The whole cyber cloud atmosphere of the Ohio/Ohio State matchup was educational before, during, and after the game. Here's a recap of what I learned.
1) Ohio State is not our rival.
Not being an Ohioan, I cannot feel your pain of having the Buckeyes shoved down your throats in terms of fanbase, media, culture, etc. But seriously, who really thinks they are a rival in a football sense? Just because someone posses some traits/accolades that you like doesn't make them a rival. It needs to go both ways, and I'm not including the whole "Ohio" name unpleasantness. Ohio's rival is Miami, and I'll even grant the mason jar swillers that Marshall can be considered a geographical rival. I guess Ohio State could be a rival in state budget talks, but that's for you and your state government to sort out.
2) Ohio State is the state of Ohio's team.
There is no in-state rival. Too many D-1 teams in a relative close proximity. Cincinnati would need to be a marginal contender for the NC for a decade to even have a chance at fighting for an equal share of the Ohio pie. Generations of Ohioans (or sheep as the snarky call them) will continue to support State until a legit contender to the throne steps up.
3) The Ohio fanaticism went from awesome to West Virginia/Georgia scary.
At first it was good to hear about some of you giving your OSU-supporting co-workers/associates "the business" in support of Ohio. It sounds like it was good-natured. Then all of a sudden, things got scary. Someone posted they went up to a complete stranger, unprovoked, and sang SU&C because they had a Ohio State sticker on their car. I just don't see good fandom in verbally accosting a stranger unprovoked. It's almost Deliverancesque. Then Rufus goes rogue and tries to make a name for himself. But I guess these events made some people feel good, and I've learned that everyone on this planet should be allowed to feel good whenever and however they want.
4) I hate the Pistol
Just seeing the pistol in action sickens my stomach. Before the result of the play even occurs, it looks so D-3. Maybe other teams run it well. But ours looks like an embarrassment. People, at heart, go/watch football games to be entertained. There is no entertainment value provided by our pistol. It makes us look second/third rate.
5) The end of Ohio's FBS status is nigh
All the conference shifting (real and rumor) this off season is the beginning of the end of Division 1 football (or FBS as those in the know call it). The big schools and big conferences will form a new league that will eliminate the small schools in the current non-BCS conferences. They will then be able to have a playoff system that gives them the money. Ohio, the MAC and their ilk will be a FBS-AA and most likely have a playoff system too. Congress and your precious college presidents will be helpless to stop it.
Last Edited: 9/19/2010 5:10:07 PM by Bobcat321