Wednesday! Nice.
THE PROCESS OF GREATNESS. It didn't take long for the some folks in the chattering class to say Ohio State is no longer the No. 1 team in the country. To be fair, that's probably a fair assessment given Ohio State's 2015 play.
And greatness takes time.
From Annie Apple of SurvivinAmerica.com:
As defending national champions, we are who are today not what we did last year or even last week. Last season was amazing, and we created lasting memories and made history. Now we forge ahead. We’re not panicked. We’re adjusting to changes while still winning. Other playoff contenders have already lost. We haven’t. Not because we’re better than others as individuals, but because we’re patient with our growth and adjustments, and we have great players who play as a unit. We remain dedicated to coming up with real, authentic and effective rhythm that will propel us forward each game of the season. We’re not aiming to please or pacify others but to make adjustments that fit who we are, what we do and the talent on our team. This takes time, authenticity, strength and dedication to teamwork and the game-plan.
There is no quarterback controversy at Ohio State. Our guys are dedicated to each other and the game-plan cultivated by the coaches. We have two gifted quarterbacks and a smart, creative and effective head coach who has been opened about the challenges that comes with choosing a quarterback. I think often people forget that football is played by humans not robots. So while others assume, analyze, guess and speculate, we’re busy getting better. If you want drama, watch the Real Housewives of New Jersey. Everything is moving forward with the 3-0 Ohio State Buckeyes.
It's better for Ohio State to face adversity than to roll over the competition; I truly believe that. There's more to learn from a 20-13 game vs. NIU than a 62-14 one.
Remember how soft Ohio State looked in January 2007 when it got mauled in Glendale by Urban Meyer's Gators? That team never faced true adversity in the regular season. Adversity is the difference between January 2007 and January 2015.
Hell, I hope "Ohio State is a wounded dog" becomes a national meme. As an Ohio State fan, it's just easier to handle that way; it makes the axe-grinding way more enjoyable.
THE NEXT PROTÉGÉ. Matt Campbell's Toledo thumped Arkansas, and afterwards Urban Meyer — who knows but does not love Bert Bielema — lauded the Rocket frontman.
On Monday, Campbell returned the kind words:
.@UTMattCampbell on @BullandFox: "Certainly grateful" for Urban's compliments; "He's really good to me, great mentor" http://t.co/RPI6sV0DOn
— Keith Britton (@KeithBritton86) September 22, 2015
Campbell is 35-years-old. He was born in Massillon and is a Mount Union alumnus (per the site of record, Wikipedia). I'll be following his career, he might be a guy who could replace Urban Meyer (upon Meyer's retirement in 2076, obvii).
IT'S CHOW! I was going to make a joke about how Norm Chow obviously didn't catch the 2014 Big Ten title game, but then I realized the 2015 team has nothing to do with the 2014 Big Ten title game.
From Madison.com:
[Hawai'i head coach Norm] Chow said Tuesday that he believes the Badgers are “probably a little more physical than Ohio State.” He also said the loss to the Buckeyes, who needed a 21-point outburst in the fourth quarter to pull away from Hawaii, will help his team against UW.
“We know what we’re getting into,” Chow said. “I don’t think we’ll be intimidated. In fact, I know we won’t.”
(I do not envy Hawai'i's travel schedule.)
The only time I put any resemblance of credence into the transitive opponent property is if the match-ups come within a week or two of each other. Would love to see the Rainbow Warriors put down Bert's dark apprentice, Paul Chryst.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN, RED COAT? *in my #WellActually voice* What idiot called them the red coats and not the scarlet coats?
From Dispatch.com:
Dan Milligan has been working Ohio State football games for 56 years. He started as one of the gatemen taking tickets because he wanted to watch the games. It didn’t pay much, but he stuck with it.
“They used to pay you like three dollars a game,” he said. “It’s a little better than that now."[...]
“He could handle situations that probably very few of us could do,” said Jeff Bordener, redcoat superintendent.
[...]
“I got to watch him professionally kick people out of St. John’s Arena in a very, very short period of time and still be nice to them,” he said.
(I can only imagine what felony had to be committed to get Dan to give somebody the heave-ho from St. John.)
Ol' Dan was so slick he got his wife a similar job so they could enjoy Ohio State athletic games together on the cheap. That's boss.
#SFW ANTI-WORK BANGER. You might think there were no highlights against Northern Illinois, but you'd be wrong.
From @KJetland:
THOSE WMDs. Automated bagel machine inventor left behind a mixed legacy... How Fazolis turned its #brand around... The Avenger... That's a TKO... TV vs. the Internet: Who will win?
