Columbus Dispatch article and fan poll
In case you missed it, in the mgo.licio.us section there's a link to a new article by the Columbus Dispatch on how most past players and coaches on both sides are strongly opposed to moving the Game. (Naturally, John Cooper was a dissenting voice.)
What I find most interesting there is the fan poll. Asked if the Game should be moved, 6% of respondents voted "Yes," 10% voted "Don't care" and 84 percent voted "No." Yeah, it's an online poll and unscientific and blah blah blah, but once again, every data point shows massive, massive opposition to this idea.
EDIT: in case you can't find the link, here it is: http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/sports/stories/2010/08/28/past-players-plead-leave-game-alone.html?sid=101
August 28th, 2010 at 3:53 PM ^
As much as it is good to know that 84% of people surveyed in this poll are not in favor of moving The Game, our voices just do not matter. Which sucks.
August 28th, 2010 at 4:07 PM ^
That's ridiculous. Of course our voices matter. When the vast majority of people are opposed to something, that's a major PR problem for the conference. We've already seen them start to hedge a bit.
August 28th, 2010 at 3:53 PM ^
I can assure you that nothing is more improtant to us than the satisfaction of our fans...
Its funny that they lead with that line in every auto response on the subject. Lets see if they put their money where thier mouth is.
August 28th, 2010 at 4:07 PM ^
I find it hard to believe that 84% of respondents would never like to see UM and OSU play for the Big10 championship.
August 28th, 2010 at 4:09 PM ^
While improbable, UM and OSU could play the last game of the season and still play in the championship game if they were in separate divisions.
August 28th, 2010 at 4:27 PM ^
If your dream is to see Michigan and Ohio State settle the conference title in a rematch presented by Dr. Pepper (TM) in the climate-controlled, corporate-crowd-dominated confines of Lucas Oil Stadium in early December, that's still possible even if the Game is the last week of the season. There is no NCAA rule against playing back-to-back.
August 28th, 2010 at 4:34 PM ^
Yet.
August 28th, 2010 at 4:21 PM ^
84% is a dangerous proportion of people to have calling for your head. Please listen, Powerful Individuals.
August 28th, 2010 at 8:22 PM ^
It would be dangerous if the people actually had the power to remove the head. They don't, so Jim Delaney and the collective ADs can ignore 84% just as easily as if opposition were only 4%.
August 28th, 2010 at 4:41 PM ^
It might be easy to miss this on that Dispatch page, but there's also a page with additional or fuller quotes from the players and coaches. See more_quotes_from_osu_michigan.
This exchange was rather humorous:
STAN WHITE JR., OSU fullback who graduated in 2006.
“I like the last game of the year and like it the way it is, but there are a lot of other factors involved. It seems like change is inevitable and you have to embrace it and be able to move forward.”
STAN WHITE SR, OSU linebacker from 1969-71On being told of his son’s comment
“Well, I’m going to kick his (butt). I’ll talk to him about that. That’s ridiculous. I raised him better than that.” (He was laughing, kind of.)
But I thought the best quote, which conjures up quite the mental image, was in the original article, and it was of course from a Wolverine:
And what does [Rob] Lytle think Schembechler would say?
"He would have hated this," Lytle said. "I'm glad he and Woody don't have to go through it. They're probably sitting up there just shaking their heads or tearing down-markers and stomping on the field. They're probably marching around throwing tantrums right now."
August 29th, 2010 at 4:46 PM ^
This kills the Brandon theory that because he played for Bo, he gets it. No Dave, I think Lytle and Dierdorf get it. Seems DB gets it about as much as John Cooper does.