Buckeye memories when we were kids

[JXC]

FW's avatar has the stadium before it was renovated on it, so it reminded me of this. I thought maybe other people had memories like these too when they were kids, when you weren't even half as tall as the football players, and Buckeye football seemed magical, even though to most of us it still does.

When I was first going to Buckeye games with my father, a long long time ago, the track was obviously there. And my dad and I have tradition, we always enter the stadium thru the same gate and all that jazz...but we would always leave our seats and go straight down to the track, and walk around the north end, and then past the Buckeye bench. We would watch the last few plays right there as we were walking, from really close up, and I loved it. I was so excited to be so close. To be on the same level as the players and to be just like 5 feet from some of them on the bench. I was in such awe. To me each and every one of them were gods. And my dad was a god for taking me and it was just awesome. Then I got a little bit older, and during halftime I would walk to where the Buckeyes come out, and I would stand on the track where they did...I knew just where to stand so they wouldn't move me when they came back out...but I would be like right in front to watch them come out. My dad would come with me sometiems, but as I got a lil older, like 12 or 13, he let me go by myself, cuz he didn't want to walk all that way, cuz it is kidna a long way from our seats, but I didn't care. I would have walked miles. So I'd go and wait, and when the Buckeyes would come out for the 2nd half, they would put up a little rope, and I would be right on the rope, giving high fives to all the players, and they would give it back and I was like "OH MY GOD THIS IS AWESOME" every time. Like I couldn't believe I had touched their hands. I remember I was like, "Holy Crap, I just got a high five from Eddie George, Joey Galloway, Orlando Pace...HOLY CRAP!" I was just in awe. Best memory ever of the old shoe. God I loved that...and it's sad that if I ever have kids, they won't be able to get that close at the shoe to the players. But it is an amazing memory...and still part of me can't believe I was able to get that close...and I love the memory of it.

Another great memory that kind of goes along the same lines is when I went to the only bowl game i've been to...the 1998 Sugar Bowl against Florida State. We stayed at the same hotel as the team was, and we were down on the main floor near the hotel resturant, and some of the team was down there. And I had all my Buckeye stuff on. I got some autographs, and got to see some of the players. But I remember I had got all the players autographs that were there, it wasn't the whole team, just a few guys. Katzenmoyer, and Germaine, and Cooper I can remember. I forget who else right now. But I went to sit on this couch, cuz I didn't want to bother the players anymore, and I hadn't seen him yet...and Stanley Jackson walks in...and he sees me sitting there, and he just comes up to me and sits next to me, and is like, "What's up little buddy!" And I still am amazed I knew who he was...since you hardly see football players out of uniform...but I knew who it was. And I have no idea what I even said, but I remember he patted me on the head, and signed the hat that I had, and it was the coolest thing ever. I always thought the most of Stanley Jackson because of this. He quickly became one of my favorites...even though lots of other people liked Germaine better...and I too thought Joe was better on the field...I always liked Stanley cuz I just thought he was great for coming up to this little kid and just saying hi. I felt like I was meeting the most famous people in the world.

God I love the Buckeyes. I still feel that there is something special about anybody who puts on the scarlet and gray. It's funny because as a kid I was in awe of them...and now that I know better, I still am in awe. Meeting a Buckeye makes me feel like i'm 12 again. Last one was last year in Target when Chris Gamble was in. I miss Buckeye football...it's terrib le that we have these 6 weeks without football. There should be games, playoffs...whatever. I can never get enough Buckeye football. I already watched part of the Michigan game again today. Jan 5th can't get here soon enough.

 

[Mac]

I have quite a few, but I'll only share a couple.

The first one is, my dad and I and one of his buddies and sons used to come down to the spring game every year. One year, my dad's buddy new a few guys that worked for OSU and we got to go into the Woody Hayes facility and run around in it. Also got to meet Cooper and get his autograph while we were in there.

And of course, going to the '02 Michigan game with my dad was pretty cool. I will never forget that. All of the activities going on around campus during that time was awesome. Plus rushing the field with my dad was a great experience. And last, getting some of the last grass turf from The Shoe, before they put in the field turf (And it's still alive and growing :))On top of those, any game I've gone to as a kid and a student, as well as the games in the future are and will be some of my favorite memories.

 

[xcrunner]

When I was really young, I believe during the last Cooper year, so I was probably 8 or so, during our worst loss that year (I don't remember what it was), at one point I think I left the room and went onto the back porch because I couldn't stand the loss. It was like the most miserable thing ever.
Then my dad came out and talked to me about being a bandwagon fan, and how a true fan watches his team through the worst losses.

So I did..

A few years later, championship game against Miami, after I believed we had lost the game, I almost started crying (hell for all I know, I did start crying) and was about to turn my head away so I didn't have to watch the Miami fans storm the field.. And then I remembered what my dad said and I forced myself to watch it... And then the flag came...

Memories...

 

[daveeb]

I went up to Happy Valley with the folks during the 1999 season for the matchup against the Penn State Nittany Lions. The Penn State fans were wonderful back then. Happy, cheerful, and nice. Now, this may have been because my parents were escorting an 11 year old kid around. But, it may be the fact that Penn State was actually very good that year, and Ohio State was far from being an elite team during that season (At the time, we were ranked in the mid to high teens). Anyway, we got crushed. But, I got to chill with Brutus. And, the Buckeye cheerleaders were nice to look at.

I also went to the 1995 showdown between Pitt and Ohio State at Pitt Stadium. This is the game where Terry Glenn set virtually every single game receiving record in Ohio State history. My dad and I went to the game with my friend and his dad, both of whom happened to be Pitt fans (Even if my friend is a bit ashamed of it, even to this day). Now, of course, the Pitt fans were very confident about their team. But, when they stepped into the stadium with us, there was quite a lot of Scarlet in the stands. It was a home game for the Buckeyes.

 

[Steve19]

My first time into the Shoe was during one of those summer Junior Olympic inspired City of Columbus events for little kids. I was representing the Maize Road School area in one of the relay races in the early 1960s.

The memory? Shaking Jesse Owens hand on that track after we got blown out and being told, "Everybody who competes is a winner, never give up".

 

[BB73]

I was representing the Maize ...

And you pretend that you've been a Buckeye all the time.

 

[BUCKYLE]

I'll never, as long as I live forget the '02 Purdue game...and not just because of "Holy Buckeye".

I watched nearly every game that year with Spielman36, over at his house, on the big screen. His son was maybe 3(?) years old at the time...and he would play in his room while we watched the games. So the game is drawing to a close...we're down 6-3, and the mood is subdued. We still have faith...but it's not looking good. JUST before the "Holy Buckeye" play, his son comes out of his room, stands right in front of the t.v., and just as we're all about to yell "GET OUT OF THE WAY!!", he says, and I quote..."THEY DID IT!"...Spielman36 is like "Who did what buddy?"...his son says "The Buckeyes! They won daddy"...and he's like "No buddy, the game's still on", we have a little laugh...and the very next play is "HOLY BUCKEYE"...Still gives me the chills to this day.

 

[JXC]

I'll never, as long as I live forget the '02 Purdue game...and not just because of "Holy Buckeye".

I watched nearly every game that year with Spielman36, over at his house, on the big screen. His son was maybe 3(?) years old at the time...and he would play in his room while we watched the games. So the game is drawing to a close...we're down 6-3, and the mood is subdued. We still have faith...but it's not looking good. JUST before the "Holy Buckeye" play, his son comes out of his room, stands right in front of the t.v., and just as we're all about to yell "GET OUT OF THE WAY!!", he says, and I quote..."THEY DID IT!"...Spielman36 is like "Who did what buddy?"...his son says "The Buckeyes! They won daddy"...and he's like "No buddy, the game's still on", we have a little laugh...and the very next play is "HOLY BUCKEYE"...Still gives me the chills to this day.

Being in Purdue's south stands for this game, and this play, definitely makes it the best play i've ever witnessed in all my years watching Buckeye football. I have never hugged so many strangers. We jumped so hard the metal stands we were standing on bent, and didn't snap in half, but were definitely broken and about ready to snap. We had to stand on our seats for the rest of the game, because where we were standing was on a slope now, and was impossible to stand on. I always felt like that was our '98 Michigan State. I felt like that was the game we lose, the one that keeps us from winning them all. Once we won that game, I KNEW we'd win them all. If we could win that game, nobody was going to beat us. That's definitely my favorite memory in Ross-Aid Stadium. Man were their fans bitter...and I didn't care one bit. That was the best drive home ever from a game. Even better when we were in traffic driving back to Columbus, traffic was like stopped, and people started honking and screaming, and we were like "What's going on?" And we rolled down the window and the guy in the car next to us said, "Oklahoma lost! Oklahoma lost! We win and we're in!!!" Great day to be a Buckeye! But isn't everyday a great day to be a Buckeye?

 

[bake]

I remember when my Dad would take me and my brothers over to visit my grandmother who lived on Neal Ave. and we could sit on the steps and listen to the band play . Then after the visit , we would drive by the stadium when it would be empty to just see the stadium or get out and walk around it . Back in those days , the were only on t.v maybe twice a year (of course the Michigan would be one of them).

 

[LoKyBuckeye]

I'll never, as long as I live forget the '02 Purdue game...and not just because of "Holy Buckeye".

I watched nearly every game that year with Spielman36, over at his house, on the big screen. His son was maybe 3(?) years old at the time...and he would play in his room while we watched the games. So the game is drawing to a close...we're down 6-3, and the mood is subdued. We still have faith...but it's not looking good. JUST before the "Holy Buckeye" play, his son comes out of his room, stands right in front of the t.v., and just as we're all about to yell "GET OUT OF THE WAY!!", he says, and I quote..."THEY DID IT!"...Spielman36 is like "Who did what buddy?"...his son says "The Buckeyes! They won daddy"...and he's like "No buddy, the game's still on", we have a little laugh...and the very next play is "HOLY BUCKEYE"...Still gives me the chills to this day.

can this kid get me some lotto numbers?

 

[ohiostate=life]

Two stories...

I remember sitting in my grandma's living room watching the Buckeyes play. Ken Yon Rambo ran a beautiful route and caught a deep one for six. As he was sprinting down the hash my dad looked at me and said, "That might be the fastest I have ever seen a Buckeye run." Years later....

When I was a sophomore I tried out for the team. We went over to WHAC on the second week of January and laid it on the line. Our tryout started at 3:00 in the afternoon. The team was finishing up their winter workouts before ours and some of them stuck around to watch us. As my group got up to go run our 40's, Teddy Ginn stepped up to run with us. 4.19 seconds later (I don't want to hear this is impossible b/c I saw it with my own eyes, albeit handtimed), 52 walkons proceded to pick their jaws up off the floor. When I left the tryout I called my dad. I said, "Dad I think I just watched the fastest Buckeye/human I've ever seen." I'll never forget the look on everyone's face when Butch Reynolds yelled out the time on his stopwatch. Priceless...

 

[WoodyWorshiper]

November 25, 1978.

My first game ever at "The Shoe." After all my young years as a Buckeye Fan, I finally get to see my "idol" in person, and against tsun on top of that. From about 1/4 mile away in my lousy B-deck seats I simply focused on Coach Hayes all day. The game, or losing it, really didn't seem to matter because he and I were actually within view of each other for 3 hours that day.

Little did I know that this day, that was just so special to me, would be Coach Hayes' last game ever in The Shoe.

Peace.

 

[Sportsbuck28]

I'm 16 right now so I was 10 years old at the time of the 2002 NCG...

I remember running screaming through the house, opening up the back door, and in around 5-10 degree weather, running out onto the deck clad only in my #2 jersey and some shorts, shout to the world "AND THE BUCKEYES ARE NATIONAL CHAMPIONS!".

In '03, I was 11 years old when the NC State game came, it was my first and only Buckeye game to date.

I can recall screaming so loud that the people in front of me (They were in their 70s or 80s) actually left the game becasue of it, and I can also recall that was the day I got my first kiss because some random girl around me pulled me into one when Will Allen stuffed McLendon on the 1.

I can also recall the opposite end of the spectrum, like my uncle thrashing his coffee table at his house when we went over to watch the 98 scUM State game.

 

[ohiostate=life]

In '03, I was 11 years old when the NC State game came, it was my first and only Buckeye game to date.

I can recall screaming so loud that the people in front of me (They were in their 70s or 80s) actually left the game becasue of it, and I can also recall that was the day I got my first kiss because some random girl around me pulled me into one when Will Allen stuffed McLendon on the 1.

Dude, a Buckeye game and getting action at 11???? Nice!!

 

[BUCKYLE]

Dude, a Buckeye game and getting action at 11???? Nice!!

No shit. Sport wins. /thread