A note to fairweather Buckeye fans...

[Jake]

Nothing cleanses the soul of a fan base like getting the hell kicked out of you. I honestly think the fan base got incredibly spoiled over the last 5 or 6 years, as evidenced by the student section being 1/4th full at kick off and half empty by the 4th quarter.

I've noticed this trend getting worse and worse for years, so if all of those fans decide that maybe they aren't into Buckeye football any more, good.

Those would be the "fans" who wanted to fire Jim Tressel because we lost two NC games. The best season we had when I was a student was 9-3, three straight years. We went 6-4-1 my last year. Not even a bowl game. Today's students have no idea how good they've had it.

 

[scarletngray]

This isn't going to be a cheery thread to start. I just got off the phone with my brother. He went down to the game on Saturday. I was pained to hear some of the things he told me.

He told me that even though there were a ton of fans in the stadium, that there were many that left the stadium with 8-10 minutes to go. And he left embarrased to be a Buckeye fan. Not from their poor offensive showing but by the poor showing of the fans. Acting arrogant when we had no reason to be. Turning into the classless fans we despise.

Just when the team could use our fans the most, they were leaving the team high and dry. Granted the team wasn't performing to our usual standard, but for all that is in me, if I travel all the way to South Beach to watch my Bucks I am staying til the bitter end cheering them all the way. Not saying this was everyone (as he told me that 30% of the starting fans stayed til the end) but 70% leaving is unreal.

I am getting fed up with this new era of Buckeye fan. Spoiled as any fan could have been in the last 10 years and they act as if they are owed something from the university. They turn off newcomers to Columbus who never had an issue with tOSU before encountering the fans. I have lived through bad times as a Buckeye fan. I have lived through good times. But when the [Mark May] hits the fan I am going to shout I-O to every O-H. I am going to cheer my Bucks whether they go 12-0 or 0-12. And I am going to welcome others into my city the way I would want to be welcomed. Full of class.

It's time to be the best damn fans in the land. It's time for the bandwagon fans to leave instead of trashing what I was born and raised to love. If you are going to embarrass my university, I personally don't want you to be a Buckeye fan anymore. Go root for someone else. Oregon enjoys trendy fans.

I am saying all this to urge the fans who have been thru thick and thin with me to show up this week. Saturday is over. We have a young team that needs our help this Saturday going forward. They need to feel our unwavering support. Whether we are happy with how things have gone thus far or not, we need to show them why they decided to come to Ohio State. Tradition, Excellence, and The Best Damn Fans In The Land.

So I will start in saying that I believe in this team. I believe they can shake out of this stagnate start. I believe these players and coaches will make it happen. and if not I'll lose my voice rooting (not booing) them on.

How firm thy friendship.

GPA

:osu:

 

[buckeyesin07]

That [Mark May] really [censored]es me off. Booing your home team is like saying "Waaaaaaahhhhhh!!!!!"

You want to be mad at the coach for playing certain guys or calling certain plays? Fine. Been there, done that. But raining boos down on the field at the Shoe is not the answer. It isn't going to inspire anyone but the visiting team and you look like a baby. Don't do it.

I couldn't agree more. I worry, though, that fans might boo Joe B as he trots onto the field to start the game, if Fickell does in fact start him this week. And such actions by the fans, of course, would be beyond ridiculous.

 

[Jake]

Where the hell were these guys 10 years ago? They look plenty old enough to have been "diehards" back then, and yet I don't remember them.

 

[Jake]

I couldn't agree more. I worry, though, that fans might boo Joe B as he trots onto the field to start the game, if Fickell does in fact start him this week. And such actions by the fans, of course, would be beyond ridiculous.

I will almost guarantee they will boo. I'll shake my head and cross my fingers but I do not boo my team. I'm a freakin Pittsburgh Pirates fan for crying out loud. After two decades of that shit I can handle a few Buckeye football losses.

 

[swopes6]

If fans exect to go undefeated every year, they should probably just watch tapes of the '72 dolphins. I hate bandwagon fans with a passion. Losing makes you appreciate the wins more and when you win so often you start to nitpick when the wins don't go exactly your way. I would still wear my dirty, beat up Ohio State hat every damn day despite if we win every game 2-0 or lose 49-0. The program teaches boys to become men and teaches core values despite what's happened over the offseason. I love Ohio State and will for a LONG TIME!

 

[Buckeye Maniac]

There's always a few but that's the nature of any fanbase. Most are good folk.

I remember going to Cleveland for that Toledo game a couple Septembers back. Sitting in Row 7, I had to endure a Buckeye " Fan " screamimg for 2 quarters to bench Pryor, due to a couple long throws off the mark. Won 38-0 but this guy and his friends just bitched the entire game, as if they were smarter fans and in charge of the entire section. At 6-4 and 290, I was tempted to ball a fist and drive it into his mellon but I'd be no better than him. It really became quite old very fast.

If they have an off year, so be it. It's something we can't control but they will rebound. I'm still a fan and will treat others around me respectfully. Some act like idiots and ruin it for many around them.

I'll be coming in for the Colorado game his weekend ( from Western NY State ) and will cheer like crazy. Go Buckeyes !

The seats my family has had for the past 8 or 9 years are right behind a family with two older people and their kids and their kid's spouses. One of the kids, in his late 30's or early 40's, complained non stop for 4 years about Mo Wells. Every single time Wells came in, whether he got stuffed or got a good gain, the guy complained. His mother yelled at him a lot too :tongue2:.

He's the type of fan that I won't be sad to see go.


Also, the old people sitting behind me in C deck at the 05 Texas game...they can stop coming too.

 

[buckeyeintn]

I will make the trip from Nashville to Columbus this weekend (as I do every chance I get) and will cheer for whoever is wearing the scarlet and grey. They are representing the greatest university in the world to the best of their ability. Booing tOSU players and coaches is never an option.

 

[BUCKDUBBS007]

I love Ohio State and will FOREVER!

FIFY. And yes, fairweather and bandwaggon fans can all STFU and GTFO. Please, leave more tickets for the real fans to enjoy the game. Asshats.

 

[OH10]

Never boo your team unless:

1. One of your players intentionally fails to give an effort. e.g. Randy Moss

2. One of your players/coaches does something particularly egregrious to warrant a personal foul penalty. e.g. Robert Reynolds, Woody Hayes

Never leave a game early unless:

1. It's unseasonably hot, cold or otherwise difficult weather for you and/or the people you are with. Although you should probably look at the weather report before going, and if you can't handle it, find someone else to go.

2. You're on the road; it's a pretty bad blow out; and the opposing fans are throwing things at you. e.g. Penn State

3. You're at home; the Bucks scheduled an in-state pansy and the starters have already been pulled.

4. You suffer a serious injury and/or are dead.

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

Remember USC? 35-3?
Remember Florida? 41-16?

Not only that, Saturday's loss was nowhere near as bad as those two. If we have even a decent offense Saturday, we win. I believe the Colorado game will be the game in which we see Miller start to bloom...

 

[jlb1705]

I made sure to go to the game immediately after the home loss to Texas a few years back. I echo the sentiment that NOW more than ever it's important to show support for this team. I have never felt more a Buckeye than when I was standing up and being loud at an otherwise lousy game, cheering on Ryan Hamby and the rest of the Buckeyes.

I'd be buying a ticket or two and doing the same thing this Saturday if I had the money. Even with reduced prices on tickets I can't do it. It's the last half of the month and my budget is already on the hook for my trip to the previous home game, a plane ticket to Denver at the end of this month, my wife's birthday and our first wedding anniversary.

I hope the stadium is full, and I hope the people that go to the came care for the Buckeyes as much as I do.

 

[buxfan4life]

My son and I were there to the bitter end. Now, I did here a lot of "OH" - "IO" cheers as we were walking in, and while tailgating, but I did not see anything that was arrogant from either fan base until we were walking out of the stadium. I had to drunks get right in my face, flash the U and slur out "It'th all abut da U!", and even some guy yelled at my son to find a better team.

I am sure there were some bad Buckeyes there, but the other side had more than their fair share of asses as well.

That being said, I am glad we will be in the first true rebuilding year in awhile. This season will most definitely purge the base of some undesirables. It is also helping me to bring my son up to be the right kind of fan; one who is there through good times and bad, who will question but never bash, and one who looks at good sportsmanship, both on and off the field, as something for which to strive.

 

[scott91575]

Can't say I agree with you on the fans leaving early statement. Every large fanbase in the country has fans that are simply that, fans. They are there to be entertained. When the game is no longer entertaining, they leave. Sure, there will be people that are die hards that have to be there "to support the team!" Yet expecting most of the fanbase to be that way is expecting way too much.

If anything, I am not a fan of the over judgmental fans that feel everyone has to be like them (such as the GTFO statements). Don't get me wrong, belligerence towards other teams, other fans, and even our own team should not be tolerated. Yet expecting the majority of people to stay through something they no longer enjoy is expecting way too much from the average fan. Most people are not like you or I or many people on this board, and I really think people need to stop expecting other fans to care about the team as much as you do.

 

[NateG]

Maybe we should start with cleaning up the Boo Birds in the 'Shoe before we start attacking the fans that TRAVEL to an away game and start throwing around oxymorons.

I've been to plenty of away games, and generally speaking I enjoy them more because you don't get the fairweather Buckeye fans.

I think you and your brother are taking a lot for granted in this post. How many away game debacles have you two been to?

Given the general reception from Miami fans that entire day, not to mention their infamous reputation, I don't blame anyone one bit for leaving early. My friends and I definitely GTFO of Dodge the moment that clock hit :00.

From my understanding, my brother left as friends with alot of the Miami fans. He was extremely impressed by them. They were more relieved to win a "big game" than anything else. Maybe you were in the wrong areas of town or the stadium. They weren't as arrogant as he expected. And I wasn't talking about leaving with 2-3 minutes left when the game was all but over to make sure you aren't hassled as much, i am talking about leaving around the 10 minute mark. Granted you will get drunken idiots anywhere you go. But as an overall fanbase we need to have perspective.

I hate people booing our boys in the Shoe just as much. This was a general call out to all the die hards that wore their gear on Jan 8th after Florida embarrassed us. And after USC handed us a complete and utter beatdown. And after Purdue or Northwestern handed us unthinkable loses. And after the leader we all respected came out saying that he messed up and essentially to get ready for the fight of our lives as fans. If you are one of them then take your guard down and join the call.

I've been pissed on, yelled and laughed at, mocked, and more as a Buckeye fan, but I can't stop supporting and cheering on my team. I was born a buckeye and whether I ever talk to a player, coach or another alumnus again, I am in any fight the are in right beside them.

The university is bigger than any player, coach, true fans, and especially fairweather fans. If you aren't a fairweather fan then you are with me on this....

We have enough true fans and we don't need the bandwagonners. So no offense personally but they can get the hell out of here.










And fwiw, I have been to away game loses. And as hard as it is to sit there and take it. I didn't leave until the clock struck :00. I took the lumps of being the loser. It's our job to represent the university in a classy manner.