I just had to post this in the article after last nights game:
I bet Andre Ware was bragging them up but shouldn't he instead have been ripping them for not taking a knee - game's over - right Andre???
A fake punt with nearly nine minutes left in the Northwestern game, followed by an ensuing 34-yard touchdown pass the very next play and a late touchdown gallop by backup running back Boom Herron with only seconds left in the game, have resonated in a surprising and somewhat confusing backlash for the Ohio State Buckeyes over the last few days.
vs.
Andre Ware ripped the Buckeyes the second Tressel called for the fake punt. He said Ohio State should have punted since, in his opinion, the game was not in doubt. His partner in the booth suggested the Buckeyes were trying to keep possession and kill the clock.
At the time, OSU held a 31-10 lead—comfortable, perhaps, but surely not insurmountable. The next play, Terrelle Pryor threw a touchdown pass. Ware's reaction? "Are they still trying to run out the clock now?"
This is the same Andre Ware who led his Houston team of the late 1980s and early 1990s to some of the most lopsided victories in college football history.
Here are a few examples (thanks to Baby Tate for providing these scores!).
Houston 69 UNLV 0
Houston 65 Temple 7
Houston 66 Baylor 10
Houston 55 TCU 10
Houston 47 Texas 9
Houston 64 Rice 0
Houston 95 SMU 21
Please remind me again, Andre: How exactly do you of all people classify 45-10 as "running it up"?
Ware is employed by the same network (ESPN) that posted the following headlines on their college football homepage a few weeks back.
"Buckeyes edge Purdue 16-3" and "Georgia rolls over Tennessee 26-14."
Unless I'm crazy, it sure seems like Ohio State was being slighted for ONLY beating (2-3) Purdue by 13 points with a freshman QB still learning the ropes I might add, but Georgia was being praised for a 12-point victory over a Tennessee team that was also (2-3) at that time and had been waxed by UCLA, who themselves, had been waxed by BYU.
In addition, ESPN Page 2 writer Tim Keown wrote a critical article about the Buckeyes' "garbage-time scoring," and that is the main reason I am now writing this article.
You can read his original story by
clicking here, and then you'll know why I'm so fired up!In the Buckeyes' victory over greatly improved Minnesota, Ohio State was leading 34-6 when they took their foot off the gas, so to speak, and replaced the starters. The final score of the game ended up 34-21.
The poll voters responded by moving the Bucks up from No. 12 to No. 11 while moving up teams like Florida, USC, and Georgia up at least three slots each after they ran up the score in their games that same week.
After losing to unranked Ole Miss in Week Four, Florida dropped to No. 13. Since then, they have won five straight games, all in blowout fashion, and are now ranked third. While LSU and Georgia were both ranked in the top 25, both also were obviously overrated because of the SEC love-fest ESPN has created.
The headlines when Florida, USC, or Texas Tech scores 50+ points usually include the words dominating performance or blowout. These teams have received high praise for their high-powered offense and have made no apologies, nor been asked to, for scoring and scoring often.
So why now are the Buckeyes being criticized for scoring two touchdowns in the last nine minutes in a 45-10 win?
Where's the praise for them? Northwestern (7-3) was ranked No. 24, and they do have a decent team, so why do other teams get put on a pedestal while Ohio State gets the red-headed step-child treatment?
Did anyone else notice that No. 13 Georgia struggled to a four-point win over unranked Kentucky while No. 12 Ohio State thumped No. 24 Northwestern by five scores, yet when the new polls were released, Georgia jumped ahead of the Buckeyes to No. 10 and Ohio State barely moved up to No. 11?
Someone...
Anyone...
Please explain that to me!
That really gets me worked up. It won't matter in terms of a possible BCS Bowl bid since only two teams max can be invited from any one conference, but it's just the whole principle of how Ohio State is disrespected by the media as a whole, even when they win convincingly.
But I now digress.
If you know anything about Jim Tressel, you know he doesn't run up the score. He's a class guy, win or lose.
Just last year in Ohio State's 14-3 win over hated archrival Michigan, Tressel had the offense take a knee inside the Michigan five-yard line with just a few seconds remaining.
Woody Hayes rolled over in his grave, but that's the difference between Hayes and Tressel, and quite honestly the one reason some have been critical of Tressel. He lacks the killer instinct and utter disdain for the opposition (especially The School Up North, or TSUN as Woody called them) that Hayes had.
Tressel even winced as if he were passing a large kidney stone when Herron broke no less than five tackles on his way to the end zone as the clock ran down.
You can't blame a backup RB for wanting to score and giving it his all either. Every single person reading this would have done the exact same thing if they could have.
Isn't a game 60 minutes long and not 50 or 58?
Aren't fans that sometimes pay ridiculous ticket prices deserving of seeing football for an entire 60 minutes?
Sure, Tressel could have just had 3rd-string QB Joe Bauserman take a knee, but Northwestern should have tackled the guy, period. The touchdown was a fluke, and I know Tressel felt bad about it, but since when did this become the official sport of the "Mercy Rule" anyway?
The bottom line here is that, unfortunately, style points weigh freshly on the voters' minds each week, and whether or not Ohio State intentionally "ran up the score" on the Wildcats, it's the nature of the beast. Like the old cliché says:
"If you don't like it, stop them!"
And to ESPN:
If it's OK for USC and Florida, etc., it's OK for everyone!
When in Rome...
Please rate & comment!
Thanks,
HD
This story is also featured on www.BlockONaton.com
Lisa, Herbie is sadly the ESPN ringleader of slurping the SEC...just watch!
comments (51) write a comment »
write a new comment
about 1 month ago
Nine minutes left and 31-10? Fake punt is not running up score. Eventually you have to have your team get some practice on those.
As far as style points, it stinks! USC walloped Washington and dropped two spots, but Ohio State was on a bye and moved up one. It's non-sensical.
Unfortunately, the BCS non-humans DO take margin of victory into account, so I have no problem with a team seemingly running up the score, even if they aren't trying to.
I remember Pete Carroll faced with a 3rd and goal in a blow out against Washington. The look on his face was priceless- he didn't want to run up the score, and wanted to run the clock down with a running play. He called a blast, and the TB basically walked into the TD untouched.
Carroll didn't look happy. He felt bad. He was damned if he went for the 4th down, he was damned if he didnt. You can't teach a team to quit. All you can do is run the ball- it's not your fault if the other team can't stop the run.
In this day of age, quality points count in computers. Tress doesn't run up the score, so what he did was fine.
The only problem I have is throwing bombs when you are leading in a rout. Then again, if your QB is a Heisman contender, why not?
ESPN, in my opinion, has taken an anti-Buckeye stance because Herbie is a Buckeye. They went overboard. Can't appear to be biased, now can we? Meanwhile, they show biases towards other conferences.
Whoops, I went off subject. Sorry. :)
from about 1 month ago
Thank you very much for your input Lisa!
I'm really not trying to be an OSU homer and say the rankings are only unfair to OSU because that's not true and I'm not trying to suggest others don't get screwed b/c they do but man it sure seems Ohio State gets the worst of it...
What do you think about Georgia leapfrogging OSU after barely winning vs Kentucky while we stomped #24 Northwestern?
Here's the excerpt from the article:
Did anyone else notice that No. 13 Georgia struggled to a 4-point win over unranked Kentucky while No. 12 Ohio State thumped No. 24 Northwestern by five scores, yet when the new polls were released, Georgia jumped ahead of the Buckeyes to No. 10 and Ohio State barely moved up to No. 11?
from about 1 month ago
That video proves my point. Sometimes, when you appear to be un-biased, you go too far. It's like coaching your own kid...you tend to be harder on him so no one thinks you're playing favorites. Herbie doesn't want to appear biased towards the Big Ten, so he goes overboard on loving other conferences. UGH.
from about 1 month ago
Lisa,
I can appreciate him wanting to be unbiased but look at Chris Speilman....he's an ESPN employee but he does not make love to the SEC and down the Big Ten and/or the Buckeyes.
Robert Smith too.....he's been critical but realistic about OSU and the poor offensive line play just as 1 example.
I cannot stand Mark May and some days, Herbie is right on his coattails!
May does not distance himself from Pitt
Desmond Howard doesn't distance himself from Michigan
Lou Holtz doesn't distance himself from ND or S.Carolina or even OSU a little too
None of them are getting fired for being homers to their alma maters so Herbie, it's OK to say something nice about tOSU from time to time or is Musburger rubbing off on you that much.....?
about 1 month ago
Thanks for the heads-up to this excellent article. Please be sure to look up some of Andre Ware's scores when he was busy winning the Heisman Trophy in 1989. I'll hit the highlights for you:
Houston 69 UNLV 0
Houston 65 Temple 7
Houston 66 Baylor 10
Houston 55 TCU 10
Houston 47 Texas 9
Houston 64 Rice 0
Houston 95 SMU 21
Yes, 95-21.
Oh, I'm sure it offends Andre Ware to see someone run the score up as he certainly never has been part of anything like that.
BT
from about 1 month ago
BT, thanks so much for taking time to read my humble writings.
Andre Ware ='s hypocrite
If he didn't run it up back then, no way a QB from Houston wins the Heisman so I guess it's OK when it's for his personal gain but not someone elses!
I did mention Ware's playing days in the article:
"This is the same Andre Ware who led his Houston team of the late 1980's and early 1990's to some of the most lopsided victories in college football history. If I'm not mistaken, the final score in one the the games he played in was 96-10 or something very close to that."
I was off a bit (but close) on that SMU score in my story...thanks for the accurate info....I'll update it in the article and give you credit for helping me out!
from about 1 month ago
Thanks for the scores on that BabyTate, because as I was watching this game listening to Ware scream and yell about it, all I could think of was "YOU DID SO MUCH WORSE A HOUSTON!!"
Highly annoying from him of all people.
And HD Handshoe, well done sir, POTD. For your info, any historical scores are chronicled on a quick basis from:
http://www.jhowell.net/cf/scores/byName.htm
I use it religiously because it loads quickly and isn't full of ads. Add it to your Bookmarks and it'll always be there for things like this.
Once again, good article.
from about 1 month ago
Ryan,
Thanks for reading and posting and also thank you for the POTD compliment and the link!
about 1 month ago
I was livid listening to Andre Ware! What a joke. The Buckeyes are criticized because it is in fashion to criticize the Buckeyes. It doesn't matter what they do, someone is going to find something wrong with it.
Remember the end of last season's game with Washington. Almost the same thing happened. Brandon Saine broke an off tackle run and score a touchdown as time expired. Tress made that same wince then and elected not to kick the extra point.
There is a definite double standard.
As for the Goergia jumping Buckeyes. I noticed. Believe me, I noticed. I couldn't believe it. It makes no sense. And it happened in the B/R poll as well. Somehow, now a 4 point win over an unranked SEC team is better than a 35 point loss to a ranked Big Ten team. Just ridiculous.
about 1 month ago
Kristofer,
1. Andre Ware sucks!!!
2. I remember the Washington game too & it was very similar!
3. LOL, as for UGA jumping us, like I said, it's the whole principal...we're probably going to a BCS game (if we win out) and unless Bama or Florida lose twice, UGA has no chance per the 2 teams per conference max so I guess enjoy your Capital One bowl invite UGA as a top 10 (OVERRATED) BCS team while we go to the Rose, Orange or Fiesta Bowl as #11....LOL!
about 1 month ago
I just want to say thanks for writing this article. Andre Ware is an absolute clown -- right up there with Mark May and Musburger. I agree 100% with your article and the specific points you make are the same ones I make daily when speaking with co-workers & friends on this topic.
from about 1 month ago
Thanks Brandon!
I appreciate you reading my article and your feedback!
Mark May, Pat Forde, Brent Musburger (sometimes), Dan Fouts (in the 2002 NC game vs Miami), Trev Alberts and now Andre Ware....
They hate us cuz they ain't us....LOL!
about 1 month ago
I wonder what's next...
Is the SEC going to petition the NCAA & the BCS to make it so the 5 BCS Bowl games invite only the top 10 SEC teams and the other 2 get automatic bids to bowl games even if they don't have 6 wins b/c as we all know, the SEC is so tough top to bottom so every SEC team deserves a bowl game for having the unfair disadvantage of being located in the South Eastern U.S.
I can hear the openeing of their new declaration now:
The NCAA BCS National champions will from this day forward always be from the SEC because we beat each other up....blah blah blah!
LMFAO!
about 1 month ago
Hey thanks for dropping me a line on Bleacher Report. Didn't know you were writing here too. I liked the article very much, and found myself saying the same things in my head during the replay of the broadcast.
I wrote an article on the ESPN/Big Ten situation and pretty much got waxed by everyone telling me I had no clue. But how do you explain how USC is praised for beating Washington State 69-0...but Ohio State is "running it up", at 31-10????
Everybody can all me a crazy conspiracy theorist...but how do you explain some of these things?
Oklahoma is exhaulted as a dominant team by running up 60+, nobody at the "family of networks" seemed to complain when Florida dropped what, 66 on Hawaii?
Anybody whose reads my work knows (and probably disagrees) with my take regarding ESPN but I could care less.
Thanks BlockO! Keep up the good work and keep checking my page out.
from about 1 month ago
I've read all of your articles so far and I must say, the ESPN article was my favorite one and oh so true!!!
I came over shortly after you did and decided to give it a shot too!
I was always one of the best writers in my English classes throughout school so I figured why not?
It's amazing how Florida, USC & Oklahoma among other are rewarded and praised for blowing out weaker opponents and then we get blasted for doing the same thing (debatable) on a much smaller scale (45-10) against a top 25 opponent...?
Espin is garbage!
Thanks for checking out my story Zuke and I will definitely keep up with your articles!
about 1 month ago
When people used to criticize Tom Osborne for running up the score, he would tell people that it was hard to ask the 3rd and 4th teamers to practice hard, and then not play hard in a game.
from about 1 month ago
Michael, excellent and very true point....
It's hardly fair to the kids who put in all the unheralded work all week long week after week knowing they aren't going to play much if at all to take a knee b/c we don't want to upset the other team who still has their starters in....
Thanks for the post!
about 1 month ago
I think the reason why OSU is getting knocked around over this is because people aren't used to seeing this style of play out of them. I don't agree with the negative publicity they are getting out of this but after thinking it over for awhile I came to this conclusion...
Teams like Florida, Oklahoma, USC, and Texas Tech have been running up scores for years. Ohio State has always seemed to just get the job down. People eventually got used to seeing Florida and USC scoring 70 in one game and now they don't think anything of it. It has become a common place for them and college football fans across the country. When I see USC beating Washington by 65 points, I don't even bat an eye anymore. Now if I saw Michigan or Wisconsin rack up 65 against Iowa, I would have to take another glance at the screen and wonder if it was a typo.
People just aren't used to seeing that style of play out of OSU. I bet if the buckeyes continued to throttle teams, people would become used to it and it would be a normal occurence for everyone. But since that isn't what OSU normally does, people get offended.
from about 1 month ago
job done...not job down.
about 1 month ago
Andre Ware is suffering from selective memory on his high-horse.
Northwestern had just upset the Minnesota Gophers, the Wildcats are a dangerous team, they might defeat Michigan this week. Running it up doesn't apply to real teams. Did Texas Tech run the score up on Oklahoma State to win by 36? Did Florida run the score up on Georgia and LSU? No, these are real teams and they are expected to protect themselves by using their own power and talent.
Good work HD...........
from about 1 month ago
I'm all for putting in the bench players but never for asking them to not play hard. If they score, too bad!
Thanks again BT for the help with the scores from Ware's playing days!
about 1 month ago
That ESPN video is classic, when is it dated? I fail to see Kirk could say that Florida should be the number 1 team when they lost at home to a team that wont crack the top 25 all season, Ole Miss. How Florida could be put ahead of Texas, who lost to a ranked team at least on the road, is absurd. You sir are correct in your assessment that there is an imbalance in the way conferences are covered.
from about 1 month ago
Matt,
This video is from the opening week of the season.
I especially love when Herbie says Fresno State is the best non-BCS team....whoops, LOL!
Also, did you listen to his reason why he would have had Florida #1 instead of Georgia?
Georgia may have more talent but if you look at the schedule, Florida has an easier path to the BCS title game.
Is he kidding?
They have an easier schedule so they deserve to be ranked higher....?
I know Herbie is a former Buckeye and all but is there any ESPN analyst more drunk on Florida/SEC Kool-aid then him???
After listening to some of the crap he spews on-air, especially when detracting from tOSU, I almost hate him as much as I despise Mark May and that's just sad b/c if you're a Buckeye, Mark May is public enemy #1 and it just seems that sometimes, Herbie goes out of his way to be a close 2nd...
about 1 month ago
Amen. Great article.
from about 1 month ago
Thanks Anthony!
about 1 month ago
Good article, very good points. I remember reading these 2 headlines a few weeks ago and was puzzled. Especially the "ROLLS OVER" Tennessee part. That's not exactly rolling. I agree that Andre Ware is an idiot, but his thoughts are not necessarily ESPN's. True there is an SEC bias out there, however the SEC over the last few years HAVE been pretty elite.
This is the same crap they were saying down in Miami when Florida kicked a field goal on 4th down with a minute to go. What, should they have score a TD, then? Miami use to run up the score all the time, and now that they can't (because they aren't good) they are going to cry about it? Andre Ware use to run up the score because they never played anybody... and yet OSU fake punts and score with much time in the game still left and he cries over it? Come on, it can't be both ways.
I love running up the score... once someone is up, they should pull their first team - BUT THEY SHOULD STILL PLAY THE REST OF THE GAME, WHICH INCLUDES SCORING AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE!
Andre Ware... GO HOME!
Ps - Kirk Herbstreit said that last week after Texas Tech beat OK St. Kirk was NOT saying they should be ranked # 1 (the loss to Ol Miss) but that he thought they were the best team as of now, or since that loss. Kirk never said the ranking should be # 1, though!
Just FYI
from about 1 month ago
Joe,
I agree the SEC is very good at the top but it makes me cringe everytime I hear the BS excuse that the SEC is tough top to bottom everytime 1 of the lesser teams pulls an upset!
You don't hear how tough the Big 10 is and how great the Indiana Hoosiers or the Minnesota Gophers really are despite their 2-6 record (most years they are terrible) when they beat a team that they shouldn't.
Nobody said how tough the Pac-10 is and how awesome Stanford was last year when they beat USC.
For some reason, that skewed logic seems to only come from SEC land....the rest of us realize the perceived "elite" team that lost to a doormat was just overrated.
about 1 month ago
I agree with you completely. Why is it that we can never do anything right in their eyes? Good article, as always.
from about 1 month ago
Thanks Cheryl.....you just might be my biggest fan!!!
I appreciate that & you very much!
about 1 month ago
I personally think the ESPN bias has little or nothing to do with the current Buckeye team. ESPN holds a grudge against OSU for it's recent history on the big stage. C'mon, the two BCS games were not terribly competitive, and just this season OSU got beat pretty bad by USC. ESPN is bitter that they have talked the Buckeyes up over the past 2-3 years based on performances in the 2-3 preceding years: (that home and home series with Texas was phenomenal, and the win against Miami a few years back in the championship game was amazing). I think there exists a double standard in the coverage, but I believe it stems from a case of unprofessional anger by ESPN commentators at the fairly recent performances of the Buckeyes outside of Big 10 play. Until OSU shuts up the pundits with a BIG bowl or out of conference win, I think it will continue.
about 1 month ago
Great piece. Glad you wrote it, I was too mad to! lol
When I heard Ware say that I was livid. We're playing a RANKED Big Ten opponent, not a team like North Texas!
Another thing I'd like to mention while I'm on this soapbox. We've heard a lot of flack about the Bucks losing 2 straight NC games, but does anyone remember Oklahoma doing the same in 2003 and 2004? Did they get the same backlash? What about the Big 12 as a whole? I don't remember anyone saying that the Big 12 shouldn't be represented in the 2005 NC game because OK lost 2 in a row. And in that 2005 game Texas went and won it all.
from about 1 month ago
Michael, per the Big 12 and Oklahoma...
OU is 1-2 in BCS title games just like Florida State and Ohio State but they NEVER got hammered the way Ohio State has....
USC completely destroyed OU 55-19 in one of those title games but if you say 55-19 and ask someone what title game was that the final score of, people would have no clue what you're talking about but if you say 41-14 or 38-24 or even the USC 35-3 score, they'll know EXACTLY what you're talking about.
Now as for the Big 12....another # sticks out like a sore thumb: 0-9
We all know what it represents, but if I say 6-0, I bet everyone would be clueless!
6-0 is the Ohio State Buckeyes record vs the Big 12 in bowl game all-time....guess next time a Big 12 fans starts mouthing off, now you know how to shut them up SEC fan style....just drop a 6-0 comment bomb on their head....LOL!
about 1 month ago
ESPN just picks teams to hate on and Ohio State is one of them. All of the "analysts" pick a team no matter what to hate on.
about 1 month ago
"The headlines when Florida, USC, or Texas Tech scores 50+ points usually include the words dominating performance or blowout. These teams have received high praise for their high-powered offense and have made no apologies, nor been asked to, for scoring and scoring often."
I guess you're ignoring the field goal Florida kicked against Miami, huh?
And how early our starters have been taken out of the recent games?
If Ohio State beat somebody that was unquestionably great, then ESPN wouldn't have anything to say. You think they would call it an upset? No. Don't forget. Everyone was obsessed with your buckeyes back in 2006. Less than two years ago everyone was picking them to destroy Flordida.
from about 1 month ago
J,
You missed the whole objective of the article here.
I'm not ripping on UF or scoring with their scrubs in the game. What the issue here is that nobody complains that Gators ran it up. They instead talk them up as dominating and unstoppable on offense.
Then when OSU scored 2 late TD's last week, we got massacred by ESPN for it.
If it's OK for UF to do it, it's OK for OSU to do it.
Our bench players were in most of the 4th quarter and I'm sorry (not really) but you cannot ask those players who work hard and almost never play to go out there and take a knee...
from about 1 month ago
HD Handshoe,
Florida did get some flack this year about the late field goal against Miami. It was in the news for a few weeks and many articles written here on BR. Personally, I would have gone for a TD at against Miami, but that's because I believe the Offense is suppose to try to score and the Defense is suppose to stop them. Its differnet when a big-time school is playing some "Western State of Blah-Blah-Blah" - then and ONLY then should someone ease up. But, in the Miami case earlier in the year and in this case with OSU, they were playing a big time team. So, I am with you on that and I agree with your article completely!
However, I also agree with Herbstreit though and believe he is the best guy at ESPN. He loves his Buckeyes, but never shows bias towards them (but I don't think he is against them either.)
As far as Andre Ware, he sucks as an ANALyst anyway... and he and the Miami coach can sit and cry together.
Again, great piece because there is some truth to it for sure!
from about 1 month ago
Thanks Joe!
Ware is terrible....
Today OSU had the ball on the 29 and he said we should punt instead of FG b/c of the wind swirling but then said later Illinois should kick a FG from the 35 or so and then when Illinois scored a late garbage-time TD, (under a minute left) he called it passion and a never give up attitude and praised the Illinois players for it....he's a buffoon!
about 1 month ago
Great article, but I'm sure the Buckeye haters will read it as whining.
My take is that once Tressel feels comfortable that the game is under control he using the remaining clock for live scrimmage learning. Pre-conference that means putting in the 2nd and 3rd string to get them playing time and sometime jumbling around the O and D lines. Now at this time of the year they don't need to do that but they do need to work on other things. One of them is Pryor throwing deep and things like fake punts. That is what he did and you can tell he wasn't thrilled that it turned into a couple of more easy scores.
Tressel is the one coach that never runs up the score and frankly that does hurt them in the polls. Right now they need to put the pedal to the metal and if nobody can stop them from scoring so be it. I do agree that I'm sick of ESPN praising other "high powered offense" schools for doing this but bashing OSU for the very same thing.
God help Illinois this weekend. I think the Buckeyes are out to score as many as they possibly can as revenge for last year.
about 1 month ago
I agree that there is a double standard for Ohio State, and I don't see anything wrong with the way that they finished the game.
However, I don't agree that Florida and Georgia are part of some "SEC Lovefest." Going by the numbers (which is what the computer polls do), Florida should be a top 5 team and Georgia should be ranked ahead of Penn State. Ohio State should be 12th, so they are being helped by peoples subjective opinions.
from about 1 month ago
Brett,
Florida lost to UNRANKED Ole Miss.....OSU lost to then-No. 1 USC and then-No. 3 Penn State and even though that's 2 losses to 1, the quality of the opponent isn't even close.
from about 1 month ago
I realize that Ohio State has lost to much better teams. But I'm sure that there is something that is causing the computers to rank Florida T-5 and OSU T-12. Although I can't pinpoint it exactly, I am guessing that it has nothing to do with bias toward the SEC or against Ohio State.
from about 1 month ago
Yes Brett, there is a reason Florida is ranked No. 5
They've been rewarded for blowing out 5 straight opponents.....aka Style Points.
about 1 month ago
Nice job. I looked at the fake punt from purely a strategic coaching perspective - Tressel knew Ohio State was playing Illinois and Michigan, and now both teams know they better be careful when Ohio State is in punt formation. That's an old school coaching move there.
As for Boom Herron's touchdown run, I agree that Herron was going to run hard when given some playing time. Could Tressel have just taken a knee at that point? Debatable. All I know is Herron scored by running the ball in - Tressel was not throwing for the end zone, as Mr. Ware and his Houston Cougars did about twenty years ago.
from about 1 month ago
Thanks for reading Chip!
Andre Ware saying we should have just punted and played defense is so laughable!!!
95-21 Andre, 95-21
about 1 month ago
great article, and while I don't like to toot my own horn, I was a manager for the team from 2001-2005. I was thrilled that we faked a punt last weekend because he never ran those trick plays. We practiced them every day in practice and yet I can only recall that we ever ran any kind of trick play once. That was in 02 when we faked the field goal against Miami. There are so many trick plays in that playbook, that the fans would be shocked to see all of them and how we never ran them.
from about 1 month ago
Chris, thanks for your post!
I'd love to see JT tap into the trick-play playbook you refer to more more & more!!!
about 1 month ago
The game was over and Illinois was still trying to score....Why didn't Ware complain that Illinois didn't just take a knee?
LOL
from about 1 month ago
I was saying the same thing! He said they were playing with passion (by putting up a garbage TD on our 3rd string to make the score look closer). So when Illinois scores late it's passion...when Ohio State does it then it becomes classless.
Nice article. ESPN is always a year late on bandwagoning a conference. The Big 12 is sick this year and I still turn it on and here them bragging up the SEC and bashing OSU and the Big 10. Why don't I hear bashing about the Pac 10, Big East or the ACC? All these conferences are infinitely worse than the Big 10.
about 1 month ago
I have had a rough year. I am a staunch Republican, my beloved Buckeyes lost two big time games, I had a heart attack and I got passed over for a promotion but the one thing that keeps me going, is I am not Andre Ware, Mark May, or Trev Albert. Go Buckeyes!!!!!
about 1 month ago
It's funny how ESPN bashes the Buckeyes and the Big 10 but have no problem televising Big 10 games on both ESPN and ESPN 2 and their parent company (ABC) has no problem televising the Buckeyes in prime time.
Hey ESPN stop damning your cash cow. You run the Big 10 and Buckeyes down but seem to have no problem making money off them.
Ironically this all started when the Big 10 Network began, hmmm a little nervous are we? I will happily watch the Buckeyes, wolverines, Spartans etc. on the Big 10 Network. I think it is a fan base issue.
It's refreshing to watch a game without the BS or fanfare for the Big 12, SEC and the PAC 10 during a Big 10 game.
Herbie, Mark May, Musburger. Your fired.
Lou Holz rules.
about 1 month ago
OSU-UM: The MOTHER of ALL Rivalries
http://blockonation.com/OhioState-Michigan
Check it out -- It's AWESOME!
write a new comment