Game Thread THE GAME: #1 Ohio State 42, #2 Michigan 39 (11/18/06)

[osugrad21]

DDN

Prices for OSU tickets are falling (a little bit)

If you want two seats together, you'll still have to pay $550 apiece for tickets with a face value of $59.


By Lucas Sullivan
Staff Writer

Thursday, November 16, 2006

Prices for Ohio State-Michigan tickets are cheaper than they were a month ago.
Unfortunately, they're still too high for most fans who want to see the No. 1 Buckeyes take on the No. 2 Wolverines on Saturday.
The number of sellers has equaled or surpassed willing buyers this week, which has created a buyer's market, say area ticket brokers.
But beware: If you want a pair of seats together, most Web sites and area brokers are asking at least $550 each for them ? about nine times the face value of a $59 ticket.
"I hate Michigan week," said Alan Nelson, owner of Classic Tickets in Dayton. "We make less money because the turnover is less and people want more money for their tickets than they will ever get. Usually the phone conversation (with a seller) ends up in an argument and it's like talking to a wall."
Nelson said the market has become so saturated that tickets he was selling for $850 two weeks ago now are going for $550.
Prices on popular Web sites such as eBay have dropped, too.
According to market research conducted by the world's most popular auction site, there were 1,055 successful two-ticket auctions for the average price of about $1,300 from Oct. 11 through Tuesday. But in the past week, two-game ticket auctions have been selling for an average of $1,150.
The demand remains heavy, though, as 706 of those 1,055 tickets have been sold in the past two weeks.
On Nov. 3, four club seats and a parking pass sold on eBay for more than $11,000, after 27 bids.
Jamie Kaufman, president of Dream Seats, a brokerage firm in Columbus, saw a drop in prices, but that isn't stopping him from trying to make big bucks off the Buckeyes.
"We are extremely busy. I have 14 lines on hold right now while I am talking to you," Kaufman said. "We are getting hundreds of calls a day. Demand is still high and will probably be that way the rest of the week."
He said his phone lines are filled with more sellers than buyers.
"It makes sense that you have a $59 ticket and you can sell it for $300, $400 or $500," said Kaufman, who has anywhere from 30 tickets to 130 tickets at a time, depending on how many phones his five-member staff can handle.
Nelson said late Tuesday he was looking to buy if the price was right.
"I had this guy call in, and let's say he wanted $2,000 for his tickets and I told him, 'Sir, I am selling that same ticket for $650,' " Nelson said. "Then he says, 'OK, I'll take $1,500 for them.' It's madness."

 

[osugrad21]

DDN

Not just any fan - he's Buckeyeman

View our Buckeyeman photo gallery


By LaToya Thompson
Staff Writer

Wednesday, November 15, 2006

URBANA ? Urbana Councilman Larry Lokai covers himself in scarlet and grey for at least 12 consecutive weeks during The Ohio State University football season.
Every Saturday beginning at 4 a.m. suit-and-tie Lokai begins his transformation into the fan-rousing Buckeyeman ? a noticeably loud character who came to life during the 1998 OSU vs. University of Michigan match-up.
"I wore what we called the skunk wig," which was the first of six wigs worn by Buckeyeman.
In the following season, Lokai got nuts about the Buckeyes.
"I took the name Brutus Buckeye and Neutron Man. One of them talked. One of them danced. I couldn't do either. So I combined their names, and I became Buckeyeman."
The rest is history.
Lokai, a '67 and '73 OSU grad, takes about 30 to 45 minutes to get into his super-fan suit.
Everything from the Mary Kay moisturizer on his face to the 7 pounds worth in buckeye necklaces makes a difference on game day.
The three red turtlenecks not only keep Lokai warm but add cushion for the necklaces. The face glitter shows up well under stadium lights getting Buckeye fans some extra attention from TV camera crews.
The red pants, now on set No. 4, have pockets to carry a notepad and spirit signs.
Lokai said it's all done in the name of fun and good sportsmanship.
As Buckeyeman, the Urbana native plays nice with the opposing team ? even the team from up north.
"When people see you associating positively, they are better able to enjoy the game," Lokai said. "Last thing I try to do is have any kind of confrontation. They are there to have fun, and I'm there to have fun."
The scarlet-and-grey fan does get some heckles, but most reactions are complimentary, he said.
He recalls hearing, "My momma's got prettier hair than you." "Is that a man or woman?" "Look at that freak going by there."
Of course, Lokai, a retired teacher, takes it all in stride and keeps shouting, "Let's go Bucks!"
Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0353 or [email protected].
???????-
He's not just an Urbana Councilman and he's not just any fan ? he's Buckeyeman. Larry Lokai breaks down the costume that he will don for Saturday's match up against Michigan.
WIG: "My hair, OK? I don't want one curl out of place." Nine seasons? Six wigs. The wig gets washed and fluffed every three games.
FACE: "Nobody ever knows how old I am because the (makeup) covers the wrinkles." In the beginning, half the face was scarlet and the other grey. Buckeyeman decided grey stripes on a red face get more attention.
BUCKEYES: Symbolism is the name of the game. Seven necklaces. Seven OSU national championships. 103 Buckeyes. Saturday marks the 103rd OSU v. Mich. game.
GLOVES: "They have holes in them so they're very religious." (haha). Three pairs each of white and red gloves. $2 a set.
JERSEY: This is jersey No. 3 since '99. Buckeyeman has to iron on the letters after each game. Next season, there may be a new jersey with sewn-on letters.GLOVES: "They have holes in them so they're very religious." (haha). Three pairs each of white and red gloves. $2 a set.
JERSEY: This is jersey No. 3 since '99. Buckeyeman has to iron on the letters after each game. Next season, there may be a new jersey with sewn-on letters.

 

[osugrad21]

Link

Ex-Buckeye Herbstreit vows no bias for Saturday showdown
By Dick Kreck
Denver Post Staff Columnist
Article Last Updated:11/15/2006 08:32:12 PM MST

It's the kind of game that makes TV sports executives drool - a showdown of the two top-ranked college teams.
Ohio State and Michigan, undefeated and first and second in the Bowl Championship Series ratings, tangle Saturday (1:30 p.m., KMGH-Channel 7). Winner goes to the national championship game.
ABC/ESPN is throwing everything it's got at pre-game coverage of "The Game," played between the two schools since 1897. OSU, playing at home, is a 6 1/2-point favorite.
Kirk Herbstreit, a former quarterback for OSU whose father, Jim, captained the Buckeyes in 1960, is an analyst for Saturday's game. He promises he'll play it straight.
"It's natural for people to ask," he said during a media teleconference call this week. "I'm not looking at what school I happened to attend. I'm looking at two teams analytically. That's my job, to tell why things are unfolding the way they are."
He did go on to say, "(The game) is all I've lived for my entire life. It's beyond exciting."

 

[osugrad21]

Link

Wearing red in the land of go-blue

November 15, 2006
By BILL McGRAW
FREE PRESS COLUMNIST


ANN ARBOR ? There he was walking down State Street Wednesday afternoon in front of the Michigan Union, sort of the epicenter of maize?and-bluedom. A stand nearby was selling T-shirts that carried Ohio insults.

But that didn?t faze a freak wearing a vest made of buckeyes, a very red Ohio State football jersey and OSU basketball shorts. He was carrying a red and grey wig.

He seemed sane. He answered coherently when asked his name: David Sanese; his age: 20; and his deal: He?s a Columbus-bred OSU fan who happens to be a junior in the University of Michigan business school.

He seemed alone.

?You don?t see anyone else dressed in Ohio State colors on campus,? Sanese said.

No one was paying Sanese much attention while I shadowed him for a while, but he said he has been pushed and threatened at other times this season. At one game, a group of people ordered him to take off his wig. Those encounters have led him to conclude that the OSU-UM rivalry has intensified.

?You feel that buzz,? said Sanese, who got a ticket for Saturday?s game from his mother, who works on the OSU campus.

Anybody can wear a football jersey (he was wearing No. 7 ? receiver Ted Ginn), but that buckeye vest was pretty cool. Sanese said he collects them from buckeye trees all over the U-M campus. His vest contained buckeyes from both Ann Arbor and Columbus.

?The Ann Arbor ones are smaller,? Sanese said.

Of course.

 

[osugrad21]

Link

Once 'overrated,' Hall now low-key star of U-M defense

November 16, 2006


All about Hall

• ? Thorpe Award semifinalist (top defensive back).
  
  ? Tied with Marlin Jackson for season pass break-up record (18).
  
  ? Holds U-M career pass break-up record (43).
  
  ? 2005 All-Big Ten second team.
  
  ? School-record 83-yard fumble return in 2005.
  
  ? Rated as the top NFL senior cornerback prospect in most NFL mock drafts.

At first, Ron English wasn't buying into Leon Hall.
As the cornerbacks coach at Arizona State, he recruited Hall a little out of Vista (Calif.) High School but didn't make him an offer.
When English accepted the job as a Michigan assistant in early 2003, Hall had already signed his letter-of-intent to play for the Wolverines.
So the transition from recruiter Teryl Austin, who left U-M to coach with the Seattle Seahawks, to English was immediately interesting for Hall.
"When he got the job, I asked what he knew about Leon," recalled Dan Williams, then Vista's defensive coordinator. "He said, 'I hear he's overrated.' "
Four years later, the 5-foot-11, 193-pound Hall is a star on the Michigan defense. And with Hall potentially the most important Wolverine in the No. 1 vs. No. 2 showdown at Ohio State on Saturday, English couldn't be happier with his prot?g?.
Michigan's recent cornerbacks -- Ty Law, Charles Woodson, Marlin Jackson -- set a high bar to follow.
But Hall, who is Michigan's all-time leader in pass break-ups with 43 and tied for fourth on the interception list with 12, has exceeded everyone's imagination.
He has none of the other corners' bravado and just some of their freakish athletic skills. But Michigan coach Lloyd Carr said Hall is as technically sound as any cornerback he has coached.
"There are a lot of special guys on this team, but his performance has been exceptional," Carr said Monday about Hall, who has 35 tackles, 18 pass break-ups (including three interceptions) and two recovered fumbles this season.
"Saturday, (Indiana) threw the ball deep to (James) Hardy. He's 6-7, and they threw the ball up high trying to make a play that he's made a lot of times this year. Leon went out and competed and knocked the ball away."
That's routine by now. Hall is the No. 3 player on ESPN NFL draft expert Mel Kiper Jr.'s Big Board, and yet Hall may be America's least-known star.
It's a role he prefers, staying out of the spotlight. But his teammates realize his special talent nearly every day.
"He's somebody I can watch and see it can be done right all the time," U-M safety Jamar Adams said. "He also does it with ease. It's not a thing where you have to be hunkered down and focused. He has a quiet focus."
The focus is likely to fall on him this weekend, when the Ohio State passing game looks to attack the maligned U-M secondary.
Because of Ted Ginn Jr.'s speed, he may match up with U-M's opposite corner, quick Morgan Trent.
That would leave Anthony Gonzalez, who averages 15 yards per catch and has seven touchdowns, for Hall. Even if they switch, Hall will be on OSU's biggest threat.
There's no good explanation for Hall's remarkable consistency, only the question of why he keeps getting tested.
He doesn't mind the competition, just like he doesn't mind when one of his teammates in the off-season throws down a challenge of chess. The mental stimulation suits him.
"Some of it obviously is a strategy game and, just like football, you've got to think things through and the next move, the third move," Hall said. "You've got to think about what your opponent is going to do."
More than four years after both came to Michigan, English -- now the team's defensive coordinator -- must be thrilled at Hall's progression.
In case he forgets, he still gets an occasional call from Williams, who always starts the conversation the same way.
"How's my overrated guy doing?"

 

[osugrad21]

Link

Tressel thinks titles take precedent
JASON LLOYD, Morning Journal Writer
11/16/2006


http://www.morningjournal.com/site/printerFriendly.cfm?brd=1699&dept_id=46370&newsid=17473540

COLUMBUS -- Without realizing it, coach Jim Tressel inadvertently admitted there should not be a rematch between Ohio State and Michigan in the national championship game.


Depending on how teams like Southern California, Florida, Arkansas and Rutgers finish out, the growing possibility exists that the loser of Saturday's game could get another crack at the winner. But Tressel said he believes a team must first win its conference before it can play for the national championship. The loser between Michigan and Ohio State obviously would not.

''The thing we say as we go into every year is if you want a chance to play for the national championship, you better make the assumption that you need to win every game in conference and be a champion,'' he said. ''That's the way we enter it.''

A rematch, if there was one, would take place 2,000 miles away in Glendale, Ariz. Because of that, defensive end Jay Richardson said a rematch would carry an entirely different feeling than a traditional Ohio State-Michigan Saturday.

''Without a doubt if there were to be a rematch, it would be the biggest game in college football history,'' Richardson said. ''It wouldn't lose a bit. If anything it would gain just because of the two teams involved and because of the rivalry itself. How often do you have a rivalry game for the national championship? That would be huge.''

Night moves

The 3:30 p.m. kickoff will mean Ohio State and Michigan will finish under the lights in a game that will carry a rare night feeling.

Regardless of the ending time, Richardson is a fan of the start time.

''A lot of times for noon games, you're out there before kickoff and guys are still yawning, myself included,'' Richardson said. ''I'm not an early morning person, but this being a 3:30 game, you know everybody is going to be tuned in and awake. I think it just kind of gives us more energy.''

Scouting Michigan

Defensive end LaMarr Woodley has 11 sacks this year, one shy of David Bowens' school record set in 1996.

Woodley had two sacks, three tackles for loss, forced a fumble and recovered it against Northwestern. He had two sacks and a forced fumble against both Iowa and Penn State.

''It's safe to say he's probably the best defensive end in college football,'' Ohio State right guard T.J. Downing said. ''We're going to have to hit him in the mouth every play and just go from there. He's going to make plays on us, we know that. We're going to make plays on him. I guess the winner of those personal battles is going to have a drastic outcome on the game.''

Saturday's game will feature a pair of Lombardi Award finalists in Woodley and Ohio State defensive tackle Quinn Pitcock. Both players lead their respective teams in sacks.

''They're unblockable sometimes,'' Downing said. ''I saw Quinn play in that game last year against them and he took on a double team from two of their best offensive linemen and just split it, just made the tackle in the backfield. Quinn's the best defensive tackle in the country and LaMarr might be one of the best in the country at defensive end, but we've got to put that aside and just play our game and get after them.''

 

[osugrad21]

Link



LaMarr Woodley is U-M's equalizer
End must excel for Wolverines to stop Buckeyes, QB Smith



ANN ARBOR -- You don't leave a major imprint in your career if you don't make a major impact now. It's a cruel truism of The Game, and it's never been truer.
Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith has left imprints and footprints and handprints all over Michigan the past two years. When Michigan and Ohio State get around to putting the college football world in order Saturday, Smith will be the most feared player on the field. He can run, throw, strike a pose. If he does all three, the Buckeyes will win.
LaMarr Woodley is Michigan's antidote, not the only one, but the biggest. If Smith makes the Buckeyes go, Woodley makes opponents stop, dead in their cleats. He's the emotional turbine, a low-key kid from Saginaw who has grown into a dominating defensive end, among the best in the nation, a man hungering to make an impact, literally, figuratively and repeatedly.
This leads me to a ridiculous over-simplification, but what the heck. Smith is the difference-maker on Ohio State's difference-making offense. Woodley is the difference-maker on Michigan's difference-making defense. For the Wolverines to win, Woodley -- along with Alan Branch, Leon Hall, underrated David Harris and the rest of the defense -- has to make more big plays than Smith. Smith is feared, so Woodley and Co. have to be fearsome.
There. That's it. See ya Saturday.
Growing process
OK, it's a little deeper than that, although not much. Smith gets most of the acclaim, rightly so. But this is a game often won by the best defense, which clearly was Ohio State's a year ago. The best defense belongs to Michigan now. The game is in Smith's hands, but it's in Woodley's reach.
"This is your last year, and you don't get a chance to do it again," said Woodley, a 6-foot-2, 269-pound senior. "How you leave your last year, that's how you're going to be remembered the rest of your life. It's how you finish, and I want to leave on a positive note. This game will be remembered forever."
Yep, it probably will. Like last year's, when Smith made every important play late in the game, escaping the pressure to finish with 300 yards passing and 37 rushing, throwing for one touchdown and running for another. He's the Heisman favorite partly because his candidacy began there. In two victories over U-M, Smith has passed for 541 yards and run for 182 with three touchdown passes, two rushing touchdowns and no interceptions.
I asked Woodley if visions of Smith are stuck in his head. Woodley is a charismatic guy, happy to talk pleasantly on almost any topic. After a pause, he really opened up with an effusive, telling answer.
"No," he said.
Should Smith have visions of you in his head? Woodley smiled.
"I don't know which vision it is. Come Saturday, we'll see what all takes place."
Few players grow as profoundly as Woodley has, in stature, manner and ability. He followed Charles Rogers at Saginaw High and looked up to the receiver, although Woodley chose a different path than Rogers, who excelled at Michigan State and failed with the Lions.
Woodley didn't stray and now craves to leave a lasting imprint. He admitted he was surprised to be named a co-captain this season, along with offensive tackle Jake Long. Woodley didn't think he was vocal enough, and he wasn't sure he was respected enough.
A couple of years ago, Lloyd Carr would have been equally surprised.
"I think he has surpassed what I expected," Carr said. "I expected him to be a great football player, but he's been an incredible leader. He plays with great passion. He's been absolutely sensational."
Perfect fit
Know this: Carr reserves phrases like "absolutely sensational" strictly for players who are absolutely sensational. Woodley has been all that this season with 11 sacks (one shy of the team record by David Bowens in 1996), 15.5 tackles for loss, four forced fumbles and three recovered fumbles. He had a memorable 54-yard fumble return for a late touchdown at Notre Dame, precisely when Woodley and the Wolverines were first noticed.
But Woodley had an idea earlier that something special was possible. He had two sacks in the opener against Vanderbilt and realized he'd fit in new coordinator Ron English's defense. After shuttling between linebacker and defensive end his sophomore season, then being slowed by a forearm fracture last year, Woodley had become unsure.
"Once I saw during spring and fall camp that everybody had made that commitment, I knew we were going to go a long way," Woodley said. "But (before the season), it definitely was up in the air for me. After that first game, I felt like, maybe I can be that impact player after all."
That's how Woodley has starred. That's not entirely how he has led. This is how he has led: sitting at his locker in full uniform long after most of his teammates had showered and dressed following Michigan's final home game. Woodley had cried, out of nostalgia but also out of anger with the Wolverines' lackluster victory over Ball State. Teammates noticed, and understood.
"I'm always one of the last guys out of the locker room, and I looked over, and LaMarr still had his shoes on, his ankle braces, everything but his helmet," safety Jamar Adams said.
"I think he always cared. But when you're a captain, you're looked at for leadership, and he takes that position very seriously. LaMarr's a real cool guy; he jokes around a lot. But when he has to make a point, he makes a point. Nobody crosses LaMarr."
Nobody but Smith and the Buckeyes. Smith has averaged 91 yards rushing against Michigan, and if you ask anybody why Ohio State will win, Smith will be the answer approximately 97 percent of the time.
For U-M to win, the defense has to be the answer nearly as often. Woodley has played decently against the Buckeyes, with 12 tackles two years ago and a sack last season, but the defeats have been bitter, with U-M's defense bewildered.
Impacts leave imprints. Smith and Woodley are destined to meet a few times Saturday, and the collisions could be memorable. One guy is running, one is chasing, sort of like the teams. It's true what they say. What you capture in this one, you keep forever.

 

[osugrad21]

ABJ

Carr says no more on '04 bomb check

Michigan coach avoids issue of Ohio State search of team bags using dogs

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

ANN ARBOR, MICH. - Say the words ``bomb-sniffing dogs'' within earshot of Lloyd Carr, and the brain waves of Michigan's head football coach lock onto an incident that occurred in November 2004, the day the Wolverines played at Ohio State.
As the Michigan team buses pulled up to Ohio Stadium, police demanded to examine the bags of all players and coaches, a process that included bomb-sniffing dogs.
Carr considered the security check a ploy, an awful example of gamesmanship by Ohio State. This week, reporters reminded Carr of the incident.
After thinking of a response for several seconds, the coach said ``You have to move on'' and let the issue drop.
On game day two years ago, Carr was furious, calling the search ``extremely disrespectful at best.... At worst, it was a violation of our individual rights.''
Andy Geiger, OSU's athletic director at the time, said teams' bags usually are examined as they leave their hotel, but that the Wolverines were late, necessitating the check at the stadium.
According to Carr, a police officer at the stadium told him the Ohio State athletic department ordered the search.
One year later, as the Wolverines attempted to rebound from a 37-21 loss in 2004, Carr said: ``I think there's a difference between gamesmanship and disrespect. Certainly, I don't think we would treat any school like we were treated at Ohio State.''
The Wolverines did not return the favor in Ann Arbor last year. The Buckeyes again won.
All this raises another question: What is it like for a Michigan player who ventures into Ohio Stadium?
``Loud,'' said Rueben Riley, an offensive lineman for the Wolverines. ``Loud and unfriendly.''
So it helps to have gone through it before?
``It's a big advantage, because you know what the atmosphere is like,'' Riley said. ``Until you get down there into that environment, well, it can be a rude awakening.''
There's a common thread among Wolverines who have played in Ohio Stadium.
``My first year when I played,'' offensive lineman Jake Long said, ``it was the loudest place I had ever been to and one of the biggest.''
The leader of the Michigan offense, quarterback Chad Henne, will be one of the primary targets of the fans.
``It's definitely a hostile environment,'' he said. ``I remember sitting on the sidelines and trying to talk to somebody next to me. You can't even communicate unless you're screaming at the top of your lungs.''
Added linebacker David Harris: ``You walk into the stadium, and all you see is red. It's loud, and you can't let it bother you.''
Standout defensive end LaMarr Woodley probably has the right idea. He has been to Ohio Stadium and has experienced the noise and the voracious fans, all of which tickles his sense of humor.
``We're not going to have many fans there, just a very small section,'' he said. ``So it's going to be us against the whole stadium. We know it's going to be rowdy from the bus ride.
``It's always loud. You've got people yelling. You're getting on the bus, and they're yelling. When you get off the bus, they're yelling. When you're on the field, they're yelling. When you leave they stadium, they're yelling.''
Woodley's conclusion?
``You just have to sit back and laugh,'' he said. ``Some of those people are crazy.''
And all of them will be hoarse on Sunday.

 

[osugrad21]

Link

Family before alma mater for two Buckeye fathers
By: Jason Lloyd, Journal Register News Service
11/16/2006


http://www.zwire.com/site/printerFriendly.cfm?brd=1698&dept_id=21848&newsid=17472893

Gonzalez, Downing play for Ohio State but grew up Michigan fans


COLUMBUS - As a boy, T.J. Downing stood next to his father, Walt, and helped form the tunnel Michigan players ran through on senior day. Then he'd go home and run in his back yard, pretending he was Tim Biakabutuka and shredding Ohio State's defense for 313 yards.
"I didn't move as fast, though," he said.
Anthony Gonzalez remembers Biakabutuka, too. He was in Michigan Stadium that day in 1995, wearing maize and blue and cheering the death of Brutus and the Buckeyes in what would become an all-too-familiar scene of Ohio State's national championship dreams ruined by Michigan.
Downing and Gonzalez grew up Michigan fans. They had no choice. Walt Downing, T.J.'s father, was a captain and All-American offensive lineman for Michigan in the '70s. He was a second-round pick (47th overall) of the 49ers in 1978 and went on to win a Super Bowl.
Ed Gonzalez, Anthony's father, was a running back at Michigan before ending his career after two years because of knee, shoulder and hamstring injuries. His best friend and college roommate was Les Miles, who later became an assistant at Michigan and now is the head coach at LSU.
Although both families were raised in Ohio, Michigan football was a way of life in the Gonzalez and Downing households. That is, until the sons started making college visits. For Downing, the choice came down to either Ohio State or Michigan. At one time, Gonzalez had dreams of playing for the Wolverines, with Michigan posters on his walls and his bedroom decorated in maize and blue.
"I liken this to a job," Anthony Gonzalez said. "Anybody that takes on a position at a company where they have multiple offers, a lot of different factors come into that. But all things being equal - money, etc. - I guess you go with what you feel more comfortable with, and I just felt more comfortable here."
Both Downing and Gonzalez have been pleased with their decisions. The fathers support them, too.
When Jim Tressel told Gonzalez he'd have a scholarship offer waiting for him when he returned home, Ed Gonzalez gulped hard. He couldn't help himself, he liked Tressel.
"I hoped they would be good enough to go to Michigan, but I've always been the kind of dad that wanted them to feel comfortable where they went," Ed Gonzalez said of his sons.
Anthony's brother, Joe, played safety at Indiana a few years ago.
"If I had my druthers, yeah, I'd like them to go to Michigan," Ed Gonzalez said. "But kids being what they are, they make their own decisions."
Ed Gonzalez gets asked all the time if it's difficult for him to put away his Michigan loyalties and root for Ohio State.
"It doesn't matter to me," he said. "I'm in support of what my kids want to do. My loyalties are with my kids."
As a result, Ed wears scarlet and gray to all the Ohio State home games, just like Walt. That's right, a former Michigan captain will dress in Ohio State colors on Saturday and cheer on the Buckeyes.
"It's fun with having my Pops here, just because I get to hear all of his old stories from Ohio State games and talking about going against Aaron Brown, and Aaron was an All-American," T.J. Downing said. "I've been in the same situation, going against some good defensive linemen for them. It's nice to go back for Thanksgiving and share some stories with the old man."
A popular question this week is whether or not there is a hatred between the two teams. Both Gonzalez and Downing have too many fond memories of growing up around the Michigan program to ever hate it.
But now just days away from the historical meeting, both players want nothing more than to ruin the season of Michigan, their favorite team from childhood. After spending their childhood watching Michigan ruin so many Ohio State seasons, now they hope to return the favor just once. It would also send the Buckeyes back to the national championship game, where Downing watched from the sidelines in 2002 as a freshman who was redshirting.
"Obviously, we always wanted to see the Buckeyes lose," Downing said. "It was always cool following the Wolverines. They were a huge part of my growing up. I loved the success that they had in the '90s, but I'm glad that I've been able to bring an end to that success here in the 2000s, because this is my team.
"I bleed scarlet and gray and I would die for these guys in this locker room. So all I've got to do is do it one more time here and it'll be a successful career."

 

[osugrad21]

CPD

Buckeyes' aerial thievery built with trench success



Thursday, November 16, 2006 Doug Lesmerises

Plain Dealer Reporter
Columbus- Ohio State defensive end Jay Richardson, having made a move to split the right tackle and the right guard, wrapped his right arm across the chest of Minnesota quarterback Bryan Cupito and stuck his facemask in Cupito's armpit.
The resulting pass looked like a water balloon tumbling through the air, landing in the arms of cornerback Antonio Smith for one of Ohio State's NCAA-leading 21 interceptions this season. After the Buckeyes celebrated that play on the field three weeks ago, Smith sought out Richardson on the sideline.
"He ran up to me after the play and he said, 'That was all you, man,' " Richardson said. "So they show us love. They know where it's coming from."
Ask around for an explanation of Ohio State's interception explosion this season, after the Buckeyes managed just six last year, and you get one of two answers: credit the pressure of the defensive line, or, who knows?
"You look at the defense last year, it had a lot of talented kids, but it just didn't happen," safeties coach Paul Haynes. "I ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^just think it's one of those years."
But he thinks the improved play of the defensive line has been obvious as well.
"We are only as good in the back end as they are," Haynes said. "Those guys are getting three- and four-man pressure and that helps. I always kid with my guys that maybe I can put my son back there, who's 8, and he can get picks if they're getting pressure."
But that's not the only thing going on. An analysis of Ohio State's 21 interceptions finds five caused by blitz pressure, seven created by pressure from the defensive line and another nine that came down to good reads or athletic plays by defenders off bad throws by the quarterback. But strong safety Brandon Mitchell has a related theory.
"If you look, a lot of the picks have been in the third or fourth quarter," said Mitchell, one of five Buckeyes with multiple interceptions, "and that's because the quarterback will make rushed throws just because he's seen pressure and he's been getting hit all game."
In fact, 13 of the 21 have come in the second half, with eight in the fourth quarter. Part of that is desperation from teams that have been behind. Michigan shouldn't be as desperate. The Wolverines have given up just 14 sacks this season, second fewest in the conference behind the 13 allowed by the Buckeyes, and quarterback Chad Henne has been picked off just seven times.
But there could be a cumulative effect, because there's no denying the Buckeyes are getting more consistent penetration from their front four than they did last year.
"We're doing some different things with our front four schematically that kind of helps," Richardson said. "We're disguising some things and maybe making them think we're going to blitz and we don't. And I think that helps us bring better pressure."
Defensive tackle Quinn Pitcock leads the Buckeyes with eight sacks while defensive end Vernon Gholston has 7.5 and Richardson has three. Pitcock and Richardson agree that when they reach the quarterback just as he gets a pass away, they're filled with regret. "You get so mad, you're like, I wish I had one more step before he threw it,' " Pitcock said.
But if that pass lands on some scarlet or gray, that's even better than a sack. Because the defensive backs will be showing their gratitude.

 

[osugrad21]

CPD

Carr's critics miss their target


Thursday, November 16, 2006Bud Shaw
Plain Dealer Columnist
What has Lloyd Carr done to justify his job at Michigan?
Other than win a national championship, at least a share of five conference titles and six of 11 games against Ohio State? What a slacker.
Three of Carr's four losses to Jim Tressel were by six points or less. So he should get out already if he somehow loses again to the No. 1 team in the nation on the road - perhaps done in by a Heisman-favorite quarterback?
A few points here and there might seem an awfully narrow margin to account for the elevation of Tressel to genius and the portrayal of Carr as a sap. But this is Ohio State-Michigan, where the only shade of gray is found in the Buckeyes' color scheme.
Half the reason why Saturday in Columbus deserves its billing as a historic game is because Carr resurrected the Wolverines after a 7-5 season, embracing the need for change not just in offensive and defensive coordinators but in philosophy, too.
If his job security becomes an issue after another stumble against Ohio State, it's just plain wrong.
Michigan fans were often the most vocal supporters of John Cooper's tenure at Columbus for obvious reasons. Carr gets the same faux support from Buckeyes fans now, who believe Tressel is so far in Carr's head that it would take a priest armed with a Guide to Exorcism to evict him.
The idea of Carr as Michigan's answer to Cooper fits nicely enough in the black-and-white presentation of this great rivalry.
But I don't remember Cooper winning his first three games against Michigan.
Carr did that against Ohio State, becoming the third Wolverines coach to do so.
Cooper's OSU teams couldn't beat the Wolverines. Or win bowl games. Or steer clear of campus security and the Columbus police. Carr is guilty on one of those fronts, and only since Tressel came to Columbus.
Now that the 61-year-old Carr has adapted again - he first embraced a makeover in '97 after consecutive four-loss seasons and went 12-0 - he should be able to name his departure date in Ann Arbor.
An Ohio State romp Saturday would no doubt alter the mood among the Michigan faithful. But before looking for another coach, they might want to make sure that it's Tressel who's causing Carr and the Wolverines such great trouble and not OSU's senior quarterback Troy Smith.
"Troy Smith spins and runs 46 yards - now come on - I don't have any answers," Tressel told reporters Monday. "The Ohio State-Michigan game has gone on, and sometimes you come up on the good end, sometimes you don't. If anyone pretends to think they have the answer, they've got a problem."
Tressel is more than bystander. But Smith's big-game pedigree is undisputed. He's 4-0 as a starter in OSU's biggest showdowns - Michigan twice, Texas and Notre Dame. Staggering moments and/or offensive stats can be found in all four.
It takes a long scarlet and gray thread to tie that all to Tressel's brilliance. Likewise, the Michigan defense's inability to wrap up Smith and protect a nine-point fourth-quarter lead last year is scant evidence that a coach with 27 years at Michigan suddenly doesn't "get" the Buckeyes-Wolverines rivalry.
I think Smith leads another OSU win Saturday. If Lloyd Carr had Smith, I'd bet Michigan.

 

[osugrad21]

Canton

OSU vs. Michigan: Stingy Wolverines
Thursday, November 16, 2006
By Todd Porter REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER

MICHIGAN AT OHIO STATE Saturday, 3:30 p.m.
Ohio Stadium, Columbus
TV Channel 5

COLUMBUS There is no need to look skyward and ask Woody Hayes for help in planning Ohio State's strategy. Besides, Woody's answer might just play into Michigan's strengths.
The Buckeye offense will face its most difficult challenge Saturday afternoon when the country's No. 1 and 2 teams settle half of the national championship picture at Ohio Stadium. Michigan brings the best run defense in the nation, a unit that gives up all of 29.9 yards a game.
If this game is decided in the trenches, expect some very large college football players still recovering at the Thanksgiving dinner table.
"I remember in 2003 ... that could've been the most physical game I remember," Buckeye defensive lineman Quinn Pitcock said. "I remember seeing A.J. Hawk ... their jerseys were cut up, everybody was bleeding. It looked like a scary movie. It was crazy."
Don't expect tricks or surprises. Either that or Ohio State players are doing a good job disguising the plan.
OSU's offense isn't designed around the run unless one considers quarterback Troy Smith's feet. The Buckeyes' depth is at receiver, but Smith will need time to throw.
"Anytime you play a team that's been as successful as them, they're not going to change their game plan, and we're not going to change ours," Buckeye center Doug Datish said. "There's not going to be a lot of gimmicks."
The Buckeyes will need some to run the ball. The longest run of the season against Michigan was 25 yards, and that was by Central Michigan running back Ontario Sneed.
"They are one of the best fronts in college football, but I think we've played against some pretty good fronts," Ohio State right guard T.J. Downing said.
"It's safe to say they're at the top of the pack. We just have to get after them like we got after everyone else and stay focused. It's going to be crazy out there, but the guys who focus the longest will be the one who wins."
Downing (6-foot-4, 305 pounds) figures to match up against tackle Alan Branch, who has 2 inches and 30 pounds on Downing.
Right tackle Kirk Barton (6-6, 310) will go against LaMarr Woodley most of the time. Woodley is the unquestioned leader of the Michigan defense. He leads the team with 11 sacks.
The Wolverines would like to put pressure on Smith with a four-man rush and allow linebackers to drop into coverage.
"That's every defensive coordinator's dream ... to put pressure on with four," OSU Head Coach Jim Tressel said. "That gives you seven to cover, and you know they've only got five receivers."
Much is being made, deservedly so, about Michigan's defense. But Ohio State isn't bad against the run, either, and is better against the pass. They're the toughest defense in football to score on.
If Smith has time to throw with five receivers on the field, Michigan will have a tough time defending the pass. While the Wolverines rank No. 1 in run defense, they rank 63rd against the pass.
Receivers Ted Ginn Jr. and Anthony Gonzalez have had break-out seasons. Between them, they have 96 of Smith's 170 completions and 1,350 of his 2,191 yards. They've combined for 15 of Smith's 26 touchdown passes.
But last week, Smith got redshirt freshman Brian Hartline more involved in the passing game. Hartline had two TD catches against Northwestern and was ABC's Player of the Game.
"We're sure how physical it's going to be," Datish said. "It's going to be extremely physical. They have a tremendous defensive line, a tremendous unit. ... I don't remember what worked last year. We opened some holes up. Hopefully, we can do that again."
Reach Repository sports writer Todd Porter at (330) 580-8340 or e-mail: [email protected]



WOLVERINES' Tenacious D
Here's a look at how opponents have fared against Michigan's No. 1-ranked rushing defense this season - and how like opponents fared vs. Ohio State.
vs. Michigan vs. Ohio State
Att. Yds. Avg. TD Att. Yds. Avg. TD
Vanderbilt 26 42 1.6 0
Cent. Michigan 21 16 0.8 0
Notre Dame 17 4 0.2 0
Wisconsin 27 12 0.4 0
Minnesota 24 108 4.5 0 26 47 1.8 0
Michigan St. 26 60 2.3 2 30 63 2.1 1
Penn State 25 -14 -0.6 0 40 142 3.5 0
Iowa 24 41 1.7 0 20 87 4.3 1
Northwestern 17 -13 -0.8 0 24 68 2.8 0
Ball State 22 47 2.1 1
Indiana 20 26 1.3 0 28 7 0.2 0

 

[osugrad21]

Canton

OSU NOTEBOOK: Schmidt?s ?pants? are game tradition
Thursday, November 16, 2006
OSU NOTEBOOK TODD PORTER

COLUMBUS All Francis Schmidt wanted in 1934 was a way to stop the bleeding. What the late Ohio State coach created was a method in which the Buckeyes bled on the field and celebrated after. Never, though, in his wildest dreams could he have imagined a tradition taking hold. Schmidt created the Gold Pants tradition, in which Buckeye players are rewarded with a charm of replica football pants with a victory over Michigan.
Schmidt was a first-year coach at Ohio State in 1934. The two years prior, the Buckeyes were shut out. Asked how his first OSU team would fare against its archrival, Schmidt said, "They put their pants on one leg at a time just like everybody else."
Thus, the gold pants charm was born. OSU beat the Wolverines four straight years starting in 1934, all shutouts. Now the pants are more than a tradition. They're a lifelong memory.
"I read a book one time where an Ohio State coach had 41 pairs of pants, and he gave them all to his wife," Buckeye senior center Doug Datish said. "Every time I look at those pants, it shows an accomplishment in life. There are few things you can look back on and say, 'That's an accomplishment, that's something I did, that's something I was a part of.' "
Brandon Mitchell has three of the charms. He gave his mother two, and his girlfriend the third. Mitchell said the pants are sort of an engagement ring for his girlfriend.
"The gold pants are something that's neat to have," Mitchell said. ".... Those pants are a sense of pride. You work all year for this game and a chance to win those pants."
Quinn Pitcock has his pants in a safety deposit box in Piqua, his hometown.
The tide in this rivalry has changed. Buckeye Head Coach Jim Tressel doesn't have to remind his players the Wolverines put their pants on one leg at a time. Ohio State, under Tressel, wear the pants in this series.
Ohio State has won four of the last five. OSU's 18 fifth-year seniors could leave with a fourth pair of the gold pants with a win Saturday.

GOING TO THE WELLS Freshman running back Chris Wells got back in the good graces of Tressel last week, just in time to be a factor Saturday. Wells is OSU's short-yardage back, and going against Michigan's run defense, he could play a big role in OSU's success on offense. "I'm counting on Chris Wells to be a great contributor," Tressel said. "I think Chris Wells is a big part of who we want to be, and our chance of succeeding because he's a guy that's very talented." Wells has rushed for 518 yards, but he's fumbled four times. Starting RB Antonio Pittman said Wells has to be ready Saturday. "I can't take every snap," Pittman said. "... He's had tough times with the fumbles. That's behind him now. Look how he responded last week." Wells gained a season-high 99 yards against Northwestern.
NO SOD Ohio Stadium has been re-sodded for the second time this season. The Buckeyes have not played on the field in two weeks, so it gave the new grass an extra week to take hold. The last time the field was re-sodded, it had a week to heal.
SMITH'S DIGIT QB Troy Smith said his sore right thumb is fine. Asked how his thumb was, Smith said, "It's still on my hand." Smith has had the thumb wrapped, but it is unclear what the nature of the injury is. Earlier this year, during a press conference, the skin near his thumb was cut up and scraped and he had a salve on it.

 

[osugrad21]

Morning Journal

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Laurinaitis: OSU-Michigan game ?surreal?[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]BY JIM NAVEAU - Nov. 16, 2006[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]COLUMBUS ? Everything seems to move fast in James Laurinaitis? football world.
The Ohio State sophomore, in his first season as a starter, is already one of the finalists for the Butkus Award, given to the player voted the best linebacker in college football.
He gets to the ball in a hurry also. His 91 tackles and five pass interceptions lead the Buckeyes.
Even his introduction last season to playing in the biggest rivalry game on OSU?s schedule, the Michigan game, was on an accelerated schedule.
One minute he was standing on the sidelines at Michigan Stadium, thinking he was going to get in for a few plays here and there. The next minute, he was in the lineup, playing nearly every down on defense in a 25-21 Ohio State win.
?Playing in that game was definitely a surreal experience,? he said. ?Being through one of these games before, now you definitely know what to expect. It?s definitely more amplified than any other game in the Big Ten.?
There was no time for a prolonged introduction to the rivalry for Laurinaitis when Bobby Carpenter went down with a broken bone in his leg on Michigan?s first offensive play. He played while Carpenter watched from the sidelines on crutches.
?You hear about it all the time and you get thrust into it,? Laurinaitis said about last year?s Michigan game.
Laurinaitis has quickly become the most recognizable name on an Ohio State defense that began the season as a no-name defense when it had to replace nine starters from last season?s starting lineup. That defense had three NFL first-round draft choices.
He?s no stranger to publicity. His dad Joe is noted professional wrestler ?The Animal.? And, even though he is the first OSU player from Minnesota since the 1930s, he caught on that beating Michigan is a big deal 365 days a year in Columbus.
He just smiled when asked if his friends or people around campus had been talking to him about beating Michigan the last few weeks.
?That happened since the start of the year. We were going through (preseason) camp and people were saying, ?Hey, good luck. Beat Michigan,? ? he said. ?That?s the way they?re raised here in Ohio. And if you?re a Buckeyes fans, that?s what you?re known to say to people.?
The hype for this game has grown since Michigan moved up to No. 2 in the polls and in the Bowl Championship Series standings. Ohio State led the polls and the BCS race since the first time each appeared this season.
Ohio State?s players have resolutely insisted every week they were not thinking beyond the team they were playing that week, but Laurinaitis admitted it was difficult to miss all the talk about this Saturday?s showdown.
?It?s kind of hard to isolate yourself. You?ll be watching ESPN, and all last week their promos were ?Watch No. 1 against Northwestern and watch No. 2 against Indiana before they meet up.? They?re going through all the scenarios and everything,? he said after last Saturday night?s 54-10 win over Northwestern.
So, does the awareness that this is a huge game where much can be won and much also can be lost weigh on the players?
?We don?t think about it that way. We?ll have so much going on with practice and everything, so we don?t have a lot of time to reflect on it. It?s more of an excitement to play this week, not nervousness. I get a few butterflies whoever we?re playing,? he said.[/FONT]

 

[osugrad21]

Link

Big Ten Title And National Championship Berth On The Line

POSTED: 1:30 pm EST November 15, 2006
Columbus, OH -- (Sports Network) - There is certainly a lot at stake this weekend in Columbus, as the top-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes play host to the second-ranked Michigan Wolverines. Hanging in the balance are the Big Ten title, as well as a guaranteed spot in the national title game in Glendale. Both teams have traveled similar paths, bringing flawless 11-0 records into the contest. Jim Tressel's Buckeyes have run the table and really haven't looked vulnerable outside of a 17-10 win at Illinois two weeks ago. The team returned to its dominant self last weekend at Northwestern however, cruising to a 54-10 win over the Wildcats. Lloyd Carr's squad had a scare of its own two weeks ago against Ball State (34-26), but seemed much more focused last week at Indiana, crushing the Hoosiers, 34-3. This will be the 103rd all-time meeting between these two long-time rivals, with Michigan holding a 57-39-6 advantage. The Wolverines have won six of the last 10 matchups , but it was Ohio State getting the win last year, a 25-21 thriller in Ann Arbor.The Michigan offense has performed well this season thanks to a balanced attack. The ground game has really set everything up, with the team churning out almost 200 yards per game rushing (194.5). Veteran tailback Mike Hart is the primary reason for that, as he has been a workhorse, amassing 1,373 yards and 11 TDs, on almost five yards per carry (4.9). One of the best tailbacks in the country, Hart (124.8 ypg) will need to perform at a top level this week, if the Wolverines are to get the win in Columbus. Quarterback Chad Henne has certainly benefited from a strong ground game, as he has completed 61.9 percent of his passes, for 1,932 yards with 18 TDs. It helps to have the kind of receiving stable that Michigan has. Steve Breaston leads the team in receptions (48), going for 537 yards with one TD. Both Adrian Arrington (31 receptions, for 420 yards and six TDs) and Mario Manningham (26 receptions, for 538 yards and nine TDs) have provided plenty of big plays as well. Defense has been the name of the game in Ann Arbor this year. The Wolverines rank among the nation's best in several categories, allowing just 12.1 ppg (fifth nationally), on 231.5 yards of total offense (third nationally). The rush defense is the best in the country at just 29.9 yards per game (1.3 ypc). This is a team that knows how to turn things loose and get upfield. The Wolverines have amassed a whopping 84 TFLs on the season with 41 sacks. All- American candidate Lamar Woodley is one of the nation's best pass rushers. The 6-2, 270-pound senior leads Michigan in TFLs (15.5) and the conference in sacks (11). Fellow ends Rondell Biggs and Tim Jamison also know how to get after opposing QBs with five sacks apiece. Senior middle linebacker David Harris has been a tackling machine this year, leading the way by a large margin with 85 total tackles. He has also collected 14 TFLs, four sacks and one INT. Ohio State sits atop the national polls thanks to stellar play on both sides of the football. The offense has been every bit as potent as the defense in Columbus, with the team averaging a robust 35.8 ppg. Moving the ball on the ground (179.5 ypg) and through the air (221.8 ypg) have both been easy for this squad, thanks in large part to Heisman frontrunner Troy Smith. The veteran signal-caller has been outstanding this year, completing 66.4 percent of his passes, for 2,191 yards, with 26 TDs and just four INTs. His accuracy along with the ability to move around in the pocket make him one of the most dangerous players in the nation. The talent is not limited to the quarterback position, with wideouts Ted Ginn Jr. (51 receptions, for 677 yards and eight TDs) and Anthony Gonzalez (45 receptions, for 673 yards and seven TDs) representing one of the most productive duos in the country. Last, but certainly not least, is the rushing attack, led by tailback Antonio Pittman. The 5-11, 195-pound junior is averaging almost five yards per carry (4.8) and has amassed 1,032 yards on the year with 12 TDs. The Ohio State defense has been every bit as impressive if not more so. The Buckeyes lead the nation in scoring defense (7.8 ppg) and are allowing a mere 261.7 yards of offense per outing (eighth nationally). This squad is chock-full of playmakers, a fact that is apparent in the numbers. OSU has already forced 27 turnovers, including 21 interceptions. In addition, the team has registered 83 TFLs and 33 sacks in the first 11 games. Leading this aggressive defense is Butkus Award finalist James Laurinaitis. The 6-3, 245-pound sophomore has had a huge season, pacing the team in tackles (91), with 8.5 TFLs, four sacks, five interceptions and three forced fumbles. Sophomore cornerback Malcolm Jenkins (44 tackles) has made his presence felt on passing downs, with four INTs. Senior defensive tackle Quinn Pitcock (10 TFLs, 8.0 sacks) has been a force up front this season and is a Lombardi Award finalist. He gets plenty of help along the defensive line from sophomore end Vernon Gholston (14 TFLs, 7.5 sacks). The Wolverines' ability to disrupt Troy Smith in passing situations is the key to this game. If the ultra-talented Smith can rise to the occasion, which he has certainly shown an ability to do so, then the Buckeye faithful will have plenty to celebrate this weekend. Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Ohio State 24, Michigan 20