Buckeye You!
14We’ve got a little Baseball Hall of Fame post coming up — the first of many, I’m sure — but first, here’s a thought on the BCS and Ohio State.
I grew up as an Ohio State fan. I grew up in the final days of the great Woody Hayes, that brilliant lunatic who might recite Shakespeare to you one minute and strap a pipe bomb to his chest the next. Characters did seem larger than life in those days, didn’t they? It was the 1970s — that was when you could become famous just for acting like a drunk (Foster Brooks), telling one joke (the “You doesn’t have to call me Johnson” guy), sliding head first (Pete Rose) failing to jump Snake River Canyon in some sort of rocket ship (the late Evel Knievel) or challenging women to various athletic endeavors (Bobby Riggs and Andy Kaufman). Woody Hayes was the most famous grumpy old man of my childhood. I loved him for that. Still do.
And I still like Ohio State in that sort of nostalgic, childhood, autumn Saturday, falling leaves sort of way. Still love the buckeyes on the helmets. Still hum the fight song. Still love the old horseshoe, though you probably notice it’s becoming less and less of a horseshoe. I have a painting of two kids running around outside the stadium on a fall Saturday, and if I love that thing, it’s like one of those Magic Eye paintings. If I look at that painting just so while playing Firefall’s “Just Remember I Love You,” I can feel 10 years old again.
That said, I’m utterly baffled about why Ohio State will be playing in the national championship game. No, I’m more than baffled. I don’t want to see Ohio State in the national championship game. You don’t want to see Ohio State in the national championship. Nobody I know other than my buddy Spoon and various other subscribers to the magazine “Bucknuts” wants to see Ohio State in the national championship game.
Still, it’s going to happen. Why? Nobody can really explain that. Few are even trying to explain it. Most of the columns and stories I saw leading up to the BCS announcement were trying to determine the OTHER team in equation, the one Ohio State would play. Everyone glumly accepted that Ohio State would be in the title game.
And yet … who really thinks Ohio State is the No. 1 team in America? The coaches and the sportswriters voted them No. 1, but if you would ask them, reputation on the line, to name the best football team in America, how many of them would say Ohio State?
It’s one of the more baffling things I’ve seen. I had a 30 minute discussion about Ohio State with a voter over the weekend. We agreed that Ohio State played the wussiest schedule allowable by law — I mean, come on, they played Akron, Youngstown State AND Kent State, sort of the Ohio Victory Trio.
He had to agree that the only Top 25 BCS school Ohio State beat all year was No. 18 Wisconsin — so the Buckeyes did not beat a single Top 15 team (and lost to No. 13 Illinois).
Then I asked him if Ohio State played, say, USC on a neutral field, and he had to bet money on it, who would he pick? He admitted he would take USC. He also would take Georgia. He also would pick Virginia Tech, and West Virginia, and Oklahoma (in a blowout) and he thought Florida would crush Ohio State again and Missouri would probably beat the Buckeyes too. He thinks LSU will romp in the national championship game. I suspect many people, most people, feel the same way. I haven’t seen any early odds yet, but I’m guessing LSU will be favorites, maybe big favorites.
Still, after all that, the guy voted Ohio State No. 1 anyway. He felt obligated to pick Ohio State because the Buckeyes had just one loss, because of their ranking last week, because we’re talking about THE Ohio State. Maybe it’s just like today’s politics — nobody seems too thrilled with Mitt or Hillary. At some point, you’re just stuck with who you are stuck with.
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Morning Joe– Must agree. My uncle is an Ohio State Hall of Famer who played under Woody. (Also roomed with Brian Sipe as a member of the Browns for over a decade). Of course he’s thrilled with the decision. I, at the risk of being ostracized, agree with you. I think USC-Oklahoma would be a hell of a title game. LSU seems to make a lot of hay out of the fact they didn’t lose this season in “regulation” and all three of their losses were triple overtime. This brings me to another thought - the overtime in college football is just about as ridiculous as the BCS system. In my mind it almost completely negates the regulation game. Back on point though - I think Ohio State beats LSU (in overtime). Also– How is Mizzu left out?! Did I see that right? What an amazing two week collapse.
I am glad a sportswriter called out the lunacy of the polls. In the AP, the vote is more concerned w/ poll inertia and how many times you lost rather than who you beat. What is the difference between OSU and Kansas? The difference is that the Big 12 had 3 other good teams to play. Kansas missed 2 of them and lost to the other and was penalized. The Big 10 had 1 good team (OSU) and they couldn’t even thru the conference undefeated. But they are a known commodity compared to Kansas so have been ranked higher all year. I do not think Kansas should be in the title game, just pointing out a prime example of how these voters think.
I’m Ohio State fan, alum, and occasional apologist.
But I agree this is weak. The whole “whoever lost earliest is best” thinking that informs the polls makes no sense, and that’s what drives all of this. Nine out of ten years that thinking dq’s Ohio State because their loss to Illinois came late. Just so happened that everyone else’s came later. Big whoop.
I’d reckon that the best teams going right now are Oklahoma and either USC or Virginia Tech. Though erratic, I think LSU is insanely talented, and with this and countless other pieces soon-to-be-written, Ohio State is going to be one of the most motivated teams in the counrty come Jan 7th. Wouldn’t it be great to toss all of them and twelve others into a sweet sixteen bracket and let slip the dogs of war?
Yep. It would. Must make too much sense.
Well, Joe, I’m just disappointed that I won’t get to see WVU lose in the BCS championship game. As a native West Virginian, and a WVU alum, I wasn’t surprised that they lost “the big game” (and as your Cleveland teams always lose in the end posts testify, you well understand “knowing” your team will find a way to lose). I was just surprised they lost a game that wasn’t supposed to be “the big game” and only became “the big game” because they lost to a crappy Pitt squad. They were supposed to steamroll Pitt (or as Mountaineer fans are wont to say, Beat the S**t out of Pitt,” and then move on to lose to someone else in the true, and obvious “big game.” I just can’t understand why Rodriguez forgot about Slaton, and morphed his squad into a passing team once White went down. This is one time I’d have liked to have had Nehlen calling plays, as he would’ve hammered away at Pitt with his running game, and, for once, with something on the line, it probably would’ve paid off. But, it was not meant to be. Argh… So, once again, it’s going to be Ohio State, er, excuse me, THE Ohio State, once again. Bleh. Fortunately for me, I don’t really care about football. I view it as greasy kids stuff, like RPGs, Playboy, and Top 40 radio. I grew out of a juvenile fascination. And on that note, I’ll say that I hope Slaton and White stay in Morgantown, so the team can rightfully lose “the big game” they were supposed to lose this season…!
Now, if only MLB would start again, then I’d be much happier. I feel good about my Baal Rays, and am also really-really-really glad that I won’t have to watch Santana squirm from pitch one, knowing that if he gives up a single crooked number he loses. Boy that Twins offense is bad, and looks to get worse if Delmon can’t figure out that the first pitch isn’t always the best pitch. I’ll accept Johan pitching for one of the two teams that bore me the most, just to see the best pitcher in MLB have some chance of winning, and not being forced to throw a shutout every night.
I worked at OSU for a while, including the year Woody got canned. Met lots and lots of rabid Buckeye fans. Hell, some of ‘em even cheered for the basketball team. Anyway, most of them would admit that the BCS thing is a horrible mess, but I’m not sure they would or should feel shy about rooting for the team or proclaiming “We’re #1″ if they win the game.
I would miss Santana leaving the Twins: that was an easy five wins a year for the Tribe. We totally own that mook!
(insert gigantic smiley here)
As for OSU, I am reminded of the Will Munny line from “Unforgiven.”
Thanks, now I have that damn Firefall song in my head. I’m 32. I shouldn’t know this song, but here I am humming it as I walk around. Thanks again.
Major kudos to you for being totally honest about your team. I remember calling my father after the Michigan-OSU game and asking whether the Big Ten had always been over-rated. Both QB’s consistently missed their targets. And when the balls were close, the WR’s dropped them.
The BCS is a farce and always has been. Even a four team playoff would be miles better than what they’ve got in place now. The notion that a playoff would take away from the bowls is silly. What we’ve got now is a 2 team playoff with a bunch of exhibition games.
I am totally on board with the sentiment that the BCS is a farce of a system. NCAA Division I-A, er, excuse me, Bowl Subdivision, is so beholden to the big money involved in the bowl games, it’s sad.
That being said, I’m very glad that my hometown Hawaii Warriors were at least given a chance to play with the big boys. Nothing would please me more than if Hawaii were to win, and like last year with Boise State, there be only one undefeated team, and the hypocrisy of the BCS be highlighted when that undefeated team isn’t named their champion. Go Warriors!
I agree the problem with all of the title game scenarios was not who they left out it is who they included. I am a KU fan and I would be perfectly happy with a 4 team playoff featuring LSU, Georgia, Oklahoma, and Virginia Tech. Of course an 8, 12 or even 16 team playoff would be better. I have seen a proposal for a 16 team playoff that included all 11 of the conference champions. It is both politically correct for the Hawaii/ small conference champions and includes 5 at large spots for the big boys. That being said I would like the playoffs to be seeded by a selection committee (only if the members watch the games) or by the computers who may not be subjectively be able to tell who is best but at least a team doesn’t get credit solely for the name on the front of the jersey. I just want to see the top tier teams pay each other for the title. Then the debate would be over something that can be tweaked (seeding and the last in / first out teams) instead of the virtues/demerits of a system that only gets it right when there is no need for it.
I second the notion that the difference between Ohio State and Kansas is reputation and little else. If anything, KU’s single loss was more impressive than OSU’s, in that it was at least in a rivalry game on a neutral field to a team that was voted #1 the very next day.
And that in no way means that I think KU should be in the national title game. I’m a KU alum and know that they have no business in that game. In a BCS game? Sure, given the system in place. Over MU? Probably not, but certainly over a 3-loss Illinois squad that is only in the Rose Bowl because…well…who the hell knows? The point is, KU would likely lose in the first or second round of a playoff system, depending on the size of the field, and I think the same could be said for OSU.
And yet, OSU sits idle for two weeks and moves up from 5 to 1, while KU sits idle one week and drops from 5 to 8. Anyone who cares to logically explain that, I offer you two challenges:
1) You can’t cite OSU’s longstanding powerhouse reputation, and
2) You have to keep a straight face.
Let’s look at it from a different angle: Since when do two-loss teams feel justified in bitching about not being in the BCS championship game? I find it hard to feel sorry for anyone left out.
And for everyone who just knows that a playoff will solve everything - it will just shift the whining and crying to the oh-so-wronged #5 (or #9) team, who was horribly, horribly wronged.
Disclosure: I’m a Buckeye fan, who isn’t convinced that they’re one of the top five teams in the country, but actually think they’re going to beat LSU. This is essentially the same story line as 2002, when OSU had no business being on the same field as Miami.
To DB Cooper
The wining about the teams left out in March lasts a day or two, maybe even a week if it was a particularly bad miss, but then the games start, and that is all people care about. In this system the games finish and the wining begins all over again (USC, Auburn). If OSU loses then any combination of Oklahoma, USC, Virginia Tech, Georgia, Kansas, or just for the fun of it Hawaii will cry until the system screws a new set of teams next year. By the way that list plus Ohio State and LSU looks like a good eight team playoff field to me.
Everyone should boycott all the bowl games this year in protest of the BCS bull crap. The BCS makes a mockery of the entire sport of college football. I just can’t get that into it. What’s the point?
Also, there should be no bowl games after Jan 1st. Man rule.