Just what is a buckeye anyway? Do they have any redeeming qualities at all? Why can't we seem to get rid of them? What causes otherwise sensible people to like them so much?
According to Websters the buckeye is 1. "A tree (Aesculus glabra) that is a relative of the chestnut and horse-chestnut tree. 2. "The nut from said tree is the same rich, mellow warm-brown as a chestnut, but it is less readily edible, due to its high tannic acid content."
So it is a tree and a nut.
The OSU website states the actual nickname for the school, buckeye, is named after the buckeye tree. However, the mascot for the sports teams and the most recognizable symbol of the athletic teams seems to be the nut, also known as a buckeye, that comes from the buckeye tree.
Upon further investigation I also found the following on the Ohio State University website: "In general, the trees and their nuts are of little practical use: the wood does not burn well, the bark has an unpleasant odor, and the bitter nut meat is mildly toxic. Still, the tree has grit. It grows where others cannot, is difficult to kill, and adapts to its circumstances. The nuts, although inedible, are attractive and folk wisdom had it that carrying one in a pocket brings good luck and wards off rheumatism. Maybe that's why they play in a horseshoe - they think it brings them good luck?!?
So for the purpose of our discussion, we'll focus on the nut.
Are the buckeyes valuable? I found I found a bag of 175 of them for sale on eBay for only $4.99 - well that answers that question.
So, to sum it all up: A Buckeye is a worthless, bitter, lucky nut!
They say a picture says a thousand words. So, here are a few thousand words for you:
The Annual OSU Cheerleader "Cop-a-Feel" day. Even the cheer-guy on the right gets some of the action.
Jim Tressel's Christmas wish list.
The Incredible REVERSIBLE Ohio State Buckeye Fan - If this guy with the H had one on his back too; he could turn around and we wouldn't know the difference.
In a classy move...the Buckeye fans wish Lloyd Carr a happy retirement
Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old he will not depart from it. - Proverbs 22:6
Welcome to another episode of "Former OSU Stars - Where are they now?"
Ohio State's Homecoming is steeped with tradition - The Band, the Parade and the selection of the Homecoming King and Queen.
I didn't realize that Count von Count from Sesame Street followed College Football.
A Note to the Ohio State Football Team- YOU $UCK
Ohio State YOU $UCK. The problem is you don't know you $uck. You played in the Big Ten which this year $uck$. All of the non-conference teams you played really $uck. Akron (4-8) is really $ucky even in the really $ucky MAC conference. The only team that really $ucks worse than Akron in the MAC is Kent State (3-9), another juggernaut on your schedule. Youngstown State (7-6) is even really $ucky in one of the $uckiest conferences in 1AA, but you still scheduled them. The only team that you played that just somewhat $ucked was Illinois (9-3), who beat you...thus proving that you Buckeyes do indeed $uck!
Buckeye fans will never forget ... The Official 2006 BCS Championship Game Logo and Crest
And, of course, you all recognize - The Ohio State vs. Any SEC Team in a Bowl Game "Postgame Ritual". ...sigh
**PLEASE NOTE** This is all in fun. A Buckeye fan asked me to "take my best shot" and post it for fun - so I did. Those commenting should keep this in mind. Obscene and/or vulgar comments will be deleted.
Once when Steve Spurrier was questioned about the inability of Phil Fulmer's UT Vols to beat Florida during a 4 year stretch he quipped "You can't spell Citrus without UT" , referring to the Bowl that usually hosted the SEC #2 team, and added about former Tennessee quarterback Peyton Manning "I know why Peyton came back for his senior year: he wanted to be a three-time Citrus Bowl MVP". The irony, of course, is that it was Florida playing Penn State in the Citrus Bowl that year while UT got plastered by Nebraska in the Orange Bowl.
Now the old Citrus Bowl is the new Capital One Bowl, Spurrier has long since left Florida and gone to a South Carolina team who is not bowling this year and TN has found a new bowl that also cannot be spelled without UT...the Outback Bowl.
Starting the season with an ugly loss to Cal, allowing them to score 45 points and an even uglier loss to Florida 59-20, Tennessee looked to be heading into a very bleak season. Many fans, still angry about the 2005 campaign, were calling for the firing of coach Fulmer and the general mood of the program wasn't good.
TN headed back to Neyland to face the then #12 Georgia Bulldogs with a 2-2 record and no one gave them much of a chance to win against the vaunted Georgia team. I'm not sure what it was that the coaches said or did differently (if anything), but things started to click in the Georgia game and UT pummeled them 35-14 and followed it with another conference win against Miss St. Suddenly, there was a flicker of hope in Vol nation...that was quickly snuffed. A Vol team that was looking forward to a meeting with then #16 South Carolina coached by the source of their angst for so many years at Florida, Steve Spurrier, overlooked a struggling Alabama team who tattooed them with a 41-17 whipping that won't be soon forgotten by either side. Once again, the doubters, complainers and conspirators to have Fulmer fired were given fuel to add to their fire.
There was a palpable sense of dread on the campus as the South Carolina game approached. Spurrier had the 7-1 #16 Gamecocks playing great and he had always pulled just the right ropes and pushed just the right buttons to beat Fulmer's team in the past. The is the same Spurrier that after the 2005 season rubbed salt in the wound by responded to a question of; "Coach, how did we beat Tennessee this year?” at a South Carolina alumni meeting with; "The same way Vanderbilt did."
It seemed that TN was about to be 4-4, on their way to another campaign like 2005 and Fulmer's tenure at UT was as good as over. This time though, Fulmer's team had just the right plays at the right time against 7-1 South Carolina to pull off an improbable win by sending the game to OT with a 48 yd field goal with five seconds on the clock and winning it by a field goal in overtime. This started a streak of five wins for the Vols to end their regular season 9-3 and a share of the SEC Eastern Division title with Georgia. This also started South Carolina on a 5-game losing skid to end their season 7-6 and out of the bowl picture; much to the delight of Spurrier detractors everywhere.
Because UT beat GA head-to-head, they would be representing the east in the SEC Championship game against LSU.
The SEC Championship game was heart-breaking for UT fans. TN was one fourth-quarter interception from winning the SEC with a 10-3 record and going to the Sugar Bowl to face Hawaii's Heisman hopeful Colt Brennan. Both teams played sloppy in a game where the defenses shined. But it was LSU's defense that showed why it is one of the top units in the country by making the plays to cap a 14-point swing and win the game in the end.
By nature of the Vols finishing 9-4 and in the Championship game, it seems for now that Fulmer’s job is safe and he was given another one year extension and a raise. It shouldn't surprise anyone as Fulmer has been the consummate survivor in a conference that goes through coaches like Charles Barkley does Snicker bars.
So...#16 Tennessee will head to the Outback Bowl (Formerly known as the Hall of Fame Bowl) to play a very good #18 Wisconsin team which also has 9 wins this season. Fulmer has history here, as it is the site of his first win as head coach in 1993 against Boston College 38-23 behind the arm of quarterback Heath Shuler.
Tennessee fans now are disappointed that we aren't in the Sugar bowl, but would have been surprised at midseason that we would have made it to a Bowl like the Outback at all. Were a bunch that's hard to please, huh?
All-in-all, with the bad start at the beginning and gritty resolve and performance of the players down the stretch, it has been a good year. It would be fitting to end it with a win at the Outback bowl to secure Fulmer's eighth 10-win season out of 15 at UT.
Oh, and to Steve Spurrier: “How did UT beat South Carolina”? The same way Vanderbilt did. –And- You can't spell "Watching the Bowls from your sectional sofa" without S-O-U-T-H C-A-R-O-L-I-N-A!
Ohio State vs USC, LSU vs Oklahoma, Virginia Tech vs Georgia, West Virginia vs Hawaii or Kansas. Who wouldn't want to watch THESE bowl games and then decide a National Champion on the field?
If these were the match-ups, then try to convince me that television ratings for these bowls wouldn't go through the roof. I would get carpel-tunnel from clicking back and forth on my remote so often to try to catch them all.
If one of the college presidents are concerned that adding an additional two games to their team's schedule in order to claim a national title is too much, he can withdraw their name from the Tournament and someone else can be chosen to take their place in the Championship game (yeah, right?!?)
This plan is fair to everyone and makes perfect sense...which, of course, is why it will be totally ignored by those making decisions about such things. AFTER READING...LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK.
What this would accomplish: 1. The bowls still retain their history and as well as regain classic matchups (Big Ten vs Pac 10 in the Rose , etc) 2. The Bowls become even more pertinent because each of them has two teams with a legitimate National Title shot playing each other. 3. The smaller conferences have a chance to get in the mix if a bowl committee thinks that they deserve a shot. 4. Makes winning your conference really mean something. 5. Keeps teams like Hawaii this year or Auburn a couple of years ago from being robbed of a chance to claim the title. 6. Takes away the advantage from those not having to play a conference championship game. They still have to play their way in. 7. The eventual National Champion is decided ON THE FIELD!
An explanation of the team selection for the Bowls:
ROSE BOWL - The Rose Bowl will play either the Big Ten winner or the Independent 2nd pick vs the Pac 10 winner or Sunbelt winner. The classic match-up on Jan 1st as it should be. This year would be Ohio State (11-1) vs USC (10-2)
SUGAR BOWL - The Sugar Bowl will pit either the winner of the SEC or the ACC pick #2 vs the winner of the Big 12 or the winner of the Mid-America conference. Another classic match-up as it should be. This year would be LSU (11-2) vs Oklahoma (11-2)
ORANGE BOWL - It will get either the winner of the ACC or the Big Ten pick #2 vs the first pick from the Independent teams, the winner of the Mountain West, or the second pick from the SEC. This pays homage to the fact that Miami Univ has been both Independent and in the ACC. It allows for a possible classic Miami vs Notre Dame matchup if either of them can get their programs in gear again. This year would be Virginia Tech (11-1) vs Georgia (10-2)
FIESTA BOWL The Fiesta Bowl will get the either the Big East winner or Conf USA winner vs the winner of the WAC winner, pick # 2 from the Pac 10, pick #2 from the Big 12. This year would be West Virginia (10-2) vs Hawaii (12-0) or Kansas (11-1)
**A few additional rules (or few hundred, after administrators get ahold of it) will be needed. One would be that if ANY Bowl fails to choose the winner of a conference in lieu of another team, ANY of the other Bowls may invite them to replace any other selection. ------
THE CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT The winners of these four bowls will be seeded 1-4. How they are seeded doesn't matter, but if this were to happen then it would be debated. So, to throw the BCS guys a bone, we will use their computer model to seed the four remaining teams. Play 1 vs 4 and 2 vs 3.
The winners of these games play for the NATIONALCHAMPIONSHIP!
See, I told you that it made sense.
Here is a summary of how it would look:
Rose Bowl: Big Ten - #1 / Ind #2 Pac 10 - #1 / Sunbelt #1 Ohio State (11-1) vs USC (10-2)
Sugar Bowl: SEC- #1 / ACC #2 Big 12 - #1 / Mid-America #1 LSU (11-2) vs Oklahoma (11-2)
Orange Bowl: ACC - #1 / Big Ten #2 Ind #1 / Mountain West #1 / SEC #2 Virginia Tech (11-1) vs Georgia (10-2)
Fiesta Bowl: Big East - #1 / Conf USA #1 WAC #1 / Pac 10 #2 / Big 12 #2 West Virginia (10-2) vs Hawaii (12-0) or Kansas (11-1)
National Championship Tournament: Seed the winners of the four bowls: Seed #1 vs. Seed #4 Seed #2 vs. Seed #3
Embattled Tennessee Coach Fulmer Deserves a Break.
Lets start with a short history of University of Tennessee football. The program started in 1891 and was known as being a perrenial loser. In 1926 a young aide to General Douglas MacArthur at Westpoint took the TN coaching position...Robert Neyland. In his first years his teams were 8-1, 8-0-1 and 9-0-1, including an upset of top-ranked Alabama. This put Tennessee on the football map and Neyland went on coaching TN through 1952 amassing a .829 winning percentage and a record of 173-31-12; his best season being 1938 in which the team was 11-0 and won a National Championship. He took 5 years off to go to WWII, attaining the rank of Brigadier General. During this time John Barnhill coached the team to an .846 winning percentage with a record of 32-5-2. This, incidentally, is the same John Barnhill who, after Neylands return from war, left TN to become the coach and athletic director at Arkansas. He built their program and eventually hired legendary coach Frank Broyles as his replacement, .
Since Neyland, Tennessee football has had seven different coaches. The most successful of them, by far, has been Phillip Fulmer with a record of 146-44. He has been to four SEC championship games (including this year - five), winning two and has an undefeated National Championship team to his credit in 1998. His teams have finished in the top 10 in the year-end polls six times, the top 15 ten times and the top 25 thirteen times. This year's team is currently #14.
Fulmer paid his dues as both a winning player under Doug Dickey at TN and as an assistant coach under Johnny Majors for 13 years, who he eventually replaced in 1992 when Majors' health was in question. He has a reputation as an ace recruiter, leading many opposing coaches and analysts to label him as one of college football's top recruiters.
He has lost to TN in-state rival Vanderbilt only once and has only once not taken the team to a bowl game...both in 2005 - his only losing season during his tenure posting a 5-6 record. Despite that bad year, his winning percentage is still among the elite in the country for coaches with over 10 years experience. Yet, since that year, many fans have been campaigning for his removal and have taken their cause to fanatical extremes - even to the point of publically stating that they hope TN loses this season so that Fulmer will be replaced.
What if the fans in Neyland's era called for his removal during the seasons following his return from war in 1947 and 1948 his teams posted 5-5 and 4-4 records respectively? What if they said, this is not the same coach who left to go to war...he's out of step and is losing to these younger coaches who are more innovative? TN would have missed out on back to back National Championship years in 1950 and 1951 under Neyland, just before his retirement as coach and promotion to AD.
Let's compare Fulmer's numbers to other top coaches shall we:
He has a better winning percentage than Joe Paterno (.748), who has also faced his share of naysayers in his down years. Joe has five losing seasons while at Penn State, but also two National Championships. He is the second winningest coach in history. Who would argue that Paterno isn't one of football's great coaches.
Fulmer has a better winning Percentage than Bobby Bowden(.762), who has one losing season to his credit at Florida State and two National Championships. He is the winningest coach in history. Who would argue that Bowden isn't a great football coach?
Let's compare his numbers to one of his similar-aged contemporaries in the same conference. He has a better record than Steve Spurrier, who has one losing season and one National Championship under his belt with a .756 winning percentage. Is Spurrier not considered a great coach?
Bottom line - Fulmer is a top notch coach, who has consistently kept Tennessee as one of the top teams in the country. He has helped to rally a team that was down early in this season to an improbable SEC Eastern Division Championship. If the Vols win today, he will have led this same team to a BCS bowl. TN has a great recruiting class coming in that want to play for him and by all accounts will keep TN in the National Picture for years to come.
Change for the sake of change is no good. All teams are going to have an off year or two. Noone is exempt from the occasional bad year and quality coaches are too hard to find - ask Alabama, Arkansas, Nebraska and dozens of other schools about that. The naysayers need only to compare the coaching records of others in their conference and around the country to begin to fully appreciate how good Fulmer has been and realize that their argument for his removal has no merit.
