I make no bones about it- I don't like Ohio State. I don't like the fact that the Buckeyes have more bandwagon fans than Notre Dame. I don't like the fact that "Hang on Sloopy" somehow is connected to the university and I don't like how OSU fans spell "O-H-I-O" but won't spell state...Ohio University is home of the Bobcats. I really don't like how you refer to yourself as "The" Ohio State University...Is there such a rivalry with Ohio Northern, Ohio Wesleyan, Ohio University, Shawnee State, Southern State Community College and The Cleveland State University, that you really need "THE" in front of your name?
My point is, it pained me to root for the scarlet and gray this evening...but I thought it would be a good thing to do. I even was yelling at the TV in excitement about how "slow" the Bucks were as Beanie Wells toasted the LSU defense for a 65 yd. TD. The Big Ten needed the Bucks to win...But I've said it before, and don't know why I abandoned the philosophy this evening- screw conference loyalty. I like Michigan because of the Michigan fans that I know...and I like Penn State because I really enjoyed their fans when I watched them shellack my Boilers back in '98. I have never liked tOSU and I went against my best judgment by rooting for them this evening. That's a night I can never get back...I feel dirty now and I can't come clean...Self, I'm sorry.
Vest, I'll give you this, your Bucks were ready at the beginning of the game...but much like my Boilers v. Georgia a few years back, tOSU folded when the pressure increased. Could tOSU have had any more motivation to win? I guess they needed more. Vest, why did you abandon the run when the Bucks were down by just two scores in the second quarter? Boeckman is not a good passer...he showed it over and over, yet you wanted to put the hopes of your team on his less-than-sound decision-making ability and his lifeless arm. I just don't get it. Plus, isn't the Big Ten supposed to be big and strong? Thus, shouldn't teams like OSU and Wisconsin be able to control the line of scrimmage? Guess not. Not even close tonight. Bo Pelini, Ken Dorsey and Frenchy Jean-Francoise were b*tch slapping Boeckman for the last three quarters of the game...and the Buck defense wasn't much better and even the special teams screwed things up on more than one occasion...At least the loss was a team effort.
Last year, you guys were upset because Meyer "complained" his way into the BCS championship...so, they didn't belong there, but they cleaned your clocks...This year, LSU was a the first two-loss team in the BCS championship, so they didn't deserve it either. What's worse, a team that doesn't belong in the championship, or one that thinks it belongs and gets bushwhacked by an underqualified squad?OSU fan, I have a question for you, seriously. Is it better to be like Purdue...mediocre and nationally unimportant OR second best (by a lot) to Florida, Florida (basketball) and now LSU? When Purdue was on the national stage and had its heart ripped out by Wisconsin, it hurt...very bad, still stings. I can't imagine how I'd feel if it happened over and over and over. Second question, are you guys talking about getting rid of the Vest yet?
15 comments:
How does it feel to have your heart repeatedly ripped out? It sucks. As a Cleveland sports fan, that's what life has been all about for the past 60 years.
What ends up happening is that you expect the worst all the time because that's what always happens.
Up 3-1 on the Red Sox? Don't get your hopes up.
Up 2-1 in the 9th inning in game 7 of the World Series? It's not over until it's over.
Win 10 games in the NFL and become only the 5th 10 win team ever not to make the playoffs? Sounds about right.
Make the NBA Finals only to get swept like you're the girls JV squad at Montana Veterinary Tech? It happens.
When you repeatedly come close, you end up loving the ride there but then you dread the ending.
That said, I doubt that OSU fans are there right now. They're only 4 years removed from a national championship. The way they can afford to pay their players, they'll get another one soon. Err... thousands of NCAA athletes go pro in something other that sports. Yeah, that's it.
Honestly, I loved the crowd shots that showed tOSU band. Pretty much from the end of the first quarter until the end (there was the exception of the interception in the 3rd quarter) they looked on the verge of crying. I laughed.
Well, if nothing else, at least we're still better than Purdue...
Some perspective:
http://menofthescarletandgray.com/2008/01/08/be-proud-buckeye-fans-and-have-some-perspective-will-ya/
They're delusional. It was ugly except the first 5 minutes for the Buckeyes.
The Bucks winning the statistical battle smacks of a team that doesn't belong in the championship. They looked like Hawaii in their attempt at pretending they belonged in a BCS bowl.
Congrats on that massive accomplishment, anonymous...so are about half of the teams in the Bowl Subdivision...and 2 or 3 in the Championship division.
This, my friend is football karma. The vest lied about his cheatin' heart and threw Geiger & Maurice under the bus. People that wear necklaces made of poisonous nuts and those that don't both know who the real cheater is...so do the football gods.
One thing I'll say about all this is that I still think this should shut people up about the Big Ten being "down" or "slow" or whatever. I believe the Big Ten had EIGHT bowl teams.... Michigan had a nine-win season and beat the defending national champs despite their awful start. OSU was supposed to be rebuilding this year and they ended up in the national title game. So spare me, national media, this baloney that the Big Ten is down. The Big Ten is fine.
But do I feel badly that OSU lost? Not really. Those fans need to be knocked down a peg or two.
Ohio State is a great team, just not the best team. They will finish around #4 or #5 in the polls and that is about right. There is no reason to rip them and say they suck. They showed us first hand on 10/6/07 how good they were.
Getting to the title game after all the players they lost was a great accomplishment. Let's not lose sight of that.
Because they beat up on a not-very-good Purdue team isn't a barometer of anything...MSU did too and IU did for 3 quarters of a game.
Getting to the championship is very respectable, especially if Purdue did it because we don't expect championships, but the OSU fans I talk to make it sound like nothing other than a National Title is their goal. Not only did they not reach their goal, they got crushed in the process.
I never said they sucked, mind you...But they looked overmatched last night and in doing so, made their conference look like a joke. Facts are facts and your gold/scarlet-colored glasses can't change 'em.
You might be right, Boilerdowd. I just think it's a little off-base for Purdue fans to come out of the woodwork bashing OSU when we came into Ross-Ade and scraped y'all on national TV. If OSU is as bad as you guys say, what does it say about a conference where we ripped off 20+ wins in a row over 3 different seasons?
I'm not saying Purdue fans shouldn't be happy OSU lost; I'm sure most of you are ecstatic and I wouldn't expect any less. And it's your website so say what you want, I just think it looks kinda stupid for you guys to be talking smack. I'd LOVE to see what Purdue does the year after losing 7 players to the draft. Wait; never mind...
Well, we should first thank OSU for reaching the National Championship game (in effect gave UofI a Rose Bowl berth), which in my understanding pays the Big Ten an extra $4.5 million. This also probably enabled Purdue to slide up and grab the Motor City (if it's possible to slide up to the Motor City). Either way, OSU making the National Championship essentially pays Big Ten schools an extra $400,000 (before expenses). Thanks for the extra paycheck OSU.
As far as pride goes, it really doesn't matter. Michigan embarassed themselves and the Big Ten last year, only to surprise and conquer this year. You can say what you want about OSU in the championship games, however, I would certainly love to lose a National Championship game right now as a Purdue and Syracuse fan.
Anonymous, can you read? I rooted for Ohio State...I just won't do it again.
If you've been here before, you'd know that I think Purdue is not a good football team right now...and hasn't been for four seasons. Even then, it was a house of cards that tumbled easily.
Purdue had 9 players lost to the NFL in 2003 (Reeves, Schweigert, Phillips, Gardner, Johnson, Koutouvides, Hardwick, Terrill & Standeford)...8 are still on NFL rosters. That year Purdue was only second to Miami in players lost to the NFL from one college. Problem with Purdue guys going to the NFL is they're simply not prepared...tOSU players always know how to handle getting paid because they've been doing so since Tressel made his first contact with them.
Two things, Dowd:
1. "Hang on Sloopy" is the official rock song of the state of Ohio. The performers of the song, The McCoys, were from Ohio, having a base in Dayton (although they were originally from Union City, which straddles the state line and is in both Ohio and Indiana). Right after the song became a hit, the Ohio State band tried playing it, and they have been playing it ever since.
2. The official name of the university which has a main campus in Columbus is "The Ohio State University." Satellite campuses also use that name. So that's why it is in common parlance.
I understand that this won't change your views, but perhaps some context is in order. ;-)
--Eric
Dude, Shannon Hoon & Axel Rose are from Lafayette but the Purdue band doesn't play "No Rain" or "November Rain"...and the Jackson 5 are from Gary, but Purdue and IU don't play "ABC" all of the time.
I think tOSU should adopt using "1st of Tha Month" by Bone Thugs and Harmony as the states official song...that makes as much sense.
And the use of "the" is ridiculous...every major public school, and some small private schools have satellite campuses.
What about "Don't Cry"? That actually featured both of them! :-P Besides, Axl hated Lafayette. Then again, I don't think he really likes anything! ;-)
However, if the AAMB did a Blind Melon/GNR sampler, it would be a bit more enjoyable than the doo-wop crud and other assorted dreck they currently put out there. Any time my father stumbles upon a PBS special on that stuff and stays there while we are supposedly having a thoughtful sporting experience, I cringe.
Again, the satellite campuses use the definite article as well. Example: "The Ohio State University, Lima Campus." Site of a drug raid gone awry! The town, that is. ;-)
I was not expecting to change your opinion, and I'm not a fan of a lot of the guys over there as well, but hey, it is what it is. :-D
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