The Queensbury rules were set up over 150 years ago in London, to ensure boxing matches were regulated by a fair set of rules, and maintain integrity in the sport. The NCAA supposedly does the same thing for college football. Now that the they have made their lame ruling (IMAO) regarding the punishments that scUM will receive for the alleged proven advanced scouting violations, Buckeye nation finds itself in the unhappy position of having to live with this situation, after three years of unfair matches not in the ring, but on the gridiron. Cue big sighing sound.
The first group of our beloved fan base has stated they had given up hope for a fair ruling from the NCAA, and as a result they're done with it emotionally. Having lowered their expectations that the punishment would fit the crime, they say it's time to move on. There are others who have the mindset, "I don't care, let's just beat the crap out of them in Ann Arbor this fall. That's how we gain our revenge, and right the ship." (Amen to that.) Others, are scratching their heads, wondering how in the world scUM, did not receive a more severe punishment, given what happened to OSU years ago, with "Tatoo gate"; astonished at the amoral and inconsistent mindset of the NCAA COI. I find myself in this group, for the most part, and I wish I had a clear answer, but I don't.
Perhaps there's a new collective that could be formed, that could ease the pain - at least to a certain degree. A new group, initiated by our fan base but including the rest of the BIG teams of 2023 (minus TCUN) that could be categorized as "Reprisals and Retribution". I say it’s time to take the matter into our own hands.
Imagine sending a well put together plaque to each BIG team next fall before their game with the skunk weasels, that has an adjusted record from that team's, 2021, 2022, and 2023 football record. You might say, "What do you mean by 'adjusted'?" Glad you asked. Take each record from each year, and add one win to the team total, with an asterisk next to the scUM game, and explain that the opposing BIG team actually won the game, because scUM cheated, and thus forfeited the victory, per accepted rules of true sportsmanship. This is claiming the moral high ground, because even with the slap on the wrist penalties, scUM certainly can’t. TRUE victories can only be celebrated on a level playing field, and if one team broke the rules - especially in an elaborate scheme never before displayed in all the history of college football - it's actually a forfeit because of the NOW PROVEN cheating scandal, even if the point total showed scUM victorious. (Let's include the Huskies, even though they were not officially in the BIG in 2023, but because they had to play scUM in the title game.) It would take some organization and planning for such an endeavor, but since Tony Petitti won't stick up for the BIG teams that DESERVE CREDIT for playing by the rules, and even lobbied for the NCAA to go easy on TCUN. In fact, Petitti and (they won it fair and square) Charlie Baker could be twin brothers of different mothers, and you can argue they have hit below the belt for the 13 teams in the BIG during the years described above. As an example, the Train representing Purdue, would be at the top of the plaque, the adjusted record would be listed underneath for each year, and then at the bottom a bit of verbiage about how scUMs' BIG titles are illegitimate because all games should be forfeited. To top it off, put the traditional maize and blue "M" symbol, at the very bottom, in a small form, and instead of "Michigan" spelled across the yellow banner, replace it with "Tarnished". Make a suggestion to that particular BIG entity, to place it in a prominent place in their practice facility, so it can be a reminder for months and years to come.
Along with this plaque, send a huge banner that can be displayed in the card or student section for that particular BIG team, with a web address in huge letters that says "theycheatedandtheysUck.coM". The web site would display that particular aforementioned plaque, for said team, when clicking on the link. Adjust the web site accordingly each new week, with each team's respective plaque, as the season progresses. Include helmet stickers for each player with the link printed on it, so that it's seen constantly throughout the game on TV. Make a suggestion to the coaches that they display the stickers on back of the players' helmets for the scheduled game against TCUN.
Go ahead Hairball, tell the world that your team was innocent, just like you did in the press conference after the Natty victory, before trying to rewrite your contract with the scUM administration, that you would not be penalized if an NCAA ruling found wrong doing in the program THAT YOU WERE IN CHARGE OF, and then shortly thereafter, bolted to the NFL. (Oh wait, he was asked about it recently, and deflected. Hmmm....)
So why do this? Well, why not? It's bad enough that scUM downplayed the entire caper as no big deal since the news broke in fall of 2023, let alone have a smug attitude about their illegitimate achievements, both then and now. Yes, they expanded their trophy case, but it was through nefarious means. Why do this? To keep the scandal current and in front of those trophies that are tarnished at best, and show the chinks in their armor.
theycheatedandtheysUck.coM - Let's get the ball rolling.
