Ross Bjork (OSU AD)

[gmen6981]

I get your point about the cfb landscape somewhat diminishing the rivalry. But after watching the chaos unfold on the field yesterday in person, I respectfully disagree with it losing its meaning. Every last Buckeye left in the stands waiting to exit their respective sections was incensed at watching that fat tcun player make a bee line toward the 50 yard line with that ugly flag. So much so that it caught the OSU players’ attention as they were lining up for the singing of Carmen Ohio with their backs mostly to what was happening behind them. We were hollering at the tops of our lungs and once we saw our Buckeyes break ranks and rush midfield we all cheered with an immediate sense of relief that dignity will be salvaged. We ALL wanted to rush the field with them and defend their honor in that moment. Even my fiancé said she was ready to fight. And that’s totally out of character for her lol It was as intense and emotional as I’ve ever seen a gathering of OSU fans. There were enough tears and high fives going around to tell me that this rivalry is as important as it will ever be to the ones it should matter to. The team, the school, and the fans.

It will always have meaning to the fans. My point is that The Game is losing it's importance in the overall landscape. When I was growing up it usually determined the B1G Champ and always had a bearing on the National Championship, even if not directly for either team.
A season was made or lost on the outcome of that game. Now suppose both teams go in to it assured of spots in the B1G Championship game and they know they will play again a week later. How do you approach the game? Just that possibility cheapens The Game. It's why I didn't like the Conference doing away with divisions. The Game doesn't really have the implications that it traditionally had. It's reduced to a game for bragging rights, no different than any of the other rivalries in the conference. Rarely will it have a bearing on the post season. As I said before....they are still going to some mid tier bowl game and the Bucks are still going to the CFP with a chance to win a Natty. Other than giving OSU an extra week to prepare for the first round ( a likely home game) and a slightly lower seeding, it didn't effect any of that.

 

[ScriptOhio]

Unfortunately, the current landscape of College Football is already doing that. Look at it this way.....Even after yesterday TCUN is still going to the "Who Gives a Fuck" Bowl and the Buckeyes are headed to the CFP with ( technically) a chance to still win a Natty. Under the current B1G format, OSU could play scUM two weeks in a row with the possibility of meeting a third time in the playoff. ( unlikely but possible). The Game has already lost it's importance and been minimized. That really sucks for us older fans who still believe in the history and traditions of the greatest rivalry in sports, but the reality is that other than bragging rights, The Game just doesn't have the same meaning. I fully expect to see the conference move it to earlier in the season in the next few years.

I don't see that happening at least in the next five years, the current TV contracts expire. FOX has the 1st pick and they like it where it is. There just isn't any other conference game with better ratings. In addition, as long as Ohio State and scUM has any clout in the B1G scheduling I don't see that happening. The game is the biggest rivalry in college football and the B1G should recognize that it deserves to be played on "rivalry weekend".

After the next 5 years I expect to see the same dominate teams. The same teams that have been a consistent conference contender for several decades now: Ohio State, Penn State, Oregon (they were in the old PAC-12), and scUM. The game will have meaning and undoubtedly an impact on the B1G CCG participants.

 

[buckeyemania11]

It will always have meaning to the fans. My point is that The Game is losing it's importance in the overall landscape. When I was growing up it usually determined the B1G Champ and always had a bearing on the National Championship, even if not directly for either team.
A season was made or lost on the outcome of that game. Now suppose both teams go in to it assured of spots in the B1G Championship game and they know they will play again a week later. How do you approach the game? Just that possibility cheapens The Game. It's why I didn't like the Conference doing away with divisions. The Game doesn't really have the implications that it traditionally had. It's reduced to a game for bragging rights, no different than any of the other rivalries in the conference. Rarely will it have a bearing on the post season. As I said before....they are still going to some mid tier bowl game and the Bucks are still going to the CFP with a chance to win a Natty. Other than giving OSU an extra week to prepare for the first round ( a likely home game) and a slightly lower seeding, it didn't effect any of that.

Simply making the playoff with the now 12 team playoff isn’t good enough. Day needs to show he can actually coach well enough to compete to actually win in it, I think he should need to get to the final to save his job.

While it might technically be true that the game doesn’t mean as much on a national scale anymore. You’re gonna be hard pressed to get the fans to be forgiving of losing every year to them.

 

[gmen6981]

Simply making the playoff with the now 12 team playoff isn’t good enough. Day needs to show he can actually coach well enough to compete to actually win in it, I think he should need to get to the final to save his job.

While it might technically be true that the game doesn’t mean as much on a national scale anymore. You’re gonna be hard pressed to get the fans to be forgiving of losing every year to them.

I don't disagree, but in the end, the fans don't win or lose the games or set the playoff field. There is already a large number of younger fans who don't understand the obsession us older fans have with The Game and are more concerned with the CFP. Eventually all of us old timers who live and breathe this 24/7 will be gone and all the glory of The Game, win or lose, will go with us. That saddens me.

 

[buckeyemania11]

I don't disagree, but in the end, the fans don't win or lose the games or set the playoff field. There is already a large number of younger fans who don't understand the obsession us older fans have with The Game and are more concerned with the CFP. Eventually all of us old timers who live and breathe this 24/7 will be gone and all the glory of The Game, win or lose, will go with us. That saddens me.

The younger fans are gonna get restless with annual early playoff outs. Day can’t beat Michigan and I’d be happy to be wrong but I’d be shocked if he wins more than 1 game in the playoff.

 

[ORD_Buckeye]

I don't disagree, but in the end, the fans don't win or lose the games or set the playoff field. There is already a large number of younger fans who don't understand the obsession us older fans have with The Game and are more concerned with the CFP. Eventually all of us old timers who live and breathe this 24/7 will be gone and all the glory of The Game, win or lose, will go with us. That saddens me.

I don't know how they can't understand it after the last few years: the accusations of being "the cheaters" while they were actually cheating, "you are who we thought you were!," the cosplaying jock-sniffer Ono, the flag planting and then accusing us of being classless. I have a fire deep down in my balls towards that school that I've never had before. I have to believe that's starting resonate with students and younger alums/fans.

 

[RuGettinIt]

The younger fans are gonna get restless with annual early playoff outs. Day can’t beat Michigan and I’d be happy to be wrong but I’d be shocked if he wins more than 1 game in the playoff.

I’m waiting to see the fallout from yesterday. Has he lost the locker room? Is the Brotherhood a real thing? Among other issues.

I think this all plays into whether we even win a game in the playoffs.

 

[buckeyemania11]

I’m waiting to see the fallout from yesterday. Has he lost the locker room? Is the Brotherhood a real thing? Among other issues.

I think this all plays into whether we even win a game in the playoffs.

We won’t know for sure until the playoff game but I’m guessing there’s a good chance he’s lost at least some of the locker room.

 

[gmen6981]

I don't know how they can't understand it after the last few years: the accusations of being "the cheaters" while they were actually cheating, "you are who we thought you were!," the cosplaying jock-sniffer Ono, the flag planting and then accusing us of being classless. I have a fire deep down in my balls towards that school that I've never had before. I have to believe that's starting resonate with students and younger alums/fans.

You're talking about the social media, low attention span age group. People who can't even sit and watch an entire game but just watch the highlight videos on YouTube. There are quite a few of them out there. I've been exposed to several of them. They just don't have the passion for it us older folks do. ( even though with what CFB has become that passion is beginning to wane)

 

[osubartender23]

Day is fine if you want to minimize the rivalry.

The changes that have happened with the Big 10 and the playoffs have already done this. It fucking sucks and is hard to accept but beating TCUN is no longer a make or break thing like it once was.

 

[Bestbuck36]

Check my math but he’s what?
1-4 vs tsun
1-3 CFP (and counting)
1-1 NY6/Bowls

What are we afraid of again? Being able to find a coach that can win 1/3 of these kind of games?

Exactly right. Nobody in the world except for the guy who hired him, even fucking knew who Jim Tressel was before he was hired. There are guys out there in this type of mold that could come in and do the job. Maybe it wont be a superstar or a highly known commodity, but it's not necessary to win here. What is necessary is we start winning the fucking GAME!

 

[buckeyemania11]

People get way too fixated that Day wins 10 games a year. The schedule most years all you have to do with the talent you can recruit at Ohio State is avoid slip ups against bad teams. You are really only playing 2 maybe 3 teams a year that can somewhat match up talent wise. Day has proven he can’t win the big ones. He beat 2 “top 5” teams this year but that was James Franklin and fucking Indiana who coasted to 11 wins with one of it not the worst P4 schedules.

IF he can get to the CFP Final then I think you bring him back because maybe he had a coming to Jesus moment finally and unscrewed his head. If not I think we need to move on to some one else and see if they can get us over that big game rut.

 

[BuckBackHome]

Is there any chance Bjork shifts some responsibilities from Day to our GM, Pantoni? Or restructures the GM position?

Reading some of the stuff about Luck’s appointment as GM for Stanford makes it sound like he will be dealing more with the financial side of the football program than maybe our GM does. At least from what I can glean from news articles about how OSU’s GM is structured.


Reality is in this NIL world we need a point person to be coordinating stuff behind the scenes so the coaches can focus on coaching the team in front of them. And I think this applies regardless of whether it is Day as coach next season or someone new.

After the end of last season Day became the CEO. In reality the head coach needs to be the CEO of the coaching staff, while there needs to be a CEO of the entire football program in and of itself.

At least in all my years of football experience (sarcasm font).

 

[OHSportsFan]

Bjork has to have a pulse on the donors/NIL. That’s what is going to drive results and keep OSU in the national picture. If it’s lost with Day you make a change.

There are programs with deep deep pockets that will keep throwing bags of cash.

 

[Bestbuck36]

People get way too fixated that Day wins 10 games a year. The schedule most years all you have to do with the talent you can recruit at Ohio State is avoid slip ups against bad teams. You are really only playing 2 maybe 3 teams a year that can somewhat match up talent wise. Day has proven he can’t win the big ones. He beat 2 “top 5” teams this year but that was James Franklin and fucking Indiana who coasted to 11 wins with one of it not the worst P4 schedules.

IF he can get to the CFP Final then I think you bring him back because maybe he had a coming to Jesus moment finally and unscrewed his head. If not I think we need to move on to some one else and see if they can get us over that big game rut.

Perfectly stated. Nothing more need be said