NBA talks to resume Wednesday - Ohio State joins helmet craze with a new lid for Wisconsin game

Ohio State joins helmet craze with a new lid for Wisconsin game
It seems like every week teams are doing something to make their uniforms a little more snazzy and this week it's Ohio State's turn.
On Monday, Buckeye tight end Reid Fragel tweeted a photo of the new helmets his team plans to wear for this weekend's game against Wisconsin. And they actually look pretty fresh (do the kids still use the word fresh?) with silver sandwiching a red panel down the middle and the player's numbers on either side.
The entire uniform is part of the Pro Combat series by Nike, which also has made uniforms for Michigan State, Stanford and LSU.
While the new helmets -- and uniforms -- are cool, the Buckeyes probably won't need any more motivation to get amped (do the kids still say amped?) for a game against a Wisconsin team that is reeling after a last-second 37-31 loss to Michigan State last weekend.
Ohio State has had two weeks to prepare for this game and get its offense squared away after a questionable effort in the 17-7 win against Illinois. In that game, Ohio State completed just one pass — albeit for a touchdown — and managed just 228 yards of total offense. The Buckeyes seemed content keeping the ball out of the hands of quarterback Braxton Miller and relying on the legs of running back Dan Herron and the Buckeye defense, which forced three turnovers.
But Ohio State won't have the luxury of using just half of the offense against a Wisconsin team that scores quickly and will be motivated to erase last week's loss.



The nation’s most complete low-post player spent the summer shedding fat, adding muscle and improving his cardiovascular health. The 6-9 forward will be more mobile, his mid-range game has improved and he’s more motivated than before to dominate. Yes, the guy who was an All-American as a freshman will be even better as a sophomore. That’s a scary thought.




NBA talks to resume Wednesday
NEW YORK -- Officials from the NBA and players' association will meet Wednesday, less than a week after three days of talks with a federal mediator couldn't produce a deal to end the lockout, a person with knowledge of the plans said.
Talks broke down last Thursday after players said owners insisted they agree to a 50-50 split of revenues before they would further discuss the salary cap system. By not reaching an agreement last week, the NBA will likely be forced to cancel more games to go with the two weeks that were already scrapped.
There was a far nastier tone than usual to the breakdown, with union president Derek Fisher of the Lakers accusing deputy commissioner Adam Silver and Spurs owner Peter Holt, chairman of the league's labor relations committee, of lying during their press conference.
But just as they have multiple times this month when they walked away from the table without another meeting scheduled, the sides are getting back at it relatively quickly.
The meeting, first reported by the New York Daily News, will be small groups from each side, the person told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because details of the negotiations were to remain private. Commissioner David Stern will take part after he was forced to miss the session last Thursday because of an illness.
Stern said without a deal last week, he feared games could be lost right through Christmas. The sides tried, spending 30 hours together while meeting for three straight days for the first time since the lockout began July 1. They made some progress on minor issues, but continue to be stuck on the two main ones.
Players proposed lowering their guarantee of basketball-related income to 52.5 percent, leaving the sides about $100 million apart annually based on last season's revenues. They are also sparring over the length of contracts and the raises attached to them, along with the penalties teams would face for exceeding the luxury tax level.