Like many of you, I grew up in a Buckeye-fan household somewhere in Ohio, went to college somewhere other than OSU, and have been a rabid Buckeye fan as long as I can remember (about 40 years for me). One of my first two sports memories is of Archie rambling through the UCLA defense (the other is Lynn Swann's famous circus catch vs. Dallas in the Superbowl).
Buckeye football brings out the best and worst of my personality and behavioral outbursts. It spikes my fanatic-o-meter to 11.
Basketball, however, barely moves the needle past a 6 or 7, even when the Bucks have gone deep into the tourney and/or won dramatic games. I played organized football in my younger years, and mostly pick-up basketball - loved them both - but I can't seem to get up for Buckeye basketball like I do for Buckeye football. Perhaps it's because OSU had less-than-vintage hoops teams during most of my early lifetime?
Does anyone else share this almost "let down" once football season is over? I find myself following OSU hoops only because that's all there is. Sad, I know, but I can't believe I'm the only one out there?
I feel that March Madness opening weekend is the single best sports event out there. I don't get into single basketball games as I do football games, probably because the individual games matter more in football, but I would say football hits around a 8-9, whereas basketball hits 7-8. March Madness is my 10, only paralleled by OSU football when they play big games.
And now you know part of the reason I am a huge KU basketball fan!
I understand what you are saying, and maybe it is the same for me a bit because football holds a special place in my heart, playing from 6th grade through senior year of college. So I love the game like none other and like you, I have played pick-up basketball games, I actually tried out for my middle school team and got cut, haha.
But regarding cheering, I think I get more frustrated watching Basketbal games because it is a much faster pace that football in terms of possession and scores and movement, etc. But if I had to rank it, I would say my football fan meter tops at 11 every game (and I get pissed if I missed a game, like last year's UAB game, I took my GF to help her sister unlock her car after she locked her keys, then my GF went with her to the vet, I went back to the GF's house, got locked out, and spent the game listening to the radio in the car, haha).
For basketball, I would say I maybe get less excited, but not by much, maybe spiking at a 9 or 10. Football is just a whole nother level for me as a fan, but I get amped for basketball too, maybe not the lesser quality teams that we play, I wont get too into the games and I can see my excitement level dropping to a 5 or 6, but with the B1G being as strong as it was this year, it has been a fun year for Buckeye Hoops in the absence of football, that is for sure.
I think the fact that one loss in football can ruin a season, coupled with playing most league teams twice in basketball, takes away from the impact of single games in basketball. Along those same lines, the regular season in basketball doesn't mean anywhere near to what it does for football.
Despite recent success for OSU and Michigan (even more recently), OSU and Michigan are football first schools---probably always will be. A football loss can sting for up to a year, depending on the magnitude, but, for me, a basketball loss wears off within a day or so. Lastly, even though I try to watch every basketball game (even DVR'd most that I couldn't watch live), I absolutely will not miss a football game. It's not negotiable.
Those who stay will be CHAMPIONS!
~Bo Schembechler
I am the opposite of most Buckeye fans. Someone asked me once who my favorite Buckeye was and I said Jimmy Jackson. They said not just basketball but football as well. I still said JJ. Maybe I was playing more basketball in my driveway than I was throwing a football around but for me nothing makes me happier than when on a Tuesday night I have to rush home for a 7 p.m. game against New Albany State or any other team. I could also have major problems too
Basketball isn't the spectacle that football is in Buckeye Country. A football game is whole day party/tailgate whereas basketball is a couple hours of excitement. Combine that with the amount of basketball games and you see why it's not that big. The final four does the same as a conference football game for me.
In general, I am a bigger football fan than a basketball fan but there is enough Buckeye blood in me to get excited for both. Besides, IMHO March madness is the best spectacle in sports.
While I find basketball as a sport more intriguing than football, I do get crazier for Buckeye football than Buckeye basketball.
"if irony were made of strawberries, we' d all be drinking a lot of smoothies right now."
I cannot tell you how many times I've been in the doghouse with at-the-time GFs because I yelled at the TV during an OSU football game. Ive broken remotes, a cell phone and even a laptop by accident. When the season is over, I go through withdrawals but the OSU hoops season mitigates it to a degree. I really got up in arms when we lost to UK two years ago and again the 2nd half of the Kansas game in the Final Four, so yeah I am passionate about OSU hoops but I think its more about my love of OSU than of basketball in general.
"Sherman ran an option play right through the south" - Greatest.Civil.War.Analogy.Ever
Buckeye Football >>>>>> Buckeye Basketball
Love them both but like Hail said above, I will never miss a Buckeye football game. I even hate recording them so I never miss a live game. I've even skipped 2 of my buddies weddings I was suppose to be in because they were on game days... just had to call in sick for that one. Even quit a job because they wanted me too start working weekends during football season. Sorrrry, no dice. But I still love me some Buckeye basketball, some years more than others but for the most part I don't miss any games but unlike football, I can skip a few if I have other shit going on as long as it's not a big game.
I am a OSU football fan over all else, but also grew up a UC basketball fan
I'm able to cope (somewhat) through pro football (Redskins fan), pro hockey (Capitals) and college hoops (uh, yeah).
Which goes without saying I'm hurting by late March/early April. The spring game definitely gets the juices going, albiet temporarily. The summer months are enjoyable yes, but there's no ignoring the void.
By mid-August I'm Eye of the Tiger......ready to roll! Think even more so this year.....(longingly gazes at desktop calendar.....).
"Success - it's what you do with what you got" - Woody Hayes
I don't know that I can necessarily comment on how they move the needle for me. They're two different animals, yet my fandom manifests itself in different ways.
tOSU football - one game a week; one time vs. opponent per year (unless meet up in conf. championship game); greater historical success vs. basketball
tOSU basketball - multiple games a week (usually); can play an opponent more than once; while not a weak program, certainly not as successful as its football brethren
If you compare the two, for me, what is different is the intensity with which I root. There seems to be more at stake on each individual football game simply because of fewer games. We spilt with M*ch*g*n this year in basketball, so that was more soothing than losing once and being done. However, I found myself "into" a number of basketball games this year, and was more than thrilled with various outcomes. I hope I've explained this well. The fandom is the same, but the intensity is what's different.
Football is definitely a bigger deal than basketball. During my student days (before Thad), I can remember getting season tickets to football and then showing up with my season tickets to basketball and being extremely underwhelmed at the Schott, i.e., no atmosphere, boring games, etc. I haven't been to a basketball game since, although I've grown into much more of a fan since hiring Thad. Also, admittedly, during my student days (01-05), the student section was less organized, tucked behind the baskets, nothing along the side of the court, etc. I just thought the overall atmosphere with the football experience was a million times better than basketball, which only added to my love of the football Buckeyes.
Football really does it for me, that said I have gotten pretty into buckeye hoops too. I have always rooted for them but in the last 5-6 years I have found my self more and more clearing my schedule during hoops season especially if Ohio State is playing someone good.
I don't know about you guys but I feel pretty optimistic about this March Madness. If we keep playing like we have through the Big Ten tourney I bet Ohio State will be a sneaky popular pick to the final four on a lot of brackets and I can honestly see this team getting there, thoughts?
Any one who knows anything about braketology please chime in - if Ohio State runs through the B1G Tourney could they still grab a 1 seed?