Woody was my childhood hero, but if we are fair, then we must acknowledge that the bias against Ohio State started in the Woody Hayes era and it is at least partly attributable to him. The reasons are twofold.
First, Woody hated the press and he showed it. He sometimes treated others, including his own players, rather dismissively, even on the Woody Hayes TV show (Now, Archie, what should we have done there? Level off! Right? Level off!). He was complex and dominating, sometimes irrational and his quick temper could be unpredictable. If you were a journalist, covering one of America's most successful coaches was extremely difficult, as you didn't know what you would get on the day. You could watch the press cringe as he snarled and growled at them.
Second, his "3 yards and a cloud of dust" offense and brutally physical defenses didn't leave a lot to the imagination. You knew what you were getting week after week, the only question was, can the other team stop it?
When he was down, the press finally rose up to smite him, forgetting all the good that he did, such as when Vic Janowicz was hurt in a car accident or some high school coach came down with cancer or something and Woody paid for him to come to OSU hospital. I really believe that they are still trying to lay the glove on Woody and his team, decades after his departure.
We should also remember that the press loves to bring down the sucessful. The story of the underdog always sells. Few programs are as successful as Ohio State.
As for ESPiN, screw them.
