o$6breboard, Tracking 'M' teams
MEN'S NCAA WOMEN'S NCAA NBA visit Canham Natatorium tomorrow to see the No. 8
BASKETBALL BASKETBALL BASKETBALL Michigan women's swimming and diving team as it
(23) MARYLAND 71, (21) Boston College 77, BOSTON 114, tMicakes on Ohio State and Clemson at 6 p.m
San Francisco 61 (22) DUKE 70 Cleveland 103
(12) KENTUCKY 67, (5) Georgia 65, Miami 98,
Pennsylvania 50 (17) VA. TECH 60 PHILADEPHIA, 93
Oklahoma State 62, UTAH 98,
(12) ILLINOIS 67 New York 90
DETROIT 109, Thursday 1 2 A
New Jersey 9,557R T November 18, 19
Of twinds
THE BATTLE FOR THE BOWLS:
No. 10 Michigan vs. Ohio State
Even Ohio natives
realke Bucks'futility
rK, confession time. I'm from Ohio. Lived there since
I was three. Never liked the Buckeyes. When I was
young, all I cared about was the Browns (so I will
hear no comments about how I'm a front-runner, Brutus).
Every Sunday morning, I'd wake up early to watch NFL
Films highlights from the week before. Then the pregame
show. Then the Browns game on NBC, followed by the NFC
game on CBS (usually the Cowboys of Everson Walls and
Danny White).
One problem. There was this stupid show on every Sunday
morning called the Earle Bruce show. Here I was, with an Ed
"Too Tall" Jones-sized hankering for
NFL action, and this weenie in scarlet
and gray was busy making excuses for Rick
his team's latest fold. Freeman
So you see where I'm coming from.
But while it's confession time, I might
as well admit this. In high school, when
our football team won four state titles
(which seems to be about all the
Buckeye have managed since I've
known them), I tried to like the Scarlet
and Gray. I can still hum "Across the
Field.' I paid attention to Bobby Hoying FREEMAM OF
and John Cooper. I talked Rose Bowl THE PRESS
chances and rankings with my class-
mates. I gave up in October.
It was too infuriating. I was already dealing with the inept-
ness of the Browns (they had just cut Bernie Kosar because
of his "diminishing skills") and the Indians (their skills were
diminished enough as it was). I couldn't handle Cooper's
determination to avoid success at all costs.
I went back to my Wolverines. At that point, Michigan
wasn't even in my college plans. I visited Ann Arbor, went to
a football game and decided this was the place for me.
In the weeks leading up to that first Ohio-State Michigan
game, I was a beaten-down sports fan. My Browns had been
moved. My Wolverines had lost to a bunch of tulips in purple
pants. Everyone in my hometown was guaranteeing an Ohio
State victory. It made sense - the Buckeye were undefeated,
and ranked second.
Opps. I'd say I don't need to say what happened, but since
it happened twice, I suppose I do. Tshimanga Biakabutuka
happened all over the Buckeyes, to the tune of 313 on the
ground.
The next year was more of the same - Buckeye blew a 9-
0 halftime lead and lost 13-9. In 1997, the tables were turned.
This time Michigan was undefeated and No. 1. The Buckeye
were primed to knock them off. But Michigan showed them
how to act when you're on the brink of a national title.
But enough rehashing. The point is, which Ohio State fan
right now wouldn't trade this year's team for any one of those
bunch of underachievers? Come to think of it, some
Michigan fans would probably trade this year's team in for
some teams in the recent past (maybe not '97's).
But so what if the Big Ten title doesn't ride on this game?
Wolverines and Buckeye alike know that the loser of this
game has a particularly tragic fate. Michigan would have to
swallow Cooper's first win in Michigan Stadium, as well as a
loss to a team that's proven itself worse than Illinois this sea-
son. The Buckeye would, of course, have their season end
without a bowl game for the first time since 1988.
Every year, even last year when the Buckeye got their
once-every-five-years win, I never regretted turning down my
free ride to Ohio State. So Michigan lost. We kind of had to
make sure Cooper stays in Columbus as long as possible.
And besides, when have the Buckeye been defending nation-
al champions?
Which is exactly the point.
Here's John Cooper, with his 2-8-1 record against the
Wolverines, and a contract through 2003. Here's a coach who
has three No. 2 finishes to his name. But no titles. Buckeye
fans have Biakabutuka, Brian Griese coming off the bench
and Charles Woodson's punt return. But no titles, no rings,
just a trophy case full of might-have-beens.
Maybe that's part of the Buckeye' curse. Clevelanders, by
and large, consider themselves Ohio State fans. And as we all
know, the deities that control sport will not allow Cleveland
fans a title in anything other than indoor soccer.
Here's why Michigan fans are so happy with the current
state of this rivalry. Even the ones from Cleveland.
- Rick Freeman, Managing Sports Editor of The Michigan
Daily, has afree "1997 National Champions" T-shirt for any-
one who can get him some of those little Buckeye stickers
they put on the helmets. E-mail him at rickfree@umich.edu.
Subpar season
doesn 't change
meaning ofgame
! 's usually easy for an Ohio State Buckeye to trash
talk the Michigan Wolverines. "Maize and Blue
clashes," or "Lloyd Carr is a mamma's boy," or "Ann
Arbor's a whore."
Not so long ago, some Ohio State
genius (probably a grad student)
made a few hundred shirts depict- From
ing Michigan cheerleaders perform- Columbus
ing fellatio on Brutus Buckeye.
But ever since coach Earle Bruce
was given the boot in 1987 and
replaced by John Cooper, hardly
any of the talk has to do with foot-
ball.
Maybe the numbers 2-8-1 have
something to do with it.
Since 1988, the Wolverines have TiE O'n
owned Ohio State, with Cooper's
Bucks mustering a measly two vic-
tories in I1 tries, with neither win coming in Ann
Arbor. Ohio State was the favorite in six out of eight of
those losses. Two of those cost Ohio State a shot at the
national title.
Last year's win was, unbelievably, expected. Ohio
State's team was one of the most talented ever, and
beating Michigan 31-16 was a sweet little chunk of
redemption, one that numbed the pain from the Bucks'
one loss to that other Michigan school.
What a difference a year makes.
Now the Buckeye are 6-5, 3-4, plagued by in-hous
fighting and unable to muster one more win to make
them bowl eligible. In its loss to Michigan State two
weeks ago, Ohio State mustered a measly 79 yards total
offense, with zero coming on the ground (so much for
three yards and a cloud of dust).
Last week, the Bucks surrendered 46 points in their
loss to Illinois (I guess Michigan can relate), the most
given up in Ohio Stadium since 1946 (a 58-6 loss to,
you guessed it, the Wolverines). It was Ohio State's
worst loss to lllinois since 1904 (and on Senior Day, n
less!).
This is only the third season out of 110 that the
Buckeye have had five double-digit losses.
The Wolverines, on the other hand, are having a typi-
cally great season. Only two losses, a comeback win
against Penn State in Happy Valley (or State College, or
University Park; can we say identity crisis?!) and, like-
ly, a New Year's Day bowl.
But does it change The Game? It's widely accepted
that rankings and records have about as much bearing,
on Ohio State vs. Michigan as the weather in Timbuktu
And it doesn't change the hatred either (Buckeye leg-
end Woody Hayes nearly ran out of gas once in That
State Up North, refusing to give his business to a
Michigan gas station).
However, while anything and everything is possible
in this final game of the season, most everyone, from
both states, is vigorously nodding their heads at the
twelve-and-a-half point spread in Michigan's favor.
Ohio State just isn't that good this time around.
So, go ahead Wolverines, just try and beat us.
Even if you do, there's one fact that you'll never be
able to escape.
Our coach has a bigger contract than yours.
- Chris Tribbey is a senior journalism major at Ohio
State. He does believe the Bucks can upset the
Wolverines (but he won't be calling his bookie). He can
be reached at tribbey.2@osu.edu
David Terrell has
got his eyes on
the prize - a
victory over
Ohio State and
the Wolverines
will most likely
be headed to a
BCS bowl game.
LOUIS BROWN/Daily
C H lC A\G O C! I TY
EMU5CooationCenter Box office Qir~k TeaeBox Ofice
734.487.2282 or 734.487.1221
For over two decades, this troupe has
performed their unique style of comedy at such
diverse venues as Lincoln Center, the
Smithsonian, and the Super Bowl.
A perfect break from the daily grind.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 19r
Pease Auditorium
8 P.M. ?
if Ohio State
loses to Michigan ...
this weekend,
Ken-Yon Rambo WHAt: No. 10
and the Buckeyes
will become inell- WHEN: 1210
gible for a bowl
for the first time
since 1988 - WHERE:Oo M ich
Ohio State coach
John Cooper's WHAT'S AT Si
first season.
AP PHOTO gible for a.b(
fied, but a t
aJBowl Chan
Michigan wc
days until kickoff Ctrs Bow
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