Tressels, Fickells, Urbans, Days, Johnsons and Days,
It was supposed to be his best weekend ever.
Twentyone Pilots (his favorite band) concert Friday night, Ohio State vs Penn State game Saturday night and trick-or-treat Sunday night.
Instead, on Thursday night, right before all of it, my 12-year-old son, Jake, tested positive for Covid.
Jake was devastated; I still despise Covid as much as Al Qaeda and Michigan football.
We shuffled around plans and when things settled, I'm going to the Ohio State-Penn State game last season with my high-school son, Austin, and an extra ticket.
Austin and I are shuffling with the herd into Ohio Stadium. I noticed an elderly gentleman wearing dated Ohio State garb and looking for a single ticket. I have an extra and he's ticketless no more at no charge. Our new companion, John, last went to an Ohio State game when he was an OSU student in the Sixties. He was in town for a personal engagement, was free Saturday night and thought he would take in the game by himself.
John is a little slower physically, but makes it up the stairs to our seats in row 30 with determination. He tells us stories of the 1968 National Championship team and his time going to games back then. I get up to grab hot dogs and popcorn. John tells Austin that he once died for 8 minutes. Fascinating, but I'm glad I caught the stories of 1968 Ohio State, not 8 minutes of death.
More often than not, I remember moments around the Penn State game. Marcus Baugh catching a touchdown pass from JT Barrett in our Northend end zone. Watching Joey Bosa's walk off sack with my friends dressed up as Janice and Floyd of Muppets fame and I'm wearing a Jay Burson (complete with headgear halo) costume. Enjoying a visit to Ft. Liquordale to see my friend Nate and yelling at the TV while we watch Todd Boeckman carve up Penn State. Jake getting Covid and hosting someone who died for 8 minutes.
I want this season to slow down, but I'm going to enjoy these final games as we leave October and come down the November stretch. I'm sure there will be moments this weekend that I hold on to. I'll hold every game to 66-0, 77-21, 52-21, 49-10, 49-20 and 54-10 context and I still know that's dumb. But, I think it's there this season. I'm still in.
Touchdowns: Miyan, Emeka Egbuka, Marvin Harrison Jr., Marvin, Julian Fleming, Cade Stover
OSU 42 Penn State 20
Go Bucks! Beat Penn State! Josh Proctor for Heisman!
Stout Pops
