Am I a bad person for rooting against OSU in the Rose Bowl?

Submitted by harmon40 on

After having had to put up with various OSU fans exulting in the (hopefully brief) downturn of Michigan football, I find it somewhat annoying that these same people have told me that I should be rooting for Ohio State in the Rose Bowl - you know, "as a fan of the Big Ten."

Oh, noooo my friend. No no no no no no no.

I hope they lose. I hope they lose BIG. I hope that Ducks vs. Bucks is an ugly massacre that will have parents ushering their children from the living room, and oh yes, I very much hope that OSU is on the wrong side of it.

Am I a bad person?

Perhaps. But I have five very good reasons to root against OSU tomorrow:

5) Any OSU fan who says that they would ever, at any time, root for Michigan in a bowl or any other game - "as a fan of the Big Ten" - is a liar.

4) If the Ducks' spread offense annihilates OSU, it will be further reason for optimism for the RichRod era at Michigan

3) The beautiful quiet that I will enjoy on Monday as OSU fans avoid me all day.

2) I just like to see them lose.

1) I'm afraid that I might go to Hell if I root for Satan, even for one game.

Please feel free to add your own reasons for rooting against OSU...

Tater

December 31st, 2009 at 8:02 PM ^

I can't bring myself to root for either MSU or OSU in a bowl. The only situation I could find myself rooting for them would be if they could beat someone and enable UM to get in the NC game. For example, if UM didn't play PSU, both were undefeated with PSU ranked higher, and MSU was playing PSU while UM was playing OSU, I would then root for MSU.

So, to answer your original question, you are definitely not bad for rooting against OSU.

Besides, if Oregon beats the crap out of them, a "quack, quack, quack" cheer might be pretty cool for the basketball game in Crisler, especially if too many of their fans make the trip up from C-town.

MGoJen

December 31st, 2009 at 5:02 PM ^

No way dude, I hope OSU gets ROLLED. I also hope Pryor remembered to pack clothes for the long flight back to Columbus.

(Cue OSU choking in a big game, fan base freak out, calls for Tressel's head, lather rinse repeat.)

clarkiefromcanada

January 1st, 2010 at 1:05 AM ^

I get Cleveland sports radio (home of the Buckeye nation) as sadly Detroit radio is a) full of static and b) mostly crappy also. Anyway, the tone of the tUofOSU fan this week is awesome:
a) they seem to expect to lose
b) they pointed out (to my happiness) that they had lost BCS games for the past three years
c) they pile on Pryor as just not being a good quarterback and several calls criticized Tressel heavily for not recruiting any other viable starters
d) they never go so far as to call for Tressel to be fired but talk of a "modern" offensive gameplan comes up a lot. [editorial comment: isn't that what the fanbase here discussed about 3 years ago?]

It will be interesting to see what the derivative of RichRod's scheme can do with players that fit the system against tUofOSU. I have concern, however, that when pushed Tressel might finally take the training wheels off his offense and see what it might do...basically going down in a blaze of glory versus the Florida debacle etc.

I like the Ducks in this one...moreso if they choose a particularly ugly Nike design.

MGoJen

January 1st, 2010 at 2:55 PM ^

How long have you been listening to Cleveland radio? I'd be interested to know when exactly the "Pryor is our savior!!111" sentiments in the fan base transformed to "Pryor sucks". There was a brief period where the blame was placed on Tressel for "mis- and under-utilizing" Pryor, but I think at some point they turned on Pryor himself.

At The Game this year, there were four exceedingly intoxicated Buckeyes in the row in front of me and after every offensive play, they would shout things out like, "Tressel punts on third down", "Pryor's a tight end" and "Pryor should take his Corvette and leave."

Upon mentioning the picture that Brian posted on MGoBlog of Pryor at the bar, one of the Buckeyes (a student)told me he sees Pryor at the bar "all the time" and added that instead of being at the bar he "should be working on his moves." haha

BallZDeeP210

December 31st, 2009 at 5:03 PM ^

I am a Michigan fan first and foremost!! I am not a big 10 fan, my team just happens to play in the big 10. On that note, I will root for other big ten teams tho. I just would never, I repeat NEVER, root for tUOS or sparty! So, NO you r not a bad person

MinorRage

December 31st, 2009 at 5:07 PM ^

I also only root for ohio state if it in some way benefits Michigan. A stronger conference does not in anyway help us at this point as I seriously doubt we will be competing for a national title next year. F*** ohio state. And F*** Dantonio. I would love to see both of them get lit up by spread teams in the next couple days.

MinorRage

December 31st, 2009 at 6:07 PM ^

for the big 10. I even (gulp) sometimes root for osu in their bowl game when it might have some relevance for us. However right now them winning hurts us more than it helps us. With the record RR has achieved over the past two years recruiting could get very difficult for us. Right now recruiting is more important for us than Big 10 perception. It would help us more in recruits minds since we go up against msu and osu for a lot of guys, whereas if anyone really thinks (and not just hopes) that Michigan will be in the national title hunt and B10 perception would actually affect us next year then you are full of it.

PhillipFulmersPants

January 1st, 2010 at 10:49 AM ^

need to get stronger, but people rooting for or against another B10 team from the confort of one's living room or neighborhood sports bar has zero impact on W&Ls and/or the ongoing success or failure of those programs.

I can't speak for the poster you're responding to, but here are a few thoughts to explain my conference agnostic position:

I rarely root for a team, program, coach, or fan base I have little respect for--I don't care what conference they're in.

And all things being equal, I'll typically root for the underdog. I like upsets and memorable victories. So if Northwestern or Purdue are underdogs in a bowl game or OOC game, I'll root for them. If they're favorites, I may not.

I understand conference loyalties in a lot of cases, but at times, they puzzle me. Example: I've lived in worked in Atlanta for 5 years, and I'm dumbfounded by Georgia fans who root for Florida in OOC games. In my experience, it's been rare to find one who doesn't. This cheapens the FL-GA rivalry IMO. I can't fathom rooting for Ohio State. It's just not in me. I can't imagine a Buckeye rooting for Michigan either.

I've been a Michigan fan my entire life. My fandom begins and ends there. If being a fan of another B10 team for a day behooves Michigan in a practical sense--i.e., moves them up in BCS standings--fine. Count me in. But if we're talking these endless conference strength debates, I'm not interested.

crum

December 31st, 2009 at 5:10 PM ^

F*ck OSU, no way would I root for them. I don't think Oregon will beat OSU but that doesnt mean I wont be pulling for them to get the crap kicked out of them by the Ducks.

One more thing, for the Love of Bo, don't ever second guess yourself for rooting against the cooler poopers.

Blue Ninja

December 31st, 2009 at 5:23 PM ^

There was a time I would half-heartedly cheer on OSU in bowl games. But after the last few years those times are long gone. Unless it benefits UM I will NEVER cheer for OSU in any game even bowl season. The B10 does not need OSU to win to look good or bad, there are 10 other teams that can do just as well.

I also won't cheer on MSU as I can't stand Dumbtonio, didn't like him at UC and like him even less now. Still waiting to hear any OSU fan belittle Dumbtonio for leaving his team on the verge of a bowl game like he did UC.

sebastokrator

December 31st, 2009 at 5:36 PM ^

My experience with my own personal Michigan fandom is that I have an irrational hatred of OSU; I will always cheer against them even when it is in the Big 10's best interests to see them win.

Tim Waymen

December 31st, 2009 at 5:58 PM ^

I usually root for OSU in bowl games, but halfheartedly. It's not easy. I know that there are plenty of OSU fans who root for Michigan in bowl games, my dad included. In 06, one Ohio State fan from Columbus (who was possibly crazy) wrote a letter to the Daily saying stuff like, may the best team win and go on to win the national championship and that Ohio State and Michigan should dominate the BCS as one. It was weird.

TIMMMAAY

December 31st, 2009 at 6:56 PM ^

It is really hard, but I do generally pull for them to win all games but The Game. It makes us all better. And I think the statement from that crazy buckeye fan actually make a lot of sense.

Edit: Now, MSU on the other hand... I want them to get their heads caved in every game.

D.C. Wolverine

December 31st, 2009 at 6:15 PM ^

I will never root for Ohio State. I hate them, their univeristy and their fans. I wouldnt be caught dead rooting for Ohio State. I dont care about conference strenght. I want to see Oregon put up 100

bacon

December 31st, 2009 at 6:22 PM ^

The public perception of the big 10 doesn't matter to me as much as seeing OSU lose. The better question is would I rather see Oregon blow them out, or would it be better to see another gut wrenching loss. It's a toss up.

pdxblue

December 31st, 2009 at 6:27 PM ^

When tUOS played in the BCS game against Florida I tried to root for the Big Ten team. Halfway through the game, when it was clear that the Gators were opening a giant can of WoopAss, I just started to "cackle with knowing glee" and took immense pleasure in the shelling. I especially enjoyed seeing a completely lost look on "Senator Tressel's" face.

My head tries to say I should root for the team from our conference and my heart just wont let me.