Brett Ludwiczak
Guest
You’re Nuts: Where would you like to see Ohio State football play a game internationally?
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Sebastian Rodeiro/Getty Images
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
Over the weekend we saw the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals play a couple baseball games in London. Those contests were just the latest in a long line of sporting events from North American sports leagues that were held internationally. The NFL has games scheduled in London, Germany, and Mexico this coming season. The Columbus Blue Jackets played two games against the Colorado Avalanche in Finland towards the beginning of last season. We have even seen college football get in the mix with a few games being played in Dublin, as well as Australia over the past decade.
You know that feeling when Ohio State announces a game nearly a decade down the road where they’ll be traveling to play a team that they rarely play, which gives Buckeye Nation a chance to explore somewhere new? Now imagine that feeling except Ohio State is heading to play a game in another country. The number of fans clad in scarlet and gray descending on another country might cause an international incident.
Today we want to know where you would want to see Ohio State play if they were to play a game in a different country? Maybe it’s a country you’ve never visited before, or it is somewhere you are a frequent visitor to. There really is no wrong answer to this question, unless you are picking Pyongyang, since Kim-Jong Un undoubtedly wouldn’t let so many Ohio State fans into North Korea.
I feel like Argentina would get Ohio State fans. Just look at how the country went wild as La Albiceleste won the World Cup late in 2022. Argentina was partying harder than when Ohio State won a football national championship, or when the Cleveland Cavaliers won the NBA title in 2016.
Another reason I think Buenos Aires and the rest of Argentina would identify with Ohio State is because another fierce sports rivalry is contested in the country’s capital city. River Plate and Boca Juniors have met over 250 times in soccer. The rivalry has featured thrilling games and intense hate between the two teams, much like we have seen from Ohio State and Michigan. In 2018, the second leg of the Copa Libertadores had to be moved to Spain after there were safety concerns following an attack on the Boca Juniors team bus. Just imagine if an edition of The Game was moved overseas because Michigan fans attacked the Ohio State team bus in Ann Arbor.
There is already a location that would be perfect for an Ohio State game in Buenos Aires. Estadio Monumental opened in 1938, can hold 86,000 people, and is the home of the Argentinian National Team. The stadium is not only the biggest in Buenos Aires, but also in all of Argentina. The stadium seems like a really cool venue that isn’t too far from Rio de la Plata. In a way look at it as a lot classier, and warmer version of going to a Cleveland Browns game along the banks of Lake Erie.
Honestly, I’d just love to go to Argentina. There doesn’t even have to be an Ohio State game being played there for me to want to go. Really, you could send me to any country in South America and I’d be more than happy to vacation there. An international Ohio State game being played at the same time would just be icing on the cake. Even though it feels like it’s not likely when it comes to college football, hopefully, there are more games played in different countries in the future, which will give fans an excuse to see some new areas.
From a purely selfish answer, if I was going to go to the game, I would vote for the Buckeyes to play somewhere tropical. Maybe the Bahamas like the men’s basketball team? What about Fiji? I’ve heard that place is gorgeous. I had a girlfriend in college that loved Costa Rica, so that might be cool.
But, if I’m sitting at home, watching from my couch like I am for most games, I think I would probably pick Australia. First, it is as close to being on the opposite side of the world from Columbus as you can possibly get. Can you imagine playing Miami, or Oregon, or Texas A&M or someone in Brisbane, Perth, Melbourne, or Sydney and the entire stadium breaking out in an O-H-I-O? It would be incredible.
Obviously, we know Ohio State fans travel well, but would they travel well enough to take over a stadium in Australia? I have no idea, but I wouldn’t mind finding out.
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Another reason that I think Australia is an ideal place is that I just get the sense that even if they don’t “understand” American football, they would “get” American football. By the nature of the country’s history, it’s environment, and it’s wildlife, Aussies are stereotypically tough people. I think that they would appreciate the sport far more than the crowds that we see in England for NFL games three or four times per year.
If you watch those matchups, it is clear that there is a contingent of passionate fans (likely American ex-pats), but most of the stadium is sitting on its hands. Now, that could simply be because it’s not soccer, so they aren’t as into it, or perhaps they just don’t understand it as instinctively as we do here.
But down under, I think they would understand the physicality and toughness of the sport in a way that would speak to them. And besides, if you’ve ever watched an Australian Rules Football game, you know that game can be absolutely brutal.
The third and final reason that I would opt to see the Ohio State football team play a game in Australia is the accents and vocabulary. I mean, come on, not only is that just such a fun accent to listen to, but it’s also a fun accent to speak in. I imagine I would spend an entire week walking around saying, “The Buckeyes are going to throw another Duck on the barbie,” if they were playing Oregon.
After every touchdown, I’d let out a massive, “Crickey, what a score!” When Brutus and Miami’s Sebastian the Ibis faced off pregame, I’d say something stupid like, “That’s not a mascot, this is a mascot!”
My friends and family would love me.
Continue reading...
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Sebastian Rodeiro/Getty Images
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
Over the weekend we saw the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals play a couple baseball games in London. Those contests were just the latest in a long line of sporting events from North American sports leagues that were held internationally. The NFL has games scheduled in London, Germany, and Mexico this coming season. The Columbus Blue Jackets played two games against the Colorado Avalanche in Finland towards the beginning of last season. We have even seen college football get in the mix with a few games being played in Dublin, as well as Australia over the past decade.
You know that feeling when Ohio State announces a game nearly a decade down the road where they’ll be traveling to play a team that they rarely play, which gives Buckeye Nation a chance to explore somewhere new? Now imagine that feeling except Ohio State is heading to play a game in another country. The number of fans clad in scarlet and gray descending on another country might cause an international incident.
Today we want to know where you would want to see Ohio State play if they were to play a game in a different country? Maybe it’s a country you’ve never visited before, or it is somewhere you are a frequent visitor to. There really is no wrong answer to this question, unless you are picking Pyongyang, since Kim-Jong Un undoubtedly wouldn’t let so many Ohio State fans into North Korea.
Today’s question: Where would you want to see Ohio State play a football game internationally?
We’d love to hear your choices. Either respond to us on Twitter at @Landgrant33 or leave your choice in the comments.
Brett’s answer: Buenos Aires
I feel like Argentina would get Ohio State fans. Just look at how the country went wild as La Albiceleste won the World Cup late in 2022. Argentina was partying harder than when Ohio State won a football national championship, or when the Cleveland Cavaliers won the NBA title in 2016.
Another reason I think Buenos Aires and the rest of Argentina would identify with Ohio State is because another fierce sports rivalry is contested in the country’s capital city. River Plate and Boca Juniors have met over 250 times in soccer. The rivalry has featured thrilling games and intense hate between the two teams, much like we have seen from Ohio State and Michigan. In 2018, the second leg of the Copa Libertadores had to be moved to Spain after there were safety concerns following an attack on the Boca Juniors team bus. Just imagine if an edition of The Game was moved overseas because Michigan fans attacked the Ohio State team bus in Ann Arbor.
There is already a location that would be perfect for an Ohio State game in Buenos Aires. Estadio Monumental opened in 1938, can hold 86,000 people, and is the home of the Argentinian National Team. The stadium is not only the biggest in Buenos Aires, but also in all of Argentina. The stadium seems like a really cool venue that isn’t too far from Rio de la Plata. In a way look at it as a lot classier, and warmer version of going to a Cleveland Browns game along the banks of Lake Erie.
Honestly, I’d just love to go to Argentina. There doesn’t even have to be an Ohio State game being played there for me to want to go. Really, you could send me to any country in South America and I’d be more than happy to vacation there. An international Ohio State game being played at the same time would just be icing on the cake. Even though it feels like it’s not likely when it comes to college football, hopefully, there are more games played in different countries in the future, which will give fans an excuse to see some new areas.
Matt’s answer: Australia
From a purely selfish answer, if I was going to go to the game, I would vote for the Buckeyes to play somewhere tropical. Maybe the Bahamas like the men’s basketball team? What about Fiji? I’ve heard that place is gorgeous. I had a girlfriend in college that loved Costa Rica, so that might be cool.
But, if I’m sitting at home, watching from my couch like I am for most games, I think I would probably pick Australia. First, it is as close to being on the opposite side of the world from Columbus as you can possibly get. Can you imagine playing Miami, or Oregon, or Texas A&M or someone in Brisbane, Perth, Melbourne, or Sydney and the entire stadium breaking out in an O-H-I-O? It would be incredible.
Obviously, we know Ohio State fans travel well, but would they travel well enough to take over a stadium in Australia? I have no idea, but I wouldn’t mind finding out.
Another reason that I think Australia is an ideal place is that I just get the sense that even if they don’t “understand” American football, they would “get” American football. By the nature of the country’s history, it’s environment, and it’s wildlife, Aussies are stereotypically tough people. I think that they would appreciate the sport far more than the crowds that we see in England for NFL games three or four times per year.
If you watch those matchups, it is clear that there is a contingent of passionate fans (likely American ex-pats), but most of the stadium is sitting on its hands. Now, that could simply be because it’s not soccer, so they aren’t as into it, or perhaps they just don’t understand it as instinctively as we do here.
But down under, I think they would understand the physicality and toughness of the sport in a way that would speak to them. And besides, if you’ve ever watched an Australian Rules Football game, you know that game can be absolutely brutal.
The third and final reason that I would opt to see the Ohio State football team play a game in Australia is the accents and vocabulary. I mean, come on, not only is that just such a fun accent to listen to, but it’s also a fun accent to speak in. I imagine I would spend an entire week walking around saying, “The Buckeyes are going to throw another Duck on the barbie,” if they were playing Oregon.
After every touchdown, I’d let out a massive, “Crickey, what a score!” When Brutus and Miami’s Sebastian the Ibis faced off pregame, I’d say something stupid like, “That’s not a mascot, this is a mascot!”
My friends and family would love me.
Continue reading...