OT - a new twist on our rivals... Who are your two favorite Buckeyes and Spartans?
Going into what will probably be a slow weekend for news, I jthought it woudl be a good time for an outside the box topic. We have plenty of well-earned negative board posts about our two major rivals but not too many "positive" ones. Here is one...
Question: who are your two favorite Buckeyes and / or Spartans?
Mine are pretty easy...
Buckeyes: Jesse Owens and Chris Spielman
Spartans: James Caan and Kirk Gibson
April 21st, 2023 at 10:33 AM ^
I’ll go with stroud and day for their epic stand on 3rd performances in late November
for msu John l smith and Bobby williams
April 21st, 2023 at 11:02 AM ^
I mean you absolutely nailed it.
April 21st, 2023 at 11:03 AM ^
I mean you absolutely nailed it.
April 21st, 2023 at 11:26 AM ^
This pretty much sums it up, though I could be persuaded to include Magic Johnson too.
Exactly what I thought. The teams that he was on were fun to watch.
April 21st, 2023 at 12:04 PM ^
Today I learned Jesse Owens was a Buckeye.
Jesse Owens was on OSU's track team from 1933 to 1936. In 1935, Michigan hosted the Big Ten Track and Field Championships (or Western Conference, as it was then known) at Ferry Field. At that meet, Owens shattered four world records in a span of 45 minutes. Legend has it that Tom Harmon was in attendance and was among those who congratulated Owens, resulting in a friendship between the two.
In 1974, Don Canham invited Owens back to Michigan to commemorate his accomplishments and asked him to serve as an honorary referee, and Owens graciously accepted. After Owens died in 1980, the University put up a plaque at Ferry Field in Owens' honor, and his family attended the dedication ceremony. To date, Owens is the only Buckeye athlete to be honored on Michigan's campus in such a way (unless you count Gary Moeller).
https://michigantoday.umich.edu/2016/02/19/a-feat-to-cherish/
April 21st, 2023 at 12:17 PM ^
Nice, beat me to it. You did say easy.
I would replace Caan with Magic
Joe Bauserman is my favorite Buckeye. He played at my Alma mater, Tallahassee Lincoln, and was really good. Total bust at Ohio State, which is very endearing to me.
Favorite Spartan has to be Kirk Gibson, for obvious reasons.
His nickname among Buckeye fans was "3rd Row Joe."
Favorite Buckeyes: Chris Spielman (longtime Lion) and Cardale Jones (just seems like a good, funny dude).
Favorite Spartans: this one is actually tougher... I'll go with Magic Johnson (good Twitter follow) and Bubba Smith.
Damn - those are really good ones!
I was a fan of Cardale after his "We ain't come here to play SCHOOL" tweet :)
Magic was a coin flip with James Caan but I went with Sonny!
Bubba was a heck of a player and he made some great commercials.
You beat me to Cardale. He just seems like a fun, cool, happy dude.
Pass….
Though, Jesse Owens may be the only Buckeye I admire and respect.
Ohio State - I really liked Chris Gamble
Michigan State - Didn't hate Mo Pete
Chris Gamble?!
Go take a shower and go to your room!
OSU - Chris Spielman and Rob my pizza delivery guy
MSU - Kirk Gibson and I thought it was hilarious when Plaxico shot himself in the nightclub so I guess Plaxico Burress
April 21st, 2023 at 10:17 AM ^
Rob is great !
April 22nd, 2023 at 12:12 AM ^
Plastico Toe
Buckeyes: it’s a painful love but I was always fond of watching JT Barrett when he wasn’t playing UM, he was utterly magical in the zone read
State: I’m a big NBA fan so I probably have to go with JJJ but to be honest there isn’t much meat on the bone here. Why would I like a State guy
April 21st, 2023 at 10:32 AM ^
Yeah, JT was 4-0 vs us (even though I am convinced if he didn't get hurt in 2017 we win), but he was a good QB to watch. Didn't seem like a douche or anything and yes, the way he was able to run the read option and how far he'd be able to stretch out the mesh was as good as any Read Option QB I've seen.
Favorite Spartans: my wife and my daughter
I don't have any favorite Buckeyes
I object to this thread on morality grounds
Ha! Nobody can object to Jesse Owens and Kirk Gibson (at least in Michigan)!
April 21st, 2023 at 10:46 AM ^
I don’t define them for their college decision mistakes but rather how they recovered despite and did the rest of their careers despite their miserable education.
Sparty: Magic
Buckeye: Spielman
Easy choices
Paul Warfield and Jack Nicklaus
Bubba Smith and Magic Johnson
April 21st, 2023 at 12:17 PM ^
The Golden Bear! Good one.
Magic Johnson revolutionized basketball. I was a point guard as a kid and Magic made it cooler to get an assist than to score a bucket.
I've always thought Steve Smith is a class act.
April 21st, 2023 at 10:02 AM ^
osu: the two punters who kicked to Desmond and Charles Woodson.
staee:.......... nobody
I met Tim Williams (who was the punter for Desmond that you referenced) and had a good talk about college athletics with him a few years ago. I learned at that time that Williams got just a piece of Desmond’s foot on the last attempted tackle, which I hadn’t noticed before.
April 21st, 2023 at 10:03 AM ^
None.
April 21st, 2023 at 10:05 AM ^
Chris Spielman has to be top of the list, right?
Spartans, honestly I don't have one.... but reading through the comments reminded me of Kirk Gibson. So that's easy. Both b/c of their Detroit pro careers. But Spielman I even semi-liked in college
April 21st, 2023 at 10:06 AM ^
Chris Spielman and Magic Johnson. Hated/admired Spielman when he was at OSU, but loved watching him play for the Lions. I wanted to be Magic when i was 9 and was a Lakers fan for years just because of him.
April 21st, 2023 at 10:07 AM ^
Justin Fields because he’s my QB now and I always thought he was the best QB from OSU prior. His running ability is awesome— now Bears just need WRs to perform and o-line to protect (thank god they let Mustipher go, dude was an open door).
Spartans? Moose! He was a great WR for the Bears.
Spielman is also a pretty good pick for OSU because he is often non-homer is his commentary. He does respect the rivalry and, first and foremost, the players.
April 21st, 2023 at 10:12 AM ^
MSU: Magic. Loved him as a kid
OSU: Urban, since he's a dirty old ass and if I were that rich, successful and competitive, I'd be pretty much him.
April 21st, 2023 at 10:15 AM ^
Justin Fields
Magic Johnson
April 21st, 2023 at 10:16 AM ^
Mine have probably already been mentioned, but I'd tip my cap to Antoine Winfield. Loved his game.
April 21st, 2023 at 11:29 AM ^
As a Vikes fan, seconded. Winfield was a tiny (by NFL standards) dude, but a total f’n gamer.
April 21st, 2023 at 10:16 AM ^
I thought Scott Skiles was amazing. I was a big fan.
For the Buckeyes ... it's difficult. With the helmets and uniforms in football, you don't get much sense of the actual ... people. At least all the field. There were definitely players I respected a lot -- I thought Antoine Winfield was a beast -- but it's not like I cheer for them or anything.
Who was that basketball player for the Buckeyes in the late 1980s who broke his neck and had to wear a halo for a while? Jay Burson. I thought he was a heck of a player. Undersized, but heart of a lion.
April 21st, 2023 at 10:17 AM ^
Wow. Simultaneous Antoine Winfield references. Great minds think alike.
April 21st, 2023 at 10:24 AM ^
Skiles was as fierce as they come. I still remember as a kid trying to adjust the TV antenna watching MSU-Kansas sweet 16 game, Skiles had a monster game.
April 21st, 2023 at 11:01 AM ^
OSU: Antoine Winfield
MSU: Steve Smith
April 21st, 2023 at 11:28 AM ^
gosh I'm a Bills fan and apparently i'm the only person on this site who still can't bring himself to say Antoine Winfield
I hadn't about Skiles. Hard not to like him.
I met Scott Skiles once, back when he played for the Bullets in 1995. He's kind of an asshole.
I also met Juwan Howard at that time (he was in his rookie season), and he was great.
April 21st, 2023 at 10:17 AM ^
Buckeye: I enjoyed the Jeffrey Dahmer series on Netflix
Spartan: Doug Karsch