An Homage

Per my bet with Ty, I present to you an homage to Ohio State, 25-21 victors in their anuual battle with Michigan.

Saturday, November 19, 2005.

I wait for this day every year, the third Saturday in November. Bigger than Thanksgiving, bigger than Christmas, even bigger than the Superbowl. I've cheered names like Howard, Carter, Woodson, Grbac, Brady, Edwards..and even a Biakabatuka. And I've cursed names like George, Schlicter, Carter, Spielman and, most recently, Troy Effing Smith.

This is Michigan/Ohio State. Wolverines/Buckeyes. Maize & Blue/Scarlet & Grey. Call it what you want, it's the best rivalry in any sport in the U.S. We paint our faces, wear the jerseys and pump our fists to every Hail! To the Victors. It's a hatred that runs deep, a malignant tumor that grows and festers all year, finally bursting in drunken curses and inarticulate rage. It's a game that might make you believe you suffer from bi-polar disorder, riding high one minute and writhing in agony the next. Every second counts, every play could be the one that swings the game in your team's favor...or against it.

On this particular Saturday, hopes were high as they alwasy are. Michigan had a chance to play spoiler and even capture a share of the Big Ten Title, if things went right.

They did not go right.

No, on this day, in front of more than 111,000 screaming people, the Scarlet & Grey marched into the Big House and kicked the Wolverines in the teeth.

I tip my cap to them.

Michigan, who prides themselves on a running game, and may have invented the "Three Yards and a Cloud of Dust" offense, couldn't move the ball on the ground. At all. Final tally? 32 yards. Ohio State, on the other hand, got the running yards when it mattered. Oh, and passing yards? Yeah, they racked up 300 of those. So much for our vaunted defense. Troy Smith was cool and composed in the pocket, throwing rainbows and darts with equal accuracy. When he was forced out of the pocket it was even worse, picking up 37 crucial yards and a touchdown of his own. He kept drives (and himself) alive by slipping out of the grasp of Wolverine defenders.

Make no mistake about it, Troy Smith beat the Wolverines.

And kudos to the Buckeye defense as well. After losing Bobby Carpenter to a broken ankle, agruably the best linebacker on either sideline, they didn't miss a beat. When he came out of the locker room crying, I felt for him. Here's a senior defensive stand-out, playing in the last rivalry game of his college career, and he goes out on the first series. Probably won't play in the bowl game, either. But instead of staying off the field, feeling sorry for himself, he came out in tears, in pain, in uniform and stood, on crutches and guts, and cheered for his team mates.

They didn't disappoint.

So congratulations to Ohio State.

For now.

See you next year.