ATMOSPHERE
Watching football on tv has become a remarkable experience. All the replays and camera angles. Announcers to tell you what is happening, who is hurt, all sorts of inside scoop. There is no better way to watch a football game than on tv.
But for as long as I can get tickets I will never stay home from the Shoe. Whether we are playing Michigan or lowly Illinois, for a few hours on Saturday afternoon it is the center of the football universe. A world all its own. Drape everything in scarlet. Strike up the band. When I can no longer make it to my seat just scatter my ashes from C deck and I will be home.
ILLINI FIELD ENTRY
When Illinois started onto the field the first thing I saw was the top of a few helmets. For a split second it looked like we were playing the Browns. For just that moment I was confident we would cover the spread.
OFFENSE PART I
Help me find a word here. Disappointing falls short. Embarrassing and exasperating don’t get it. Disturbing, distressful, unsettling…. What one word would YOU use to describe our Offense in the first period plus?
Don’t try to put lipstick on this pig. We were horrid. This was a mid-major caliber team. Push them off the line and run the ball. Sit in the pocket till you find an open receiver or two and pass the ball downfied.
Three possessions – three points. With average field position of your own 43 yard line. Our best offensive weapon during that stretch was Illinois’ fear of punting to Ginn (little did they know their best offensive weapon was punting TO Ginn).
Smith and Tressel spoke after the game about Illinois running some unusual coverage and OSU trying to signal changes in routes at the line – maybe being too cute for their own good. That this made it hard for Smith to find a receiver.
Say what? This is Illi-friggin-nois. Decide what you are going to do and go do it.
OFFENSE PART II
I liked that Tailback they put in for Wells in the second quarter. That kid has a future. Why he sat most of the first is one of those unsolved mysteries. Very disappointed he did not go over both 100 and 1000 today. Should have happened against this team.
And if the 2nd quarter was better the 3rd was grand. That was how we should have started this game. No need to wear them down. Come out fired up and put it to them.
TROY SMITH
Barring injury this is our QB for the next 16 games. He still makes us grimace. He may always make us grimace. He will never be the best we have seen at reading defenses. He still tends to lock on to his first receiver, often gives up on the pass too quickly, rarely sells a play fake, and can make passes that make you ask how he ever got the job.
But at times he is brilliant. And he is not halfway through his career as a starter.
There is a huge distinction between the QB who can’t do it and the QB who doesn’t do it. Smith CAN do it (the bomb to Ginn, albeit short by a tad, is a pass not every QB can throw). If he ever starts doing it consistently he will be the best QB of his type ever to play at the Ohio State University.
That ‘type’ is not the Craig Krenzel, Rex Kern, or Art Schlichter type. He doesn’t have their understanding of the game and their ability to find and exploit the weaknesses of a Defense. But none of them had his raw athletic ability to CREATE weakness in a Defense. Troy has the potential to be very special before he is through.
All that said, he needs to quit hanging with Jamar Butler. In football a behind the back pass is a BAD thing.
GONZO
If there is a better 3rd receiver in CFB I want to see him play.
ROY HALL
Thought he might have left the program till I heard his name called as the intended receiver on a pass to the end zone late in the name. From the results I suspect he learned that he was the intended receiver on that pass about the same time I did.
HUSTON
He needs to work on those long field goals. Every one was either a yard or two short or just wide.
Oops. Never mind. Those were kick offs.
For the record in the past two games he has kicked off 16 times without a return. It is 19 straight kick offs since an OSU opponent started their drive beyond their own 20.
NACHOS
Very disappointing. There were a few full sized chips on the top, but beneath that it was all bits and pieces from the bottom of the bag. Do you know how much it screws up the chip to hot pepper ratio when you are using fragments? And with the little pieces you are always getting cheese on your fingers, which gets on your binoculars and from there your eyes, and the next thing you know people are looking at you like you are some kind of slog.
Don’t get me wrong, I am a fat guy and I will eat anything if you cover it with cheese (even Sushi). But at those prices I want consistent quality.
A J HAWK
Time to start savoring every play. Only three games left in his career and you will not see another like him for some time.
WHITNER
About as many hard hits from one player as I have seen this year this year.
(Heavy sigh.) He is ready for The League.
KUDLA
This could be a classic case of ‘what might have been’. Seeing him healthy and the speed he can bring to the DL - what a shame he has had so many health issues. How wonderful he has overcome them.
PITCOCK AND GREEN
The primary role of the DL is to occupy blockers. When your two Defensive Tackles net 9 tackles between them you know your D has had a dominant game.
BANDS
I like it when the visiting team sends their band. Otherwise we might forget how good TBDBITL really is. We were clearly outnumbered, but not out classed.
HOUDINI AWARD
Can’t recall the last time I saw a QB slip out of so many tackles. The Illinois OL tried to help us break the sack record we set against Iowa, but Brasic was having none of it. That said, he may still be in the whirlpool. Heroic effort.
TWO POINT CONVERSION
Had I been watching on tv I am sure my reaction would have been different, but the truth is I was rooting for Mitchell to make it. I was even glad the refs missed the block in the back. I have never seen a two point return in person before and you have to admit it was a very exciting play to watch. Shut outs are grand, but it was only two points. Besides, it helped convince Zook he was back in the game enough to fake a punt on the next series.
CHEERLEADERS
So I am on my way out of the stadium and I notice that the guy next to me is being tapped on the shoulder. I turn to see the most beautiful cheerleader I have ever laid eyes on. And, well, I knew this would never happen to me……
Watching football on tv has become a remarkable experience. All the replays and camera angles. Announcers to tell you what is happening, who is hurt, all sorts of inside scoop. There is no better way to watch a football game than on tv.
But for as long as I can get tickets I will never stay home from the Shoe. Whether we are playing Michigan or lowly Illinois, for a few hours on Saturday afternoon it is the center of the football universe. A world all its own. Drape everything in scarlet. Strike up the band. When I can no longer make it to my seat just scatter my ashes from C deck and I will be home.
ILLINI FIELD ENTRY
When Illinois started onto the field the first thing I saw was the top of a few helmets. For a split second it looked like we were playing the Browns. For just that moment I was confident we would cover the spread.
OFFENSE PART I
Help me find a word here. Disappointing falls short. Embarrassing and exasperating don’t get it. Disturbing, distressful, unsettling…. What one word would YOU use to describe our Offense in the first period plus?
Don’t try to put lipstick on this pig. We were horrid. This was a mid-major caliber team. Push them off the line and run the ball. Sit in the pocket till you find an open receiver or two and pass the ball downfied.
Three possessions – three points. With average field position of your own 43 yard line. Our best offensive weapon during that stretch was Illinois’ fear of punting to Ginn (little did they know their best offensive weapon was punting TO Ginn).
Smith and Tressel spoke after the game about Illinois running some unusual coverage and OSU trying to signal changes in routes at the line – maybe being too cute for their own good. That this made it hard for Smith to find a receiver.
Say what? This is Illi-friggin-nois. Decide what you are going to do and go do it.
OFFENSE PART II
I liked that Tailback they put in for Wells in the second quarter. That kid has a future. Why he sat most of the first is one of those unsolved mysteries. Very disappointed he did not go over both 100 and 1000 today. Should have happened against this team.
And if the 2nd quarter was better the 3rd was grand. That was how we should have started this game. No need to wear them down. Come out fired up and put it to them.
TROY SMITH
Barring injury this is our QB for the next 16 games. He still makes us grimace. He may always make us grimace. He will never be the best we have seen at reading defenses. He still tends to lock on to his first receiver, often gives up on the pass too quickly, rarely sells a play fake, and can make passes that make you ask how he ever got the job.
But at times he is brilliant. And he is not halfway through his career as a starter.
There is a huge distinction between the QB who can’t do it and the QB who doesn’t do it. Smith CAN do it (the bomb to Ginn, albeit short by a tad, is a pass not every QB can throw). If he ever starts doing it consistently he will be the best QB of his type ever to play at the Ohio State University.
That ‘type’ is not the Craig Krenzel, Rex Kern, or Art Schlichter type. He doesn’t have their understanding of the game and their ability to find and exploit the weaknesses of a Defense. But none of them had his raw athletic ability to CREATE weakness in a Defense. Troy has the potential to be very special before he is through.
All that said, he needs to quit hanging with Jamar Butler. In football a behind the back pass is a BAD thing.
GONZO
If there is a better 3rd receiver in CFB I want to see him play.
ROY HALL
Thought he might have left the program till I heard his name called as the intended receiver on a pass to the end zone late in the name. From the results I suspect he learned that he was the intended receiver on that pass about the same time I did.
HUSTON
He needs to work on those long field goals. Every one was either a yard or two short or just wide.
Oops. Never mind. Those were kick offs.
For the record in the past two games he has kicked off 16 times without a return. It is 19 straight kick offs since an OSU opponent started their drive beyond their own 20.
NACHOS
Very disappointing. There were a few full sized chips on the top, but beneath that it was all bits and pieces from the bottom of the bag. Do you know how much it screws up the chip to hot pepper ratio when you are using fragments? And with the little pieces you are always getting cheese on your fingers, which gets on your binoculars and from there your eyes, and the next thing you know people are looking at you like you are some kind of slog.
Don’t get me wrong, I am a fat guy and I will eat anything if you cover it with cheese (even Sushi). But at those prices I want consistent quality.
A J HAWK
Time to start savoring every play. Only three games left in his career and you will not see another like him for some time.
WHITNER
About as many hard hits from one player as I have seen this year this year.
(Heavy sigh.) He is ready for The League.
KUDLA
This could be a classic case of ‘what might have been’. Seeing him healthy and the speed he can bring to the DL - what a shame he has had so many health issues. How wonderful he has overcome them.
PITCOCK AND GREEN
The primary role of the DL is to occupy blockers. When your two Defensive Tackles net 9 tackles between them you know your D has had a dominant game.
BANDS
I like it when the visiting team sends their band. Otherwise we might forget how good TBDBITL really is. We were clearly outnumbered, but not out classed.
HOUDINI AWARD
Can’t recall the last time I saw a QB slip out of so many tackles. The Illinois OL tried to help us break the sack record we set against Iowa, but Brasic was having none of it. That said, he may still be in the whirlpool. Heroic effort.
TWO POINT CONVERSION
Had I been watching on tv I am sure my reaction would have been different, but the truth is I was rooting for Mitchell to make it. I was even glad the refs missed the block in the back. I have never seen a two point return in person before and you have to admit it was a very exciting play to watch. Shut outs are grand, but it was only two points. Besides, it helped convince Zook he was back in the game enough to fake a punt on the next series.
CHEERLEADERS
So I am on my way out of the stadium and I notice that the guy next to me is being tapped on the shoulder. I turn to see the most beautiful cheerleader I have ever laid eyes on. And, well, I knew this would never happen to me……
.