Blue from Ohio

November 28th, 2014 at 10:22 PM ^

We were going to.  I live in Ohio about an 1 1/2 away from Columbus.  My wife is an Ohio fan and we had free tickets lined up, but our sitter came down sick at the last minute.  Probably an omen that I shouldn't be there to witness the horror.

Frieze Memorial

November 28th, 2014 at 10:24 PM ^

Is it really that bad there? I've been to a fair number of our foe's stadiums but never seen much more than good natured ribbing and the occasional "Ann Arbor's a whore." But I've never been to Columbus. Any anecdotes?

UMxWolverines

November 28th, 2014 at 10:30 PM ^

I kinda doubt it. Since we haven't won there in 14 years and only won once since 2003 they just pity us now. 

But this video is from 2002 which wasn't long after us winning there in 1996 and 2000 and pretty much all of the 90s. So if we can ever beat them at least 50% of the time again I'm sure this type of thing will return. 

Side story: Don't know what year exactly but it was during the 90s. My two cousins were playing catch in my uncle's yard in a suburb of Columbus (Gahanna). They were wearing Michigan shirts. An OSU fan drives up into the yard and pretends to hit them. Michigan ruined their lives in the 90s.

Pinto1987

November 28th, 2014 at 11:19 PM ^

I've been there for The Game about a dozen times....too many anecdotes to share them all, so I'll give you one from the beginning and one from the end.

First time, 1978, on a bus with Michigan alums.  We're pulling into the parking lot and an older woman, late 50s to early 60's, silver hair, dressed in all of her upscale Buckeye finery, holding a glass of white wine, and giving us the finger as we passed.

Last time, 2004, my wife was walking with our 15yr old daughter about 20yds in front of me and our 13yr old daughter next to the stadium headed to our entry gate.  The donor parking area is adjacent to the driveway on which we're walking.  My wife is wearing a red winter coat, but she's cold and she's wrapped herself in the maize and blue blanket with the block M she's carrying.  Three 30-ish men make it a point to run from their tailgate to my 15yr old daughter, get in her face, and yell "your mother's a whore!!!".  When we got to our seats (S endzone, high), it's before the game and the Buckeye faithful are yelling every obscenity they can conjure at anything and everything U-M.  The worst is the guy in the seats directly behind us.  After one particularly bad and particularly obscene rant, his relatively-reasonable friend leaned forward to my wife and me and said "I apologize for my friend, he's an emergency room physician in Cleveland and I've never seen him act this way".

I could go on......

 

bo_lives

November 28th, 2014 at 11:27 PM ^

I went 2 years ago. Was completely decked out in Michigan gear from head to toe. Only got harassed twice in about 12 hours. Once was when we were leaving the hotel and some guy said "How's it feel to be the fan of a team that hasn't won a national championship since 1948?" Second was when I was walking into the stadium, some drunk guy ran in front of me and game me a thumbs down and went "BOOOOO". Other than that no one even said anything to us.

Granted I sat in the U-M student away ticket section, so I don't know what it was like sitting elsewhere in the stadium.

SFBlue

November 29th, 2014 at 1:51 AM ^

Wow, I have seen more action than that in the Bay Area.  I live in the City, near the Panhandle, and in 7 or 8 years in the City I have not so much as sniffed a Buckeye.  But one night a few years ago I found myself at a pool hall in Napa with a few friends, one of whom was wearing a Michigan shirt.  We are walking out, when we we are accosted by a shrill 40-ish woman with early 1990s big hair.  Noticing the shirt, she asks my friend "how does it feel to suck," and I shoot back something like "I don't know, but do me a favor and ask Coop after you get back in the time machine that got you here," at which point she starts swinging the cue until she is tackled from behind by members of her own party. 

I think the moral of the story is that you are bound to find Buckeyes in poolhalls anywhere in the U.S. 

acnumber1

November 28th, 2014 at 10:29 PM ^

Been down there twice...neither time met trouble...both times came away with wins...no way I'll be there tomorrow.

To those going, please represent well!  Go Blue!

Blue from Ohio

November 28th, 2014 at 10:30 PM ^

I have both Michigan and Ohio fans and everything I've ever heard about Ohio fans at the shoe is lousy.  We went to the game last year and I was the only M fan with 3 Ohio fans and they all said how good of an experience it was at Michigan.  I've never heard anything but bad about the experience in Columbus.

the man in blue

November 28th, 2014 at 10:31 PM ^

They get a little crazy and there are some idiots but I will be with my 8 year old son so i'm hoping for no trouble....in the words of Bob Ufer the stadium will be packed with 94000 truckers and 10000 alumni....

Ike Pond

November 28th, 2014 at 10:33 PM ^

Heading down in the morning. I actually haven't missed The Game since 1978 -- the last game of the Ten Year War. Tomorrow will be 36 in a row and my 18th late November trip to the 'shoe.

ThadMattasagoblin

November 28th, 2014 at 10:44 PM ^

I'm going to go there someday but it won't be tomorrow. I'm going to go to all the big ten stadiums. Been to Michigan, Illinois, Northwestern, Purdue, Indiana, Iowa, Penn State, Rutgers, and Minnesota (metrodome)

the man in blue

November 28th, 2014 at 10:58 PM ^

It will only fuel his dislike for the buckeyes...I moved here to Columbus 22 years ago and I have run into some of gems....
On another note does anyone know where the alumni association will be tailgating...I would rather walk with a group to the stadium..
Last thing does anyone know where the band will start their "march to the stadium" from? Like all good Michigan fans my son loves the band....

Bando Calrissian

November 28th, 2014 at 11:02 PM ^

To their credit, between the 2004 and 2006 games, OSU put a LOT of effort into trying to get their fanbase to behave themselves at The Game. There were PSAs, ads everywhere, personal appeals, it was an outright barrage. And the difference was notable. Bo's death before the 2006 game also helped to usher in better behavior in Columbus. Of course, it helps that they just keep winning, but it's nothing like it used to be.

ColsBlue

November 28th, 2014 at 11:00 PM ^

We'll be down there, are taking our kids to the game for the first time.  We've been to the game at the Shoe several times, have rarely run into more than verbal assaults from guys with mullets (driving Iroc Z's).   We have lots of buckeye friends that we tailgate with, who defend us against feeling bad.  Should be fun, Go Blue!  

Zoltanrules

November 28th, 2014 at 11:01 PM ^

Don't need the abuse from the worst fan base in the big10. No contest. Never seen such vile women. I doubt most of these low lifes ever attended OSU, but they are there in force. Since they have everything to lose tomorrow they will be especially neurotic.

 

Ray

November 28th, 2014 at 11:08 PM ^

On the back of the head by a guy who was with a bunch of his buddies. It was 5 against 1.

That was after the famous "Harbaugh Guarantee" win in 1986, FWIW.