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JXC
17-4 since 2001
Finally...the end of Beat Michigan week is here and we are one day away from the game that defines what college football is all about. The student were pumped up as hell last night at Mirror Lake. We want this win against Michigan as bad as we've ever wanted one. Even though you can throw the stats out the window in this game...I'm very very excited about how we match up against them this year...it's the same two teams, except they don't have Edwards anymore, and we have a running game. Fuck Michigan.
1 Day until
1 Day until
Upvote
0
SanAntonioBuck
RIP Our Friend and Hero
It's 8:06, here in San Antonio, TX. scUM is still sucking & blowing harder and harder!
Upvote
0
bucknut4life
even chuck norris fears laurinaitis
maybe we can change the thread title LOL..
but on a lighter note, how weird is this?? is 905a, in columbiana ohio, and michigan still sucks!!! can you imagine that!!!
god i cant wait till tomorrow...its gonna be one hell of a game, and this is gonna be a saturday to remember forever..
but on a lighter note, how weird is this?? is 905a, in columbiana ohio, and michigan still sucks!!! can you imagine that!!!
god i cant wait till tomorrow...its gonna be one hell of a game, and this is gonna be a saturday to remember forever..
Upvote
0
crazybuckfan40
Head Coach
its 9:15 am in Springboro and M**higan still sucks!
You are 3 minutes early on your post, who do you think you are miss Cleo predicted the future.
Upvote
0
sonofbrutus
Newbie
MY UNDIEING HATRED FOR MISS-SHAGIN
:osu: :osu: :osu: :osu: :osu: :osu: :osu: :osu: :osu: :osu: :osu:
HOW I HATE SCUM LET ME COUNT THE WAYS, WHY IS THAT EVEN THE SIGHT OF BLUE AND YELLOW IN ANY CONTEXT MAKE ME WANT TO HURL,
:osu: :osu: :osu: :osu: :osu: :osu: :osu: :osu: :osu: :osu: :osu:
HOW I HATE SCUM LET ME COUNT THE WAYS, WHY IS THAT EVEN THE SIGHT OF BLUE AND YELLOW IN ANY CONTEXT MAKE ME WANT TO HURL,
Upvote
0
OSU7
Newbie
I have to say that my school rules... I am teacher and I teach 8th grade science. Yesterday I started with, "I feel sorry for Michigan fans because you are going to have to hear this song all day when the game is on and over on Sat." Then I proceeded to play the OSU battle cry! I made a bet with the Michigan fan students that when we return on Monday that they will have to get up in front of my class and sing our song wearing Michigan jerseys...they said well if OSU loses then you have to do the same for us...I told them I don't know the song and won't have to sing it anyways...so, it's on! I can't wait for these little die hards to get a taste of reality when OSU kicks Michigan's a*^! Oh, I can't say that I am a teacher I am supposed to be a role model...Yeah, for helping them make the right decisions in life...OSU fan you must be to pass this class! :osu:
By the way the only song ever played on the morning announcements is the OSU fight song!
By the way the only song ever played on the morning announcements is the OSU fight song!
Last edited:
Upvote
0
bucknut4life
even chuck norris fears laurinaitis
it's the same two teams, except they don't have Edwards anymore, and we have a running game. Fuck Michigan.
1 Day until
and huston is a freakin stud..
and smith is playing better than last year..
Upvote
0
shotGINN
Perennial Favorite
Ohio V. Michigan history lesson
interesting read on football.com about the history of Ohio's hatred for all things michigan
College Football’s Best !
Buckeyes and Wolverines to meet for the 102nd time
Why should I even attempt to describe the classic match-up that defines all rivalries in college football? I could never really give the game adequate justice because its magnitude is beyond me. Nonetheless, why would anyone in my position not jump at the chance to talk about what happens when Michigan and Ohio State knock heads. These two universities and the State’s they represent have made college football what it is today.
The animosity between Michigan and Ohio goes back to the almost fateful years of 1835 & 1836. It was during those pre-civil war days that the Michigan-Ohio civil war nearly broke out. Some of you may be thinking I am discussing football but no I mean a real war! Things started to come to a head in 1835 about the disputed piece of land known as the Toledo Strip. The strip as indicated included the town of Toledo but Michigan and Ohio armed militia’s came very close to all out battle over whose jurisdiction it was.
The Toledo Strip was slated, as being in the territory of Michigan but the Great Lakes State was not officially part of the Union at that time. Ohio Governor, Robert Lucas requested Ohio lawmakers to include the Toledo Strip as part of Ohio so they did. While federal authorities supported Michigan’s claims to the land they did not interfere on the behalf of an unincorporated territory against a full fledge State of the Union like Ohio. Full out carnage was avoided when the United States Government gave Michigan Statehood and the western two-thirds of the present-day Upper Peninsula. In return Michigan pledged to give up any rights to the Toledo strip and cede the land to Ohio.
It is probably very appropriate that a few years earlier in 1832, The U.S. Army Engineers asked a young Lieutenant by the name of Robert E. Lee to survey the Toledo strip. Suitable because Robert E. Lee would later lead the Confederate forces against the North during the bloody American Civil War. Michigan and Ohio to this day in a sense still honor their former guest in Lee by renewing hostilities not over geography but over yardage chains.
Oh and just so you know, The U.S. Supreme Court upheld Ohio’s rights to the Toledo Strip in 1973 in a case titled what else but, “Michigan v. Ohio”. Would you expect anything less from these two even though the U.S. Supreme Court was hearing the case nearly 150 years after the fact! In a way Toledo still figures into the enmity between Michigan and Ohio in another way. Five Star Toledo prep linebacker sensation, Thaddeus Gibson will be visiting Michigan for the “fight” along with the biggest number of blue chip recruits to attend any one game in the country. Gibson’s collegiate decision not surprisingly is probably coming down to a choice between the Wolverines and the Buckeyes.
Legendary Ohio State Coach Woody Hayes would not even address the Wolverines by they’re proper name, preferring to call Michigan, “That school up north”. Once while returning from a recruiting trip to Michigan, “The Old Man” as Hayes was affectionately called (at least by some) noticed the gas tank was virtually empty. Woody’s assistant asked the coach to pull the car over for gas. Hayes exploded into one of his vintage tantrums and screamed that he would never give Michigan, “a nickel of his money”. Hayes opted instead to run the car until it stopped and then push the car over the border into Ohio if necessary. Luckily for those with Hayes the car just did make it across the Stateline.
Unfortunately for Coach Hayes, he ended up giving Michigan something much more valuable than 5 cents. This is because one of his stellar young protégé’s by the name of Bo Schembechler became Michigan’s head football coach in 1969. The previous year’s contest in 1968 between Michigan and Ohio State saw the Buckeyes run up the tally to a final score of 50-14. Hayes went for a two-point conversion late in the game and when asked why he did so after the contest Woody said, “Because I couldn’t go for three”.
Things would be different the next time the teams met as inaugural Coach Bo Schembechler had rejuvenated football at Michigan. Ohio State came into the annual end of season match-up riding a 22 game winning streak while fielding five 1st team All-Americans. Bo and the Wolverines shocked the world by beating Ohio State that season in which Hayes reluctantly admitted was his best team ever. The 1969 game initiated what would be called the “10 year war” in lieu of the decade of clashes between Michigan and Ohio State with Bo and Woody at the respected helms. Bo ended his personal rivalry with Woody holding a slight 5-4-1 edge head-to-head.
Since the Bo and Woody era Michigan and Ohio State have continued to build upon their storied foundations. In the last 8 years both Michigan and Ohio State have won national championships and have maintained their dominance over the Big Ten. Michigan ranks #1 in Big-10 wins over the last ten years while Ohio State rates #2. Although the Big-10 is still the elite conference in college football, everything that usually matters comes down to Michigan and Ohio State.
The Buckeyes behind a resurgent Troy Smith at quarterback and the ultra dangerous Ted Ginn Jr. have been giving their world-class defense some point support the last few weeks. Michigan has also been much better over the last few weeks. Quarterback Chad Henne is hitting a stride delivering those rocket balls of his to the likes of Jason Avant and Steve Breaston. As always however the outcome of the best game in college football will come down to pure punishment. The team that runs the ball the most effectively and plays more physical almost always wins this tilt.
I believe all things being equal that the Buckeyes come into Ann Arbor with the slightly better team. However, with nothing actually being equal and this game being in that place “up north”, a win for the Bucks will be hard to come by. For a lot of people on both sides of this “war” a little history lesson like the one included in this story just punctuates the furor. Every year in a matter of speaking these two State militia’s still line up on the border. Only now the commencement of hostilities always occurs but at least it is confined to the line of scrimmage.
Joe Schlabach is a NCAA staff writer for football.com. You can reach him at: [email protected].
<!-- XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX End Content XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX -->
interesting read on football.com about the history of Ohio's hatred for all things michigan
College Football’s Best !
Buckeyes and Wolverines to meet for the 102nd time
Why should I even attempt to describe the classic match-up that defines all rivalries in college football? I could never really give the game adequate justice because its magnitude is beyond me. Nonetheless, why would anyone in my position not jump at the chance to talk about what happens when Michigan and Ohio State knock heads. These two universities and the State’s they represent have made college football what it is today.
The animosity between Michigan and Ohio goes back to the almost fateful years of 1835 & 1836. It was during those pre-civil war days that the Michigan-Ohio civil war nearly broke out. Some of you may be thinking I am discussing football but no I mean a real war! Things started to come to a head in 1835 about the disputed piece of land known as the Toledo Strip. The strip as indicated included the town of Toledo but Michigan and Ohio armed militia’s came very close to all out battle over whose jurisdiction it was.
The Toledo Strip was slated, as being in the territory of Michigan but the Great Lakes State was not officially part of the Union at that time. Ohio Governor, Robert Lucas requested Ohio lawmakers to include the Toledo Strip as part of Ohio so they did. While federal authorities supported Michigan’s claims to the land they did not interfere on the behalf of an unincorporated territory against a full fledge State of the Union like Ohio. Full out carnage was avoided when the United States Government gave Michigan Statehood and the western two-thirds of the present-day Upper Peninsula. In return Michigan pledged to give up any rights to the Toledo strip and cede the land to Ohio.
It is probably very appropriate that a few years earlier in 1832, The U.S. Army Engineers asked a young Lieutenant by the name of Robert E. Lee to survey the Toledo strip. Suitable because Robert E. Lee would later lead the Confederate forces against the North during the bloody American Civil War. Michigan and Ohio to this day in a sense still honor their former guest in Lee by renewing hostilities not over geography but over yardage chains.
Oh and just so you know, The U.S. Supreme Court upheld Ohio’s rights to the Toledo Strip in 1973 in a case titled what else but, “Michigan v. Ohio”. Would you expect anything less from these two even though the U.S. Supreme Court was hearing the case nearly 150 years after the fact! In a way Toledo still figures into the enmity between Michigan and Ohio in another way. Five Star Toledo prep linebacker sensation, Thaddeus Gibson will be visiting Michigan for the “fight” along with the biggest number of blue chip recruits to attend any one game in the country. Gibson’s collegiate decision not surprisingly is probably coming down to a choice between the Wolverines and the Buckeyes.
Legendary Ohio State Coach Woody Hayes would not even address the Wolverines by they’re proper name, preferring to call Michigan, “That school up north”. Once while returning from a recruiting trip to Michigan, “The Old Man” as Hayes was affectionately called (at least by some) noticed the gas tank was virtually empty. Woody’s assistant asked the coach to pull the car over for gas. Hayes exploded into one of his vintage tantrums and screamed that he would never give Michigan, “a nickel of his money”. Hayes opted instead to run the car until it stopped and then push the car over the border into Ohio if necessary. Luckily for those with Hayes the car just did make it across the Stateline.
Unfortunately for Coach Hayes, he ended up giving Michigan something much more valuable than 5 cents. This is because one of his stellar young protégé’s by the name of Bo Schembechler became Michigan’s head football coach in 1969. The previous year’s contest in 1968 between Michigan and Ohio State saw the Buckeyes run up the tally to a final score of 50-14. Hayes went for a two-point conversion late in the game and when asked why he did so after the contest Woody said, “Because I couldn’t go for three”.
Things would be different the next time the teams met as inaugural Coach Bo Schembechler had rejuvenated football at Michigan. Ohio State came into the annual end of season match-up riding a 22 game winning streak while fielding five 1st team All-Americans. Bo and the Wolverines shocked the world by beating Ohio State that season in which Hayes reluctantly admitted was his best team ever. The 1969 game initiated what would be called the “10 year war” in lieu of the decade of clashes between Michigan and Ohio State with Bo and Woody at the respected helms. Bo ended his personal rivalry with Woody holding a slight 5-4-1 edge head-to-head.
Since the Bo and Woody era Michigan and Ohio State have continued to build upon their storied foundations. In the last 8 years both Michigan and Ohio State have won national championships and have maintained their dominance over the Big Ten. Michigan ranks #1 in Big-10 wins over the last ten years while Ohio State rates #2. Although the Big-10 is still the elite conference in college football, everything that usually matters comes down to Michigan and Ohio State.
The Buckeyes behind a resurgent Troy Smith at quarterback and the ultra dangerous Ted Ginn Jr. have been giving their world-class defense some point support the last few weeks. Michigan has also been much better over the last few weeks. Quarterback Chad Henne is hitting a stride delivering those rocket balls of his to the likes of Jason Avant and Steve Breaston. As always however the outcome of the best game in college football will come down to pure punishment. The team that runs the ball the most effectively and plays more physical almost always wins this tilt.
I believe all things being equal that the Buckeyes come into Ann Arbor with the slightly better team. However, with nothing actually being equal and this game being in that place “up north”, a win for the Bucks will be hard to come by. For a lot of people on both sides of this “war” a little history lesson like the one included in this story just punctuates the furor. Every year in a matter of speaking these two State militia’s still line up on the border. Only now the commencement of hostilities always occurs but at least it is confined to the line of scrimmage.
Joe Schlabach is a NCAA staff writer for football.com. You can reach him at: [email protected].
<!-- XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX End Content XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX -->
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cincibuck
You kids stay off my lawn!
More Noise from Up North
Oh, how we hate Ohio State<!--/head--><!--deck-->Maize & Blue aim to make blasted Buckeyes red with embarrassment<!--/deck-->
<STORYTEXT><!--byline-->By Bob Wojnowski / The Detroit News<!--/byline-->
<!--columnsig-Bob Wojnowski-->
<TABLE class=lightrail cellPadding=6 width=170 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=lightrail><MULTIPIX name="right1" multitemplate="standard">
It's that time
Predict the outcome of the Michigan-Ohio State game.
<TABLE width=150 border=0><FORM action=http://info.detnews.com/poll/multipoll.cfm method=post target=1><TBODY><TR><TD class=sans-2 align=right><INPUT type=radio value=1 name=vote></TD><TD class=sans-2 align=left>Michigan wins by more than 10 points</TD></TR><TR><TD class=sans-2 align=right><INPUT type=radio value=2 name=vote></TD><TD class=sans-2 align=left>Ohio State wins by more than 10 points</TD></TR><TR><TD class=sans-2 align=right><INPUT type=radio value=3 name=vote></TD><TD class=sans-2 align=left>Michigan wins a close game</TD></TR><TR><TD class=sans-2 align=right><INPUT type=radio value=4 name=vote></TD><TD class=sans-2 align=left>Ohio State wins a close game</TD></TR><TR><TD class=sans-2 colSpan=2><INPUT type=hidden value=Its_that_time name=topic> <INPUT class=sans-2 type=submit value="Click here to vote">
Get results and comments </FORM></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!-- Set a test cookie -->
The Big Game
Kickoff: 1 p.m. Saturday, Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor
TV/radio: ABC/WJR 760 Related links
NCAA football scores and stats
Big Ten Talk
Big Ten Weblog
U-M schedule
U-M roster
U-M stats
Big Ten schedule
Big Ten standings
Big Ten stats
AP Top-25 poll
USA Today / ESPN Top-25 poll
Sports Challenge: Pick the college winners weekly, win prizes
Game photo galleries
U-M 33, N. Illinois 17
Notre Dame 17, U-M 10
U-M 55, EMU 0
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ANN ARBOR -- Uh-oh, here they come again, loaded for beer, spittin' passion. According to my sources in law enforcement, Buckeyes began streaming across the border at midweek, clogging rest areas and hourly rate motels. At this very moment, local convenience stores are calling for emergency supplies of Slim Jims and pickled eggs.
Perhaps you've seen them around town, their eyes as glazed as their doughnuts. If so, approach with caution, because these are not the beaten-down folks of a few years ago, back when Michigan regularly drummed Ohio State in a rivalry we truly love, and occasionally fear.
The Buckeyes are back. That's a statement, and also a warning. They've beaten the Wolverines three of the past four years and are favored to do it again Saturday at Michigan Stadium.
Listen. Nothing in the sports world matches Ohio State-Michigan for high stakes, unfiltered intensity and pure pageantry. I mean, there's no greater spectacle than when the Ohio State marching band clambers onto that field and desperately tries to spell out script O-H-O-I.
But let me be honest with you, just this once. I'm concerned some people take the rivalry a bit too far. (Not me!)
For the purposes of this column, I loosely define "some people" as "drunken Buckeyes."
You might recall Ohio State once had a fine coach by the name of John Cooper who won lots and lots of games. But astute Buckeyes fans noticed he was 2-10-1 against the Wolverines and demanded he be fired.
Cooper was replaced by Jim Tressel, who somehow is 3-1 against Michigan's Lloyd Carr despite wearing the geekiest sweater vest you've ever seen. We're never sure if Tressel is coaching football or teaching fifth-grade math. Put a sweatshirt on, man.
Almost immediately, Tressel swiped some of Michigan's trademark arrogance without even asking. When he arrived, he began counting down the days to Ohio State's first visit to Ann Arbor. Then he had the audacity to win that game. Later, he hired, er, signed a running back by the name of Maurice Clarett and won a national title.
Quickly, the Buckeyes' obsession returned, and things really got nasty last year in Columbus (city slogan: "$#@& Michigan"). Before the game, in an incident I'm not making up, bomb-sniffing dogs were set loose on Michigan's equipment truck. Michigan coaches and players were searched before security let them in, confident they weren't hiding a creative game plan.
It was stupid and patently disrespectful, and Ohio State officials knew it, once it was explained to them what "patently" meant. I have no idea what retaliation Michigan is planning, although I've heard rumors of rubber gloves and needle-nosed pliers.
Maybe it's time for the Wolverines to crank up the gamesmanship before Carr gets turned into Cooper before our eyes. The Buckeyes long have treated this rivalry more rabidly than the Wolverines, going back to the days when Woody Hayes refused to mention Michigan by name, calling it, according to my memory, "that far superior school up north."
I'm not sure why this passion deficit exists, but it does. Maybe Michigan fans simply have other distractions in their lives, like dealing with Michigan State fans or running major corporations.
Now don't get me wrong. The Wolverines relish the rivalry and are hardly blameless in fostering ill will. While Buckeyes take pride in making Ohio Stadium the noisiest, most profane place imaginable, Michigan fans have been known to violently shush people. Michigan officials even introduced this week something called "Values for the Victors," a sportsmanship initiative designed to squelch bad behavior, on the field and in the stands.
(Note to our Buckeyes friends: This has nothing to do with your visit this week. Noooo. Nothing at all. Please drop the broken beer bottle and step away.)
(Note to everyone else: When they're riled, it's best to Taser them in the buttocks.)
I know, I know. I sound like a biased whiner. Hey, it's my job. But for more evidence of poor behavior, I found numerous stories of Texas fans complaining about mistreatment in Columbus, after the Longhorns beat the Buckeyes this season. Ohio State's president (yes, they have one) even apologized. One of Ohio State's own, tight end Ryan Hamby, said he received hate e-mails after dropping a potential touchdown pass in the game.
Speaking of that, to stem the deluge of perky messages from Buckeyes fans, the address at the end of this column will accept e-mails only from those who affix 37-cent stamps. So don't even try to send one without the postage! Also, before you ask, I'm not nearly limber enough to put my head where you think it belongs.
I'm here to study the Buckeyes, not denigrate them. Remember, this whole Michigan-Ohio battle started way back in 1835 when the states actually fought over Toledo, true story. Ohio won but took Toledo anyhow. In exchange, Michigan got the Upper Peninsula, Charles Woodson, Desmond Howard and four free passes to Cedar Point.
It's really not surprising that so many Ohio youngsters, such as Heisman Trophy winners Woodson and Howard, dream of coming to Michigan. This year's Michigan roster lists 11 kids who escaped Ohio, while Ohio State has one from Michigan. We won't mention his name in case his family doesn't know.
To be fair, when the Buckeyes got sick of losing, they did turn to quarterback Craig Krenzel, from Michigan's Utica Ford High, to lead them to that completely untainted national title. See, we can help each other, once we understand each other. That's why I'm here, to educate.
For instance, in case Ohioans didn't know, these are the three biggest industries in Michigan:
• Making automobiles.
• Pretending to fix the roads.
• Repossessing automobiles.
In case Michiganians didn't know, these are the three biggest industries in Ohio:
• Giving out speeding tickets to Michigan drivers.
• Recycling tobacco tins.
• Fixin' their trucks.
There. Doesn't it feel like we're getting along better already?
As for the game itself, well, it's still huge, even though Michigan spent the first half of the season playing patty-cake with opponents. Now, if Michigan wins and Michigan State does its big brother a favor and somehow doesn't lose by nine touchdowns to Penn State (ha, good one!), the Wolverines (7-3) become Big Ten champs.
After years of Wolverine dominance, we do find the Buckeyes (8-2) and their newly frothing passion fascinating, if a bit startling. But historically, this rivalry is more about the underdog than the bomb-sniffing dog. For the sake of neighborly peace, it'd be best if Michigan restored order.
Pick: Michigan 23-20.
Oh, how we hate Ohio State<!--/head--><!--deck-->Maize & Blue aim to make blasted Buckeyes red with embarrassment<!--/deck-->
<STORYTEXT><!--byline-->By Bob Wojnowski / The Detroit News<!--/byline-->
<!--columnsig-Bob Wojnowski-->
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=250 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top>
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[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif][SIZE=-2]<!--CR-->Henry Payne / The Detroit News<!--/CR-->[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif][SIZE=-1]<!--CA--><!--/CA-->[/SIZE][/FONT]
It's that time
Predict the outcome of the Michigan-Ohio State game.
<TABLE width=150 border=0><FORM action=http://info.detnews.com/poll/multipoll.cfm method=post target=1><TBODY><TR><TD class=sans-2 align=right><INPUT type=radio value=1 name=vote></TD><TD class=sans-2 align=left>Michigan wins by more than 10 points</TD></TR><TR><TD class=sans-2 align=right><INPUT type=radio value=2 name=vote></TD><TD class=sans-2 align=left>Ohio State wins by more than 10 points</TD></TR><TR><TD class=sans-2 align=right><INPUT type=radio value=3 name=vote></TD><TD class=sans-2 align=left>Michigan wins a close game</TD></TR><TR><TD class=sans-2 align=right><INPUT type=radio value=4 name=vote></TD><TD class=sans-2 align=left>Ohio State wins a close game</TD></TR><TR><TD class=sans-2 colSpan=2><INPUT type=hidden value=Its_that_time name=topic> <INPUT class=sans-2 type=submit value="Click here to vote">
Get results and comments </FORM></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!-- Set a test cookie -->The Big Game
Kickoff: 1 p.m. Saturday, Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor
TV/radio: ABC/WJR 760 Related links
NCAA football scores and stats Big Ten Talk Big Ten Weblog U-M schedule U-M roster U-M stats Big Ten schedule Big Ten standings Big Ten stats AP Top-25 poll USA Today / ESPN Top-25 poll Sports Challenge: Pick the college winners weekly, win prizesGame photo galleries
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[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif][SIZE=-1]<!--CA-->Ohio State coach Jim Tressel and his array of sweater vests are 3-1 against U-M. When Tressel was hired, he began counting down the days to Ohio State's first visit to Ann Arbor.<!--/CA-->[/SIZE][/FONT]
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
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[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif][SIZE=-1]<!--CA-->Ohio State coach Jim Tressel and his array of sweater vests are 3-1 against U-M. When Tressel was hired, he began counting down the days to Ohio State's first visit to Ann Arbor.<!--/CA-->[/SIZE][/FONT]
Comment on this storySend this story to a friendGet Home Delivery
ANN ARBOR -- Uh-oh, here they come again, loaded for beer, spittin' passion. According to my sources in law enforcement, Buckeyes began streaming across the border at midweek, clogging rest areas and hourly rate motels. At this very moment, local convenience stores are calling for emergency supplies of Slim Jims and pickled eggs.
Perhaps you've seen them around town, their eyes as glazed as their doughnuts. If so, approach with caution, because these are not the beaten-down folks of a few years ago, back when Michigan regularly drummed Ohio State in a rivalry we truly love, and occasionally fear.
The Buckeyes are back. That's a statement, and also a warning. They've beaten the Wolverines three of the past four years and are favored to do it again Saturday at Michigan Stadium.
Listen. Nothing in the sports world matches Ohio State-Michigan for high stakes, unfiltered intensity and pure pageantry. I mean, there's no greater spectacle than when the Ohio State marching band clambers onto that field and desperately tries to spell out script O-H-O-I.
But let me be honest with you, just this once. I'm concerned some people take the rivalry a bit too far. (Not me!)
For the purposes of this column, I loosely define "some people" as "drunken Buckeyes."
You might recall Ohio State once had a fine coach by the name of John Cooper who won lots and lots of games. But astute Buckeyes fans noticed he was 2-10-1 against the Wolverines and demanded he be fired.
Cooper was replaced by Jim Tressel, who somehow is 3-1 against Michigan's Lloyd Carr despite wearing the geekiest sweater vest you've ever seen. We're never sure if Tressel is coaching football or teaching fifth-grade math. Put a sweatshirt on, man.
Almost immediately, Tressel swiped some of Michigan's trademark arrogance without even asking. When he arrived, he began counting down the days to Ohio State's first visit to Ann Arbor. Then he had the audacity to win that game. Later, he hired, er, signed a running back by the name of Maurice Clarett and won a national title.
Quickly, the Buckeyes' obsession returned, and things really got nasty last year in Columbus (city slogan: "$#@& Michigan"). Before the game, in an incident I'm not making up, bomb-sniffing dogs were set loose on Michigan's equipment truck. Michigan coaches and players were searched before security let them in, confident they weren't hiding a creative game plan.
It was stupid and patently disrespectful, and Ohio State officials knew it, once it was explained to them what "patently" meant. I have no idea what retaliation Michigan is planning, although I've heard rumors of rubber gloves and needle-nosed pliers.
Maybe it's time for the Wolverines to crank up the gamesmanship before Carr gets turned into Cooper before our eyes. The Buckeyes long have treated this rivalry more rabidly than the Wolverines, going back to the days when Woody Hayes refused to mention Michigan by name, calling it, according to my memory, "that far superior school up north."
I'm not sure why this passion deficit exists, but it does. Maybe Michigan fans simply have other distractions in their lives, like dealing with Michigan State fans or running major corporations.
Now don't get me wrong. The Wolverines relish the rivalry and are hardly blameless in fostering ill will. While Buckeyes take pride in making Ohio Stadium the noisiest, most profane place imaginable, Michigan fans have been known to violently shush people. Michigan officials even introduced this week something called "Values for the Victors," a sportsmanship initiative designed to squelch bad behavior, on the field and in the stands.
(Note to our Buckeyes friends: This has nothing to do with your visit this week. Noooo. Nothing at all. Please drop the broken beer bottle and step away.)
(Note to everyone else: When they're riled, it's best to Taser them in the buttocks.)
I know, I know. I sound like a biased whiner. Hey, it's my job. But for more evidence of poor behavior, I found numerous stories of Texas fans complaining about mistreatment in Columbus, after the Longhorns beat the Buckeyes this season. Ohio State's president (yes, they have one) even apologized. One of Ohio State's own, tight end Ryan Hamby, said he received hate e-mails after dropping a potential touchdown pass in the game.
Speaking of that, to stem the deluge of perky messages from Buckeyes fans, the address at the end of this column will accept e-mails only from those who affix 37-cent stamps. So don't even try to send one without the postage! Also, before you ask, I'm not nearly limber enough to put my head where you think it belongs.
I'm here to study the Buckeyes, not denigrate them. Remember, this whole Michigan-Ohio battle started way back in 1835 when the states actually fought over Toledo, true story. Ohio won but took Toledo anyhow. In exchange, Michigan got the Upper Peninsula, Charles Woodson, Desmond Howard and four free passes to Cedar Point.
It's really not surprising that so many Ohio youngsters, such as Heisman Trophy winners Woodson and Howard, dream of coming to Michigan. This year's Michigan roster lists 11 kids who escaped Ohio, while Ohio State has one from Michigan. We won't mention his name in case his family doesn't know.
To be fair, when the Buckeyes got sick of losing, they did turn to quarterback Craig Krenzel, from Michigan's Utica Ford High, to lead them to that completely untainted national title. See, we can help each other, once we understand each other. That's why I'm here, to educate.
For instance, in case Ohioans didn't know, these are the three biggest industries in Michigan:
• Making automobiles.
• Pretending to fix the roads.
• Repossessing automobiles.
In case Michiganians didn't know, these are the three biggest industries in Ohio:
• Giving out speeding tickets to Michigan drivers.
• Recycling tobacco tins.
• Fixin' their trucks.
There. Doesn't it feel like we're getting along better already?
As for the game itself, well, it's still huge, even though Michigan spent the first half of the season playing patty-cake with opponents. Now, if Michigan wins and Michigan State does its big brother a favor and somehow doesn't lose by nine touchdowns to Penn State (ha, good one!), the Wolverines (7-3) become Big Ten champs.
After years of Wolverine dominance, we do find the Buckeyes (8-2) and their newly frothing passion fascinating, if a bit startling. But historically, this rivalry is more about the underdog than the bomb-sniffing dog. For the sake of neighborly peace, it'd be best if Michigan restored order.
Pick: Michigan 23-20.
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Fungo Squiggly
Mortal enemy of all things Bucky
Yahoo Pickem Champ
Former Game Champion
'18 BPCFFB II Champ
'18 Keeper League Champ
That's some good stuff!
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