Why Ohio State Fans Should Root For Notre Dame

So it is with a heavy hand that I write this. Okay, so not really, but I had debated about writing on the Duke men's basketball team or the NFL's resident blowhard, Rex Ryan, before settling on this topic.

However, seeing as the Ohio State football team's season is coming to a close, in it's annual renewal of 'The Game' versus their hated rivals from That School Up North, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to comment on what has been on everyone's mind the last few days.

Make no bones about it, I don't like that team up north. Of course, I wouldn't go as far as ex-Buckeye Roy Hall, whom, if you listened to local Columbus radio 97.1  The Fan this afternoon, took his hatred for everything Maize and Blue to a whole other level. It was kind of comical. In case you missed it, you might want to go to youtube and type in 'Roy Hall T-Bone Michigan Week interview."

But I digress. The point being is that despite my dislike for Ohio State's opponent this week, I have to respect the ability they possess on the field, both offensively and defensively. It will be a challenge for this defense to stop a better than average passing quarterback in Devin Gardner, and Denard Robinson, if healthy, may be more of a threat in the Wolverines backfield than Fitzgerald Toussaint would have ever been. Needless to say, it won't be easy for the Bucks when they try to become only the sixth team in school history to finish a season undefeated.

What is interesting is that I actually admitted to one of my closest friends that if Ohio State had lost to Wisconsin last week I would have no reason to watch OSU vs. Michigan this weekend. To which he looked at me like I had gone mad. Of course I was going to watch the game, and root for the Buckeyes nonetheless, but the point was that without the potential to go to a bowl game or go undefeated, a victory over the Wolverines would seem somewhat hollow. I guess I have reached the point where beating U of M just isn't good enough; only perfection will do.

Which brings me to the ultimate point of this article. Many fans have wondered what Ohio State's fate would be had they self-imposed a bowl ban last season. Would the NCAA allow them to compete in postseason play this year? Well, hindsight is 20/20, and we can only deal with current realities. So OSU's bowl game is this Saturday, and I while I expect the first season of the Urban Meyer to end just as it began, with a victory, I am taking nothing for granted. Nor should any other OSU fan.

In that vein, OSU fans should stop wondering 'what if' Ohio State were to play Notre Dame in the BCS championship, and, instead, start rooting for the Blue and Gold to actually win it all. For starters, there is the distinct possibility that OSU could lose such a matchup, and the end result might not be pretty. Notre Dame has played an ostensibly better schedule than Ohio State, and held its two toughest opponents, Stanford and Oklahoma, to a combined total of 26 points. On the flip side, Ohio State has given up a combined total of 77 points to Inidana and Cal, two teams whose combined record is 7-16.

So, unlike some overzealous fans on Facebook, I do not think the Buckeyes would roll over the Irish. And I will admit I have been somewhat harder on the Irish than the pollsters. A part of me thinks that, despite playing the toughest schedule in the nation, they just don't measure up when it comes to the 'eye test.' And the other part of my assessment of Notre Dame lies on my preconceived notion that the media builds this program up year after year, only to see them let everyone down in the end. But could they actually be legit?

Well, seeing as how I have been burned horribly the last two weeks, I will not predict the outcome of this Saturday's clash between the Irish and the Trojans. I will, however, urge all Buckeye fans, after they have cheered the home team to victory, to root for Notre Dame to win out. Forget about your hatred of Notre Dame and Lou Holtz. The Irish may have the best chance to stop the SEC's BCS run at six. Which I believe is more important anyway.

What has been almost a nonissue this season is the mediocre play of the SEC. Alabama isn't the juggernaut it has been in the past. Not only did they lose to the Aggies, but they should have lost to LSU as well. An LSU team whose offense is boring as a Jim Tressel coached team. Seriously. Watch more than two minutes of LSU play, and I dare you to tell me that Les Miles isn't Jim Tressel Lite. No imagination on offense, and the only reason he is able to compete with the big boys is that, unlike Tressel, he is able to recruit speed on defense.

Even Florida has had issues moving the ball this season. Just ask Louisiana-Lafayette(whom I'm not even sure is a NCAA Division IA school), who almost upset the Gators. In Gainesville.

So, while it goes against almost every instinct that I have, I will be rooting for the football team from South Bend, Indiana, to win their next two games. Because, in the end, in order for the myth of SEC superiority to die, someone has to beat them in a meaningful contest.

Why Corruption In College Athletics Isn't Going Away Anytime Soon

The recent scandal at Ohio State involving players selling memorabilia for discounts on tattoos(among other things) has brought to light the greater debate about corruption across all college athletics.  And while it is true that higher profile schools such as Ohio State are more susceptible to violating the rules, it does not mean the smaller schools are exempt, either.

In fact, in an article in ESPN The Magazine dated May 30th, 2011, the magazine called 2010 the most scandalous year in college sports.  It goes on to say that even schools such as Boise State are being investigated...for women's tennis.

A natural reaction is to point the finger at the head coaches of these programs, who are called upon to educate and enfore the regulations that the NCAA create.  However, the scandal at the Ohio State begs an even bigger question. 

And while I am not going to argue that Jim Tressel was made out to be a scapegoat, I think that Boomer Esiason, former quarterback for the University of Maryland, Cincinnati Bengals, and the New York Jets, makes some interesting points in this video I am reprinting from Sports Illustrated(ironic that it's from SI, the same SI I trashed yesterday, but remember these are the opinions of Esiason alone, and not necessarily the editorial staff at SI):  http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/video/ncaaf_video/2011/06/03/060211.btm_boomer_selling.mov.SportsIllustrated/index.html

So maybe a change was necessary at the top of the Ohio State football program.  Does that mean the next coach will have better luck convincing his players to follow the rules?  Maybe.  Only time will tell.

Ohio State mess: A diehard fan's perspective

This probably has to be one of the hardest entries I'll ever have to write.  And not just because it seems that the bottom has fallen out on what was once the pride of Columbus, Ohio-the Ohio State Buckeyes football team.  No, there is a lot I feel I have to say--and I sincerely hope that this turns out to be one of my better editorials.

Before I start I want to make something perfectly clear for those of you who are regular followers of my blog.  A few weeks ago I made light of what Jim Tressel might have said to Gordon Gee to save his job in light of the alleged coverup of inkgate.   But at that time(May 16th) I  had no reason to believe he would be forced to give up his job, and I also thought that his error in judgment, while unfortunate--was nothing that he, the Ohio State University, and the football team couldn't put behind them.

Fast forward to today, June 2, 2011, three days after The Ohio State University announced that one Jim Tressel would be stepping down as head coach of its football program.   Ray Small's admission that he received deals on cars, etc. and Sports Illustrated's article on Jim Tressel(more on that in a bit), have sent tOSU into a tailspin that it might take years to recover from.

Annoucement of resignation and Immediate Reaction

It was Monday morning, and I was kicking back at my apartment, enjoying Memorial Day as best I could.  I was watching a little tv(I can't remember what was on, but I think I was tuned to TBS), and surfing the Internet.  Actually I think while I was watching tv I logged on to Facebook to see if anyone had commented on my wall. There were no new comments on my wall.  I then believe I went to the ESPN.com homepage to  check the latest news in the sports world.

Along the side bar of ESPN's homepage, I see the headline that Jim Tressel is set to resign as head coach of Ohio State. I quickly turn the channel from whatever I was watching to ESPN, and follow whatever news they have to say about this turn of events.  I reluctantly text my dad that Jim Tressel had resigned, that he was right.  At the time, however, I remember wishing my dad had been wrong.

As the day went on, I would receive texts from my younger brother Rocky about my thoughts on Urban Meyer as the next head coach of Ohio State.  I said I thought he would be a good fit because he could bring the recruits in, did not micromanage the game, and had an Ohio State connection.  That his tenure at Florida was marred by scandals as well did not really cross my mind.

I think, however, my biggest reaction was disbelief.  How could someone like Jim Tressel get himself involved in something like this?  I felt disappointed in him but also furious at the NCAA.  This is directly from my twitter account on that day :  @jargobright: "Tressel's resignation sobering, but a wake up call? NCAA needs rule change. Athletes should be allowed to have a part time job."

Later I would find the article on the new NCAA investigation on Terrelle Pryor.   Upset at the flamboyance Pryor has seemed to exhibit throughout(notice I said seemed, that is my perception of him) I sent my buddies an email saying I hope Terrelle Pryor never plays another down of football for the Buckeyes(the email itself was a little harsher than that, but I have cleaned it up in case impressionable young minds should read my blog).

I would take the news about Pryor to break a story about a potential qb controversy at tOSU on the website bleacherreport.com (you can read that article here )  I thought for sure this story would be placed on the front page of the website, but it would get buried in favor of articles about Tressel.

Then I found the article about Tressel on Sports Illustrated.com.  After boasting that it was responsible for breaking the story that caused Tressel to resign(I'll have more on that in a bit) I went on to read the list of coverups the man they call "The Senator" was to have purported.  I was in absolute shock.  I could not believe that not only would Ohio State have to vacate their 2010 season, including a Sugar Bowl win over Arkansas, but they might also have to forfeit the 2009 season, which includes a Rose Bowl victory over Oregon.

Dealing with criticism both from both within and outside of Buckeye Nation

I hadn't even finished reading the word "resignation" and I already knew I was going to have defend my position on tOSU, right or wrong. It comes with the territory. Especially when you're as rabid a fan of the Buckeyes as I am. Who also happens to write several different blogs(including this one).

In the aftermath of Tressel's resignation, I had gone to facebook and twitter to show my support for the fallen coach.   Sure he had some serious lapses in judgment, and this ultimately led to his downfall, but I refuse to believe that he broke the rules due to arrogance.

Of course, some of the people closest to me would disagree with that last statement.  To protect the innocent, I will leave their names out of this discussion. They would argue Tressel knew full well what he was doing, and he had the audacity to think he could pull a fast one on the NCAA.  I'm not sure Tressel was that devious, and I don't know if I will ever believe that.

Needless to say, I wondered if their comments to me in the past days and months meant they were truly glad OSU had gotten rid of Tressel(whose coaching philosophy they may not have agreed with anyway), or they were just trying to get a rise out of me, or both.  If the latter was the case, they had succeeded in getting a rise out of me, as I would not let this die.

As for those outside of the Buckeye Nation, I am not sure why I listened to them at all.  I read a couple of articles written by Michigan fans, one of which jokingly suggested that we hire Rich Rodiguez as our next coach.  I should have resisted the urge to respond to this, but I couldn't help myself.  The following is an excerpt of my comment, and the response to my comment:

Jarrod Argobright commented on 5 Reasons the Buckeyes Need to Hire Rich Rod

i didn't even need to read this drivel to know you were a michigan fan. its all good though, we still have the better athletes to...

3 days ago

Like Reply

• 2 replies – here are the latest…
• Oh-How-I-Hate ohio-state replied…
  Make that 1 less athlete Jarrod .... Report: Pryor under investigation (Read MSN today)
• Adam Hirshfield replied…
  I literally LOLed at this.

I knew Michigan fans were going to let us have it, but I could not resist.  I think part of it has to do with the fact there are Michigan fans who live in Columbus.   Not that they shouldn't be able to, but I really don't know any Buckeye fan who would willing move to Ann Arbor.  And still root for the Buckeyes while living up there.

In the end, however, I am glad that I haven't replaced my car stereo so I don't have to change the station to classic rock every time Mike and Mike in the morning want to talk about Tressel.

A Fallen Hero

My aunt Cheryl had said when the news first broke out about Tressel that she felt the worst for her nephew (also my cousin), Jonathan.  Jonathan had just learned that the man who was his hero, Jim Tressel, was not the man he thought he was.  And I think, I, too sort of looked up to coach Tressel as a role model.

To outsiders, Tressel was an easy man to hate.  He was the ultimate control freak, a man whose offense was as bland as the sweater vests he wore on the sidelines.  Critics argued he scheduled weak opponents, and that he could never beat any real competition (read: SEC).    They would further contend that his OSU squad would pad their win total over a "watered down" Big Ten Conference.  And, when the latest scandal broke, they would point to his book, "The Winners Manual", as more proof that not only was he a cheater but also a hypocrite.

But inside Columbus, Ohio, Tressel had been revered the way no one around these parts had since Woody Hayes.  Tressel apologists argued that he scheduled games against Ohio schools to give back to Ohio.  They also noted how much he gave back to the univeristy, and that he even taught a class at the university(one that I would have liked to attend had my work schedule permitted me).  They further went on to note everything he did for our fine men and women overseas.

All of that seems to have gone by the wayside with this latest scandal.  For many, they will only remember Tressel's tarnished legacy.  For myself, as well as others in Buckeye Nation, we will remember him as a good man who ultimately fell victim to a lapse in judgment.

Calling out Sports Illustrated

So if you haven't read it, Sports Illustrated.com first broke the news of the complete history of Tressel's trangressions. (Click here to read the full article, also reprinted in the June 6 magazine edition).  The mag even went as far as to claim this story even led to Tressel's resignation.

But was Sports Illustrated's article motivated purely by a search for the truth? Or were they motivated by something else?  Surely they want to sell magazines, but is it possible they also reveled in seeing the Ohio State football program collapse?  And did Robert Rose and Thaddeus Gibson voluntarily offer that they traded memorabilia for benefits, or did the magazine receive an anonymous tip?  And if the former is true, did you(SI) ask either Rose or Gibson why they chose to sell out a coach who treated them as if they were his sons?

I am calling on Sports Illustrated to respond to my claim of journalistic integrity.  I would love to see someone respond to my claim.  Heck, I'll be honest, I wrote this piece in part to see if they would even reprint it.  They don't even have to pay me for it, as long as they credit me for the article.

I don't expect SI to even respond to my allegations, but I'd love to hear your thoughts, pro or con.  And not just on SI.  On the article in general.