** OFFICIAL OHIO STATE BUCKEYES FOOTBALL THREAD

[Nati Ice]

not really

[Jason]

Just 8 hours to kickoff!

[Guest oldschooler]

[quote name='Jason' post='388473' date='Nov 18 2006, 06:33 AM']Just 8 hours to kickoff![/quote]



Under 6 hours now !


Today is Judgement Day !

God I`m so nervous I feel like I`m going to throw up... [img]http://forum.go-bengals.com/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/31.gif[/img]

[|Bengal Migration|]

[quote name='oldschooler' post='388491' date='Nov 18 2006, 02:40 PM']Under 6 hours now !
Today is Judgement Day !

God I`m so nervous I feel like I`m going to throw up... [img]http://forum.go-bengals.com/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/31.gif[/img][/quote]
I've been like this all fucking week long. My dad is staying with me, and his sis went to that school up north. He's been singing their fight song all week long just to piss me off. He's been warned that he'll be spending his last night in the UK at a hotel if he doesn't keep his mouth shut tonight....

But though I'm a nervous wreck, I am confident that we're going to win this puppy tonight. And I'm confident that I'll be drinking the entire bottle of rum in my kitchen if we don't....

[size=7][b][color="#CC0000"]O[/color]!!! [color="#999999"]H[/color]!!![/b][/size]

[Guest oldschooler]

[quote name='WhoDeyUK' post='388583' date='Nov 18 2006, 12:53 PM']I've been like this all fucking week long. My dad is staying with me, and his sis went to that school up north. He's been singing their fight song all week long just to piss me off. He's been warned that he'll be spending his last night in the UK at a hotel if he doesn't keep his mouth shut tonight....

But though I'm a nervous wreck, I am confident that we're going to win this puppy tonight. And I'm confident that I'll be drinking the entire bottle of rum in my kitchen if we don't....

[size=7][b][color="#CC0000"]O[/color]!!! [color="#999999"]H[/color]!!![/b][/size][/quote]


[size=7][b][color="#CC0000"]I[/color]!!! [color="#999999"]O[/color]!!![/b][/size]

[Guest oldschooler]

[size=7][color="#999999"]woooooooo[/color] [color="#FF0000"]ONE TO GO[/color] [color="#999999"]hoooooooooooooooo[/color] [color="#FF0000"]!!!!![/color]




[b]GO BUCKS !!!!!! [/b] [/size] [img]http://img136.imageshack.us/img136/2104/buttheadmd4.gif[/img][img]http://img136.imageshack.us/img136/3747/beavisps5.gif[/img]

[JC]

[quote name='oldschooler' post='388698' date='Nov 18 2006, 07:22 PM'][size=7][color="#999999"]woooooooo[/color] [color="#FF0000"]ONE TO GO[/color] [color="#999999"]hoooooooooooooooo[/color] [color="#FF0000"]!!!!![/color]
[b]GO BUCKS !!!!!! [/b] [/size] [img]http://img136.imageshack.us/img136/2104/buttheadmd4.gif[/img][img]http://img136.imageshack.us/img136/3747/beavisps5.gif[/img][/quote]



WERE HEADING BACK TO THE DESERT!!!!

[|Bengal Migration|]

[quote name='oldschooler' post='388698' date='Nov 19 2006, 12:22 AM'][size=7][color="#999999"]woooooooo[/color] [color="#FF0000"]ONE TO GO[/color] [color="#999999"]hoooooooooooooooo[/color] [color="#FF0000"]!!!!![/color]
[b]GO BUCKS !!!!!! [/b] [/size] [img]http://img136.imageshack.us/img136/2104/buttheadmd4.gif[/img][img]http://img136.imageshack.us/img136/3747/beavisps5.gif[/img][/quote]
I cannot even begin to explain how happy I am right now. I love OSU beating m*ch*gan. It makes my entire year (and no, I am not exaggerating)

OSU has not lost a game in a season where I have attended a game at the 'shoe with my buddy Gregg. We made our second pilgrimage to Columbus together in September. Coincidence? I think not....

I see another Fiesta Bowl victory for OSU in the immediate future.

[Nati Ice]

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOO


WE MUST IGNITE THIS COUCH!!!!

FUCK CHAD HENNE!!!

[STRAYCAT]

Wolverines




OSU!




Now Uc beat fucking Rutgers [img]http://forum.go-bengals.com/public/style_emoticons//23.gif[/img]

[Guest oldschooler]

[quote][size=5][b]Dash to the desert [/b][/size]
[size=3][b]Ohio State wins Game, lands spot in national title game[/b][/size]
Sunday, November 19, 2006
Ken Gordon
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH


What was a tunnel of pride on the way out yesterday became a tunnel of triumph on the way back.

Before their game with Michigan, Ohio State players ran through the traditional "tunnel of pride," a double line of former players who gather for the last home game of every season.

Moments after their 42-39 victory over Michigan, the Buckeyes fought their way through the frenzy of fans who swirled around the Ohio Stadium field.

As players trotted up the tunnel to the locker room, people pawed at their uniforms, held up cell phones to take pictures and screamed in joy.

Just inside the tunnel, receiver Ted Ginn Jr. did a pull-up on an overhead bar, trying to see above the crowd and find a teammate in the din.

They wanted to be together to enjoy this moment that meant so much:

It was a win over their archrivals, their fifth in six years. An outright Big Ten championship, Ohio State’s first since 1984.

A trip to the national championship game Jan. 8 in Glendale, Ariz., their second in five years.

A successful defense of their No. 1 ranking against a No. 2 team, the second time this season they did it.

The Buckeyes are 12-0 and finished 8-0 in the Big Ten. They extended their win streak to 19, longest in the country.

Quarterback Troy Smith said he was at a loss for words, but what he said next was as eloquent as anything else he has ever said.

"The feeling is unparalleled," he said, with a silly, dazed grin. "You wouldn’t be able to understand it unless you ran the gassers we ran, ran the hills we ran, pushed the sleds. When that heat and sun is beating down on your back in the summer, the commitment and the focus.

"Words can’t express what I feel right now. I’ll probably be wearing my smile for the rest of this week. I love every single one of my teammates with the deepest passion you can possibly have for another person."

It was a shocking offensive explosion, as both teams shredded heretofore vaunted defenses.

The teams combined for 81 points and 890 yards against units that came in ranked No. 1 in the nation in scoring (Ohio State at 7.8 points per game) and No. 1 against the run (Michigan at 29.9).

Ohio State racked up 503 yards, including 187 rushing.

"I never expected that to happen," Wolverines defensive end LaMarr Woodley said.

Smith likely locked up the Heisman Trophy with a 316-yard, four-touchdown performance. It was his third career 300-yard game, two of which have come against the Wolverines. He is 25-2 as a starter (15-0 at home) and broke the school record for TD passes in a season with 30.

"I would think he clinched the Heisman, I don’t think there’d be any question about that," said coach Jim Tressel, who improved to 5-1 against Michigan.

Smith’s four TDs went to four receivers. Ginn Jr. caught eight passes for 104 yards. Running backs Antonio Pittman (139 yards) and Chris "Beanie" Wells each had scoring runs of 50-plus yards.

But the Wolverines (11-1, 7-1) did not go quietly. Though the program was rocked by the death Friday of former coach Bo Schembechler, coach Lloyd Carr said he did not use that as motivation, saying it wouldn’t be fair to Schembechler.

Trailing 28-14 at halftime, though, it certainly looked as if they drew some sort of inspiration in the locker room.

Taking advantage of two of Ohio State’s uncharacteristic three turnovers, Michigan drew to 28-24 midway through the third quarter and then 35-31 early in the fourth.

Running back Mike Hart rushed for 142 yards and three TDs.

"Their defense played good, but they’re not as good as people thought," Hart said. "There’s nothing special about that defense."

The Buckeyes made plays when they had to, though. After the third turnover, a second fumbled snap between center Doug Datish and Smith, they forced a three-and-out.

Taking over on the Ohio State 17-yard line, Smith directed an 11-play, 83-yard drive that all but clinched it. The key moment came on third-and-15 from the Michigan 38, when Smith rolled right and threw incomplete but was hit helmet to helmet by linebacker Shawn Crable.

The personal foul penalty gave the Buckeyes a first down. Three plays later, Smith found Brian Robiskie from 13 yards to make it 42-31.

Michigan drove for a score and a two-point conversion with 2:16 remaining, but the ensuing onside kick landed in Ginn’s arms to seal it.

Next up is the wait to see who OSU will face as it tries for its sixth national title. But that’s then.

For now, the Buckeyes just wanted to bask in their victory in what was billed as the greatest game in the history of the teams’ rivalry.

"All you do is throw your hands up and just say ‘Thanks, God,’ as you walk off the field," Ginn said. "I’m one of the luckiest, happiest men in the world."


kgordon@dispatch.com[/quote]


[url="http://www.buckeyextra.com/?story=dispatch/2006/11/19/20061119-D1-00.html"]http://www.buckeyextra.com/?story=dispatch...1119-D1-00.html[/url]

[Guest oldschooler]

[quote][b]OHIO STATE 42 MICHIGAN 39 [/b]
[size=5][b]Still perfect [/b] [/size]
[size=3][b]Emotions high after undefeated OSU beats rival, but few reports of disturbances [/b][/size]
Sunday, November 19, 2006
Brenda Jackson
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

As the last 25 seconds ticked off the clock, the Buckeye faithful streamed down the steps of Ohio Stadium.

Fists pumping in the air, the thousands of jubilant fans swarmed the football field, reveling in a perfect regular season that culminated in a 42-39 Ohio State victory yesterday over No. 2-ranked Michigan.

"This game lived up to its billing; it was the best damn game of the year. Forget that, the century," shouted Mark Brown, 45, of the Near East Side, as he danced in a circle on the field.

The win, OSU’s fifth against the Wolverines in Jim Tressel’s six seasons as head coach, sends Ohio State to the Bowl Championship Series national title game, scheduled for Jan. 8 in Glendale, Ariz.

The opponent for the Buckeyes (12-0) will be determined over the next two weekends. Among the contenders are Southern California, Florida, Notre Dame and even Michigan. The BCS pairings will be announced on Dec. 3.

Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith collected his third win over Michigan as OSU’s starter. He completed 29 of 41 passes for 316 yards, with four touchdowns and one interception. Running back Antonio Pittman raced for a 56-yard touchdown in the third quarter and totaled 139 yards on 18 carries as OSU rolled up 503 yards against the Wolverines vaunted defense.

But victory was anything but easy for the Buckeyes.

Michigan (12-1) trailed by 14 points at halftime and by 11 points twice in the second half but continued to rally, closing to 42-39 with 2:16 remaining. But Ohio State ran out the clock to finish off one of the most tense games in the history of the series.

Afterward, relieved Buckeyes whooped, hollered and grabbed friends and loved ones to hoist them onto their shoulders. Others cried.

Unlike the game in 2002, when an undefeated Buckeye team beat Michigan, no wouldbe vandals tried to tear down the goal posts. But then, they were well-protected by lawenforcement officers, who formed a triangle around the greased-down posts and allowed fans to celebrate on the rest of the field.

University officials estimate as many as 15,000 people rushed the field. Another 40,000 to 50,000 people without tickets to get inside the stadium watched the game from the stadium parking lot on TVs in RVs and at tailgate parties. OSU officials said it was double the typical crowd for outside the stadium.

Though officers were prepared for the worst, they said most fans who rushed the field were intent on savoring the victory and capturing the moment as they snapped photos on the field.

"I was very happy about that," said Chief Deputy Steve Martin of the Franklin County sheriff’s office.

A few fans captured that memory by ripping up pieces of Ohio Stadium turf. Some flung the grass at friends. Others stuffed the soggy sod into their pockets.

"Proof I was here," said Jim Mathews, 39, of the West Side, patting his bulging pocket.

Nick Davis, an OSU sophomore, also grabbed a chunk of sod from the field, with the intention of planting it in his yard in Dover, Ohio.

"It’s got a little bit of red paint in there," he said. "I think it’s from the ‘S.’ "

"It’s like shock and awe, baby," said Todd Packer, 48, of Hilliard waving a sign that read "Another Buckeye Championship." "Let the partying begin."

Disappointed by their loss, two Wolverine fans assessed the game while lingering in the stands.

"That wasn’t No. 2 vs. No. 1," one man said. "Did you see how we played? "

"You’re right. To have a game that close, it was No. 1 vs. No. 1."

[size=3][b]Perhaps the game was destiny. Last night’s Pick 4 number in the Ohio Lottery was 4239, the exact numbers of the final score. [/b][/size] [img]http://forum.go-bengals.com/public/style_emoticons//23.gif[/img]

East of the stadium, fans near campus who weren’t in the Horseshoe for the game but watched it on television in bars and restaurants spilled onto N. High Street as the game ended.

Columbus police officers eventually formed a barricade in one lane to protect pedestrians who were dancing into the bumper-to-bumper traffic.

Some problems around High Street and Lane Avenue, including some fights between Ohio State and Michigan fans, were reported. There was a call for a medic to help a woman who was knocked down and unconscious.

But police and firefighters said most disturbances were quelled quickly.

Hundreds of partiers near the stadium stopped to admire a carved pumpkin with the faces of legendary OSU and Michigan coaches Woody Hayes and Bo Schembechler, who died Friday.

Under the faces were the carved words: "Respect the best."

In the south-campus area, minor fires and other problems were reported.

Police stopped one car fire before it began at E. 12 th Avenue and Summit Street. Firefighters were called to a few dozen small blazes in trash bins and Dumpsters.

Police also were called to Chittenden Avenue when residents threw a big-screen TV off a balcony.

But for the most part, the biggest issue in the first hours after the game was traffic control, officers said.

Marla Best wasn’t the least bit concerned as she left Eddie George’s Grille 27 with her sons, Marlon, 15, and Malon, 12, and her nephew, Aidan Hudson, 3, to walk down High.

"It was a great experience for them. They got a lot of highfives and a lot of positive attention," said Best, who drove from Cleveland to enjoy the big-game atmosphere on campus.

The trip had an impact on Malon.

"Troy Smith is going to win the Heisman," he said. "I’m going to college at Ohio State."

Rich Hollingsworth, vice president for student affairs at Ohio State, was outside the Ohio Union about 10 p.m. He was joining some OSU colleagues who planned to roam the campus-area neighborhoods on foot throughout the night.

He said he was happy with the way things were going around campus early in the evening.

"It was a great game and people had a great time, and there was a good festive mood afterward," he said.

Hollingsworth said he was optimistic that things would be OK, but also said, "The night’s still young."

As he walked around campus, N. High Street remained clogged with traffic and lines spilled outside restaurants and bars, but for the most part problems were minimal.

The police presence, however, was huge, with officers patrolling in cruisers and on horseback, foot and bike. Columbus police refused to say last night how many officers were working. When the campus erupted into riots after the Ohio State win over Michigan in 2002, at least 250 officers were called out.

Last night, officers remained on duty after 11 and most said they were planning to work until at least 4 a.m.

In 2002, many were sent home at 11 p.m., before most problems occurred.

Police last night set up giant spotlights on Chittenden, Indianola and 13 th avenues, lighting up those areas to discourage troublemakers.

Police also created a mobile command center at 11 th and Worthington avenues to process any arrests and keep an eye on the campus.

As of 12:30 a.m. today, 32 people, handcuffed with flexible plastic cuffs, had been arrested. Most were for misdemeanor charges; two were felonies.

Before the game, Franklin County deputies arrested about 50 underage drinkers along Lane Avenue, Chief Deputy Martin said.

Tow trucks also remained out early this morning to take away any cars that were parked on one of the six streets that were banned to vehicles until early this morning.

Before the game yesterday, Kevin Kerr wore his Michigan shirt proudly as he walked north through a sea of fans clad in scarlet and gray on N. High Street.

Kerr, 22, a University of Michigan senior from Ann Arbor, said he was hit with two full beers and six eggs before reaching the 17 th Avenue intersection.

"I was expecting it," Kerr said.

But he said he never really felt in danger.

"I felt like a celebrity."

Despite also being dressed in full Michigan garb, Dan Miller didn’t take as much abuse. But then again, it was hard to insult Miller; he was ringing a bell for the Salvation Army at High and Lane.

Miller said he heard some cursing and teasing, but it was minimal.

And the friendly competition brought some money for the charity: Miller agreed to sing the Ohio State fight song for anyone who would give him a $10 donation.

The win brought all kinds of business to the campus area.

The Columbus Tattoo Company, at 8 E. 13 th Ave., completed seven OSU-related tattoos in the first two hours after the game, artists Tony Rossetti and Maura Cole said.

"Most of the them were block O’s, but some people wanted something smaller, like buckeyes," Cole said.

The game appeared on seven large theater screens at the Drexel Gateway in south campus, with the two largest rooms filled with fans.

But not everyone was there for the game. In another theater at the Drexel, three people were seated for the 6:45 p.m. start of Casino Royale, and one of them, a young man wearing an OSU baseball cap over his face and a Troy Smith jersey, looked asleep. After the game, only two people were watching the latest James Bond film.

The rave reviews were reserved for the Buckeyes.

Dispatch reporters Matthew Marx, Encarnacion Pyle, Ray Stein, Robert Vitale and Jim Woods contributed to this story.


bjackson@dispatch.com[/quote]


[url="http://www.buckeyextra.com/?story=dispatch/2006/11/19/20061119-A3-00.html"]http://www.buckeyextra.com/?story=dispatch...1119-A3-00.html[/url]

[Guest oldschooler]

All kinds of good articles and stuff here... to many to post...


[url="http://www.buckeyextra.com/"]http://www.buckeyextra.com/[/url]

[Guest WhoDeyForever]

I just saw the replay on ESPN Classic and I can't get enough of it. What a magical game. Off to Glendale!

[dieselman44]

Im pretty technolgy challenged guys so is anybody knows how or where to get some good airfare tickets to glendale for the title game it would be much appreaciated

[Guest oldschooler]

I really don`t see the big deal about Tressel not voting in the coaches poll.
It was a no win situation for him...



[quote][size=5][b]Call him astute, or call him slick: Tressel correct in sidestepping vote [/b][/size]
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
ROB OLLER


Ohio’s unofficial guvna has spoken, and once again Jim Tressel comes off sounding more polished and politically savvy than most elected officials on their best days.

His decision to abstain from voting in the final USA Today coaches poll on Sunday was a shrewd move made by a man perfectly suited for the politics of poll voting. No one spins potential spider webs into cotton candy better than Tress. Show me a mess and I’ll show you a coach who wipes it clean with his words.

The Buckeyes coach cited conflict of interest and respect for Florida and Michigan as reasons why he vetoed his own vote. No doubt Tressel’s genuine integrity played a part in the decision, but only the politically naïve fail to see the masterful maneuvering of a coach who some dub "The Senator." Others, maybe even Michigan coach Lloyd Carr, might have a new name for Tress: "Slick Jimmy."

"I just didn’t think it was appropriate that Ohio State would cast a ballot one way or the other," Tressel said, making sure to spread the accountability by adding that he consulted with athletic director Gene Smith in making the decision.

The political fallout began immediately from afar and continued into yesterday. Jim Mandich, a former Michigan receiver who now does a sports talk radio show in Miami, went off on Tressel, calling him "a weasel" who "wet his pants."

"Be a man. You signed up for the job. It’s your duty and responsibility (to vote)," Mandich said.

Harsh. Among his own constituency, the OSU coach remains the people’s choice to lead the Buckeyes into the desert and out again with the national title. He may not be able to solve world hunger, but as long as he solves the Gators all will be right in the world of scarlet and gray.

Tressel is not the only coach to play politics. In the race to decide which teams receive BCS bowl bids, including which will be voted No. 2 and earn a spot in the national championship game, scoring points off the field is nearly as important as scoring them off slant routes.

Down in Florida, Gators coach Urban Meyer sparked another campaign controversy involving a hanging Chad. This time, Meyer hung Michigan quarterback Chad Henne and the rest of the Wolverines out to dry a few weeks ago by declaring that "Michigan had its chance" against Ohio State and that "if there’s a (Ohio State-Michigan) rematch, the system needs to be blown up."

Kaboom. Talk about attack ads. At least that’s how Carr saw it. The Wolverines coach turned around and ripped Meyer for the "inappropriate" comments and called his politicking wrong.

Carr, who is iron skillet to Tressel’s Teflon, claimed that he didn’t care who the voters picked as No. 2. That’s funny, because he later appeared on ESPN to say he sure hoped that voters wouldn’t punish Michigan for having not played since the loss to Ohio State.

See, even grumps know how to play the government game.

Whether Tressel’s decision comes back to bite him and the Buckeyes remains to be seen. In the short term, The Vest avoided two missteps at once. If he had voted for Florida, the Wolverines would have remembered the slam into the next century. The Big Ten likely would have frowned upon it, too.

A vote for Michigan, meanwhile, would have given Florida instant bulletin board material. In the long run, it’s possible that USA Today could pull Tressel’s vote, which could cost the Buckeyes down the road. But the future matters little when an election, er, national championship is on the line today.

For what it’s worth, Meyer sympathized with Tressel’s dilemma.

"I can understand why Jim decided not to vote," he said. "I made a decision a year ago, when asked to (become a voter), not to vote, because of this reason."

Carr went the other way, replying "no" when asked if he would have abstained under similar circumstances. He then called Tressel’s handling of the situation "real slick."

It wasn’t meant as a compliment.

Seldom is in politics.


Rob Oller is a sports reporter for The Dispatch .



roller@dispatch.com[/quote]



[url="http://www.buckeyextra.com/?story=dispatch/2006/12/05/20061205-E1-03.html"]http://www.buckeyextra.com/?story=dispatch...1205-E1-03.html[/url]

[Guest oldschooler]

[quote][size=5][b]Laurinaitis named top defender in college [/b][/size]
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
Tim May
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH


James Laurinaitis found himself in somewhat of a bind at lunch yesterday, hours before the Bronko Nagurski Award ceremony in Charlotte, N.C.

As the Ohio State sophomore linebacker took his assigned seat, he found Florida safety Reggie Nelson on one side of him and Michigan cornerback Leon Hall on the other.

In front of him were inquiring minds.

"Somebody asked me who I would rather play in the national championship game," Laurinaitis said by telephone before the award was announced. "I just told them they were both great programs and it would be an honor to play either of them."

Laurinaitis’ diplomacy proved he’s getting the hang of the big stage. Besides, he turned out to be the star of the show, even in absentia.

Laurinaitis left early to catch a flight back to Columbus — he has a couple of exams today before he heads to his next awards ceremony — before the Charlotte Touchdown Club named him the nation’s best defensive player.

His credentials, which include leading the Buckeyes in tackles (100) and interceptions (five), match up well with his competition, but Laurinaitis said Ohio State’s success, in particular the rise of the defense, put him in the spotlight.

"I look at this as a direct compliment to our great defensive line and the rest of the guys on our defense," he said. "We played well together as the season went along, and that line especially allowed a lot of us other guys to make plays. I feel very fortunate in that respect."

With that said, former Ohio State linebacker Bobby Carpenter predicted good things for Laurinaitis months ago. In the spring, when Carpenter was asked about the prospects for a Buckeyes defense that lost nine starters, he told everyone to keep an eye on Laurinaitis.

"I just remembered watching his freshman season last year, and the way he worked, the way he picked up things," Carpenter said by phone yesterday. "It takes a little time to adjust to the physical nature of college football, but you could tell he was going to be a good one."

By the end of the week, Laurinaitis could be one of the more decorated sophomore linebackers in history. He also is up for the Butkus Award, with the winner to be announced Thursday night.

Andy Katzenmoyer, the only OSU player to win the award as the nation’s top linebacker, also did it as a sophomore, in 1997.

Laurinaitis belongs among the candidates, said Carpenter, who is now with the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys and has kept tabs on the player who replaced him one play into last year’s Michigan game after a broken ankle ended Carpenter’s season.

"His stats really speak for themselves," Carpenter said. "He was on a great defense, and he was a focal point of that defense. And his big plays, most of them came at crucial times that really turned the tide.

"He’s very deserving. Plus, I am rooting for him 100 percent to win that Butkus. A.J. (Hawk) kind of got messed over when he didn’t get that award last year."

Penn State’s Paul Posluszny won the Butkus last year and is a finalist again, along with Laurinaitis and Patrick Willis of Mississippi.

"I would like to make amends for A.J., but I have to tell you, Paul is a great person and a great player — it’s too bad they couldn’t have given two of those last year," Laurinaitis said. "Just to be associated with all of these great players is an honor in itself."


tmay@dispatch.com[/quote]



[url="http://www.buckeyextra.com/?story=dispatch/2006/12/05/20061205-E1-01.html"]http://www.buckeyextra.com/?story=dispatch...1205-E1-01.html[/url]

[|Bengal Migration|]

It's official. The Heisman belongs to Troy Smith!!!





(I'm kinda glad OSU hasn't had anyone in the running for this thing in a while... that award show was an hour of my life I will never get back...)

[Guest oldschooler]

[img]http://img91.imageshack.us/img91/4397/t1troyheismanyf5.jpg[/img]

[img]http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/9066/ncfwsmithheisman412hk1.jpg[/img]


[quote][size=5][b]Rise of Troy: Buckeyes QB wins Heisman Trophy[/b][/size]
Associated Press


NEW YORK -- Winning the Heisman Trophy was easy. The hard part for Troy Smith was staying composed.

To the surprise of no one, the Ohio State quarterback was a runaway winner Saturday night of the award that honors college football's best player.

Seconds after his name was called, he hugged everyone important in his life -- coaches and family -- let out a deep, deep sigh and headed for the podium.

"Normally, I'm pretty cool in pressure situations, but my heart is pounding so fast now," he said.

"I'm at a loss for words. I just can't believe this is happening. ... It means everything. Just to be here in this situation. I love everybody back home in Columbus."

Just two years after nearly derailing his career by taking money from a booster, Smith received 801 first-place votes and won the Heisman by 1,662 points -- both the second-best marks in the 71-year history of the award.

The senior moved to the front of the Heisman race in September with a flawless performance against Texas and finished off a perfect regular season by throwing four touchdown passes against Michigan.

Now, there's only one thing left for Smith to do: Beat Florida for the national championship on Jan. 8.

Like so many of the victories Smith has led the Buckeyes to this season, the Heisman win was a rout.

Arkansas running back Darren McFadden finished second, Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn was third and West Virginia running back Steve Slaton was fourth.

Only O.J. Simpson's 1,750-point victory in 1968 was more onesided than Smith's.

A huge smile lit up Smith's face when the winner was announced. After getting a hug and handshake from Quinn, Smith headed to the row of chairs directly behind him, where his mother, Tracy, and sister, Brittany, were sitting.

They each took turns giving Smith a big squeeze. But Smith wasn't done with the hugs -- one for Ohio State coach Jim Tressel and another for his high school coach, Ted Ginn Sr.

Mom wiped away a tear and his sister shouted "Yeah, Troy!" as Smith ascended the stairs to give his speech and collect his big bronze statue.

Smith also received 86.7 percent of the first-place votes, a record, and his point total of 2,540 places third in Heisman history behind Simpson (2,853) and fellow Southern California tailback Reggie Bush, who had 2,541 last season

The 22-year-old Smith is the sixth player from Ohio State to win the Heisman and first since tailback Eddie George in 1995. And it's the school's seventh Heisman -- Archie Griffin won two in 1974-75 -- tying Notre Dame and Southern California for the most.

USC had been on a Heisman run, winning two straight and three of the last four, before Smith stepped in. Just like USC's Bush and Matt Leinart, and Oklahoma's Jason White in '03, Smith will play for the national title as a Heisman winner.

It's been quite a journey.

Smith came to Ohio State as part of a heralded recruiting class in 2002, but his signing was little more than a footnote. His claim to fame was being Ted Ginn Jr.'s quarterback at Glenville High School.

Smith was labeled an "athlete" coming out of high school, the type of player who might ultimately find a home at wide receiver or defensive back.

Even Tressel wasn't sure he'd play quarterback, but he saw potential.

But Smith, a foster child as a teen with a quick temper, also had a penchant for finding trouble. After getting kicked off the basketball team at a private high school for elbowing an opponent, he transferred out of the suburbs of Cleveland to inner-city Glenville High. Smith, who is black, said the white opposing player used a racial slur against him.

At Ohio State, Smith was involved in a fight outside a dorm in the fall of 2003 and found guilty of disorderly conduct.

On the field, Smith couldn't beat out Justin Zwick, the highly touted blue-chipper from the '02 class, at the start of the 2004 season. But when the Buckeyes lost three straight and Zwick got hurt, Smith got his chance and righted the Buckeyes with his running and passing.

Then he tripped himself up again.

An NCAA investigation determined he took $500 from an Ohio State booster in the spring of 2004. He could have been gone from the Buckeyes for good. Ultimately, he had to repay the money and sit out a bowl game and the first game of 2005.

Back from suspension, he finally became a star.

Smith finished the '05 season with consecutive 300-yard passing games in victories over Michigan and Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl, essentially kicking off his '06 Heisman campaign.

Once known more his speed and elusiveness, Smith's become the consummate pocket-passer. Accurate and poised, he's fourth in the nation in passer rating (167.9) with 2,507 yards passing and 30 TD passes.

He heads into the BCS championship game 25-2 as a starter, and -- Gators beware -- Smith has been at his best when the Buckeyes have needed him most.

The first Ohio State quarterback in 70 years to lead the Buckeyes to three straight victories over Michigan, Smith had 1,051 total yards with three touchdown passes and another TD run against the Wolverines.

He's 11-1 as a starter against ranked opponents, with a chance to improve on that mark in the biggest game of his career in Arizona against Florida.[/quote]



[url="http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=2692486"]http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=2692486[/url]

[Jason]

Video of Every Troy Smith TD during the 2006 season, in case you missed any.

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Udne9JTds5A"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Udne9JTds5A[/url]

[DaltonGreen]

cant wait for the big game

[|Bengal Migration|]

I'm looking forward to the chance to be happy about a football game again, which hasn't happened in a while... But I don't think I can bring myself to wear my OSU jersey during the game, as I usually would....


... it's a #4.

[Jason]

[quote name='WhoDeyUK' post='421512' date='Jan 3 2007, 10:42 AM']I'm looking forward to the chance to be happy about a football game again, which hasn't happened in a while... But I don't think I can bring myself to wear my OSU jersey during the game, as I usually would....
... it's a #4.[/quote]

I know how you feel. I have a 13, and the only reason I wear it is it was personalized to have my last name on it. If nothing else, think of it as a Ray Small jersey. I just ordered a white #10 jersey on Monday.

[|Bengal Migration|]

[quote name='Jason' post='421526' date='Jan 3 2007, 04:00 PM']I know how you feel. I have a 13, and the only reason I wear it is it was personalized to have my last name on it. If nothing else, think of it as a Ray Small jersey. I just ordered a white #10 jersey on Monday.[/quote]
call me an idiot, but i still have love for #13. yes, he is a moron, but he is our moron, without whom i would still be waiting for the day OSU would win a title. i wish to hell he was as good off the field as he was on it...

but that other guy... fuck. fuck. fuck. i can tell myself it's a herbstreit jersey throwback, or will allen for that matter (that timely KKesque int in the endzone vs. um during the title run (wearing 26 then though i think...blah blah)), but i know the truth. just seeing that jersey hanging next to my carson jersey is enough to make my stomach turn.

now it's a reminder of my last memory of bengal football for the next 7 months. fuck. fuck. fuck.

[VonBlade]

[quote name='WhoDeyUK' post='421543' date='Jan 3 2007, 04:26 PM']now it's a reminder of my last memory of bengal football for the next 7 months. fuck. fuck. fuck.[/quote]

Now this is the fire the players seem to miss.

Gonna be a great off-season after the BCS game. Help wash that nasty taste away.