About 7 oclock last night I settled in to watch some college basketball. As I watch the games I always have my laptop on and mess around on the internet throughout the games. I can always tell when Kentucky is playing because there are probably no kidding 75-100 UK related status updates on Facebook. First, it's Let's go Cats, or something annoying. Then sometme during the game there is another 100 or so messages saying the Refs are terrible or the other team is getting away with everything or OMG this team is the greatest basketball team ever. Then of course at the end of the game I get another 100 or so saying great game, big win, here comes title number 8 blah blah blah. Such is life. I'm sure if I grew up in Columbus and had 300 or so facebook friends from Ohio, it would be similar when the Buckeyes play on Saturdays.
There came a point in the game last night, with just a couple of minutes left, that a Mississippi State player gave Gilchrest a little shove and Gilchrest went to the ground. In real time it looked really bad. On the replay it was an obvious flop. So, I update my status saying man, Gilcrhest must've played soccer because that flop was World Cup worthy. I thought it was funny, and really only expected to get a soccer fan commenting about me being a hater of their game or whatever. Oh Boy was I wrong! with in 30 seconds I had a comment from a guy I have run into one time since we graduated in May of 1999. It said, Hater, how are your Buckeyes, oh yeah they have 5 losses ha. I responded did you watch the replay? It was funny that's all I was saying. No hating, and it really doesn't matter what my Buckeyes record is.
So, from there I had 2 other people comment back and forth telling me to quit crying UK is awesome. Others contributed and were respectful, including my high school Spanish teacher and my mother in law(she's a sweet lady and loves UK) all kept telling me that I was wrong about Kentucky and they are really good. Never once, did I tell anyone UK sucked or anything. I finally had to make a comment saying that I do think UK is the best team in America, I do think that if they played in another conference that was competent they would lose a couple more games, and I don't think UK or Ohio State is going to win it all. To which the responses were a title contender is a contender and conferences don't mean jack. Kind of funny coming from SEC fans who cry non stop about their conference in football.
All of this exchange back and forth, though got me thinking WOW what a bunch of fools. Sad thing is, they are a huge passionate fan base and it made me realize there are probably a lot of Ohio State fans who would make similar comments defending the Buckeyes, when no one really ever said anything bad about the team to begin with. I guess the Moral of this long drawn out story is, think about what you say before your next debate with another team or conferences fans. You really don't want to come off looking like the D-bag one of my former high school classmates did last night. When you do, you give all Buckeye fans a bad name.
You all already have a bad name, anyway. Just kidding. But on a serious note, sports is a huge debate. We each lobby for our teams. Well-educated fans can embrace the great moments as well as those of embarrassment, but we always try to one up the other. Whether it be head to head record, championships, star players or coaches, or even who lives in the better state, we are loaded with an arsenal of statistics and accolades. Although, I wouldn't trade this for the world, nothing sucks worse than the Dbag fan that thinks his teams is flawless and in a league of its own.
On a side note, at The Game this year in Ann Arbor, there was a group of Buckeyes in front of us. First of all, it takes balls to travel to your biggest rival's stadium to root for your team; especially when your team is 6-5, so I must give them credit for that. The first quarter was full of trash talk that was pretty ruthless, involving unwelcomed gestures and expletives, but exactly what I'd expect at a Michigan/OSU contest. At some point though, maybe because of the see-saw battle, conversation ignited and things got overly civil. We found out that we lived within 45 min of one another and had many things in common. Each party was quick to point out everything that our own teams were doing wrong, while complimenting what our "enemies" were doing (surprisingly) well---AKA, Braxton throwing for 200+ yards and 2 TDs.
Throughout the remainder of the game, I had this sickening feeling in the pit of my stomach about how unnatural this was---This civil union of sorts. So while I kept thinking that it was wrong, it offered a different viewpoint about opposing fanbases, even the most hated ones. Although, I felt like I should be forever longing for confrontation, it reminded me what sport truly is. At some point, you have to admit that you might not be as good as you think, or maybe, just maybe, that your opponent is just better than you on a given day. And that's ok.
When it comes to this most passionate of rivalries, I applaud the fact that we haven't been on the news for beating the living tar out of one another (Giants/Dodgers) or teabagging a passed out opposing fan...or, at least, not stupid enough to record it and put it on YouTube. So continue to toot thy horn of Buckeye lore and Urban fortitude, because it's just weird if you don't.
Those who stay will be CHAMPIONS!
~Bo Schembechler
Michigan fans are typically okay. I went to a Kentucky game a few years ago, when they were terrible, and their fans were senile. The worse fans I've ever encountered were Wisconsin fans. During last years game, a guy who was too drunk to cheer let out a profanity laced chant about Tressel after Abbrederris scored. I looked at my friend next to me, and told him "I'm going to tear apart this ____ if we somehow pull this off." Well Braxton did his thing, and we ripped him apart.
But sports are sports, and fans are ruthless :)
My point was not to tell people to not be proud of your teams or take part in banter, it was don't be a dumbass about it lol. As I said, my original comment was about the flop Gilchrest took out of bounds, which even the broadcasters were laughing at when they saw the replay. Somehow that made me a hater and my team has 5 losses and sucks lol. It made no sense, as I wasn't doing any hating at all.
So, yes, if Sully would've taken some crazy flop out of bounds after being bumped, and someone cracked a joke about it, I guess I'm saying I don't see the point in going on their facebook and calling them a hater and telling them their team sucked. Especially, some dude I haven't talked to in 13 years. Being in UK country I can tell you they have very reasonable fans, but more than their share of morons in the fan base. I just don't want to be considered the same as one of these morons when talking about the Buckeyes.
Nothing brings more debate between Buckeye fans and non-Buckeye fans than the p.i. call against Miami in 02 Nat'l Championship. Listening to ordinary Buckeye fan would make you think that the defender viciously assaulted the receiver because we (fans) get so strongly rooted in our opinions and each time its discussed we give less and less ground.
What's funny about that call , is today it would be no big deal. How many times during a football game does a flag come in well after the play is over nowadays. Seems like several times per game.
What's funny about that game in general is no one other than ohio state fans could imagine we could beat the mighty U. And when we did, they all blamed it on that one call. That was in everyone who considers themselves an experts opinion one of the greatest collections of football talent ever assembled. Under no circumstances could a team from outside the south compete with the mighty U, let alone beat them. Goes to show you heart and desire still matter, and that games are won on a field, not on paper. Rant over.
I think the moral of this story is learn how to use Twitter during sporting events and don't clog up Facebook with it lol!!
Taquitos.
Lucky I don't think that game had anything to do with a north team not having a chance to beat them. Go back and look at the run they had from 2000 to the Fiesta Bowl. I'll just tell you now, they won 34 games in a row and 35 out of 36 coming into that game. They should've been in the 2000 national title game, a team they beat, FSU, got in instead. They destroyed really good teams in 2001 and 2002. The national title game in 2001 against Nebraska they looked better than any college team I can remember seeing. It didn't matter what team played them and where they were from, they were going to be a 10+ point under dog in that game. It was a foregone conclusion that Miami was going to win that game, and it didn't matter who lined up across from them.
Ohio State happened to have a really good night and pulled of a huge upset. To be sure it was an upset though. I know Ohio State was undefeated coming in, but serioiusly look at the 34 wins Miami had coming into that game, then look at the games Ohio State won that season. The Buckeyes were a good team and fun to watch, but I'm not sure how many fans, despite what they said, really believed 100% no doubt about it that Ohio State was going to come in and win that game. I thought they could do it, but to tell you that I was confident they were going to do it would just be a lie.
Denny, I'm still kind of a moron about Twitter. I'm on there, just not really familiar with it.
People get pretty brutal about sports. Living down here in sec country its crazy annoying but it has helped me open my mind to more than just team or conference bashing. Now when I talk sports its more of how the games are played and how players are playing. Talking stats that back up my theories and not just blind hate bashing on teams just because I don't like a team. And with knowing all that its hard for people to put up a valid argument along the way. Even getting on this site and learning from more people like all of you who know a lot more about Tue buckeyes than I thought I did. Had more but gotta get back to work Haha.
I think your original comment was funny. It was clearly a flop. I would have laughed if it was Sullinger or any other Ohio State player. Just like when the Bengals' player pulled off his flop against the Browns' player this season (and yes, I am a Browns fan). It was ridiculous. Which made it funny.