Three members of the Ohio State men’s basketball team aren’t ashamed to let it be known that they know all the words to Miley Cyrus’ “Party in the USA.”

 

While most guys will only listen to the song in secrecy, forward Jared Sullinger and guards Aaron Craft and Jon Diebler performed a rendition of the song on YouTube. The guys seem to know almost every word and sing along perfectly — well, at least they try to.

 

Sitting in front of a green screen that plays Cyrus’ music video in the background, the three take turns singing through the song. Diebler certainly has the best voice among the group, but Sullinger steals the show with his dance moves and expressions — he’s good at hamming it up. You just have to watch the video yourself to appreciate Craft’s performance. His voice seems to get higher and higher as the song goes on, which is remarkable considering the unmanly pitch he starts off on.

 

The video, titled “Party in the O-S-U,” was posted on YouTube by ohiostatebuckeyes.com on Jan. 21 and has received about 75,000 views. That’s not as much attention as Ted Williams received, but the “golden voice” element is definitely missing here.

 

Maybe basketball skills don’t translate to music, but the video is cute and entertaining. It’s nice to see the guys having some fun off the court; I think a No. 1 team deserves that. They come across as a group of good guys who aren’t afraid to have a little fun.

 

Most of the comments posted on the video are humorous and lighthearted, but of course there are people calling the video embarrassing. Maybe that argument would earn some merit if the team was having trouble on the court, but the exact opposite is true. These guys have a lot to celebrate, so why not? I know the season isn’t over yet, but if this video helps keep their energy up, it’s worth it. Being No. 1 is a tough burden to bear.

 

If things suddenly start going bad for the team, I can see the video being used against them. But the guys don’t approach the song in a serious way; they know it’s a joke. I would be a little worried if they, or anyone else, took their singing seriously.

 

These guys might be a little tone-deaf, but I guess you can’t be good at everything. Let’s just be thankful their talents lie elsewhere.