BuckeyeParalgl
Walking down the winding road...
This story was based on a dream I had last night about Buckeye Football. It's about a guy walking into the Library Bar on High Street after the '05 Michigan Game, suddenly finding himself back on November 20, 1993. This is the story of how future history gives a fan hope.
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Walking down High, after the great win over Michigan last year, I decided to make the Library Bar my last stop. I hadn't been in the bar for a long time, but the atmosphere was nice and the jukebox had a CD of Buckeye songs that I enjoyed playing after games. This was the last one and I was feeling ecstatic. We were Big-10 champs. After two years we did it again. I felt the need to play “Buckeye Battle Cry”.
I opened the door to the Library and walked in. A man at the door asked for my ID much as they always do when a person tries to get into the Library. I handed the man my ID, and when I got it back it had changed. My birthday was listed as being 1972. I was confused. I looked over at the bar and saw Cricket working that night. Cricket looked as he always looked, except his face was many years younger, and his eyes looked less tired. I sat down at the bar and looked over at the calendar on the wall behind the liquor bottles. November 20 was circled on the calendar, and the year was 1993.
All of a sudden it made complete sense. I was back in 1993. It was the night of the Michigan game. We got blanked that year. As I looked around I saw a lot of solemn faces. Everyone was grim, and the air had tension throughout that made the place stagnant. Cricket came over and asked if I wanted anything to drink. On this night I decided I was going to drink something hard to take away the edge. I told him to get me a glass of Jack on the rocks. Momentarily, Cricket returned with my drink. He asked if I wanted to keep it open. I told him I would, having a feeling that tonight was going to be a long night.
As I took a sip of the whiskey, a man with a worn face, reeking of hungry exasperation, addressed me:
“Life is rough, isn't it buddy?”
“Today it sure is,” I responded.
“Well for me it isn't just this day. Today was the final nail in the coffin for me. November's been rough. The plant I used to work at closed in the beginning of this month, and the wife finally had enough of my shit and left. To top it all off, my Buckeyes got smoked in the Big House. Sometimes I just wonder what keeps me hanging on,” he said, seeming to get out something he'd been waiting all night to say.
I looked over at the man, who life had clearly worn thin, and said: “I guess you could say it's been a bad season.”
“You're damn right it's been a bad season,” he said and took a sip of his beer.
“What if I were to tell you that next year that Eddie George was going to emerge as the starter in 1994 and blow up for 1,400 yards?” I asked, patiently hoping the man would want to know more.
“Eddie George? The guy that fumbled twice on the goal line in one game?” The man asked with a bewildered look in his eyes.
“Yep, that Eddie. Did you further know that in 1995, Ohio State will beat Notre Dame and that same Eddie George will run for a school record of 1,927 yards. That will be good enough for the Heisman. Did you further know that at the conclusion of the 1996 season, one of the greatest Buckeye games ever will be played resulting in a Rose Bowl victory against ASU?” I asked, and watched as the man's eyes grew wider and hungrier with each sentence I spoke.
“That's incredible! How do you know all of this?” He asked.
“Let's just say I'm in the know,” I said and then began to continue. “Your Bucks will have an impressive season in 1998, scarred by only a loss to Michigan State. We'll go on to win our first BCS bowl, the Sugar Bowl of that year.
“What's the BCS?” The man asked.
“It's complicated, and largely irrelevant. All you need to know is that it's as good as winning the Rose Bowl,” I responded, continuing:
“Cooper will get fired in 2000 and a man name Jim Tressel will take his place. He'll beat Michigan, and then lose the bowl game, but he'll have beaten Michigan at Michigan, which is certainly an accomplishment. Just one more thing. The Buckeyes will win the National Title the year after beating Miami in double OT in one of the greatest games in Buckeye history.”
“Unbelievable! I can't wait to see that game!” The man exclaimed, his face full of renewed vigor. “Now tell me something about my life, since you know so much,” he added looking to see what his future held.
“All I know about your life is what you told me sitting here now,” I began. “Life's a lot like football. You'll have the good seasons, and you'll have the bad ones. But if you let the bad seasons get you down, you won't be able to enjoy the good ones. You'll always have 7-5 seasons. They're going to happen. But on the same token you can have undefeated 14-0 national championship seasons. You just have to take it as it comes. If you think of life as football you'll discover the beauty of it. The beauty of life is that sometimes you can go 7-5 one year and win the title the next. What matters is what you put into it that determines how well you do.”
“Thanks for sharing that. I'm glad you were in here today. The name's Jim,” he said extending his hand.
“Mine's Evan,” I said, shaking his hand. “I think I'll tab out now.”
I motioned over to Cricket to get my tab, but Jim stopped me. “Your drink's on me,” he said as I gulped the last bit of Jack down. After he paid, I left the Library. As soon as I walked out onto High I noticed someone walk by with a 2005 Big Ten Champions T-Shirt on. I knew I was back. For whatever reason, I went on a journey that I'll never forget. Maybe it was that simple, that life was whatever it was. I knew my approach was solid though. That's why I take everything one game at a time.
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Walking down High, after the great win over Michigan last year, I decided to make the Library Bar my last stop. I hadn't been in the bar for a long time, but the atmosphere was nice and the jukebox had a CD of Buckeye songs that I enjoyed playing after games. This was the last one and I was feeling ecstatic. We were Big-10 champs. After two years we did it again. I felt the need to play “Buckeye Battle Cry”.
I opened the door to the Library and walked in. A man at the door asked for my ID much as they always do when a person tries to get into the Library. I handed the man my ID, and when I got it back it had changed. My birthday was listed as being 1972. I was confused. I looked over at the bar and saw Cricket working that night. Cricket looked as he always looked, except his face was many years younger, and his eyes looked less tired. I sat down at the bar and looked over at the calendar on the wall behind the liquor bottles. November 20 was circled on the calendar, and the year was 1993.
All of a sudden it made complete sense. I was back in 1993. It was the night of the Michigan game. We got blanked that year. As I looked around I saw a lot of solemn faces. Everyone was grim, and the air had tension throughout that made the place stagnant. Cricket came over and asked if I wanted anything to drink. On this night I decided I was going to drink something hard to take away the edge. I told him to get me a glass of Jack on the rocks. Momentarily, Cricket returned with my drink. He asked if I wanted to keep it open. I told him I would, having a feeling that tonight was going to be a long night.
As I took a sip of the whiskey, a man with a worn face, reeking of hungry exasperation, addressed me:
“Life is rough, isn't it buddy?”
“Today it sure is,” I responded.
“Well for me it isn't just this day. Today was the final nail in the coffin for me. November's been rough. The plant I used to work at closed in the beginning of this month, and the wife finally had enough of my shit and left. To top it all off, my Buckeyes got smoked in the Big House. Sometimes I just wonder what keeps me hanging on,” he said, seeming to get out something he'd been waiting all night to say.
I looked over at the man, who life had clearly worn thin, and said: “I guess you could say it's been a bad season.”
“You're damn right it's been a bad season,” he said and took a sip of his beer.
“What if I were to tell you that next year that Eddie George was going to emerge as the starter in 1994 and blow up for 1,400 yards?” I asked, patiently hoping the man would want to know more.
“Eddie George? The guy that fumbled twice on the goal line in one game?” The man asked with a bewildered look in his eyes.
“Yep, that Eddie. Did you further know that in 1995, Ohio State will beat Notre Dame and that same Eddie George will run for a school record of 1,927 yards. That will be good enough for the Heisman. Did you further know that at the conclusion of the 1996 season, one of the greatest Buckeye games ever will be played resulting in a Rose Bowl victory against ASU?” I asked, and watched as the man's eyes grew wider and hungrier with each sentence I spoke.
“That's incredible! How do you know all of this?” He asked.
“Let's just say I'm in the know,” I said and then began to continue. “Your Bucks will have an impressive season in 1998, scarred by only a loss to Michigan State. We'll go on to win our first BCS bowl, the Sugar Bowl of that year.
“What's the BCS?” The man asked.
“It's complicated, and largely irrelevant. All you need to know is that it's as good as winning the Rose Bowl,” I responded, continuing:
“Cooper will get fired in 2000 and a man name Jim Tressel will take his place. He'll beat Michigan, and then lose the bowl game, but he'll have beaten Michigan at Michigan, which is certainly an accomplishment. Just one more thing. The Buckeyes will win the National Title the year after beating Miami in double OT in one of the greatest games in Buckeye history.”
“Unbelievable! I can't wait to see that game!” The man exclaimed, his face full of renewed vigor. “Now tell me something about my life, since you know so much,” he added looking to see what his future held.
“All I know about your life is what you told me sitting here now,” I began. “Life's a lot like football. You'll have the good seasons, and you'll have the bad ones. But if you let the bad seasons get you down, you won't be able to enjoy the good ones. You'll always have 7-5 seasons. They're going to happen. But on the same token you can have undefeated 14-0 national championship seasons. You just have to take it as it comes. If you think of life as football you'll discover the beauty of it. The beauty of life is that sometimes you can go 7-5 one year and win the title the next. What matters is what you put into it that determines how well you do.”
“Thanks for sharing that. I'm glad you were in here today. The name's Jim,” he said extending his hand.
“Mine's Evan,” I said, shaking his hand. “I think I'll tab out now.”
I motioned over to Cricket to get my tab, but Jim stopped me. “Your drink's on me,” he said as I gulped the last bit of Jack down. After he paid, I left the Library. As soon as I walked out onto High I noticed someone walk by with a 2005 Big Ten Champions T-Shirt on. I knew I was back. For whatever reason, I went on a journey that I'll never forget. Maybe it was that simple, that life was whatever it was. I knew my approach was solid though. That's why I take everything one game at a time.
