Actually, Axl, I never really even heard of the Buckeyes until they I moved here and they eked out a win over UM [Edit - UM meaning Miami] that year
Okay, I'm kidding, I'd heard of them, but I knew a lot more about Mich in the years preceding 2002 - growing up Mich was better and got more airtime. OSU only got shown outside Big10+1 states when they played the likes of Mich. Not knocking OSU, but MICH was the team with the reputation - the one others might envy - and OSU was just 'a team they played' when I was growing up. Since Tressel came there, yeah, he's been having a wave of solid seasons and in the Nat'l spotlight a lot more, with good reason. But I still don't think that outside the Big10+1 area of the country anyone really hates on OSU that much....they just don't get that much consideration.
I will go further and admit that I, personally, will hate on OSU mostly because I go to work everyday surrounded by numbnutz who don't know anything beyond the Big10+1 they've grown up in and can't stop toasting the Scarlet koolaide from the past several years. Even if I wasn't a UF fan, I'd be hatin' on them just to balance the homer lunacy I find myself drowning in around here. But, if you really wanted to peal back the public announcements and get to the heart of it, I think a lot of people would be like me (and the rest just wish they could be
), in that there is a lot of respect for Tressel, and for the OSU program under the surface. Right now, they're just having a hard time living down the embarassing loss to end last year (forgetting they freakin' were in the top five the whole damn season, an accomplishment people conveniently overlook) and people think they are hollow like last year. I don't think they were hollow last year, I do believe the layoff hurt them - but throughout the season, nobody doubted they were a top team in the nation...why else were so many people (yes, non Big10+1 people too) saying the OSU-MICH was so great, with 2 great teams.
I can't believe I'm sounding like an OSU apologist, but despite my joy of Buckeye Bashing, truth is they do very well with the schedule they have (sometimes the Big10+1 is a challenge, sometimes not so much...same as any other conference), and they do what is asked of them - beat the teams they should, struggle against the good teams but generally win. To that, I think anyone would have to tip their hat.
And I'm not just saying that about the Big10+1, but about Tressel - the man built a dynasty at Youngstown State (which has died after he left...again, pointing to HIM as the major factor). Respect. The man has earned it.
======= Sorry, didn't mean to go on such a long rant defending OSU. I just wanted to clear my view of the program, and point out that they are suffering public opinion based primarily on jealousy (Big10+1 other schools) and a few small mistakes, not all of which they controlled (they lost bad to UF, but the rest of the conf also sucked in bowls..not their fault). And before I renew my rant, I'll stop and say I can't 'love' the Buckeyes, and I will kick them when I can, but that doesn't reflect my respect for the program....it does reflect my disdain for some fans who hare simple minded and easily confused, but the program itself is very respectable. And no, the 'fans' reference isn't to Axl
cNb - ASU will look good....during warmups. After that, the ducks should thrash them and start a streak of going maybe 1 for 4 over the next 5 weeks for those Sun Devils. ASU is up in ranks because nobody else can keep winning consistently - now they face the meat of their schedule and it will show what their made from. I don't think they'll be in the top 4 of the conf, nor in the top 15 of the nat'l rankings when it's all said and done. Ducks....the Ducks I hope can get thru the rest of their schedule, because I really would like to see them in the big game at the end. While my SEC bias might think LSU could earn a shot, my sense of reason tells me they don't
deserve a shot, and I wouldn't be surprised to see them lose the SEC championship to whatever 2-3 loss team from the SEC east manages to make it there
![:\](https://bluelight.org/xf/BL_Images/Orig_Emoji/wrygrin.gif "wry grin :\")
Parity, or just a weaker conf than expected...whichever...no SEC deserves to be in the NC at this point. We may fare well over the bowls in general, but we don't have an 'elite' team this year. Go Ducks.
buckeye fans have never been accused of being reasonable well-rounded fans of college football. hell, most are so myopic that they're unable to see the importance of big ten teams doing well outside of conference play.