Apologies to those of you who read this before it went to Blog Heaven.

To date Ohio State has never played a game on New Year's Eve. That means I can't give you a game from the past to go down memory lane with.

Fortunately for us, DJ Byrnes (Marionaire and Eleven Warriors boss) provided this little nugget from yesterday's media day and Alabama's Rashaan Evans.

Evans acknowledged it was a business trip, but in the end his favorite thing about New Orleans was "living it up on Bourbon street."

Nic Miller: The most famous player you never heard of.

The interview with Rashaan Evans reminded me of a storyNic Miller told me when I interviewed him back in May. In December of 1977, Miller and the Buckeyes went to New Orleans 17 days early in preparation for the 1978 Sugar Bowl against Alabama.

17 days is a long time to be away from home, especially in a city as notorious as New Orleans. Woody Hayes kept the Buckeyes on the straight and narrow until one day when Woody decided to unknowingly take the boys out drinking. I'll let Nic tell the rest of one of his favorite stories about Woody Hayes:

The time I went drinking with Coach Hayes when I was a freshman. I was 17 and the 3rd or 4th team defensive lineman. It was the winter of 1978 (blizzard year) and we went to the Sugar Bowl 17 days early because Woody didn't like punting in the French Field House.

Pat O'Brien's Hurricane. Woody Hayes' drink of choice in New Orleans.

At the end of one of our last practices in New Orleans Woody said “We're giving you coupons for Hurricanes at a place called Pat O'Brien's.” At this time I'm not of age anywhere in the country and I thought that this unbelievable. Think of it, I'm underage and Woody's taking us drinking.

Can you imagine 120 players and coaches walking down the middle of Bourbon Street to go to Pat O'Brien's. When we arrive, they sit us in the patio area with stone walls and flowers on top. It was beautiful.

I still couldn't believe that Woody was taking us drinking because he didn't drink. After 30 minutes Woody stands up and says everybody get out of here. So we head down the street with everybody following him (Woody). He stops and says “You son's of Bitches! Nobody told me those drinks had alcohol! I'll tell you what. You guys go back and use those coupons, but back by 1 o'clock.

The Buckeyes ended up losing the 1978 Sugar Bowl (6-35). I'm hoping that the trip to Pat O'Brien's and Bourbon Street is the reason Ohio State lost that game.

Here is to history repeating itself. This time in favor of the Buckeyes.