Sports Talk: Loving Some (Delayed) Rivalry Weekend Excitement

As a correspondent sports writer for The Casey County News, I write an weekly editorial column for the publication. This edition of my column was scheduled to be published Dec. 4, 2013 but never ran due to space issues.  
There is an episode of the TV show How I Met Your Mother where the five main characters suddenly realize they will not be able to watch the Super Bowl as they had been planning all week. They decide to simply postpone their ball game fun until the next night and all agree to not find out the result of the game until then. The episode brings numerous entertaining and funny situations as all five attempt to go through their normal Monday and not find out the winner of the game. 

I had my own small dose of this experience over rivalry weekend. While the Super Bowl is something everyone and their mother knows about, even watching your favorite team in delay without finding out the end result takes a real effort these days. 

It was quite an exciting weekend for my family in sports and social aspects. Not only was it the Ohio State-Michigan game, but ever since my brother attended vet school at Auburn University, the Auburn-Alabama rivalry has come to have meaning in our house as well. It was planned that our family "Wood Day" would take place Saturday where my siblings and family friends gather to help my parents build up their firewood supply for the winter. We knew this would interfere with both of the games we wanted to watch, but were all OK with simply recording the games and watching them that night.
 
Easier said than done.
 
It used to be common for my dad to record an Ohio State game and wait to watch it on a Sunday. It simply meant avoiding sports news on the TV that night and making sure the other football fans at church knew right away that he hadn't watched the game yet. Today, information travels so quickly and we acquire it in so many ways, it's a challenge to shut off all alleys of communication.
 
We do have the advantage of my parents living down a long gravel road in a valley so we didn't have to worry about running into someone who would spill the beans. However, we also had to avoid all social networks--no Facebook or Twitter or Google Plus--really it was safest just to avoid the Internet in general. Phones really became risky also. Not only could you not check your social apps, you had to be cautious of text messages and really just not check them. Most people were not aware we weren't watching the game, but know the Buckeye fans we are and wanted to chime in during the game. Smart phones in general were just trouble, because if you had any type of sports notifications set to your phone, there was a chance of big scores or updates popping across your screen.
 
Somehow, someway, though, we managed to disconnect ourselves from the online, connected world and stay in the dark about the outcomes of both games. However, I will say that even had we heard that Auburn took down Alabama, we might not have believed it watching the final minutes of the game when they were down seven and Alabama continued to drive the field. Talk about a crazy and fun end to any game--let alone a rivalry game where the winner is playing on their home field. And even for us, fans watching on screen, having been to games and tailgating at Auburn made it that much easier to imagine what it must have been like to be there.
 
I was extra grateful we watched our two games in delay because of the fact my six-week-old baby girl did not allow me to tune in completely to the OSU game and had me miss the Auburn game completely; yet after hearing how incredible the AU game was, I was able to watch it Sunday on the DVR. Fan of either team or not, if you enjoy football, this game was as entertaining as they come and if you have the opportunity to watch it, don't pass it up.
 
I have two favorite parts to Auburn's victory. First, the fact that the decision about whether regulation time expired when T.J. Yeldon's foot hit out of bounds made Alabama fans happy, but inevitably resulted in Auburn's victory. That one second seemed to be a major threat to the Tigers but it ended up being the greatest thing that could have happened to them. Chris Davis' 109-yard return will go down in history as possibly the greatest ending to any college football game. Seriously, if Hollywood had given us that game, no one would have believed it.
 
My second favorite part are all of the reactions--primarily to Auburn fans, obviously. One of my favorites, though was watching (listening to) the Auburn announcer commentary during the final play. The shrill, in-the-moment excitement and realization of what was happening as it unfolded is great. Announcers like to be entertaining but keep it together for the most part. In this case, the announcer cannot hold back his disbelief and excitement, repeatedly shouting, with his southern accent, "Auburn's gonna win the football game!! Auburn's gonna win the football game!" (Close second was watching the ball boy run down the field alongside (as best he could) Chris Davis, only to slip and fall when he reached the end zone.)
 
The play itself was unbelievable, but the game all around was a great one--so many missed opportunities and mistakes for both teams, and so many great plays at the same time. Chris Davis just might become Alabama's own Christian Laettner with the finish that game brought. It's a play that will be remembered by both teams forever and shown again and again.
 
Between that play (and the win it resulted in) and the Buckeye win, I can't complain much at all about the beginning of this holiday season. We're definitely off to a fantastic start in this family!

Sports Talk: The Best Damn Band... No Denying it

As a correspondent sports writer for The Casey County News, I write an weekly editorial column for the publication. Published Oct. 30, 2013. 
Thanks to social media, there are all sorts of topics, videos, events, songs and people that go "viral" and, let's be honest, 75% of it is nonsense that our lives would be just as good having never seen. (I suppose there is something to be said for "laughter is the best medicine"...)

However, there are the cases when social media's ability to send something spiraling across the interwebs for millions to see or learn about is a positive; we learn about or see things that perhaps open our world to something new.
 
While the Ohio State Buckeye football team has always been a favorite of mine and a big deal in my house, we were never able to overlook the magnificence of OSU's marching band: "The best damn band in the land," as they say. As much as my mom loves football, watching the halftime show is an equal thrill to her, especially if it happens to be the occasion where they performed their famous "Script Ohio."
 
I know a lot (most) people in this area have less than favorable feelings about the Buckeyes, but thanks to social media, more and more people--even non-sports fans, are gaining some level of respect for Ohio State, but not because of football. It's their phenomenal marching band giving them the spotlight and leaving people across the country with nothing but positive things to say.
 
Script Ohio, the band members spelling out "OHIO" in script lettering has been a long-time tradition of the school as a halftime performance, originally being performed in 1936. Other performances have been equally impressive but the past few years I have seen the Buckeye band spread across social media like wildfire due to their incredible halftime shows that especially engage and impress a younger generation. Last year a tribute to video games was the jaw-dropping performance I saw appearing on my Facebook newsfeed for a large part of football season as many couldn't help but share it, while adding the disclaimer, "I may not like their football...but this is awesome."
 
The latest hit from the best damn band in the land is a Michael Jackson tribute. Categorize marching band however you please when it comes to "sports," but watchg this performance and remind yourself that the fluid movements and moonwalking man you see on the field is being created by individuals rushing across the field in perfect step all while playing an instrument. If that doesn't take talent and endurance I'm not sure what does.
 
All you have to do is google "Ohio State Marching Band" and you'll find a plethora of incredible halftime shows--everything from Harry Potter themed to Superman.
 
While I don't expect to win anyone over to cheering scarlet and silver on game days, put aside your Ohio State hate and enjoy their band, if social media hasn't helped you do so already. How they keep coming up with new, equally impressive performances continues to astound me, but unlike Script Ohio, most of these performances are aimed to entertain one and all, not just Buckeye fans.

Sports Talk: Love the game or the come-from-behind?

As a correspondent sports writer for The Casey County News, I write an weekly editorial column for the publication. Published Oct. 9, 2013.
We know I thoroughly enjoy football, but I admit that I'm not one to glue down in front of the TV regularly to tune into games. I did it a lot more in high school if family members were tuning in or in college with groups of friends. While I LOVE football, there is no denying it can be for a long time suck.

This past Saturday night was an exception, though. I didn't plan for it to be a football night, but it turned into one. In the process I realized something about myself. I now believe that the reason I learned to love football was because of winning close, come-from-behind games. It seems they are still the ones that really get me.

I've watched some Ohio State this season and tuned into a little UK football. While I love the Cards, I haven't bothered with them (aside from the Kentucky game) simply because, well, the games aren't exciting.
 
My football love and attention developed between 2001-2003. This was a time when Casey County football was picking up wins, but oftentimes in close games. It was also during what all Buckeye fans know as "Tressel Ball." Former OSU head coach Jim Tressel, throughout his 10-year career, became known for his high-ranking teams always playing in close games. It was rare for the Bucks to run away with a game, even when polls and stats said they should. Instead, the score would stay close or OSU would even fall behind, leaving fans on edge until the end. Look at Tressel's record though and you'll know that somehow, he almost always came out on top in those games.
 
Saturday night brought for a 'first' in mine and my husband's relationship. We were tuning into the OSU/Northwestern game as well as the Notre Dame Arizona State game. (I wanted to watch Kentucky as well, as I saw their score creeping closer and closer to South Carolina.) When the Buckeyes were down 13-23 and Notre Dame was barely holding a lead, my husband said he was ready to watch something else. Yes, I am a sports fan, but typically when he is ready to stop watching ESPN, I do an internal happy dance. Not this time. For once, he was ready to stop watching sports and I wouldn't have it and took control of the remote.
 
As the Buckeyes cut down Northwestern's lead through the second half, it dawned on me, "Oh... This is why I started liking football so much...these kind of games."
I suppose the more favorable option is to have a competitive game and be winning, but I'll be honest and say, I think I realized that it is the "barely behind" scare that engages me. I suppose the fact that with Jim Tressel this still usually led to a win is what allows me to enjoy it and not absolutely hate it. If it had regularly resulted in losses it could be a different story.
 
So, as silly as Tressel Ball was and is, I may actually owe my early development and love for football to the way Jim Tressel's teams played in these games. It allows me to watch any game now, and be cheering for a losing team and truly believe there is a way they will pull it out in the end. On Saturday night I was happy to see both Notre Dame and Ohio State win. I wish Kentucky could have done the same. Their second half scoring sure was on track to do so...and as usual, I was holding out hope they'd find a way. Maybe next time.

Sports Talk: A fun hypothetical game thought

As a correspondent sports writer for The Casey County News, I write an weekly editorial column for the publication. Published Nov. 28 , 2012.

I’ve held out hope for the last week and a half that I would have reason to write this Sports Talk piece, and, as predicted, I was not let down.

Regular college football season has come to an end and only two teams have maintained a crisp, clean record: Notre Dame and Ohio State. Too bad they will never get the chance to face off.

Anyone who follows college football closely knows that Ohio State was ruled ineligible for post-season play (aka, the BCS) this year and the simplest summary of it I found comes from Allan Brulett, a Bleacher Report correspondent, who wrote:

“The NCAA banned Ohio State from poststeason play this season because five players admitted to receiving freebies and discounts in exchange for memorabilia, and it turned out the Ohio State coach knew about it.”

I understand rules and regulations. I worked three summers with the Governor’s Scholars Program where there are black and white rules and if one is broken, no level of justification, begging, or pleading changes the result. If you start to make exceptions, you are headed down a slippery slope, so I am not here to gripe about the NCAA’s enforcement of a rule.

However, I do think it is necessary to note the punishment received is up for debate. First, the punishment is coming down on a team completely remove of the violations. Second, the violations were not harmful. Just kids being COLLGE kids.

With their faces and names plastered on ESPN, Sports Illustrated, and throughout sporting goods stores, it can easily be forgotten that these guys are not yet pros. While they may have their college paid for, they aren’t exactly rolling in the big bucks and every college kid is up for making some extra cash. So they violated an NCAA rule? Punish them, but I hate that it’s being brought upon a group entirely removed from the scandal of two years ago. (And I’m 99% sure those involved hate that their actions are affecting an innocent Buckeye crew.)  

All I am saying is, it’s too bad the stellar group of athletes this year is paying the price for something they had no hand in.

Honestly, it’s too bad for every team in the Big 10 and NCAA division 1.  Ohio State would likely be a top ranked team in the BCS standings, but instead we will say they just “don’t count” and one lucky team will be spared having to face the Bucks.

I suppose, in the bigger scheme of things, being that college football does not have a playoff system in place (and won’t for another two years), and the BCS is simply a bunch of sports analyst “experts” choosing each individual BCS matchup, it takes away some of the blow. Ohio State just won’t earn a match up from by a so-called expert this year.

Reality is even if Ohio State was playing a BCS game, it wouldn’t necessarily be Notre Dame but one can’t help but wonder how a game would turn out. Their last meeting was the 2006 Fiesta Bowl where OSU took the title; however, when I asked former Casey News sports writer (and big brother, Buckeye fan), Nic Dixon, his thoughts on a hypothetical meeting, he bowed to Notre Dame’s defense, accepting that OSU’s defense would have trouble stopping the Fighting Irish. Then again, that may have been a standard prediction prior to many of Ohio’s 2012 games, but somehow they always pulled out the ‘W’. Bottom line is, we will never know.

For me, there is a bittersweet side to the fact Notre Dame and Ohio State will never play this season: I truly love both teams. (Of course, on the occasion the two do play, I’ll be sporting scarlet and silver every time.)

I’m proud and excited for both undefeated teams. I am so happy that Urban Meyer has found a way maintain the Buckeye Nation I love, no matter what stipulations the NCAA casts upon the powerhouse. No BCS playoffs? Who cares! We had a tremendous season of cheering O-H-I-O in their come-from-behind wins and can now close it out with a victory over Michigan that rounds out a loss-less season. Not too much to complain about.

Believe it or not, rooting for Notre Dame has not just come about due to my Hoosier husband. Whether it’s the Catholic thing, the incredibly beautiful campus, or the inspirational tale of Rudy, I find it impossible to dislike Notre Dame football. With their legacy of championships, it was only during my college days I began to question why “Notre Dame football” was held in such high esteem when, in fact, (cough) they weren’t all that good…

I’ve enjoyed their returned power in the past few seasons, peaking (so far) with this one. Nothing would make me happier than seeing their first national title since 1988 come with a victory over Alabama, if planets align for such a match-up in January. 

Sports Talk: The Trifecta is to Strike Again

As a correspondent sports writer for The Casey County News, I write an weekly editorial column for the publication. Published Nov. 14, 2012. 

Well, well, well, look at that wouldcha now! The trifecta states of Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana lead the pre-season basketball rankings and are expected to be dominant forces yet again this year. Last week’s debut of games finally gave us all the taste of our teams we’ve all been waiting for and, luckily, we have no reason to doubt the rankings yet.

I am happy to see Indiana atop this list not simply because my husband is a Hoosier, but because of what Indiana basketball was throughout my childhood. Unfortunately the team began to slip on the radar as I grew older and did not even make NCAA tournament appearances a couple of times in the last decade.  Then an unfortunate Kelvin Sampson era only brought a bigger negative light to what was once a revered college basketball program.

I love that despite coming in with a 6-25 season—the worst in school history--Tom Crean has managed to not only keep the favor of the school and fans, but turn around began as a depleted team when he took over in 2008. Four years later, he has a team that consists of seniors who were merely freshmen during that 6-25 season but have stuck with him and took fifth in the tournament last year and are now holding the number one pre-season ranking. Hoosier basketball is back, baby!

My Facebook feed flooded with the name “Jarrod Polson” last Friday when the junior was the clutch player in the Kentucky win over Maryland. As the number three ranked team and defending national champions, it’s nice to already see the Wildcat bench is something to be worried about as much as the big name recruits John Calipari landed the last several months.

Last year’s dominant forces (that are now gone…) were a thrill, but a team needs bench depth and Polson’s performance proved that opponents will need to worry about more than those new recruits. While bringing in the best of the best was part of the coach’s tactic for replacing what went pro, he has not neglected the skill sets that have been sporting blue and white and working under him in previous seasons. I am hopeful Calipari will bring Big Blue Nation another loveable season.

On the flip side, while I do want to see a fun, winning Wildcat season, I am equally if not more excited about the Cardinal season with their pre-season number 2 rank. Because of UK’s basketball legacy, the Cards have always been overshadowed with its fan base being centered primarily around city residents, students and alums. However, the last 10-15 years, with thanks to Rick Pitino, UofL basketball has become a presence in the national scene.

After losing to UK in the final four, Louisville did not see their roster take an exit for the big leagues, but instead saw some seniors graduate and a few players transfer out. While UK fans were quite proud of their number one and two draft picks , I know Cardinal fans are proud to support a top-ranked team made up of the standard student-athletes who are pursuing educational goals as a primary focus. I am excited for Peyton Siva’s senior season. Even if you don’t care for UofL Siva deserves your respect simply for his personal story and the type of leader he is on and off the court.

Last but not least, are them Buckeyes! Most often football is the spotlight sport for Ohio State University. (Not to mention their marching band, of course!) I am always excited to see OSU’s basketball team in the higher ranks despite the shadow cast by football—and to prove their athletics are more than a one-sport-wonder.

There is no doubt I’m sad to be without Jared Sullinger, but Aaron Craft may have been my preferred Buckeye the last two seasons anyway. With defense having always been my (self proclaimed) specialty as a basketball player, I love watching Craft put pressure on an offense. The guy has averaged over two steals a game during his college career and, to me, nothing feels better than coming out of nowhere to snipe the ball. I sure hope he doesn’t disappoint this season.

Of course, we all know, pre-season rankings mean very little except to put excitement in the hearts of fans and give more to celebrate when a lower ranked team defeats a top 20 team. It’s nice to be officially into the season, and it makes me that much more excited to see our Rebels and Lady Rebels jump into play as well in the very near future.

Mad about March!

What's making me smile during March Madness?

(1) Not one, but TWO Kentucky teams in the Final Four. Not only did the region (Kentucky, Ohio, Indian) make up seven of the 16 Sweet 16 teams, but now our state makes up half of the remaining four teams. Most know I'm not partial to UofL over UK (preposterous, I know!) but love to see both succeed. I have to say, while I know the smack talk is on the horizon as Saturday nears, I love that the last 24 hours have been filled with STATE pride from both red and blue fans. At least everyone sees eye to eye about one thing: Kentucky basketball is dominant.

(2) Despite not being repeat national champs, I'm so proud of the Bellarmine Knights for a second time in history appearance in the Division II final four! I think this BU-er said it best, even though he's on the other side of the world in Australia! It's a long post but the read is great--especially if you're any part of Knights Nation.

(3) My home town Lady Rebel basketball team overcame the odds after losing their number one player a month before tournament time, and earned the regional runner-up title. Their number one player, and only senior, was not only a standout on our team, but perhaps the region's top player. (She was named the region's player of the year despite ending her season early.) It was a little bittersweet to see the team who took the regional title make it to the final four in the state and wonder if that could have been Casey County, but the good new is, the team that earned the runner-up honors will return in full next season.

(4) And do you really expect me to forget about my Buckeyes?? I was ecstatic to see them advance past  Syracuse on Saturday and luckily, I can cheer full force for them in their next game since it won't be until the championship game that they'll face a Kentucky-based team! Then I'll be a little torn...