Mood:
Nothing like a road game against a conference opponent that won 10 games last season where your team is still a four-touchdown favorite.
Ohio State’s just lapping everyone else at this point.
- LITTLE WHITE LIES
Listen, I understand coachspeak. I get not wanting to publicly trash your opponent and being a little kinder and more respectful than they probably deserve when discussing their chances in the game. That’s all cool and it completely makes sense.
But the thing is, there’s a fine line between respecting your opponent and just straight-up lying. And Ryan Day absolutely crossed that line this week.
I mean this entirely sincerely, without even a hint of snark or trash talk – “skilled” at what, exactly? Because surely he cannot possibly mean football.
There’s just no way Ryan Day earnestly believes the words that came out of his mouth. If he does, I have some serious concerns about his ability to evaluate a football team.
I began this week’s premium podcast (which is available for free this week, along with everything else on this glorious website) by asking my esteemed colleagues if there’s a chance this Michigan State team is the worst in the Big Ten due to its all-around shittiness.
The answer to my question is certainly “no,” but my hyperbole was infinitely closer to being correct than Day’s.
- ONE OF US
In a nod to just how weird shit was at this time two years ago, the last time the Buckeyes came to East Lansing, Ryan Day didn’t travel with the team. Instead, he watched the game on television from home.
That’s something that would have sounded absolutely made up five years ago, but it was extremely real.
From Bill Rabinowitz of The Columbus Dispatch:
“I stopped by the store with my mask on and bought a case of beer and two pizzas,” Day said with a laugh on his radio show Thursday. “I came home and said, ‘Daddy’s home.’ “
…
“When you watch your team play on TV like that in real time, it’s unbelievable. It’s kind of surreal,” Day said.
…
With a short-handed coaching staff and roster, the Buckeyes had to adjust responsibilities on and off the field.
“That was hard,” Day said. “I thought Larry and (strength coach) Mick (Marotti) did a great job. I zoomed in before the game to be able to talk to the team. That was a wild experience, but the guys handled it really well. The leadership was great.”
When you really break this down, Ryan Day – a state employee, mind you! – got paid what works out to be six figures that day to watch a football game from his basement with a case of beer and a couple of pizzas.
In a world where government spending is more scrutinized than ever, where are the people clamoring for Ryan Day to pay back what he owes to taxpayers????
- BARON BROWNING SHOULD SUE OHIO STATE
Generally speaking, Ohio State is a football program that will increase your chances of getting to the NFL and succeeding in the NFL. I sincerely believe that, and the numbers probably prove it.
But occasionally, you get these guys who come through the program and are just so horrifically misused, underutilized, and underdeveloped to the point that they should forever fault their University.
One of the most egregious examples of that was on full display last night.
I think Baron Browning should sue Ohio State for wasting four years of his life and causing him to slip to the third round. And I’m not even sure I’m joking!
We spent two or three years as an online community complaining about whether or not Browning should start over Tuf Borland when there’s no way either of those guys ever should have been playing the same position in the first place.
In hindsight, that whole conversation sounds absurd. It’s a lot like complaining that Tuf Borland is starting over Chase Young – if that’s the discussion you’re having, then someone severely fucked up somewhere.
One day, I might be over this. It’ll probably be the same day I get over Michael Thomas being third-team All-Big Ten in 2015.
- WE THREE KINGS
According to sportsbooks, 128 of the 131 FBS teams were basically eliminated from national title consideration before the 2022 season even started. Five weeks into the season, we’re seeing why.
Turns out, even if you take the best offense and the best defense outside of Alabama, Georgia, and Ohio State and Frankenstein them together into one hypothetical team, it still can’t compete with college football’s oligarchy.
I’d love to see those defensive numbers improve a little bit, but I have a sneaky suspicion the next two games are going to help with that. Either way, I’m extremely blessed to be a part of the club!
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