Remember Rick Nash's first game as a Blue Jacket? The peach fuzzed 19-year old scored a goal in his very first game at Nationwide Arena. His goal against the Black Hawks marked just the 8th time in NHL history a first overall pick scored a goal in his first ever game.

At that time, Blue Jackets fans believed they were witnessing the birth of the NHL's next great super star. The skills were all there, speed, strength and the ability to take a team on his broad shoulders and lead them to the post-season.

Nash did that three years ago. It remains the one and only time the Blue Jackets have made the playoffs.

Nash won a share of the NHL's goal-scoring title just two years in to his NHL career.

He's been an All-Star 5 times, won an Olympic Gold Medal and the NHL's Foundation Award for his community service.

But.

Rick Nash has only played in four playoff games in nine years. Four.

He's 27-years old. He's experienced success individually and with a team at every level except the NHL.

Can you blame him?

Can you blame a guy for thinking of himself and the goals he has set for himself?

Nash's employers know what they have. they know Nash could bring at least two and as many as five quality hockey players into the Blue Jackets organization with a trade.

Nash knows a well excuted trade could instantly put him in position to win a Stanley Cup while at the same time give Columbus a renewed sense of relevence throughout the league.

For him that would be a win-win. Nash said earlier this season he would do whatever it takes to help the organization--even if that meant making himself available for a trade.

And that's where we are now.

There are fans who feel the Blue Jackets wouldn't be the Blue Jackets without Rick Nash.

There are also fans who feel the time for the so called "nuclear option" has arrived.

"The team is already the worst team in the league, what harm can trading Nash do?" seems to be the thinking by those tired of the status quo.

The latter of these two options seems to make the most business sense. Move your most valuable asset with the hope it will bring more assets to form the foundation of the do-over.

But, the Jackets without Nash?

Summon your inner Buckeye here. Saying goodbye to your favorite Buckeye is something that happens every three or four years anyway. How bad can it be?

Did the Buckeyes tank when Joey Galloway left? Eddie George? Maurice Clarett? James Lauranaitis?

Of course the answer is no.

The Jackets can surive without Rick Nash. Everyone who ever bought a "61" jersey may disagree. But there will be hockey at Nationwide whether Nash is wearing a CBJ sweater or not.

Geoff Sanderson Tyler Wright and Jody Shelley all wore the title of "most popular Blue Jacket at one time or another. All were traded.

The team moved forward with new stars and new favorites.

As hard as it would be to say goodbye to Rick Nash--and as tough as it would be for him to leave, the franchise will survive and Nash himself may thrive.

The focus needs to be on negotiating a trade that will allow the Blue Jackets and Nash to thrive.

That may be a trade that brings quality talent to play with Nash or send Nash to another city.

Which ever it is, it's very apparent that the staus quo won't work for anyone.

It's happened again. An Ohio State athlete has taken to Twitter to voice his displeasure.

This time it's Buckeye basketball player LaQuinton Ross, a freshman who played his high school ball in New Jersey.

Moments after the Buckeyes win over Minnesota, Ross jumped on his Twitter and typed, "I don't know how much longer I can take this bull***t".

Presumably the tweet had to do with playing time, since Ross logged zero minutes in the game at Williams Arena. in fact, he's logged zero minutes in most games this season, but that's beside the point.

Everyone understands how tough it is to ride the bench. Everyone wants to feel they can contribute. When they are denied the chance, they look for someone other than themsevles to blame.

Twitter is not the best way to get your point across. But it's easy, it can be done in the cover of a dark bus ride to the airport and it can momentarily make a person feel better.

Thank God Twitter did not exist when I was in high school, college or anytime up to my 50th birthday.

The trouble is, Twitter has become the eletronic bitch forum of choice for Ohio State athletes.

Remember Carlos Hyde?

The Buckeye tailback tweeted "Guess I'm not good enough, take myself else where." Essentially Hyde's tweet was the same gripe over lack of playing time that Ross was trying to get across.

Trouble is no coach, teammate or fan wants to hear you complain about playing time. it reflects negatively on the athlete and on the program.

But what's a coach to do?

There was a rumor the day after the Buckeyes returned from their Gator Bowl loss that Urban Meyer had stripped the team of its ability to tweet. The truth is, Meyer had not denied the players their right to tweet only limited what they could tweet about.

He says he will deal with players who tweet about team issues. Fair enough. That certainly tells the players up front they've got some boundries.

That doesn't stop the random offensive tweet such as Brian Rolle's not so veiled desire for a certain romantic encounter during the Buckeyes trip to New Orleans for the Sugar Bowl. Or a random player using foul language or racial epithets as part of a conversational tweet.

Both happen and with the number of followers some of these players have, it follows someone is going to be offended.

What Ohio State and every other major university needs is someone to oversee the tweets.

A Twitter cop if you will.

If Ohio State can hire an assistant athletic director in charge of football performance why not have an assistant athletic director in charge of social media?

It will be that person's job to monitor each and every tweet made by all Ohio State athletes.

From the swimmer who thinks the water in the pool is too cold to the softball player unhappy with his innings pitched, there will be more than enough for the new A.D. to do. Ohio State could be a real trend setter by becoming the first in the country to put a person on this twitter termination.

Somone needs to reel these tweeters in. They are embarassing themselves and their university.

This is easily the most bizarre sports story I've ever read.

The state of Ohio should consider itself warned. Beware of the Piggback Bandit.

http://www.twincities.com/sports/ci_19938374

William Buford's final points against Purdue came on a runaway all by himself flush.

The Buckeyes had to work a lot harder than they thought they would have to in running their home winning streak to 39-games.

Buford had 29 points to lead the Buckeyes but it was the points that were important, it was the makes.

Buford has struggled with--who really knows exactly what--since the Buckeyes win over Northwestern to open Big Ten play. He has missed more big shots than he has made. He's stuggled with turnovers and bad passes.

He made Ohio State's only three pointer during a crucial stretch in the waning moments at Wisconsin. Perhaps that was a sign things were getting better.

Tuesday night, Buford had a stretch where he could not miss. He came off a screen and buried a three pointer from the top of the key with such smoothness, one couldn't help but wonder if he had his mojo back.

That 29 points was a career high for Buford. Let's hope it's also brought his confidence back to a career high level.

The Buckeyes need that heading not only into Saturday's game with Michigan State, but also next month at tournament time.

The Bucks will need a true high-low game if they hope to go deep into March. We know who will handle the "low". What's less clear is who the "high" guy will be.

Perhaps Buford is finally ready for that after his performance against the Boilers.