[NU Sports] Buckeyes-Trojans

[SjT (Stephen J. Truog)]

Well said! However ...

> Why does everybody hate the buckeyes?
> 
I think a lot of it still stems back to Woody Hayes. He was the "bad guy" in the Woody/Bo rivalry for most fans -- especially those outside of Ohio. Bo was the likable legend, Woody the gruff angry old man (both were fantastic football coaches!).

For modern fans, I think a lot of people still associate OSU with the out-of-control Bucks of the John Cooper era, where they were essentially an "SEC team in Big Ten clothing" with brash, cocky athletes (especially at WR - ahead of their time at today's diva position) who didn't really seem to care about classes, respect for the game or class -- it was just an NFL factory.

But I agree that Tressel has changed a lot of that. He came in there and cleaned house a bit, won with class and a team attitude (something they got away from a bit in recent years) and has run a pretty good program. If anything, he's gonna be under fire for being too quiet, conservative clean and safe.

As for their fans - they were pretty insufferable a few years ago but seem to have been humbled a bit as of late.:) Same with Michigan fans -- can't really say the same of Iowa/Wisky fans as they may have been humbled but are drowning their sorrows and often turn out to be mean drunks.:)

> Michigan fans seem to be predominantly "professional team
> fans".  In Iowa city we have been f-bombed, mooned,
> etc. by all ages and sexs.  Purdue fans seem nice at

:) - as I've said many times, you find drunken, crass fratboys everywhere ... but drunken, crass, f-bomb launching grannys seem to be in Madison and Iowa City especially. They can be great fans for home field advantages and no one claps in unison with their band like Badger fans ... but I would not take my kids to either of those stadiums for a game.

As for the other fans - similar experiences except for PSU - even before my brother went there and we just were visiting, I found Nittany Lion fans to be the most knowledgable and most courteous hosts in the league. Besides, you can get the students to do a "white out" ... but where else can you get 100,000+ alums and adult fans to join in??? Fall weekends in Happy Valley are a special experience -- the town is great the night before the game, the atmosphere is unrivaled on gameday and it's just like a giant midwest suburban high school who gets all psyched up on Friday nights for football but it lasts all weekend.

> We must root for our conference mates especially vs. the
> team from south bend and against our real rivals(not the
> SEC) but the Pac-10.

Agreed! Purdue came close last night and we have one more crack with Minny and a surging Cal team next week. But we need more Big Ten-Pac 10 games! And we need to keep beating that school in South Bend so they stay far away from the B(C)S and eventually come to us on our terms. Then we can say no.:)

GO CATS!!!
-SjT