tOSU's BCS Bowl possibilities

[MaxBuck]

During the Cooper years, whether deserved or not, Ohio State gained a reputation as a team that beat up on weak teams and then choked at the end of the year. The team that could not win the big game. It didn't matter when we blew out Notre Dame in the mid-90s because everyone "knew" that we would end our year with a loss.

Then, Tressel came in with his 310 days speech, we started winning bowl games, and we were back in the national championship game hunt every year again. It's a self-fulfilling prophecy. You have this kind of success, your recruiting potential improves, you get better classes, and you win.

Like it or not, we have the reputation of being unable to win big games again. I am taking a longer term view of this. I'd rather win a bowl game outside the BCS than lose yet another high profile game. It's not about being afraid, it's about being realistic.

How many posters here observed that this team was lacked emotional strength during the year? Was this team really only three points worse than Notre Dame (against USC)? This team also needs to win a bowl game right now.

Our NC opportunities this year died realistically in LA. I am more interested in the effects of a bowl win on the team's opening next year and a potential run on the NC, then and in 2010, than whether we get into a BCS bowl this year, if it means the chances of losing increase considerably. I just think we need a win right now, not only for public opinion and the pollsters, but also for the way this team thinks about themselves.

Pussy.

 

[lvbuckeye]

I would rather not try and say I did not fail. I want to be the best middle of the pack team. Is that what you are saying? How about this, I would rather try for greatness and fail than to strive for mediocre and succeed. How about we go back to the 9-3 Earl days and be happy with a Citrus bowl invite. I want to see the Bucks in a BCS bowl every year. I want recruits to see us in a BCS game every year. What do we want to tell recruits, "Follow us to Orlando"? "Come to Ohio State and you will have a shot at going to San Antonio."

personally i'd like a Florida bowl game specifically FOR recruiting. gives potential prospects a chance to see us in person. this very fact was stated a little while back by none other than our very coaching staff (last year when it appeared we'd be in the Orange.) we pull a lot of kids from Florida, not so much from Arizona.

 

[Jake]

During the Cooper years, whether deserved or not, Ohio State gained a reputation as a team that beat up on weak teams and then choked at the end of the year. The team that could not win the big game. It didn't matter when we blew out Notre Dame in the mid-90s because everyone "knew" that we would end our year with a loss.

Then, Tressel came in with his 310 days speech, we started winning bowl games, and we were back in the national championship game hunt every year again. It's a self-fulfilling prophecy. You have this kind of success, your recruiting potential improves, you get better classes, and you win.

Like it or not, we have the reputation of being unable to win big games again. I am taking a longer term view of this. I'd rather win a bowl game outside the BCS than lose yet another high profile game. It's not about being afraid, it's about being realistic.

How many posters here observed that this team was lacked emotional strength during the year? Was this team really only three points worse than Notre Dame (against USC)? This team also needs to win a bowl game right now.

Our NC opportunities this year died realistically in LA. I am more interested in the effects of a bowl win on the team's opening next year and a potential run on the NC, then and in 2010, than whether we get into a BCS bowl this year, if it means the chances of losing increase considerably. I just think we need a win right now, not only for public opinion and the pollsters, but also for the way this team thinks about themselves.

You make some very good points, but I have to question whether your last sentence is really talking about the team, or our fan base?

 

[ORD_Buckeye]

The move to pair up Utah and Boise in the Fiesta Bowl is troubling. They know that any mid-major bowl is a disaster for the host city and the tv ratings, so this becomes the politically correct middle ground--take both mid-majors for political reasons but confine them to the same bowl to limit the financial damage.

 

[Jake]

The move to pair up Utah and Boise in the Fiesta Bowl is troubling. They know that any mid-major bowl is a disaster for the host city and the tv ratings, so this becomes the politically correct middle ground--take both mid-majors for political reasons but confine them to the same bowl to limit the financial damage.

Let's not forget who created the BCS - the 6 "BCS" conferences and Notre Dame. The other conferences weren't included at all until they filed an antitrust lawsuit. Letting ONE of them in was the settlement. The BCS is under no obligation to allow TWO of them in, and they have no financial incentive to give away more of their money, either.

In short, it won't happen. The BCS boys aren't sharing their money any more than they HAVE to, and they only have to admit one non-BCS team. Sure, ESPN will bitch about it for awhile, then life will go on...

 

[ORD_Buckeye]

During the Cooper years, whether deserved or not, Ohio State gained a reputation as a team that beat up on weak teams and then choked at the end of the year. The team that could not win the big game. It didn't matter when we blew out Notre Dame in the mid-90s because everyone "knew" that we would end our year with a loss.

Then, Tressel came in with his 310 days speech, we started winning bowl games, and we were back in the national championship game hunt every year again. It's a self-fulfilling prophecy. You have this kind of success, your recruiting potential improves, you get better classes, and you win.

Like it or not, we have the reputation of being unable to win big games again. I am taking a longer term view of this. I'd rather win a bowl game outside the BCS than lose yet another high profile game. It's not about being afraid, it's about being realistic.

How many posters here observed that this team was lacked emotional strength during the year? Was this team really only three points worse than Notre Dame (against USC)? This team also needs to win a bowl game right now.

Our NC opportunities this year died realistically in LA. I am more interested in the effects of a bowl win on the team's opening next year and a potential run on the NC, then and in 2010, than whether we get into a BCS bowl this year, if it means the chances of losing increase considerably. I just think we need a win right now, not only for public opinion and the pollsters, but also for the way this team thinks about themselves.

I see what you're saying, Steve. I still want the BCS bowl for two reasons.

1. If we get left out of the BCS, we end up playing the #3 SEC team, which--as much as it pains me to say--will be just as tough as a BCS opponent. Think what going to the Citrus bowl and losing to an SEC team will do for the team's psyche and the program's reputation. We will truly be back in Cooperville.
2. The thought of one of The Other State Universities going to a BCS bowl in a year when Ohio State is left out not only sickens me personally (which it does), but sets a very bad precedent within the state. Now, I'm not saying that it makes UC anything close to our peer, but it does take them a quantum leap closer--in both reality and perception--than they have ever been in the past. This whole notion of "I support 'Ohio Football'" is foolish. The emergence of an in-state competitor in recruiting and media attention is nothing but harmful.

 

[Buckeyefrankmp]

personally i'd like a Florida bowl game specifically FOR recruiting. gives potential prospects a chance to see us in person. this very fact was stated a little while back by none other than our very coaching staff (last year when it appeared we'd be in the Orange.) we pull a lot of kids from Florida, not so much from Arizona.

Good point.

 

[shetuck]

You make some very good points, but I have to question whether your last sentence is really talking about the team, or our fan base?

I kinda agree...

Say what you will about the fan base of teams like ND, Penn State, TSUN, etc., but when I see a viewer poll like I saw on SportsCenter last night asking people who should be ranked #1 in the BCS and tOSU comes in at fourth place with 5% of the vote, I can't help but go:

:2004:

Anybody else see that? As much as I'd like to say that's ESPN feeding the hate, I wouldn't put something like past our fan base.

 

[3074326]

I kinda agree...

Say what you will about the fan base of teams like ND, Penn State, TSUN, etc., but when I see a viewer poll like I saw on SportsCenter last night asking people who should be ranked #1 in the BCS and tOSU comes in at fourth place iwth 5% of the vote, I can't help but go:

:2004:

Anybody else see that? As much as I'd like to say that's ESPN feeding the hate, I wouldn't put something like past our fan base.

I saw that.

 

[shetuck]

I saw that.

I should have been more clear...

Any non-p*ssies see that? :p

 

[3074326]

I should have been more clear...

Any non-p*ssies see that? :p

I'm just going to leave the thread if we're not including pussies..

 

[BuckeyeNation27]

I kinda agree...

Say what you will about the fan base of teams like ND, Penn State, TSUN, etc., but when I see a viewer poll like I saw on SportsCenter last night asking people who should be ranked #1 in the BCS and tOSU comes in at fourth place with 5% of the vote, I can't help but go:

:2004:

Anybody else see that? As much as I'd like to say that's ESPN feeding the hate, I wouldn't put something like past our fan base.

It looked to me like there were only 4 options, and they chose those options. The only reason you do that is so people see Ohio State and say "what the hell are they doing on there? they don't deserve that." More negativity. Usually I try to avoid the ESPN conspiracy theories.....but I can't think of another reason why Ohio State would be on there.

 

[FWBuckeye]

It looked to me like there were only 4 options, and they chose those options. The only reason you do that is so people see Ohio State and say "what the hell are they doing on there? they don't deserve that." More negativity. Usually I try to avoid the ESPN conspiracy theories.....but I can't think of another reason why Ohio State would be on there.

+1. I've never really been one to agree with the conspiracy theories either, but the fact that Ohio State was one of the 4 or 5 options in a poll this week asking people who should be #1 in college football is ridiculous.

 

[BB73]

The move to pair up Utah and Boise in the Fiesta Bowl is troubling. They know that any mid-major bowl is a disaster for the host city and the tv ratings, so this becomes the politically correct middle ground--take both mid-majors for political reasons but confine them to the same bowl to limit the financial damage.

I don't know what move you're talking about. The article from the previous page talked about a deal in order to avoid tOSU in the Fiesta and Utah in the Sugar. New Orleans, a true party town, wouldn't be thrilled with having a fan base with a high percentage of Mormons. But that would still have Utah playing Texas (possibly Oklahoma) in the Fiesta, and tOSU playing the Bama-Florida loser in the Sugar. And the Sugar Bowl would have to $omehow make it worthwhile for the Fiesta to make that deal before it would happen.

There's no way that the Fiesta would take both Utah and Boise St. The difference in financial impact to the Phoenix area could get John Junker fired from being Fiesta Bowl President and CEO. They have an arrangement with the Big 12, so they'd be thrilled with a 1-loss Texas or Oklahoma. They could, however, still get stuck with Mizzou if there's an upset in the Big 12 CCG.

The Boise State folks have already accepted their fate of not being a BCS team this year.

 

[shetuck]

It looked to me like there were only 4 options, and they chose those options. The only reason you do that is so people see Ohio State and say "what the hell are they doing on there? they don't deserve that." More negativity. Usually I try to avoid the ESPN conspiracy theories.....but I can't think of another reason why Ohio State would be on there.

I could see that, but I got the impression that it was an "open" poll. But maybe that was the point... to *give* that impression. I wasn't able to find it on their site so I could read the fine print.

My point, though, was that we're as much a bunch of homers (if not more) than any other group of fans, hence the tie-back to Steve's post and the sentiment he expressed about needing a win to close out this season.