Ohio State beats Michigan....AGAIN!!!!

I swear, after all the years of abuse as a Cleveland Sports fan and growing up in the heartland of Ohio for 7 years during the BRUTAL Cooper years (the first Buckeyes coach I remember), this still is surreal.

Watching on Gamecast, the game looked pretty tough to watch (though since I couldn't actually SEE it, it may well have been one of those games where "the defenses imposed their wills on the offense"). Now, Ohio State is undisputed Big 10 champion and headed off to the Rose Bowl (where I SINCERELY hope they will play Oregon, though with Dixon out now, I'm not so sure...). I'm not sure how Ohio State (or THE Ohio State University, as some call it) will do in the Rose Bowl. They've done better than anybody expected, and than the talent on paper suggested they would ever do, though, once again, that's why they play the games. Last week's loss is REALLY disappointing now, but if it means the Bucks don't get killed by LSU, I guess I'll take it.

What is really sweet in all this is, for the first time in my life, a class of Michigan players never beat Ohio State. The Cooper years were ATROCIOUS (to the tune of 2-10-1 in his 13 years). Tressel now is 6-1 against Michigan, and this year's graduating class with Chad Henne (who I swear it feels like has been playing for 17 years at Michigan) at the helm never, NEVER beat the Buckeyes. I never could say that before - now I can. That alone is great. The fact we go into the Big House is even better. And while Michigan does finish 8-4, it's beyond wonderful, sublime, etc. (words fail) that they started their season losing to a I-AA team, then suffering their worst loss at the Big House in some time at the hands of Oregon, and ended it losing in historically bad fashion to the Bucks...again (the 3 Michigan points were the fewest in the series since 1962, and Michigan's total offense was 89 yards on the game - how's that decision to come back for your senior year to beat Ohio State working out for you, Chris Wells?). Again. Now, I can go downstairs and toast to the REAL conquering heroes and victors valiant - THE Ohio State University Buckeyes.

On to January!!! Go Bucks!!!! (and GO DUCKS!)