guys who are going to be running a clothing business in the next few years.

I’m sorry, Jason Chappell is a decent college player… but he was pushing Oden around when OSU was on offense for most of the game. I’d like to see a guy who has this much potential to make a difference on both ends of the court.

As far as the 5 to 10 games comment, lets see… how many games are left this year? If he’s healthier now than he was in the beginning of the year, I just want to see how he does without people saying ‘he’ll be better he’s all the way healthy.’

As far as him making the difference in the game on the defensive end yesterday… there is no doubt about that. When Butch got hurt, the Badgers didn’t have any big men that could force him outside and as a result he had a great game in the lane.

Without Oden’s defense, OSU loses yesterday and loses seveal other games this year. It’s the reason why he goes #1 in the draft.

We’re going to see how good he really is based on his last ‘5 or 10′ games? Huh? What does that even mean?

As for OSU, I told you last week that they are not the #1 team in the country. We aren’t consistant enough and I still don’t think OSU is the best team in the nation, because we tend to play down to the competition way too often. I see OSU getting to the sweet 16 or Great Eight this year and with a lot of luck, a trip to the FF. I don’t expect that, though.

But I find it hard to call a team “easily rattled” who just won the big ten outright. This OSU team is young. Very young. Yet they already have accomplished something the Michigan Fab Five never did.

They nearly blew two games against Penn State when they had huge leads. You see the young kids getting on each other all the time. I’m not saying that they’re not a good team, but I just haven’t seen them put away a good team when they have a chance. They should have whupped on the Badgers yesterday, but they couldn’t ever hit the buckets to make the game a no doubter.

I’m not really bitter about the game. To lose a game against the number 1 team on the road by 1 point on a shot with less than 5 seconds remaining is a good game. Also, to keep the game that close with your best big man on the bench due to injury is a huge statement about the quality of the team.

For people to keep talking about Oden like he’s the second coming when he’s averaged 9 points a game against Wisconsin and Florida (the best teams he has played against) just seems a bit odd to me.

I guess we’ll just have to see how well he plays in his last 5 to 10 games in an OSU uniform to see how good he really is.

But ya - all of a sudden “the next great one” is still compared to Kareem & Russell, only now its stating how they played in a combined 7 NCAA Championship games and were seniors when they left school - all while mentioning how unrefined and raw Oden is. A “talent” they say - you know, as if this guy wasn’t the 2-time player of the year in high school.

I dunno - if our 7′1 “talent” continues to be not all that great playing with 1.5 hands…I’ll be happy.

Big Ten basketball is just awful.

Oden on offense is still a work in progress as he continues to heal his wrist. The guy shoots FTs left-handed still for a reason and it’s not because he suddenly prefers to do it.

He is the #1 defensive force in college basketball. Wisconsin shoots 35% from the floor and Tucker goes 5-15. A LOT of that was Oden.

15 points, 10 boards and nearly 4 blocks a game for a guy who is stil playing at about 80% effenciency? I’m thrilled with Oden’s play this season. I have no idea what people expected out of this guy. His nunbers, as a freshman, are better than Ewing or Hakeem’s.

For a guy with all of the pub that he has, Oden just isn’t all that great. There are times where he just disappears in the game. I figured that it was his injury in the first game, but it seems to be part of his play.

I realize that great defense and emotion plays a big part in these games. But I feel bad for the rims after watching that game.