I stayed in Columbus part time for five years while I worked there and had a house here. Everyone at the gym I worked out in was an avid Ohio State fan except one of my friends who wore a Michigan shirt just to be contrary. I just never cared that much about college football and enjoyed working out or shopping during an Ohio State game because everything was empty. I went to Xavier for graduate school and UC undergrad, so I slightly favor XU basketball but am OK with UC.
I've also lived in the Cleveland suburbs and Indianapolis. I prefer Cincinnati over all of them, followed by Cleveland. Columbus and Indy are just too flat and have no real personality. We've lived all over the country and the only place we liked a lot better than here is Greenville, SC. The only problem now is that Hamilton County taxes are getting ridiculous and are higher than anywhere we've lived.
Growing up a Hoosier and roundball fan, I was always rather agnostic about either program but enjoy a good rivalry so typically made it a point to watch along with some other classics like ND/USC, LSU/Bama, etc. But when I moved to Cincy, my brother and I began a 20-year tradition like no other, meeting at Sorrento's to eat Mama's meatball subs and a slice or two, drink cold beer and swap lies with Willie while watching the Big Game. Though that joint tradition died when my brother moved to Chicago, I still dropped in to see Willie, tip a cold one to the north and watch the game, but only until the fire in 2005 and, of course, Willie's passing in 2006. I'll watch at home but those memories are among my best of my brother and the very special years we shared in Cincinnati.
Born and raised in the Queen City for the first thirty five years of my life except while attending OSU. A new job forced me to load the family up in our covered wagon and head to the cow town in the middle of the state. What we discovered upon arrival is a vibrant city that surpasses its little sister to the south in so many ways. It’s a city that does everything to the max. If you pass through town today you will see construction and development that surpasses any other city in the region. It’s growth in technology and high paying jobs is quickly making it the second Silicon Valley. Google, Amazon, Facebook, and now Intel. The first thing my wife noticed is how much nicer everyone here is. I love Cincinnati. I even commute back to work there now. But the glass is half empty, one toe in the water attitude that permeates there is what separates it from Columbus. Ohio State and the resources and talent that it brings to the region is unmatched. It’s more than sports to Columbus.
This is Saturday at High Noon there will be 300,000 people on campus taking part in the greatest rivalry in sports. Maybe some of the fans or even a lot of the fans are over the top, but that’s how it is up here with everything we do. And it has paid off big time.
As far as the Reds they have made a serious of missteps over the last 12 years trying to compete. They have been well documented. I agree with the reader that until they can completely restart with a clean slate there will be no more jntrest. I’ll still watch my 100+ games a year though. Lucy hold the football for me please. Ugh.... Until the Votto, Moustakus, and to a lesser extent the Griffey money are off the books there isn’t enough to spread around for the small market team to have a successful rebuild. Here’s to something resembling relevancy in 2025
Best High School Rivalry in my day was the Princeton Moeller football game.
I think you have it wron...not exactly right about the interest in OSU around these parts. I've been hosting an OSU -TUN party every year since graduation. It is standing room only and usually spills outside if it's not raining . The only time I root for Notre Dame and it kills me to do so, is when the play the TUN. I will say that the local OSU fans are not so fanatical as elsewhere in the state. As you correctly diagnosed we have more and varied things of interest to distract us from our fanhood. Old 8-3 Earl Bruce keep his job for a long time because the TUN was usually one of the 8. You're more than welcome to stop by on Saturday but be forewarned this is a rabid Buckeye crowd.
I'd be compelled, maybe, to watch UC Basketball this season if they could just air them on regular cable TV, and not ESPN Plus for $10/month. TV private entertainment charges are eating up my allowance, and I refuse to pay.
I don’t think the Castellini’s have the necessary money to compete with the rest of baseball. I don’t know any billionaires willing to by the team and make us competitive.
I once cheated on my OSU grad dentist to get two wisdom teeth pulled by a Louisville grad oral surgeon. That OSU to OSU and UofL to UofL referral rivalry is a line no unsuspecting patient should cross. To this day, during yearly check ups, I think my dentist takes a few extra jabs at my gum line to remind me of that.
You can’t swing a string of floss in Cincinnati without hitting a dentist from one of those two schools. The rivalry appears to be cordial but I have to admit I feel a bit like Dustin Hoffman in Marathon Man. “Is it safe (to see the Louisville guy again)?”
As it pertains to the UC basketball team it feels a bit different as of late. It started with Huggins for me. His teams win or lose fought hard. Win or lose the games were always going to be a fight where the opponent felt like they were in a battle. I think it continued with Mick where at least on defense we were going to make it hard for the other team. Watching that game against NKU, (yea I know it is only one game), but that did not look like a UC team. We lost, which happens, but the Cats got beat up. They got out-hustled. That kind of a game can make it hard for someone to arrange their schedule to make sure to catch the next game. (Especially when it is played into the late night hours).
As a double Michigan grad, this Saturday's game is the biggest/best sporting event of the year. both teams being undefeated and highly ranked only makes the game better.
A couple of short, simple love songs: She's a Lady, by John Sebastian (1:45) and Every Woman by Dave Mason (1:40)
As a UC alum, I'm kinda obligated to pay attention, no matter how bad it gets. I was in the stands for Tony Yates' infamous slowdown game versus Kentucky... not much worse that that. And my dislike of OSU goes back to Woody Hayes. So I've been locked in to this for a long time. As far as the local fan base though, you will find a lot more evidence of die-hard Wildcat fans south of the river than rabid Buckeye fans north of it.
The Reds are boring on and off the field. It’s sad. I’m actually not sure that I would care if they moved. I might even continue to root for them if they did and actually tried to field a competitive team.
I’ll be watching the game and rooting for game time explosive diarrhea to lay waste to Buckeye fans everywhere.
Here in the RofC, we live in the Bermuda Triangle of obnoxious sports fans. Ohio State fans think they invented football. Kentucky BlueNecks think they invented basketball. Notre Dame fans think they started the Big Bang.
Given the choice between socializing with any of these three fan bases or getting kicked in the jollies by an angry mule, I say “Go Mule!”.
I’m in a great mood. Today’s very early Argentina/Saudi Arabia match was outstanding. SA beat the great Lionel Messi and no one on the planet predicted that.
OSU grad, so feel free to take with a grain of salt, but I'm basically the inverse of what you laid out today, Doc. Maybe the exception that proves the rule? I follow and root for the Buckeyes to the exclusion of UC. My only mild interest in Bearcat football is the fact an ex-Buckeye is now making them consistently relevant. But otherwise... meh.
Much as I enjoy the game - the traditions and intensity are unlike anything else I've witnessed in sports and it IS special whether or not the Republic chooses to indulge - I'm most excited about the chance to hang with my old college roomies Saturday afternoon. Win, lose or draw on the field, it's going to be a really good day. We share a lot beyond football, but Buckeye games were the first bond that brought us together and have been a constant for 35 years. Can't wait.
nope, don't care about osu, mostly due to their fans...cleveland has few if any competitive college sports teams, thus they cling to osu...glad to read paul's work, he's an excellent writer!
Regarding rivalries, they can be fun but sometimes the passion is ridiculous. Chkitout:
https://www.mobituaries.com/news/the-podcast/season-3/season-2/season-1/death-of-a-tree-roots-of-a-rivalry/
I stayed in Columbus part time for five years while I worked there and had a house here. Everyone at the gym I worked out in was an avid Ohio State fan except one of my friends who wore a Michigan shirt just to be contrary. I just never cared that much about college football and enjoyed working out or shopping during an Ohio State game because everything was empty. I went to Xavier for graduate school and UC undergrad, so I slightly favor XU basketball but am OK with UC.
I've also lived in the Cleveland suburbs and Indianapolis. I prefer Cincinnati over all of them, followed by Cleveland. Columbus and Indy are just too flat and have no real personality. We've lived all over the country and the only place we liked a lot better than here is Greenville, SC. The only problem now is that Hamilton County taxes are getting ridiculous and are higher than anywhere we've lived.
Sorry if this ones been brought up before but my vote for 2 minute tune goes to the King
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qtn2CrPoZys
Growing up a Hoosier and roundball fan, I was always rather agnostic about either program but enjoy a good rivalry so typically made it a point to watch along with some other classics like ND/USC, LSU/Bama, etc. But when I moved to Cincy, my brother and I began a 20-year tradition like no other, meeting at Sorrento's to eat Mama's meatball subs and a slice or two, drink cold beer and swap lies with Willie while watching the Big Game. Though that joint tradition died when my brother moved to Chicago, I still dropped in to see Willie, tip a cold one to the north and watch the game, but only until the fire in 2005 and, of course, Willie's passing in 2006. I'll watch at home but those memories are among my best of my brother and the very special years we shared in Cincinnati.
Forgot to add,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIKfN3CuFXA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=268C3N2dDYk
Born and raised in the Queen City for the first thirty five years of my life except while attending OSU. A new job forced me to load the family up in our covered wagon and head to the cow town in the middle of the state. What we discovered upon arrival is a vibrant city that surpasses its little sister to the south in so many ways. It’s a city that does everything to the max. If you pass through town today you will see construction and development that surpasses any other city in the region. It’s growth in technology and high paying jobs is quickly making it the second Silicon Valley. Google, Amazon, Facebook, and now Intel. The first thing my wife noticed is how much nicer everyone here is. I love Cincinnati. I even commute back to work there now. But the glass is half empty, one toe in the water attitude that permeates there is what separates it from Columbus. Ohio State and the resources and talent that it brings to the region is unmatched. It’s more than sports to Columbus.
This is Saturday at High Noon there will be 300,000 people on campus taking part in the greatest rivalry in sports. Maybe some of the fans or even a lot of the fans are over the top, but that’s how it is up here with everything we do. And it has paid off big time.
As far as the Reds they have made a serious of missteps over the last 12 years trying to compete. They have been well documented. I agree with the reader that until they can completely restart with a clean slate there will be no more jntrest. I’ll still watch my 100+ games a year though. Lucy hold the football for me please. Ugh.... Until the Votto, Moustakus, and to a lesser extent the Griffey money are off the books there isn’t enough to spread around for the small market team to have a successful rebuild. Here’s to something resembling relevancy in 2025
Best High School Rivalry in my day was the Princeton Moeller football game.
Doc,
I think you have it wron...not exactly right about the interest in OSU around these parts. I've been hosting an OSU -TUN party every year since graduation. It is standing room only and usually spills outside if it's not raining . The only time I root for Notre Dame and it kills me to do so, is when the play the TUN. I will say that the local OSU fans are not so fanatical as elsewhere in the state. As you correctly diagnosed we have more and varied things of interest to distract us from our fanhood. Old 8-3 Earl Bruce keep his job for a long time because the TUN was usually one of the 8. You're more than welcome to stop by on Saturday but be forewarned this is a rabid Buckeye crowd.
I'd be compelled, maybe, to watch UC Basketball this season if they could just air them on regular cable TV, and not ESPN Plus for $10/month. TV private entertainment charges are eating up my allowance, and I refuse to pay.
I don’t think the Castellini’s have the necessary money to compete with the rest of baseball. I don’t know any billionaires willing to by the team and make us competitive.
I once cheated on my OSU grad dentist to get two wisdom teeth pulled by a Louisville grad oral surgeon. That OSU to OSU and UofL to UofL referral rivalry is a line no unsuspecting patient should cross. To this day, during yearly check ups, I think my dentist takes a few extra jabs at my gum line to remind me of that.
Outstanding
You can’t swing a string of floss in Cincinnati without hitting a dentist from one of those two schools. The rivalry appears to be cordial but I have to admit I feel a bit like Dustin Hoffman in Marathon Man. “Is it safe (to see the Louisville guy again)?”
:)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzw1_2b-I7A
As it pertains to the UC basketball team it feels a bit different as of late. It started with Huggins for me. His teams win or lose fought hard. Win or lose the games were always going to be a fight where the opponent felt like they were in a battle. I think it continued with Mick where at least on defense we were going to make it hard for the other team. Watching that game against NKU, (yea I know it is only one game), but that did not look like a UC team. We lost, which happens, but the Cats got beat up. They got out-hustled. That kind of a game can make it hard for someone to arrange their schedule to make sure to catch the next game. (Especially when it is played into the late night hours).
As a double Michigan grad, this Saturday's game is the biggest/best sporting event of the year. both teams being undefeated and highly ranked only makes the game better.
2. Totally agree on Travelin' Band, a great song.
3. Go Blue!!!
A couple of short, simple love songs: She's a Lady, by John Sebastian (1:45) and Every Woman by Dave Mason (1:40)
As a UC alum, I'm kinda obligated to pay attention, no matter how bad it gets. I was in the stands for Tony Yates' infamous slowdown game versus Kentucky... not much worse that that. And my dislike of OSU goes back to Woody Hayes. So I've been locked in to this for a long time. As far as the local fan base though, you will find a lot more evidence of die-hard Wildcat fans south of the river than rabid Buckeye fans north of it.
The Reds are boring on and off the field. It’s sad. I’m actually not sure that I would care if they moved. I might even continue to root for them if they did and actually tried to field a competitive team.
Although I think they it’s BS that they aren’t able to try to compete here.
I’ll be watching the game and rooting for game time explosive diarrhea to lay waste to Buckeye fans everywhere.
Here in the RofC, we live in the Bermuda Triangle of obnoxious sports fans. Ohio State fans think they invented football. Kentucky BlueNecks think they invented basketball. Notre Dame fans think they started the Big Bang.
Given the choice between socializing with any of these three fan bases or getting kicked in the jollies by an angry mule, I say “Go Mule!”.
Dude..you seem upset from all the World Cup comments. Simmer down
I’m in a great mood. Today’s very early Argentina/Saudi Arabia match was outstanding. SA beat the great Lionel Messi and no one on the planet predicted that.
I saw that
Glad you’re enjoying it
OSU grad, so feel free to take with a grain of salt, but I'm basically the inverse of what you laid out today, Doc. Maybe the exception that proves the rule? I follow and root for the Buckeyes to the exclusion of UC. My only mild interest in Bearcat football is the fact an ex-Buckeye is now making them consistently relevant. But otherwise... meh.
Much as I enjoy the game - the traditions and intensity are unlike anything else I've witnessed in sports and it IS special whether or not the Republic chooses to indulge - I'm most excited about the chance to hang with my old college roomies Saturday afternoon. Win, lose or draw on the field, it's going to be a really good day. We share a lot beyond football, but Buckeye games were the first bond that brought us together and have been a constant for 35 years. Can't wait.
Thank YOU, Rick.
I feel like there are too many OSU grads in the Republic for my experience to be entirely unique, but always nice to hear from a felow Buckeye fan.
nope, don't care about osu, mostly due to their fans...cleveland has few if any competitive college sports teams, thus they cling to osu...glad to read paul's work, he's an excellent writer!