I am a Buckeye fan, and Ohio State lost a game this year. One game. They are the third best team in the country for this season, as the polls will probably confirm later this week. But that's not important, not really.
We all remember Tyler Trent, the guy, the ultimate Boilermaker fan, who was dying of cancer. The Purdue football team, before the Boilermaker vs Buckeye game, promised Tyler the game ball. When that was announced, it seemed awkward, as the game ball is awarded by the winning team to the person they choose. They hadn't played the game yet, and with their own mediocre record, and with Ohio State's solid record, it seemed highly unlikely Purdue would be awarding the game ball to anyone.
So not only did the Purdue Boilermakers beat the Ohio State Buckeyes, they beat them bad. Mr. Tyler Trent got the game ball, the impossible game ball. Through the rest of the season I thought about that game, and those moments, and how important it was for that young man.
Tyler Trent, as the season went on, he was named honorary team captain for the Old Oaken Bucket game, he received the Sagamore of the Wabash (the highest honor for Indiana civilians.) Mr. Trent received Disney's Wide World of Sports Spirit Award, given to college football's most inspirational individual or team.
There are dozens, if not hundreds of people, of writers, who know a lot more about Tyler Trent than me. You should read up about him. He accomplished more in this last year, much of which was bedridden, than most of us will do in our 70-80-90 year lifetimes.
On New Year's Day Ohio State played in and won the Rose Bowl. But that's not important, not really. Not on that day. What mattered more on that day is that Mr. Tyler Trent died. He lost his battle with cancer as he knew, as we all knew, he soon would.
I am a Buckeye fan, and Ohio State lost a game this year. One game. It was the best, the most eye-opening loss I've ever seen.