A conversation with a Buckeye fan at The Game
I put off posting this for a bit because I didn't want it to seem like an emotional reaction. There were a few Buckeye fans sitting a row in front of me. Before kickoff I was of course amped up and probably feeling the effects of a few pre-game beverages. I started making some lighthearted (obnoxious) remarks to them about bagmen, Cash Young, etc.. They sort of laughed at first but then things transitioned to a more serious conversation about the topic. I'll paraphrase but one of the guys said, "Look, I don't necessarily like it but it's how the game is played these days if you want to win". I don't live in Ohio or Michigan so I don't regularly have these conversations with people but this was the first time I heard someone simply say "yeah, we do this. The ends justify the means". While I might not respect the thinking I certainly appreciated his honesty. We were both very respectful with one another and he actually seemed like a knowledgeable person. When Dobbins scored a touchdown he looked at me and said, "cha-ching!" which I gave a wry smile to.
I apologize if the title isn't to your liking but I'm curious if others have experienced conversations like this as well? I only seem to read on various message boards the "deny, deny, deny" culture. Here was someone who openly admitted, without direct knowledge of course, that he believes the team he roots for cuts significant corners in order to lure top talent. I appreciate your responses.