DDN
Buckeye fans are truly nuts
By Doug Harris Hal McCoy
Staff Writer
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
COLUMBUS — At 5 p.m., a full hour before the gates were scheduled to open, 587 people waited in line at the rotunda entrance of Ohio Stadium.
At the very front was Chris Painter, a Columbus resident who showed up at 10 a.m. Or, eight hours before anyone would be allowed in.
<!--endtext--><!--endclickprintinclude--><!--startclickprintinclude--><!--begintext--> It took me awhile, though, to find out his name was Chris Painter. When I first asked, he said, "I'm Nutty Buck." I said I understood nicknames, but again asked his real name.
"Nutty Buck," he said.
We did this about seven times.
Derek White and Derek Sparks, 16-year-old friends from Delaware (the city, not the state) also showed up at about 10. They quickly befriended Nutty Buck, who regaled them with tales of the Michigan doormat inside his apartment ("I wipe my feet on it and I spit on it.") and his Michigan toiler paper ("No, seriously, you can buy it.").
Then White summed it up.
"Ohio State football," he said, "is everything."
Ohio State held an open practice, free to the public, preceded by an autograph signing period on Monday. Much has been made about the shrinking access to players and coaches in both college and professional sports, to the fans and to the media. From what we saw Monday, it's clear that such organized efforts are incredibly difficult for the Buckeyes.
Basically, there isn't enough Ohio State supply for the Ohio State demand.
How much demand? The gates opened 21 minutes early, at 5:39 p.m., because those in line were getting restless. I hadn't planned on going into the stadium, but I had no choice. The wave of people pumping knees and elbows to get to the autograph tables made for inescapable gauntlet of anticipation. An estimated 28,000 people stayed to watch practice.
Ohio State can rule lives. On the line of bricks outside the stadium, one of the engraved stones reads, "Amy Reese and Jim Blackmore married at the 'Shoe, April 30, 2005." But, I think they were one-upped by a neighboring etched message: "Erin — I love you. I need you in my life. Will you marry me? — Nick."
The players came out at
6:27 p.m., 33 minutes early, to break out the Sharpies. And still, at 7:27, 874 people were lined up 250 paces deep to get to coach Jim Tressel, quarterback Troy Smith and receiver Anthony Gonzalez.
Tressel, as usual, was charming. In his white Ohio State hat, gray windbreaker and white Nike Air Pegasus sneakers, he turned and smiled when asked by fans waiting outside Gate 32 thumbing cell phone cameras.
They signed everything from helmets to jerseys to photos to paintings. And there had to be more pictures taken with babies than Ann Geddes' portfolio.
Unfortunately, not every player could be Troy Smith. Not that they had to be. When Steve Jurgen of Wooster got through the table filled with, among others, linebacker Ryan Lukens, defensive lineman Vernon Gholston and punter Jon Thoma, he looked down at his white Ohio State cap and pondered whose Hancocks he'd just received.
"Um . . ." Jurgen said, "I dunno. But I'm never touching this again. This is sacred."
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DDN
A signature event for OSU fans and players
Well, at least for a lot of the 28,000 who showed up for a Buckeyes autograph session and practice under the lights.
By Doug Harris
Staff Writer
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
COLUMBUS — Say this for Ohio State fans: They don't hold a grudge.
Although thousands were disheartened when time ran out on a free autograph session, they put aside their discontent once the Buckeyes' open practice began Monday under the lights at Ohio Stadium.
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<!--startclickprintinclude--><!--begintext--> Flashbulbs popped among the crowd of 28,000 as the team ran through drills. The fans roared during practice kickoffs — letting out a collective "aah" when the ball was struck — and they emptied their lungs when the marching band made an unannounced appearance.
"It was a great experience for our guys," coach Jim Tressel said. "They were talking about how, at the line of scrimmage, they couldn't hear. And they had to communicate a little more like it was game-like (conditions).
"It's a great reminder of the responsibility we have. People care deeply about Ohio State football."
OSU paid $18,000 to rent the portable lights, but it could be money well spent if the Buckeyes put an end to their streak of nocturnal failures.
They lost under the lights at Penn State last year, at Northwestern in 2004 and at Wisconsin in '03, They have two night games this season — at Texas on Sept. 9 and at Iowa on Sept. 30.
"We don't have lights on our practice field," Tressel said, "so, typically, we don't get a lot of night rehearsal. ... I think your juices get flowing a little bit, and it was great to see how many (fans) came out."
DDN
Crush of fans brings back memories
By Doug Harris
Staff Writer
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
COLUMBUS — Ohio State running backs coach Dick Tressel relished his spot in the end-zone bleachers — far away from the chaos of players being besieged by fans.
The older brother of head coach Jim Tressel was director of football operations before assuming his current post last year, and he orchestrated the annual City Center Mall signings during the holiday season before they were discontinued in 2005.
He shudders at the memory.
"I was in charge of that one for a couple years, and you almost needed security forces to get the guys out," he said. "And people stillcame up to them with stuff.
"Our guys could sign all day, every day."
Thousands of Buckeye fans waited 90 minutes for their favorite players, only to be turned away when the team had to hit the field for the start of its 8 p.m. practice.
"These are impossible to do," said Dan Wallenberg of the OSU sports information staff. "Half get something and half don't. It's a lose-lose for us."
Angela Place of Ashville, Ohio, felt the sting of being denied at the last second. And what rankled her the most was the brazen way many cut to the front of the waiting line, which stretched 250 yards, to the table of Jim Tressel, quarterback Troy Smith and receiver Anthony Gonzalez.
"They were doing that with their children," she said with three of her own in tow, "teaching their children to behave like that."
Motioning to her kids, she said, "We're going to cry all the way home."
Ginn poses with infant
Perhaps preparing for a future in politics, Ted Ginn Jr. posed for a picture with Washington Court House native Jamie Keaton's newborn.
While the receiver cradled the football-sized baby, one of his teammates leaned over and said, "You'd better not fumble that."
Hoobler to transfer
Junior defensive end Chad Hoobler has decided to transfer for personal reasons. Hoobler, who didn't suit up for Monday's practice, has reportedly contacted Division II Ashland University because of the dim prospects of seeing action.
Zwick returns
Senior quarterback Justin Zwick practiced during 11-on-11 drills and showed no effects from an injury to his left shoulder suffered in Friday's scrimmage.
Outfitted in a no-contact black jersey, Zwick threw effortlessly and moved without apparent discomfort.
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