OSU fans should be upset over UM’s loss

LLLLoydOkay, so obviously a lot of OSU fans are displaying a bit of shadenfreude over UM’s loss to App State. Even we at MotSaG couldn’t resist rubbing it in a little bit (see the earlier post from el Kaiser). There’s something satisfying about seeing a big, proud, overconfident bully that’s always teasing and taunting everyone get taken down by the littlest kid on the block.

But putting that aside for a moment, UM’s shameful loss is terrible for OSU, too – not to mention the rest of the Big Ten.

First, it will diminish the OSU/UM rivalry. That game is always best when one (or both) of the teams is playing for all the marbles. Make no mistake – UM will not be allowed into the BCS title game, even if it wins the next 11 games by 100 points. Any true OSU fan wants every season to be like last one – the two teams meeting, undefeated, to settle everything once and for all.

Also, the last thing anyone wants is for Carr to go. I’ll guarantee you that the phone was ringing off the hook in the UM athletic department today, with every rich & powerful alumnus demanding answers. His days may be numbered, which is not good for the continued one-sided dominance in the OSU/UM rivalry. However, in the mind of this writer, the blame for this loss should rest squarely on the shoulders of Ron English. Quite simply, his ineptitude has reached critical mass. Giving up 108 points in the last three games is unacceptable by any standard.

The loss is also terrible for the Big Ten. Holy cow, the last thing the Big-Ten haters of the nation need is proof that the conference is overrated.

Think of it this way: in a conference that includes teams like Indiana, Northwestern, and Minnesota, it’s MICHIGAN that is embarrassing the conference. Let that sink in for a moment.

The BCS will suffer. Some might argue that this isn’t a bad thing, but we’re stuck with it for the foreseeable future, so it’d be nice if it wasn’t undermined any further. UM is likely to put together a decent season, perhaps even win the Big Ten and go to the Rose. If that happens, there will always be the “yeah-but-App-State” argument.

Along the same lines, what will happen to UM in the polls? A loss like this exposes the major flaws in the poll system. There’s no question that UM does not deserve to be ranked. However, a little critical thinking reveals that this loss was most likely aberrant, and probably doesn’t give an accurate picture of how good UM actually is (nor enough credit to App State). The Wolverines will still likely beat a handful of good teams this year. So, should they be ranked according to their potential, or their results? Typically, the poll voters use the former for the bulk of the season, and the latter for the last month or so. Today’s loss will probably throw the polls out of whack as voters try to figure out – and argue about – what is fair.

I know that I personally feel bad for UM fans. I can empathize. In 1998, the championship-bound Bucks shockingly lost to the Spartans, which was like a blow to the stomach. Losing to a I-AA team in your home opener must be even worse. No undefeated season. No chance for a national title. You’re three hours into a three month season, and you find out that it’s already over & done with. That must stink.

What do you think?

Comments

  1. Couldn’t have said it better myself.

    Someone where I work said it was like VMI beating Duke in the tourney. That’s not even CLOSE to an accurate comparison.

    Fact is, there IS no comparison. It’s like in Major League 3, when the minor-league Twins challenged the major-league Twins to a game, and they won.

    And that was in a movie, man. If you see that when you leave here tonight, shoot it in the head (sorry….went off on a Bob Saget-tangent there).

  2. monkey – Thanks for posting this, I echo pretty much everything you were saying. After I posted my ribbing, I felt bad about taking it too far. In the end, this loss is bigger than Hart/Henne/Long, Lloyd, Michigan or anything else. The entire season has taken a turn. It’s an odd feeling.

    It was David and Goliath, only Goliath was expected to win. This messes with the very fabric of the Universe of College Football.

    Kudos to App. State — they were ready for a fight a stunned the nation. Amazing.

    And as OSU fans, let’s let the poor UM fans grieve in peace. That’s gotta hurt.

  3. If it was any other team I would be the first to say the same, but I can’t. I know it means that the conference is potentially worse off, I know it means the rivalry is potentially diminished.

    But, It’s THE Team up north, and I will revel in this for as long as I can.

    I also realize, given the potential of their players and the utter disregard of adaptation in the Coaches minds over the last few years that this is probably a fluke, but a beautiful fluke. (I don’t so much even care, so long as our Bucks win.)

  4. Friends…

    I absolutely agree with these thoughts, especially since I live in Pac 10 Country with all the U$C bandwagon fans.

    However, given the grief that we get for He Who Shall Not Be Named, the National Championship Game That Did Not Happen, and the stuff that former President Holbrook continues to bring up, a response for our northern friends is required.

    That being said, please join me in spreading the new Wolverine moniker… No longer merely TTUN or scUM, our last game of the regular season is against:

    Mich1gAAn.

    That is all.

  5. Definitely agree 1,000%. I’m living in Myrtle Beach, SC and down here dealing with crazy SEC fans. They associate all bad things any non-SEC team does with every other team in their conference. And vice versa with SEC successes against non-SEC teams.

    For instance, there are many South Carolina fans down here that give me a hard time every day about how bad we got beat by Floriduh. But then they take it a step further and then say that, since South Carolina only lost to Floriduh by one point on a blocked field goal, that South Carolina would have beaten Troy Smith and the Buckeyes by at least two touchdowns.

    It does no good to point out logical arguments to them regarding playing insanely above their talent level for that particular week, or that South Carolina almost lost to Furman (FURMAN!!), or anything else… That’s why they’re crazy SEC fans.

    Although, since it did happen and there’s not much I can do to change it, things like this are still funny…:

    http://www.pbase.com/katiejohn/image/84869936

  6. I agree, but couldn’t this wait until Monday? I don’t want cold reality, I want to “bully”…

  7. El Caballo de Sangre says

    I told everybody who would listen at the bar I watched the game at that while it was certainly gratifying to see Michigan struggling, it would be a great tragedy for all of us in the Big 10, and especially the Buckeyes, if they were to actually LOSE. For all of the reasons you mentioned above: Conference reputation, The Game, etc…

  8. Gentlemen I understand your position, I even said some similar things about having to hear it from outsiders, etc. Truth be told men, when it comes to college football I have 2 favorite teams. Ohio State and whoever plays the woodchucks. Last season after they won and set up the #1 vs #2 match-up I was excited, it was like an X-Box season come true. And I expect that OSU might have a few struggles this year. We may not end up with a chance to win the conference on the final weekend. There is nothing I want more if that is the case than to play spoiler, like they did to us all through the Cooper era.

    But guys, this is a whole new ballgame. We suffered through the ‘Ohio State isn’t really a rivalry anymore’ crap. We watched them smugly walk off our soil haven beaten us time and time again. This humiliation is worse than anything they did to us. All they have left now is trying to beat Ohio State. That’s it. That is now their whole season since they have no chance at the BCS. To beat them this year, would be the fatal blow. Henne’s class could be the class that went 0-4 against the Buckeyes, and lost to a Div 1AA school. Shame and disgrace beyond anything we have known here. Worse than the Air Force loss. Worse than all the beatings that Cooper gave us. I say thank you Appalachian State. Good win. michigan, you still suck.

  9. I hope TBDBITL learns the App State fight song for the Michigan game this year. It would be great to break that out after a big Robiski catch.

    It might be a bit rude, but what the hell its Michigan.

  10. Arkansas Buckeye says

    Gawd I hate the SEC. And this is just going to make things worse. Its big picture time.

    1. Recruiting: can anyone from up North look a kid and his family in the face and tell them what to expect this time next year? A major looting of the Michigan recruiting class should be coming.

    2. Time to upgrade the Big10. And the Big 12 is ripe. I say take Nebraska, Missouri, KU. And donate Iowa State to the MAC.

  11. Maybe it’s just me, but this is pretty funny:

  12. I think the pollsters were a bit harsh on Michigan today, but I’m still enjoying it.

  13. It would have been so much better if Michigan got routed by Oregon or Notre Dame rather than lose like that.

    Every talking head on TV for the next 5 years will point to this as a reason why the Big 10 is an inferior conference. As much as I like seeing Michigan get disgraced this is the worst possible way.

    But seriously how do you let that slip away? that is rediculous. Everyone keeps calling Lloyd Carr Michigan’s Cooper, thank god Coop never let that happen.

    http://oh-io.blogspot.com

  14. I understand the arguments for wishing our season opponents to do well. In the BCS/National Championship picture, it’s necessary to play and beat good teams.

    So you have to do what you can with your non-conference schedule. As Steve Snapp (of the OSU Athletic Dept) says, sometimes it’s more difficult to get teams to come to Ohio Stadium than the average fan might think. Overall, I’m generally happy with the non-conf opponents OSU has had the opportunity to play in past years. But this isn’t my point.

    My belief as I get older is that you just go out and win games. If you see the end of November holding a 12-0 record, you’ll definitely be in a BCS game and probably 80% of the time the NC game. It doesn’t matter if your non-conf schedule included Texas, Cincinnati, or App. State. Win games, and the “respect” takes care of itself.

    People these days are too concerned with the idea of respect and credibility, if you ask me. What do I care what Joe Pollster thinks, or what Suzy SEC-Fan cares about who plays the teams that play OSU? Just win, baby. That’s what it’s all about.

    Players jump up after making a tackle (when they’re losing by 32 to Oregon *cough cough*) and dance around like they won $300 in the student union lottery. It doesn’t matter if their team is getting their butt kicked, they’ll be damned if someone is not going to “respect” them (for doing their job, no less).

    Fanatics get all frothy talking about which conference is strong and which is weak. These things do change from year to year, and except for a once or twice in a lifetime occurence for most schools you don’t change your conference. So you just go out and win the games on your schedule. Or… you don’t. Either way, you have what you have.

    Will the Buckeyes win every game they play this year? Who knows? I know I don’t think they will. But I’m also the eternally optimistic OSU fan and until they lose a game I’m secretly thinking of a National Championship.

    So Go App State, Go Oregon, Go Notre Dame, and so on. Whip those Wolverines. And then on the final Saturday of the Big Ten season, we’ll drive the final nail in the coffin, and life will continue to be good.

    Bottom line, just win. That’s it.

    (Sorry about the rant guys… thanks for the space)

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