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The dynamics of that were much different though. It was the unexpected skull fucking of the season.
A lot of us Buckeye fans felt this way during the John Cooper years. Cooper did a lot of good things for the program (national recruiting, being "relevant" nationally, a pair of #2 finishes in the polls, beating Notre Dame twice), but his failure to beat Michigan (2-10-1) or win bowl games (3-8) turned the fan base against him early and he was never able to overcome that.
After the loss to Michigan State at home in 1998 (a 28-point dog), many fans gave up on Coop and rooted for him to lose and get fired so that the program could wipe the slate clean and rebuild. I reached my personal breaking point right before the 2001 Outback Bowl when WR Reggie Germany was declared ineligible with a Blutarskian 0.0 GPA, and I openly rooted for my beloved Buckeyes to lose. They did (24-7), we hired Jim Tressel, and the rest is history: 106 wins, 22 losses, .828 winning percentage, 7 Big Ten championships, and a national title. May you have a similar result (without the Big Ten championships, of course - those belong to us!).
Strike 1: Cooper coming up to Block O during the first home game of '88. My first game as a student and his coaching in Ohio Stadium. I thought he sold snake oil the first time he opened his pie hole.
Strike 2: Hot.Tub.Commercials
Strike 3: Michigan '88
He never had a chance.
Those hot tub commercials were brutal. The Big Bear (or Kroger, or whatever) commercials weren't much better.
You were done with Cooper in his first year losing to Michigan? That's harsh.
I was much more forgiving. I tend to look at a coach's win trend. Of course, he started low (4), but off the top of my head I believe he won more games each year. Of course, he laid an egg against Michigan most years, and then the season was over and then it seemed no one cared about the bowl games. So I was all in "wait til next year" mode. Anyway, I was wrong and it's a good think we got our Tressel and then we all know what happened from there.
Gus knew it was a funeral from the jump. He was paying respects.Rewatching the game, I gotta say, Gus Johnson was off his game last night. He didn’t bring the energy I’ve come to expect and love from him.
i was in this category, too. I have forgiven Cooper, but I haven't forgotten, either.A lot of us Buckeye fans felt this way during the John Cooper years. Cooper did a lot of good things for the program (national recruiting, being "relevant" nationally, a pair of #2 finishes in the polls, beating Notre Dame twice), but his failure to beat Michigan (2-10-1) or win bowl games (3-8) turned the fan base against him early and he was never able to overcome that.
After the loss to Michigan State at home in 1998 (a 28-point dog), many fans gave up on Coop and rooted for him to lose and get fired so that the program could wipe the slate clean and rebuild. I reached my personal breaking point right before the 2001 Outback Bowl when WR Reggie Germany was declared ineligible with a Blutarskian 0.0 GPA, and I openly rooted for my beloved Buckeyes to lose. They did (24-7), we hired Jim Tressel, and the rest is history: 106 wins, 22 losses, .828 winning percentage, 7 Big Ten championships, and a national title. May you have a similar result (without the Big Ten championships, of course - those belong to us!).
Cooper really did some good things...taking Buckeye recruiting national, recruiting some big-time players and award winners, making us a relevant program on the national scene, 1996-97 Rose Bowl (still one of my favorite games EVER). But his baffling inability to beat inferior scUM teams, poor Bowl record, '98 MSU, and the way the program seemed to be running off the tracks at the end of his tenure taint all of the good.i was in this category, too. I have forgiven Cooper, but I haven't forgotten, either.
Cooper really did some good things...taking Buckeye recruiting national, recruiting some big-time players and award winners, making us a relevant program on the national scene, 1996-97 Rose Bowl (still one of my favorite games EVER). But his baffling inability to beat inferior scUM teams, poor Bowl record, '98 MSU, and the way the program seemed to be running off the tracks at the end of his tenure taint all of the good.
I can say I'm not sure we'd be where we are today without Coop, though. His recruiting laid the foundation for that '02 NC team, and his overall recruiting elevated the program.