WSJ Big10 Bowl Article
Not sure if this has been posted/mentioned anywhere yet, but is a decent read about Big10 fans. The article contains a quote from a certain individual who we are all very familiar with.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB100014240527487041528045746286527231924…
December 31st, 2009 at 1:23 AM ^
(Incidentally, the Big Ten's decline coincided with the decision by both Michigan and Ohio State to switch from natural-grass fields like Pasadena's to Astroturf or similar surfaces.)This means nothing. Nothing. Nothing.
December 31st, 2009 at 2:16 AM ^
is why I'm rooting for the hated Buckeyes in Pasadena. Commence the negging.
December 31st, 2009 at 4:11 AM ^
The Big Ten's struggles in the Rose Bowl have everything to do with facing perhaps the most talented team in the country year after year (USC) that also happens to lose an inexcusable game or two, year after year. Ohio State beating an Oregon team that lost to Stanford and Boise State this year is not going to garner the Big Ten serious respect. It seems Ohio State is going to figure prominently in Big Ten bowl matchups for the foreseeable future. If there's any year to root against them, conference pride be damned, this is it. Please reconsider.
December 31st, 2009 at 4:31 AM ^
I hope OSU clearly dominates Oregon but Oregon still wins by pure luck. That would be a win / win situation. OSU loosing but Big Ten still looking good ;-)
December 31st, 2009 at 8:35 AM ^
nobody but OSU fans will remember that they dominated. Everybody else will just remember that they lost (or not remember and have to look it up - they will only see the score).
December 31st, 2009 at 10:17 AM ^
USC is definitely talented, but they have only won one BCS championship, that being in 2004. Based on their talent level, you wonder if USC underachieves.
You can come up with a host of reasons why the Big Ten hasn't done well in recent years, but ultimately, it is hard to argue with the post-season data.
December 31st, 2009 at 10:51 AM ^
Because USC is in the game so often, it is a de facto road game for the Big Ten representative. USC, which already amasses the best talent in the country, usually gets home cooking from the refs if the game is close. Reference the phantom touchdown from the 70's and the bogus holding call twenty yards behind the play on a fake punt in Bo's last Rose Bowl.
Also, the paperback verison of "Bo" has an added chapter in which he tells of walking by the refs' locker room and hearing one of them laugh about the penalty and say, "there's no way I was gonna let that son of a bitch win his last game here."
The Big Ten doesn't do badly in the Rose Bowl at all when it is against teams other than USC or UCLA.
December 31st, 2009 at 7:37 AM ^
I think the best situation would be like the Idaho Vandals beating Bowling Green last night in the Humanitarian Bowl. BG thinks they have the game in their pocket, up by 7 with 35 seconds left. Then they lose with a TD scored with 4 secs left and the 2 point conversion for the win.
December 31st, 2009 at 9:27 AM ^
That article is stupid. LSU fans were able to go through decades of mediocrity, Florida football was irrelevant until Spurrier got there. Yet these teams still had fans then and sold out games.
December 31st, 2009 at 10:38 AM ^
Should stick to finances.
December 31st, 2009 at 10:48 AM ^
This isn't exactly a new idea, but is there anything more pathetic than the painted and beaded middle-age BUCKNUTS(!) crowd?
December 31st, 2009 at 12:17 PM ^
who completely paints his face with college colors, has a screw loose, IMHO. You nailed it, blueheron.
December 31st, 2009 at 11:25 AM ^
I've travelled for all the Bowl Games and I didn't really find any of them to be dissappointing to attend. My far by favorite was the Alamo Bowl, simply because the River Walk was amazing and the locals (namely the local girls) very friendly. The year we beat Tebow was also a good year.
Southern Cal is nice and I have friends in the region, so it was always nice to catch up with them.
I'll be rooting for tOSU this year because the Big Ten needs a bowl game win. I got to enjoy watching tOSU get humiliated in two National Championship games, which has sated for me the moment. The Big Ten needs some kind of win on New Years Day. For the past few years our midrank teams have come out and rolled up the competition. Teams like Iowa, Wisconsin and PSU often go out and take care of business, while the top teams that play on New Years Day get humiliated. We as a conference need some signature wins to keep the recruits coming north to the Rust Belt. I wish it was us getting revenge on the Ducks this year, but I'll settle for tOSU squeaking out a win.
Plus of tOSU wins it means a higher preseason ranking for them, and all that muich sweeter when we beat them next year!
December 31st, 2009 at 11:36 AM ^
My dad and I made the trip to San Antonio. It was my second time there but first as an adult. I had an amazing time, we went to The Alamo, did the boat tour on the river. Everything besides Tyler Ecker not lateraling the football was amazing.
December 31st, 2009 at 11:56 AM ^
The Big10 does need a good BCS win. I am beginning to think next year will be a resurgence of the Big10. With possible sanctions at USC and an uncertain coaching future at Florida, it appears we might be finally nearing the end of this huge talent disparity.
Also, it is tough for me to believe that Brian Kelly will not have Notre Dame back to being a national powerhouse within 2-3 years. For this reason it is even more important that Michigan win 7-8 games this year. If we are an unstable team entering a period of Big10 resurgence, it could make us a "whipping boy" for many years.