Might History Repeat?

jwlcosu · Jan 7, 2015

Most of you know the history. Maybe all of you. The year is 1968. A young Ohio State team, coached by Woody and led by his band of "Super Sophs," ends Bump Elliott's coaching career by crushing Michigan 50-14 in Columbus. The young Bucks go on to claim the National Championship a month later after defeating a powerful USC team featuring Heisman Trophy winner, OJ Simpson. Michigan goes on to hire Glenn "Bo" Schembechler whose team shocks the world just eleven months later by upsetting the #1 ranked Buckeye juggernaut in Ann Arbor.

Flash forward to the 2014/15 football season. Coaching legend Urban Meyer, with a young but rapidly improving Buckeye squad, ends the career of another Michigan coach by defeating the Wolverines yet again in Columbus. A month later the Buckeyes earn a spot opposite Oregon, sporting it's own Heisman Trophy winner, in the inaugural College Football Playoff. With a win on Monday, the Buckeyes make history. Meanwhile, Michigan hires the next great coach. Jim Harbaugh has eleven months to get his team ready to play what will surely be another high-flying Buckeye juggernaut. Might history repeat? Can Harbaugh match the first year accomplishment of his old coach Bo?

If I could only have one and had to choose between the Buckeyes making history on Monday or beating Harbaugh and Michigan in eleven months, the choice is easy. National Championship baby! I suspect most of you would make the same choice. With that in mind, Go Bucks! Go B1G! Let's make history! Let's see history repeat! I can live with that.

thewolverines24 · Jan 7, 2015

Fuck the Bucks and go Ducks!

ShakeyJake · Jan 7, 2015

I thought you meant will Terry Porter throw a bogus flag to save ohio state in the national title game again.

Gulo Blue · Jan 7, 2015

thewolverines24 said:
Fuck the Bucks and go Ducks!

Urban Meyer sucks. With luck, he'll get stuck in some muck, some Canuck run amok will shoot a puck at that schmuck. He'll duck and pluck his feet from the muck, chuck the puck at the Canuck, just in time to get hit by a truck.

zyxt9 · Jan 7, 2015

Come on guys, he might be a Buckeye but that was a decent post. Give credit where it is due. Not saying you have to pull for the Buckeyes, but the underlying element that I have been feeling from the majority of Buckeye fans is the hope that Harbaugh will finally bring back quality to The Rivalry, unlike Sparty fans who just constantly try to devalue the Harbaugh hire. The Buckeye fans I have spoken with actually are wanting close games and will be ok with UM actually winning now and then to ensure The Rivalry is living up to its tradition. I can respect that. The Sparty trash talk has been far worse. I know it can be tough to recognize a rival actually extending a hand in hopes you can get back up and continue the good fight, but I do sense that most Buckeye fans are doing that right now. Sparty would rather UM no longer have a pulse. I think the difference is Buckeye fans are recognizing how important it is for both UM and OSU to be great in order to maximize The Rivalry's importance. That recognition deserves recognition in return.

So thanks jwlcosu. I can't say I am pulling for the Bucks, but your wishes for a renewal of UM prominence are appreciated. May the NC game at least be without controversial calls for/against the Buckeyes so the players fully deserve their win/loss and there is no disputing which team deserves the victory. That's about the best I can do in return for the well wishes in your post.

thewolverines24 · Jan 7, 2015

I want the rivalry to be great again, but my hatred of Ohio State will not waver. I hope Harbaugh makes them feel like it's the Cooper years again.

Michchamp · Jan 7, 2015

in other ohio state news, Gene Smith & Urban Meyer complained it wasn't fair they couldn't provide stipends for players' families to travel to the title game, and 2 days later, the NCAA issued a ruling that under an older rule, the College Football Playoff would be allowed to provide stipends of up to $2500 per family.

Meyer is taking the opportunity to grand stand on how much he cares for his players... but I wonder if push came to shove & they voted to unionize like Northwestern's players did, where would he stand?

or where he would stand if some of the other discussed initiatives were on the table, like setting up a trust fund to hold revenues from licensing players' likenesses that they would receive access to upon graduation, guaranteed tuition to finish school at some point, or lifetime medical benefits?

zyxt9 · Jan 7, 2015

thewolverines24 said:
I want the rivalry to be great again, but my hatred of Ohio State will not waver. I hope Harbaugh makes them feel like it's the Cooper years again.

Just remember that Cooper had some great teams though, which is why beating them felt so great. How many Cooper teams suffered their first loss against UM? Beating a great OSU team has always been more fulfilling than when they are having a down year and the win was expected. And while it is somewhat fun to be a heavy underdog and pull out a win, those times are relatively rare. Having both OSU and UM going into Rivalry Week undefeated or at worst #1 and #2 in the conference...those are the best times and the best games when UM wins. OSU fans feel the same from everything I have seen and heard.

It is kind of funny that when UM beats OSU, we as UM fans actually are more supportive of OSU winning their bowl game than when OSU beats UM. As much as we hate OSU, we prefer to beat them when they are a strong opponent because that helps validate UM's strength.

zyxt9 · Jan 7, 2015

michchamp said:
in other ohio state news, Gene Smith & Urban Meyer complained it wasn't fair they couldn't provide stipends for players' families to travel to the title game, and 2 days later, the NCAA issued a ruling that under an older rule, the College Football Playoff would be allowed to provide stipends of up to $2500 per family.

I don't have an issue with the stipends for this. Family should always come first and the NCAA should have allowed these stipends from the get go. I hate Urban and grandstanding on this only fuels that hatred, but the NCAA was wrong and I'm glad they reversed it. Family should see their kids play in the NCG, and if that requires stipends, so be it. Big difference between that and getting tats and cars.

But yeah, Urban is an ass for grandstanding on it...but is anyone really surprised by his action? I always expect OSU coaches to be assholes.

thewolverines24 · Jan 7, 2015

zyxt9 said:
Just remember that Cooper had some great teams though, which is why beating them felt so great. How many Cooper teams suffered their first loss against UM? Beating a great OSU team has always been more fulfilling than when they are having a down year and the win was expected. And while it is somewhat fun to be a heavy underdog and pull out a win, those times are relatively rare. Having both OSU and UM going into Rivalry Week undefeated or at worst #1 and #2 in the conference...those are the best times and the best games when UM wins. OSU fans feel the same from everything I have seen and heard.

It is kind of funny that when UM beats OSU, we as UM fans actually are more supportive of OSU winning their bowl game than when OSU beats UM. As much as we hate OSU, we prefer to beat them when they are a strong opponent because that helps validate UM's strength.

They can be great, but obviously we want them to lose to UM every year. That's the perfect scenario. That's why the Cooper era was great. It makes the rivalry the best in the country, as it should be and historically has been.

However, I will never, ever, root for OSU in any game and I hope they lose every bowl game from now until I'm dead.

Gulo Blue · Jan 7, 2015

michchamp said:
Meyer is taking the opportunity to grand stand on how much he cares for his players... but I wonder if push came to shove & they voted to unionize like Northwestern's players did, where would he stand?

I think the state of Ohio passed a law to prevent that. (Michigan has too.) Meyer allegedly spoke against unions, but the quote didn't make this article and the NPR link is dead.

http://www.landgrantholyland.com/20...-ohio-state-amendment-college-football-unions

bphillips4gg · Jan 7, 2015

thewolverines24 said:
They can be great, but obviously we want them to lose to UM every year. That's the perfect scenario. That's why the Cooper era was great. It makes the rivalry the best in the country, as it should be and historically has been.

However, I will never, ever, root for OSU in any game and I hope they lose every bowl game from now until I'm dead.

This. All of this. Well said, sir.

zyxt9 · Jan 7, 2015

thewolverines24 said:
They can be great, but obviously we want them to lose to UM every year. That's the perfect scenario. That's why the Cooper era was great. It makes the rivalry the best in the country, as it should be and historically has been.

However, I will never, ever, root for OSU in any game and I hope they lose every bowl game from now until I'm dead.

See I disagree with this because the final rankings are going to be influenced by the bowl games. Grnnted things are different now with the playoffs and all, but if neither OSU or UM are in the playoffs, and UM beats a strong OSU team, then UM will be higher in the final polls and that generally means they have a better chance of being ranked higher the following year too. Like it or not, those rankings influence recruiting and the national perception of conference strength. OSU might have been trumped by TCU and not even in the playoffs if not for a strong enough B1G persona. So like it or not, it is very important that OSU represents well in the bowls because it helps the B1G which helps UM. If UM wins the B1G and gets left out of the playoffs due to OSU and the other B1G teams sucking, that wouldn't change your mind? Highly probable a 1 loss team gets left out every year until they expand to 8 team playoffs - which is why this WILL happen as I'm sure the B12 will now change and have a CG...which if they had done this year that winner would likely have trumped OSU. Now if that was UM being left out because of low quality by B1G (and be honest, the OSU quality plays a big role in national opinion here), then how pissed would you be that OSU lost so many games despite the fact their losing made you so happy at that time?

Gotta look at the bigger picture here. Let them win every game except vs UM...that HELPS UM. OSU fans get this, I would think UM fans would too.

thewolverines24 · Jan 7, 2015

zyxt9 said:
See I disagree with this because the final rankings are going to be influenced by the bowl games. Grnnted things are different now with the playoffs and all, but if neither OSU or UM are in the playoffs, and UM beats a strong OSU team, then UM will be higher in the final polls and that generally means they have a better chance of being ranked higher the following year too. Like it or not, those rankings influence recruiting and the national perception of conference strength. OSU might have been trumped by TCU and not even in the playoffs if not for a strong enough B1G persona. So like it or not, it is very important that OSU represents well in the bowls because it helps the B1G which helps UM. If UM wins the B1G and gets left out of the playoffs due to OSU and the other B1G teams sucking, that wouldn't change your mind? Highly probable a 1 loss team gets left out every year until they expand to 8 team playoffs - which is why this WILL happen as I'm sure the B12 will now change and have a CG...which if they had done this year that winner would likely have trumped OSU. Now if that was UM being left out because of low quality by B1G (and be honest, the OSU quality plays a big role in national opinion here), then how pissed would you be that OSU lost so many games despite the fact their losing made you so happy at that time?

Gotta look at the bigger picture here. Let them win every game except vs UM...that HELPS UM. OSU fans get this, I would think UM fans would too.

I get them winning their other regular season games and Big 10 games helps. I just won't actively root for it. I won't even watch them play.

The bowl game the year before has absolutely nothing to do with the playoffs the following year. The playoffs are judged on the current season. The Big 10 can still represent well in bowl games without OSU winning. Every other team just needs to play well and win games.

If OSU was playing against Satan's Army in a bowl game, I would cheer for Satan. Lesser of two evils.

Sbee · Jan 7, 2015

The scary thing about Meyer's OSU team is that they are young and getting better, just wait until next year, we might be talking about preseason #1. they have so many freshmen and sophmores on the two deep, it's crazy

Michchamp · Jan 7, 2015

Sbee said:
The scary thing about Meyer's OSU team is that they are young and getting better, just wait until next year, we might be talking about preseason #1. they have so many freshmen and sophmores on the two deep, it's crazy

well, talking about history repeating... if his tenure at UF is anything to go on, things will fall apart quite unexpectly, with a lot of strange comings and goings.

he went to see the Pope last time. Maybe this time, he'll go meet with the Dalai Lama, or the Archbishop of Canterbury when he decides to quit football to spend more time with his family. Again.

Gulo Blue · Jan 7, 2015

thewolverines24 said:
I get them winning their other regular season games and Big 10 games helps. I just won't actively root for it. I won't even watch them play.

Yeah. I think I have to be of two minds on the issue. We need OSU to be strong and have a history of major significance to college football, but I never want them to win. So it's both; I want them to have a history of winning while I always want them to lose in the moment. I try to frame it so there's always a silver lining. If they lose, GREAT! If they win, well, it's good for the rivalry, so fine, whatever.

Michchamp · Jan 7, 2015

they beat Alabama to shut up all the SEC superiority talk. Now they can lose to Oregon & everyone is happy (except them, but who cares about them?)

Michlady · Jan 7, 2015

Sbee said:
The scary thing about Meyer's OSU team is that they are young and getting better, just wait until next year, we might be talking about preseason #1. they have so many freshmen and sophmores on the two deep, it's crazy

This and some fans were disappointed with early performance this year, imagine why they could do next year

biggunsbob · Jan 7, 2015

LOL.. The thought that rooting for O$U helps Michigan is flat out wrong.. It hurts us in
recruiting.. If your win you games you will make the Final Four...
Just look at O$U.. They went above TCU who was the better team because of tradition and money..
If we win our games everything will take care of itself... A buckeye fan actually asking for Michigan fan support is pretty funny...O$U probably will beat Oregon as they have never lost to them but rooting for them in my house is not going to happen.....

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