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Ohio State Football Forum

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Never Prouder to be a Buckeye

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Tkebuck1's picture
December 1, 2014 at 7:29pm
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Ohio State has had countless great moments during its rich football past. We all have our favorites...All Americans, national championships, upsets, unequaled tradition, rivalries, staunch supporters, rabid detractors...too many to mention and not enough space to do any of them justice. But here, briefly, after riding this year's emotional, sometimes tortuous roller coaster whose outcome is yet to be played out, let me say that I've never been more proud to be a Buckeye than during this year.

Together, here on Eleven Warriors, or in the stands, in front of the television, or next to a radio, thousands of us have collectively shared more joy, misery, dejection, and way too much sorrow than in any prior year. 

After ending last year with two unexpected losses, we debated here endlessly on what was broken and how the staff would right the ship. We weren't sure how things would shake out this year and, after losing our Heisman hopeful in the spring to an unhealed shoulder, saw the team ambushed early by Virginia Tech and the dream of another undefeated season and national championship hunt vaporized....or was it?

An untested redshirt survived his ugly baptism by fire and a much maligned offensive line began to jell. A determined running back surprisingly turned in a 1000 yard campaign while a suspect defense began to successfully throttle down oppositions.

And we slowly inched up the national rankings, doggedly climbing over 'highly regarded' schools that began stumbling one after another, week after week. Hope sprang eternal. The blogs lit up. Even ESPN started singing the praises of the Scarlet and Gray.

Then came the annual war. The Game. The war where we collectively froth for months at the opportunity to malign the no-goods from up north. To wish a beat down...no, actually a slaughter...upon our hated rivals. And somewhere during that late fall tussle last Saturday, in our hallowed Ohio Stadium, the wheels, suddenly and agonizingly, came flying off our beloved program. First, news released that a lesser known walk-on Buckeye is missing. And then, our new star QB, this hero leading his brothers from the ashes, a program relegated to somewhere near the has-been pile, is awkwardly bent during a scrum tackle and grimly carted off the field, his season and the team's hopes...our hopes...vaporized. Like earlier in August the pundits begin minimizing Ohio State's upside playoff likelihood.

Now we grieve once again. The worst scenario ever imaginable involving a young person becomes reality as the body of missing Buckeye, Kosta Karageorge, is identified. A tragedy so profound that football is not so relevant any more. The loss of life so painful. But the nature of the remarkable tweets from his football brothers remind us that football is indeed relevant. They are a brotherhood that most of us will never experience or understand. Each of them is important to all the others. Each of them is part of the team, regardless of their individual fame, accolades, starting positions.

For the very same reason, our new quarterback will now assume the role of play caller, decision maker, passer, runner, field leader. This is the role he fostered while growing up and now college. This is why he was invited to be a part of this team, why he chose Ohio State. Why his team is embracing him.

No, the last chapter for this season is yet to be written, but regardless of the outcome, we have seen and experienced collectively all of those emotions that have brought us together: expectations, potential, disappointment, tragedy, elation, dejection...and hope. This site is called Eleven Warriors. It is about these young men and it is about Buckeye Nation. All of us. Let's be proud Buckeyes together. 

 

This is a forum post from a site member. It does not represent the views of Eleven Warriors unless otherwise noted.

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