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 TIME TO VOTE Vote for LS&A Student Government representatives Election on November 17th and 18th Get information on candidates and vote on-line: www.umich.edu/~vote D; e display advertising depatment would like to thank MOE SPORT SHOPS for their donaton.