Random Thoughts: Koza, NFL and more

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports editor

This week’s Random Thoughts center around Vince Koza, Ohio State basketball, high school basketball rankings, a big matchup in store, Mike McCarthy, Dallas and Cleveland, and the snake bitten New Orleans Saints.

Vince Koza

As you know, 93.1 The Fan’s Vince Koza passed away last week after a short battle with cancer.

In this line of work I would run into Vince occasionally and we served on an Ohio High School Athletic Association committee together. He was a genuinely nice guy who was very passionate about high school athletics.

His passing is a big loss to the area sports scene.

Calling hours for Vince Koza will be held from 3-8 p.m. on Wednesday in the Lima Sr. High School Gymnasium and one hour prior to a 10:30 a.m. service at St. Gerard’s Catholic Church in Lima.

Rest in peace Vince.

OSU hoops

After rising to as high as No. 2 in the rankings, the Ohio State Buckeyes basketball team has suffered back-to-back losses.

It’s not like it’s time to hit the panic button, but those losses have exposed a couple of holes.

Things won’t get any easier this week. OSU will play at Maryland tonight and at Indiana on Saturday.

Rankings

The first Associated Press boys and girls basketball rankings were released on Monday and there aren’t many surprises. The polls can be found on today’s Sports page.

Big matchup

A week from Saturday, January 18, Ottawa-Glandorf will host Lima Sr in non-conference boys’ basketball action. I can’t imagine any empty seats in the gym that night.

That was fast

The Cowboys certainly didn’t waste any time hiring a new head coach. A day after officially announcing that Jason Garrett wouldn’t return, sources confirmed that Mike McCarthy, who also interviewed with the Cleveland Browns, would be the next Dallas coach.

While the Cowboys didn’t handle Garrett’s dismissal very well, they didn’t mess around naming a new coach.

This says it all

I came across this Tweet on Monday and it’s spot on.

It reads “So Jerry Jones makes Mike McCarthy feel welcome by opening his home to him for the night. Jimmy Haslam makes McCarthy feel welcome by scheduling a press conference in the middle of McCarthy’s interview during which he stressed how the Browns are interviewing a ton of candidates.”

Bingo.

Snake bitten?

Is there a more snake bitten team now than the New Orleans Saints, who have lost three straight playoff games to the Minnesota Vikings?

Sunday’s 26-20 overtime loss in the NFC Wild Card game was no less heartbreaking than the previous two.

As always, if you have thoughts about any of the above subjects, feel free to email me at sports@thevwindependent.com.