Bobcat basketball men: Hype or reality?

Swine flu is the least of my worries this winter. I'm more afraid that I am going to come down with a huge case of "œHype" in the next couple of weeks.

This disease controls the brains and the hearts of die-hard sports fans into believing that their favorite teams have a legitimate shot at a title... their pre-season. Hype makes people hallucinate. Hype leads to disappointment and death of the spirit.

The cure: Take two doses of "œReality" and sleep.

This men's collegiate basketball season has been hyped as one of the most athletic teams that Ohio University has ever seen. In John Groce's second year, he has added Indiana University transfer Armon Bassett, he has shaped Kenneth van Kempen into a center with purpose, and he has solidified a roster with talented freshmen that gives this squad depth.

Yet, despite the hype around Athens, the Bobcats have been pre-ranked sixth in the Mid-American Conference Eastern Division. Dead last! Akron heads the list with four seniors returning (three more than the Bobcats).

So what are people on both sides of Morton Hill hyping? Is it the fact that this year's men's junior class has been electrifying the last two seasons, and this may be their coming out party? DeVaughn Washington HAS been throwing down fast-break dunks since he landed a starting role under Tim O'Shea. Tommy Freeman HAS been taking three-point jumpers in the corner since high school. And Adebimpe Adedipe HAS had the same swagger about him since he was born.

Could Bobcat fans be hyping this new freshman class? Ivo Baltic IS a 6-foot 8-inch forward and a McDonald's All-American nominee, and WAS ranked 54th among the 2009 class of power forwards. Maybe it IS D.J. Cooper, the 5-foot 11-inch guard from Chicago who was also a McDonald's All-American. Could it be Marquis Horne's fault that we have an incurable case of Hype. He IS a 6-foot 6-inch Top Ten ranked prospect in Ohio. Is it Jay Kinney's fault for being fifth in balloting for 2009 Illinois Mr. Basketball? Maybe.

Could it be John Groce's fault for infecting us with this disease? Has he put too much expectation on this team, coming from Ohio State where he played against and with some of the best in the country?

Is it the schedules fault? The most notable non-conference game being against Pittsburgh (away), fans could becoming infected with Hype by taking this easy schedule earlier in the season for granted.

No one is to blame but my media friends and I. We are constantly talking about this team. We were talking about the defense last spring. We were debating our strength of schedule in June, and we have been dreaming about another MAC championship ever since the last.

We are greedy people. We expect wins, and we prognosticate them weeks in advance. Heck, we talk about losses weeks after them, too. It MAY be all our fault after all.

So put on your masks, take some medicine, and get a Hype shot because I am going to Hype this team till the Bracketbuster!