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Big Ten Bloggers Roundtable: Rivalries

by KVB @ 2008-08-11 2 Comments Email Post

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Big Ten Bloggers

by KVB

Often I read my college friend’s Off The Tracks Purdue blog and he has gotten the attention of the Big Ten Bloggers Roundtable for his site on the Boilermakers. If I’m not mistaken he got slammed last year by readers for crossing the line in a rant about Notre Dame Football, but otherwise he’s a great writer and Notre Dame still sucks.Charlie Grimace

Soon maybe Midwest Sports Fans could have some writers in the Big Ten Bloggers Roundtable (even though I got rejected by the MAC Conference Bloggers) but until then below I answered their preseason questions. Keep in mind I’m wearing a sweatervest with no pants right now….

1. ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg recently ranked the top 5 rivalries in the Big Ten and there were some controversial results (Illinois v Ohio State as #3?). Clearly Ohio State vs. Michigan is the #1 rivalry in the Big Ten, but give me your next three. It is obvious the Illinois upset over the undefeated Buckeyes last year made that a sexy pick at #3; as well as the game being in Illinois this year and probably on ESPN/ABC. But the ugly wooden “Illibuck” turtle trophy and Ohio State’s 60-30-4 all-time advantage make this not so sweet. The Wisconsin-Minnesota Paul Bunyan Axe gets the award for best trophy. Also, if you are a Big Ten fan you love every stadium in conference except the house that Kent Hrbek built, so be glad for the new outdoor Gopher football church set to be used on Saturday’s in 2009. Anyway…

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Michigan-Michigan State – Some players say these inter-state rivals mean a lot more to them than any others (i.e. Florida-Florida State, Alabama-Auburn, Texas-Texas A&M, USC-UCLA). This is definitely attributed to those same in-state players feeling they got shafted in the recruiting process by “the bigger school” or players at said bigger school feeling embarrassed if they lose to the “weaker program.” Especially at the states big on high school football like Texas, Florida, and California.

FlashSportsTonight.comPenn State-Ohio State – The Buckeyes took the all-time advantage (12-11) in this one after last year’s beat down in Crappy Valley, 37-17. Before joining the Big Ten, Penn State beat Earle Bruce’s squad 31-19, in the 1980 Fiesta Bowl. Compared to Joe Pa’s 7-12 career record, The Nittney Lions got 4 wins against Ohio State before Joe was the man, obviously pre-leather helmets era. I myself have a “Michigan Sucks, Penn State Swallows” t-shirt. Going through my head: I hope I don’t get reamed by the editor for mentioning a state outside of the cornfields.

Michigan-Wisconsin – The best rivalries cultivate themselves through big games and great squads on both sides of the ball. Conference titles are won and loss in this game. The trophy and the history may not be here, considering Barry Alvarez is the first person to field a championship team in Madison, but this is now and for the future a great rivalry.
2. Assume every team is .500 this year and the outcome of your next two games means nothing outside of pride and a year’s worth of bragging rights. Give me the two schools you would want to beat (in order) and why. What makes beating School’s A and B significant?
Obviously this question is not for an Ohio State writer or you haven’t heard anyone say, “As long as we beat Michigan.” Note: As a legit tOSU fan I can only use the M-word 2 more times and it will be replaced by “That team up north,” which is only because Woody Hayes doesn’t read blogs. A must see film: “The Rivalry” by HBO Documentary Films. If you haven’t then you should or you’re just not from Ohio or Michigan, which is okay.
3. Take the two teams from above that you claim are your biggest rivals and give me a new mascot for them.
I didn’t mention Purdue above, but after going there and living in West Lafayette I would change their mascot to “Boilermaker Bob” the plaid wearing frat boy engineer with a vagina. A fake blond chick with a dick would work as well. Really though lets change it a polluted brown river named Wabash.
4. My favorite is the Big Ten experimental rule which states that after every win this year you get to pluck one player off their roster and bring them back to your campus. Looking at your schedule give me two players you would pluck (assuming a win), why you would take them and what would you do with them?
Justin Boren, Zach Boren, and Terrelle Pryor…wait we already stole them from that school up north.
James P. Tressel, three. Bitch Rodriguez, zero.


5. Brian at MGO was kind enough to post a diary entry which gives us and new coach Rich Rodriguez a list of Michigan traditions that maybe we were not all aware of. This has inspired two final questions…

5A – are there any Michigan traditions that he missed?

Buckeye CandySimilar to the succulent Buckeye candies (a peanut butter ball dipped in hot fudge to look like the buckeye tree nut); there is the lesser known, Michigan Cookies! Easy to make too! Put them in a big Bowl and beat them for three hours. Note: Despite the first game on January 1st, the Outback Bowl in not a big bowl.

As if you care, but my favorite Ohio State tradition is either the golden pants players get for beating Michigan or the marching band’s skull session pep rally before every game including the entrance onto the field for script Ohio.

5B – Are there any traditions of your school’s rival that we should all be aware of?
Growing up in Columbus and having a fanatic for a dad, I know every Ohio State tradition. But I didn’t know a single team up north tradition until I read Brian at MGO’s stupid open letter on traditions for Rich Rodriguez to read. The Wolverine’s #1 jersey number thing isn’t as stupid as unretiring Archie’s number 45 for Andy Katzenmoyer BUT Brian’s list included things that aren’t even traditions. Sorry but “Winning The Rose Bowl” with “Unpredictable Playcalling” is not a tradition.

KVB

Tags: Big Ten football, Jim Tressel, Joe Paterno, Joe Tiller, Michigan Wolverines, Ohio State Football, Penn State, Purdue, Rich Rodriguez, Wisconsin Badgers

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Currently there are "2 comments" on this Article:

  1. Jerod Morris says:
    August 11, 2008 at 9:05 pm

    The Charlie Grimace picture is the funniest picture in the history of the world.

    How come no mention of Indiana in a Big Ten college football post? What about the Indiana-Northwestern rivalry? I’m offended…

    Reply

    Reply
  2. Nicholas Gerlach says:
    August 12, 2008 at 1:23 pm

    Another huge devoping rivalry:
    Iowa players vs. sexual assault charges

    Reply

    Reply

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