To the Editor:

As a two-time graduate and a longtime Buckeye supporter, I take umbridge at the selection of letters you picked Wednesday. You picked three negative letters, when we should have reveled in our success.

Perhaps the Michigan writer should remember how Detroit burns their city down every chance they get. Also, I recommend the he read the letters in the Columbus Dispatch about how OSU fans are treated in Michigan. My son, who attended the game this year, said that Michigan fans said they were treated very well.

The lady who complained about Troy Smith apparently knows nothing about forgiveness and redemption. Additionally, the complaints about the off-campus celebrations don't realize that most of the troublemakers are outsiders who come to the campus to riot.

Overall, this was a time of triumph, and to publish the whinings a few naysayers might indicate that your paper is developing a maize and blue slant. Please adjust your attitude and enjoy the great times that Coach Tressel has given us.

Frank Baldauf
Lima, Ohio

Dearest Michigan Alumni:

How did the Ohio State fans rate this time? Were they kind and gentle enough?

As far as I know, there weren't any nervous break downs like there usually are. Attribute it to the extra effort of coach Tressel and the ubiquitous psych kiosks set up through out the campus. OSU made sure that the sensitive and thoughtful maize and blue fans would receive the reassurance they would need.

There was plenty of warm and fuzzy encouragement to help them cope with yet another loss. The mental health professionals on duty were of the very best quality; experts at explaining in a non-threatening, self-esteem preserving way that the trouncing this year was inevitable and natural.

Better luck next year, maize and blue. Maybe praying that 'ole Tress will become greedy and get poached by the pros will help. You never know, a few more wins like this one and a man's mind might wander. He could get bored and look for a new challenge.

As a ray of hope, notice how frequently we beat teams through the air? Hard as it was for Tressel, it represents his ability to change.

But in all fairness, he is very conservative. Even with all the possibilities through the air, he just couldn't help sneaking in the run. Can you blame him? Backs who can produce 52 and 56-yard touchdown runs are awfully compelling.

That brings up our only failure as a university that is trying to accommodate our more sensitive brethren up north - poor Mike Hart.

I am sure he tried everything from cognitive therapy to acupuncture. But the boy was still absolutely delusional after this loss. All but guaranteeing a win in a rematch? Is it my OSU bias or didn't we let them back into the game with turnovers?

Troy Smith lives for the big game, what can I say? The kid must have nodded off with boredom. A 14-point lead is a powerful sedative. And criticizing our defense? Didn't Hart realize that his own defense, ranked No. 1 against the run, was thoroughly humbled? How do you spell psychological projection? M-I-K-E H-A-R-T

Good luck in Pasadena.

Keith Queeley
Senior
Psychology

 

 
Safety precautions in place for Michigan game

Issue date: 11/14/06
by Kara Hardy and Shaheen Samavati
Source: The Lantern - The Student Voice of Ohio State University
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In the midst of the many traditions that surround "The Game," this year will bring about at least one change.

The games between the Buckeyes and the Wolverines in recent years had a kickoff time of noon or 1 p.m., but this year's game will begin later than usual, at 3:30 p.m., because of TV coverage of the event.

Some might have concerns about the later starting time because it gives students and fans more time to party prior to the game. The university and area police will be working together to make game day as safe as possible.

Steve Snapp, associate director of the OSU Department of Athletics, said the later starting time will not cause worries about security or a need for extra safety precautions.

"We feel no matter what time the game starts we will have good security," he said.

Sergeant Kevin Corcoran of the Columbus Division of Police said the later kickoff time will not affect how they patrol campus the day of the game, and the security measures will be similar to those taken in years past.

"Things don't change a whole lot when there is a later starting time," he said. "We have more partying beforehand ... but with an early start time there is more time to party after the game, so we treat it about the same."

Snapp said the only negative effect of the later starting time might be that fans from around the state would be getting home later after the game. But he said it is a trade off for getting to come to the game, and OSU fans are used to accommodating to the Buckeye's schedule.

"The Big Ten, ABC and ESPN have an agreement," he said. "They had different scenarios for different starting times and basically the TV coverage determined the game's starting time. ABC asked us to move it back to 3:30 because it would give us better coverage on the west coast."

Though the later starting time is different for the Michigan game, it is not out of the ordinary. "We play a lot of games at 3:30 anyways, so this one fits in with the rest of our schedule," Snapp said.

The extra time before the game does not have the police or university officials worried, and local restaurants and bars may find it better for business.

"Of course OSU is number one and this is a huge game, so I think we'll be even busier than normal," said Anthony Carbone, manager of 4 Kegs Bar & Grill, on the corner of 15th Avenue and High Street.

"Kegs and Eggs" will be served on game day at 4 Kegs, and their doors will be open all day to Buckeye fans.

"It won't really get out of hand until noon or 1 p.m. because more people don't want to drink for ten hours," Carbone said. "But there are some that do, so for them, we will be open at 5:30 a.m."

With dollar signs in their eyes, many students are turning to eBay to cash in on their highly-coveted football tickets, naming high sticker prices for the sought-after seats.

According to eBay, tickets for the Michigan game are selling for as much as $8,000, raising concern with the Ohio State Department of Athletics, Athletic Council and many members of the OSU community.

"Anybody who has tickets through us is not supposed to sell them," said Bill Jones, senior director of ticketing for the OSU Department of Athletics Office. "It's stated on the application and it's stated on the rules."

According to the OSU Department of Athletics football ticket policy, "Tickets are allocated and distributed in a manner that acknowledges our students, faculty, staff, alumni and contributors."

The policy also states, "Important responsibilities accompany ticket rights and privileges. Abusing ticket privileges hurts the community the department is trying to serve."

Jones said adhering to this policy is the issue.

Casey Elder, an undecided freshman, said she feels selling her football ticket for an outrageous sum would detract from the experience of the game.

"If I did sell my ticket, it would only be to a close relative or fellow student who was not able to get tickets for whatever circumstance," Elder said. "Even then, I would not rip them off and sell it for $1,000 or more."

At the Nov. 7 Office of the University Senate's Athletic Council meeting, members of the committee discussed whether action should be taken to address the issue of re-selling tickets.

"The question was, have we addressed our policy for selling tickets to students?" said Philip T.K. Daniel, chair of the athletic council.

After much discussion, the council decided to defer announcing their stance on the matter until consultation with other departments occurred.

Students are also on the foreground of this discussion.

The issue of re-selling tickets online has sparked such controversy that a Facebook group titled "Don't Put a Price on Priceless," has dedicated its page to stopping the re-sale of student football tickets.

"I know it's going on," Jones said of the ticket abuse. "I spent two or three hours one day going through eBay postings and I can confirm that 12-14 individuals were selling their tickets."

Jones went on to say that although no penalties have been implemented so far, "the legal department is looking into what we can and can't do (to stop the selling)."

Thank you, Ohio State Athletic Ticket Office.

You have been gracious throughout the years in your student football ticket policies.

You trusted us to let only our immediate family members use our BuckIDs for entry into the games. You even let us upgrade our tickets a week before each game enabling us to give the tickets to our non-student friends.

All the while, we knew we were not supposed to be selling our tickets. But the loopholes were just too tempting, so many of us took advantage of them.

Still, you did not crack down on us.

After all, students who sell their tickets for Saturday's Michigan game bring in thousands of rich people to eat in Columbus restaurants, drink in our bars and shop at our stores. We think it is safe to say those who can afford to pay for a ticket are pretty loaded, especially this year when statistical circumstances have put an exceptionally high premium on seats.

So, contrary to what Bill Jones, senior director of ticketing for the OSU Department of Athletics Office, said to The Lantern last week, students who sell their tickets don't hurt the campus-area community. In fact, the tourism they help create is a huge benefit.

So why is the university so sore about the influx of scalping in this prime sales season?

We think it has to do with the recent phenomenon of students selling their BuckIDs along with their tickets to strangers, especially on eBay.

It is a genius plan. You say you lost your BuckID and buy a new one from the university for $15.

Then you sell your football tickets for a tremendous profit, along with the deactivated BuckID.

The buyer has no problems, since the BuckIDs are not swiped upon entry to the stadium. As long as you have the red piece of plastic, you are good to go.

The seller benefits because they only had to pay $15 - not the $30 upgrade fee - and they did not have to wait until a week before the game to sell their ticket.

But now, it seems, the Department of Athletics is unhappy about getting shafted out of its $30 upgrade fee. So they started letting students upgrade their $29 student tickets to $59 public tickets early for the Michigan game this year.

At least, that is our analysis. The department could have more compassionate concerns - such as fear that students could be ripped off if they give strangers an active BuckID, which has access to money that can be spent at campus-area vendors. But we think that unlikely.

We think if the university really wanted students to stop selling their tickets there is a lot more they could do. They could stop upgrading tickets. They could start swiping BuckIDs at the stadium. They could require the face on the BuckID match up with the person trying to get in.

Or they could make what we think is a bad move and penalize students for violating rules they made so easy to break.

We are extremely curious to see what the University Senate's Athletic Council will come up with in their solution to what they seem to think is a problem. At their Nov. 7 meeting, members discussed whether action should be taken to address the issue of re-selling tickets, but deferred any decision until they could consult with other departments.

It is our opinion the university should accept the fact that students are going to sell their tickets, and its not necessarily a bad thing. They have not tried to stop us before, so why start now? Let's get rid of the one-week limit on upgrading student tickets. That way, everyone wins. Students can sell their tickets more easily, and the university gets full price for every ticket. Sounds fair to us.

I can name them off like it was yesterday.

Craig Krenzel. Maurice Clarett. Michael Jenkins. Chris Gamble. A.J. Hawk. Mike Doss. Matt Wilhelm...

But now, four years later, there's a new group of Buckeye greats who could possibly be on the next list of national champions. And the similarities between two of Ohio State's greatest teams couldn't be more startling.

Behind the 14-0 Buckeyes of '02 was a tremendous running back with the name Clarett: A guy who sported a confident attitude and a bruising running style. He amassed 1,266 yards on the ground and was among the Big Ten leaders with 16 touchdowns during what became one of the most impressive single-season performances by a freshman running back.

This year, however, Mo is a no-go. But that's OK, because this '06 squad has a running back that possesses his own supply of artillery in his backseat. Antonio Pittman utilized his great bursts and hard-nosed running style to accumulate his second-straight season of 1,000 rushing yards in the win against Northwestern on Saturday. Regarded as one of the most underrated backs in the nation, Pittman currently ranks 23rd nationally in rushing yards per game.

Then there was Michael Jenkins and Chris Gamble. I don't know about you, but the first thing that came to my mind when I thought of that duo was the Buckeyes' very own Anthony Gonzalez and Ted Ginn. The former wideouts racked up nearly 2,500 yards by the time they left Tempe, while the latter have hauled in more than 3,000 yards of real estate in their careers. Add a veteran offensive line that paved the way for both ground attacks, and you have two pretty solid scoring threats.

As for the defense, how about a linebacking corps of James Laurinaitis and Marcus Freeman, which can only compare to that of Hawk, Cie Grant and Matt Wilhelm? Both groups of linebackers helped anchor tremendous defensive units. The Wilhelm-led squad surrendered 320 yards of offense in its National Championship year, which ranked 23rd nationally. This year Laurinaitis, a Butkus award finalist, has guided the Buckeyes to the No. 8 defense in the country with an average of more than 260 yards a game.

Scoring wise, the '02 defensive unit surrendered 13.07 points a game, good for No. 2 in the nation, while this generation of Buckeyes currently leads the nation with 7.82 points a game.

Yet of all the similarities between those two teams, none is more important than that of Krenzel and Troy Smith.

You want to talk about great Buckeye leaders, I can't think of any two I'd rather have leading my team. They are smart, confident and even-tempered. They strive for the big games and dominate in the not-so big. Whether it's fourth-and-1 late in the game against Purdue or 46 seconds left against arch-rival M*ch*g*n, both quarterbacks have proven themselves to be clutch when everything is on the line.

Krenzel might not have had the flashy skills or big numbers put up by Heisman hopeful Smith, but his toughness and competitiveness helped guide the Buckeyes to a National Championship. Those same characteristics can be found in Smith, which is all the more exciting for what could be a memorable end to the 2006 season.

Add to Smith's intangibles the guidance of Jim Tressel and you have a team whose expectations fall short of nothing but a National Championship. This weekend will give the Buckeyes their first shot at a title, when they take on the team up north for the Big Ten championship. A win there and it's back west for another shot at a perfect season.

Buckeye fans across the country are all hoping history will repeat itself this season, something Tressel and his team have been working to do since he first stepped in the 'Shoe. After going 4-1 against M*ch*g*n in his first five meetings, Tressel hopes this year's clash mimics that of the one in 2002, a 14-9 OSU win.

With this 2006 team, there's no reason to think it can't and won't happen again.

Matt Gottfried is a sophomore staff writer for The Lantern. He can be reached at gottfried.35@osu.edu with any comments on the numerous great Buckeyes not mentioned from the 2002 championship team.

Stephen A. Smith is a renowned sports writer and media personality from the borough of Queens in New York City. An area of the nation known for producing candid individuals - tennis great John McEnroe, NBA star Ron Artest, Mafia don John Gotti, entrepreneur Donald Trump, etc. - Smith quickly became known for his outspoken public image. This no limit attitude thrust him into prominence in the world of sports. Over the years, his demeanor and stance on issues has merited the nickname, "Screamin' A. Smith."

At 39 years old, Smith swiftly made a name for himself. He attended college at Winston-Salem State, and immediately following graduation, interned at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He began his career covering high school sports for the New York Daily News.

In 1994, he joined the Philadelphia Inquirer, his current home, where he covers Temple University, the NBA's 76ers and other sports. He also hosts his own television show, "Quite Frankly," and frequents additional ESPN shows and radio programs.

While visiting Columbus, Smith shared his thoughts on Ohio State, Columbus, football, campus and predictions for Saturday's showdown.

The Lantern: What do you think of Ohio State?

Stephen A. Smith: This is my first time here. I had a beautiful experience here. The people are very hospitable, the campus is huge!

The football stadium is one of the greatest things I've ever seen in sports. I love it. You hear a lot about "The Shoe" and the tradition that it entails. To see it up close and personal - it's little things like that remind you why you got into sports writing. The fact is that I have been a journalist for 13 years and it reminds you of why you get into this industry because you realize that there are moments that you are going to experience that other people aren't going to get the opportunity to do.

TL: How does OSU compare to Winston-Salem State?

SAS: Oh! There is no comparison. Aesthetically speaking, there is no comparison. Winston-Salem State University is not half the size of Ohio State obviously. It's a university - Ohio State is like a town.

If you are talking about the college experience, I think all college experiences are comparable. You might not have No. 1 going against No. 2 in the nation - that's a different experience altogether - but for everybody that can say, 'Well you went to Winston-Salem State, how would you know?' I'd say, 'Well what about Temple? What about North Carolina? What about Duke?' They aren't experiencing this either. So it's really not about the university, it's more about the programs. And Ohio State and Michigan - in terms of college football - is as elite as it gets. But in terms of the college experience - nothing beats college. They say college is the greatest four years of your life and I'm here to tell you that certainly applied to me, even at a small, historically black institution like Winston-Salem State.

TL: Do you think Ohio State versus Michigan is the biggest rivalry in sports?

SAS: I think so. When I think about rivalries I think about two things. I think about Ohio State-Michigan football and I think about Duke-North Carolina basketball. Those are the two greatest rivalries in all of sports on any level.

TL: Do you think there is a chance that after Saturday they could meet again in the National Championship?

SAS: I think there is a chance and I think there should be. Surprisingly, the Ohio State football players I've spoken to along with the people at Michigan say:

'No, its one and done. You play, that's the National Championship. You shouldn't be allowed a second chance in the same season. That's not how it works because those outcomes shouldn't be resolved in Arizona or California or any place like that. You're on one or the other's home turf - that's how it should be. If you are going to meet, it should be that one meeting and nothing else.'

I disagree with that. I believe when you have all these one-loss teams behind them - the USC's, the California's - teams like that, when you have a two-loss team like Texas, when you have teams like Florida or Auburn, forget all of that stuff. If this comes down to a nail biter and it's decided in the last two minutes - No. 1 versus No. 2 in the country - then they should meet again in the National Championship.

Now if one of them gets blown out, then they should dip in the rankings. But if it's a nail biter and it comes down to the wire, and it's (No.) 1 against (No.) 2 in the nation, I don't think anybody else should be in that National Championship.

TL: Who do you think is the Heisman favorite right now?

SAS: It has got to be Troy Smith!

I mean obviously Brady Quinn definitely deserves consideration. But when you consider the way Michigan went up and spanked them on their home turf and the way Notre Dame was struggling on too many occasions this season - I don't know if you can make the decision that Brady Quinn is the guy. I would say that Troy Smith, with the year that Ohio State has had, the kind of season that he has had - passing for over 2,000 yards, doing all the things he has been doing, especially if they end up beating Michigan Saturday - I would definitely think that [Smith] deserves the Heisman.

TL: So you think it's his to lose?

SAS: I think it's his to lose because I think if he performs in a big game - and a game of this magnitude against Michigan - how can you not give it to him?

Now if he doesn't perform, and he looks like garbage, that is an entirely different ballgame. Now all of sudden you are going to start talking about Brady Quinn all over again.

TL: Will you be at the game?

SAS: I'm not going to be here. I have to work Saturday. But don't rule it out because I might sneak here anyway. But as of right now it doesn't look like I will be at this game.

TL: Will you be watching it?

SAS: I will not miss it. I am scheduled to work till 3 p.m., but if I can get around it, I will be here.

TL: To put you on the spot, who do you pick on Saturday?

SAS: I picked Ohio State 31-21. I like Michigan - I like them a lot. Their front seven is as viscous as it gets. They are going to come at Troy, and they have to do everything they can to stop Troy, but Troy is a bad boy. By that I mean he doesn't just throw the football, he can run the football. He has had his way with Michigan the last couple of years.

Too many weapons - Teddy Ginn, Anthony Gonzalez, Antonio Pittman in the backfield. When you look at the offensive weapons that Troy Smith has at his disposal, as awesome as Michigan's front seven is, I can't imagine how they will stop Ohio State.

Not to mention the fact that they are coming into Columbus. If this were at Michigan Stadium it could be a pick 'em. Or you could even conceive of Michigan winning. But it's pretty hard to believe that Michigan is going to walk into Columbus, Ohio - in front of 105,000 people, with this noise, with this rabid atmosphere, against the No. 1-ranked team in the nation, with the National Championship on the line, against their most-hated rival - I cannot imagine Michigan winning this game. If Michigan wins this game, they deserve the National Championship.

There are still three days left until Michigan and Ohio State square off, but that's plenty of time to hype this game through the roof.

Yesterday, we looked at the Michigan offense verses the Ohio State defense, with the Buckeyes getting the nod.

Today, the Michigan defense and the Ohio State offense take center stage in part two of our three-part breakdown.

Michigan defense: Two plays stand out from the previous two years. Texas quarterback Vince Young scrambling 23 yards for a touchdown late in the fourth quarter of the 2004 Rose Bowl and Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith running 14 yards for a crucial first down in the Buckeyes' game-winning drive last season.

Traditionally, the Wolverines have struggled to contain running quarterbacks, but with coordinator Ron English now manning the controls, this year's Michigan team has looked like a Southeastern Conference defense - hard-hitting, big and fast.

Already, the stingy Michigan defense has held mobile quarterbacks - Vanderbilt's Chris Nickson, Michigan State's Drew Stanton and Indiana's Kellen Lewis - to a combined 51 yards on the ground.

The Wolverine front four is arguably the best in the nation. Defensive end LaMarr Woodley, who is two sacks shy of breaking the Michigan's single-season record for sacks, is a force to be reckoned with coming off the edge. And defensive tackle Alan Branch has anchored the middle of a unit that ranks first in the nation against the run. This season, the Wolverines held both Northwestern and Penn State to negative rushing yards.

The secondary has been exposed as the supposed weakness of the defense. The unit struggled at times, surrendering several big plays when the opposition challenges them with the deep ball. The defense ranks sixth in the conference against the pass.

Still, cornerback Leon Hall continually discourages opposing quarterbacks to throw his way. And fellow corner Morgan Trent brings much-needed speed to the secondary and improved technique. He outran Ohio State wide receiver Ted Ginn, Jr., in the 200-meter dash at the Don Mitchell Roosevelt Memorial track meet in 2004.

Keeping safe isn't easy when behind enemy lines

According to University officials, the best way to stay safe in Columbus this Saturday is approaching Ohio State fans like you would a herd of wildebeest: If you're around them, you'd better stay still. If not, you could be in for a stampede.

"Stay low-key; don't draw unnecessary attention to yourself," read an e-mail from the administration to the student body.

That's just part of an effort by officials in both Columbus and Ann Arbor to curb tension between unruly fans at Saturday's highly emotional showdown between Michigan and Ohio State.

Dean of Students Sue Eklund, Michigan Student Assembly President Nicole Stallings and Alumni Association President Steve Grafton e-mailed students Monday to warn them of the perils that Wolverine fans who make the trip to Columbus face. It advised students to travel in packs, cover up maize-and-blue clothing and leave cars with Michigan license plates at home.

Last on the list was an unexplained request to stay off High Street, the main thoroughfare of OSU's campus.

Michigan fans aren't the only ones steeling themselves for the worst in Columbus.

After Ohio State beat Michigan in 2002 to win a spot in the National Championship game, enraptured Buckeye fans tore the city apart, setting fire to dumpsters and couches.

On Monday, OSU released a series of public service announcements urging good sportsmanship.

"Cheer loud," Columbus Mayor Mike Coleman says in one of the spots. "Welcome our guests. And let's show our nation we are the best fans in the land."

It's not just flaming couches that concern OSU administrators. Flying glass could be a problem, too.

Three convenience stores near OSU agreed to stop selling all domestic beer bottles last Monday, The Associated Press reported. Plastic bottles and cans are still OK.

"Beer bottles are lethal weapons when thrown empty, and cans don't hurt you empty," Willie Young, OSU's director of off-campus student services, told the AP.

The stores can still sell Heineken, though.

"Our students drink cheap beer, so the foreign beers are not a problem," Young said. "You never see those bottles in the neighborhood."

Of course, officials in Columbus know that TV ads may not be enough to keep OSU students under control.

Columbus safety service director Mitch Brown told the AP that there will be an enormous police presence on OSU's campus this weekend.

And if Columbus-based law enforcement can't reel in belligerent Buckeyes, there may yet be hope for besieged Michigan fans.

Police from the University of Michigan's Department of Public Safety will also be in Columbus, giving the maize-and-blue faithful guardian angels of their own.

'U' students who hail from Ohio find themselves torn

The Michigan-Ohio State rivalry has grown past epic to genetic proportions.

University graduates breed litters of baby Wolverines, while grown Buckeyes teach their children reverence for OSU as early as they teach them their ABC's.

And both instill in their progeny hatred for the other side, gleaming like a beacon of enmity across the state border.

But for certain students at the University of Michigan, those who call Columbus home, it isn't as clear-cut as red versus blue. These are the few who have dared transcend the traditional lines of allegiance, rendering their personal ideologies a murky purple.

Torn between their hometown and their alma mater, these students find themselves harassed by both sides. And it all comes to a head around game day.

With an OSU alum as a sister and two Penn State graduates for parents, LSA junior Matt Sturgeon, who is from Columbus, lives in a hotbed of clashing Big Ten loyalties. But his family treats him civilly, he said, even around game time. He said the worst he has to put up with is annual e-mails from his brother-in-law with lists of Michigan jokes. (Question: Why do Wolverine players eat their Wheaties straight from the box? Answer: They choke whenever they get near a bowl.)

Despite his Penn State and Michigan allegiances, Sturgeon can't help but feel at least a little warmth for OSU.

"When you live in Columbus, you're raised a Buckeyes fan no matter what you say," Sturgeon said.

Business School junior David Sanese would have to agree.

Despite making the move from Columbus to Ann Arbor, Sanese hasn't been able to shake his OSU fandom. Sanese likes to wear his OSU accessories, including a red-and-gray wig, to most Michigan football games.