OOtners:

A perfect Tuesday morning to you all from Columbus!

I hope you got the beautiful picture I sent you yesterday…

Yes I know the Buzz is a day late in discussing last weekend’s college football games…oh by the way the pictures from the tailgate AND the Rose Bowl celebration…complete with Roses…that took place Saturday are now posted on the website…

Did I say Rose Bowl?

That’s right…what a day on Saturday! Yes we do nothing easy and yes I’m sure many of you have read the articles bashing Tressel by the national media…bottom line is, hey I don’t like his play calling either…BUT…and stuff this in all the Florida, USC, etc. fans hats…the Buckeyes are headed to their EIGHT BCS Bowl game in NINE YEARS!!! …oh and let’s not forget the BUCKS gained their 5^th BIG TEN TITLE IN A ROW!!!!!!!! 

I also agree at 24-10 we should have put the game away..but again it doesn’t really matter does it? We keep winning ugly and the country keeps laughing but here we are again in another major bowl and with a win this weekend we will have double digit wins again. Most schools would take that track record any day…

Some quick observations over the weekend…USC, hey I told you after the fourth game of the season USC would lose at least three times this season…but still no questioning Pette by the press…TCU is for real, however you are not playing for the National Championship Game…Even though they lost Arizona could still get to the Rose Bowl, keep an eye on them…Mi##igan, ND…come on what do you expect they suck and the Buzz loves it…

So for the first time in 13 years…you remember the dramatic Joe Germaine to David Boston touchdown pass with less than a minute to go to upset UNDEFEATED Arizona State…yes that was 13 years ago…the Buckeye’s are headed to beautiful Pasadena. Three times the Buckeye’s would have qualified for the Rose Bowl since 1997 …however all three times they moved on to play for the National Title…twice in Arizona and once in New Orleans. But all is good…if you have NOT been to the Rose Bowl…and I have had the chance to attend twice…1984 & 1997…it is a spectacle…it truly is the Grand Daddy of them all!

But let’s forget Iowa…IT IS MI##IGAN WEEK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now I know throughout the year most of you don’t have comments…or very few comments on the articles, etc. I know you are aware that hitting REPLY ALL, which is the easiest way to comment on a article etc…but you can also go to the website and just comment on this article- I will place all the comments. ALSO, come Friday…for ONE DAY only YES you can hit reply all…and we can have some fun!

Of course throughout the week…the Buzz will be sending you wonderful pointers that…shall we say Make Fun of the team up North- Laugh at them- as well as a few additional items…

So here we go…let’s just start from the beginning, the creation of Ohio…PROUD TO BE A BUCKEYE!!!!! HERE’S TO BEATING MI##IGAN FOR THE 6TH TIME IN A ROW!!!!

Go Bucks!!

Butch

The Creation of OHIO …

Once upon a time in the Kingdom of Heaven, God was missing for six days.  Eventually, Michael the archangel found him resting on the seventh day.  He inquired of God, “Where have you been?”  
God continued, pointing to different countries. “This one will be extremely hot and arid while this one will be very cold and covered in ice.”
The Archangel , while impressed by God’s work, pointed to some people standing around with their hands above their head, “What’s up with that?”

“Ah,” said God, “They are from  Ohio , the most glorious place on earth.  There are beautiful lakes, rivers, sunsets and rolling hills.  The people from Ohio are modest, intelligent and humorous.  They can be found traveling all around the world.   They are sociable, hard working and high achieving.  They will be known throughout the world as diplomats and carriers of peace and good will.”
God sighed a deep sigh of satisfaction and proudly pointed downwards through the clouds, “Michael, look what I’ve made.”

Michael looked puzzled and said, “What is it?”  “It’s a planet,” replied God, “and I’ve put LIFE on it.  I’m going to call it Earth and it’s going to be a great place of balance.”

“Balance???” inquired Michael, still confused.

God explained, pointing to different parts of earth, “For example, northern Europe will be a place of great opportunity and wealth while southern Europe is going to be poor; the Middle East will be a hot spot.  Over here I’ve placed a continent of white people and over there is a continent of black people,”

Michael gasped in wonder, but then proclaimed, “What about balance, God?  You said there would be balance ?!?!?!?”

God replied wisely, “Wait until you see the idiots I’m putting in Michigan !!!!!!!

Joy and happiness were in the air on a perfect autumn Sunday.

Amid the activity, a famous former linebacker took in everything.

Chris Spielman has come a long way since his high-school and college days, playing for the Massillon Tigers, then the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Hayrides, hay slides and pumpkin patches provided a fall distraction for the Spielmans — the type of moments that Chris Spielman has relished almost daily since Stefanie learned in 1998 that she had breast cancer.

“It’s been like that for a while because of the fragility of the situation,” Spielman said. “For 10, 11 years, it’s been like that.”

Today, the situation is more fragile.

Stefanie Spielman, his high-school sweetheart, had turned 30 when she did a self-examination of her breasts and found a lemon-sized lump.

The cancer has returned again.

Chris wouldn’t discuss the type of cancer, where it has returned or the prognosis.

It has recurred multiple times, he said.

“I’ve lost count, but this is her biggest challenge,” he said. “It’s common knowledge. People see her in a wheelchair, and they tend to figure things out.”

In 1999, the Spielmans became active fundraisers for cancer research. They have raised more than $6.5 million.

After his wife’s diagnosis, Chris put his NFL career on hold and shaved his head in support of her battle.

At halftime of the OSU-Navy game Sept. 5 at Ohio Stadium, he was honored for his recent election to the College Football Hall of Fame. The warm reception probably wasn’t entirely for him.

“In my heart of hearts, I believe the applause was more for her than for me,” Chris said. “Maybe it was for both of us; but with the situation, I think it was for her.”

Stefanie, a vibrant woman who was thought to have beaten cancer, was in a wheelchair — allowing the public to see how the cancer had returned with a vengeance.

Before starting the third quarter, Buckeye coach Jim Tressel made a point to say hello to Stefanie on the field and shake Chris’ hand.

“I wanted her to know we appreciate her,” said Tressel, who lost both parents to cancer. “Both Chris and Stefanie are of the feeling it’s been their hardship that has given them a chance to make a difference in others’ lives.

“They’re strong. It’s easy for us to say, ‘That’s how you should be.’ It’s a heck of a lot harder to be that way — and they are. They’re amazing.”

Sundays spent as a family (the children range in age from 15 to 7) aren’t taken for granted in the Spielman house.

Chris and Stefanie’s journey — from teenagers who met at a dance club to adults discussing Stefanie’s mortality — has been courageous and emotional.

At first, Chris feared being a single parent. After a conversation he and Stefanie had not long ago, though, he found peace with the notion, should it come to pass.

“She said to me, ‘You proved to me you can do it if something were to happen,’ ” said Chris, his voice lowering. “I think she was waiting for me to show her, if the time ever came, (that) I could do a good job raising our kids by myself.

“I think the fear of the unknown, of being a single parent, is something that entered into me. Once she gave me the passing grade, and I proved to myself I have the ability, I’m not angry. I’m not bitter. I have no fear.”

In the past month, Chris had a serious conversation with his two older kids: Madison, radiant like her mother, with high cheekbones, is 15; Noah, with broad shoulders like his dad’s, is 13.

“I told them there’s more challenges ahead. I said; ‘Look, there’s three things I do and three things you guys need to do throughout this time in your lives.

“  ’One, you do not crawl, walk or jog to God. You run to God for peace and strength. Point two, you have to trust your instincts. Both of you have the Holy Spirit inside your heart. He will guide you on the decisions you make. Believe and trust in that.’

“And the third thing I told them was to honor your mother in everything you do all the time.”

As a reminder, Chris wrote on a piece of paper: “All you have to do is be Madison, Stef’s daughter” and “All you have to do is be Noah, Stef’s son.” He signed it “I love you, Dad.”

“My hope is they look at those every morning before they start their day to deal with a very difficult situation,” Chris said. “I keep a sharp eye. My observation so far is they’ve handled the situation better than I could’ve ever hoped.”

Sunday church services are conducted in the family’s Upper Arlington home. Everyone gathers in the family room to play worship songs and watch Greatest Heroes and Legends of the Bible, a cartoon Bible story that Dad records on Trinity Broadcasting Network.

“That’s something special we do as a family,” Chris said.

Family time on Sundays, whether it involves a hayride or a Bible story, gives the kids perspective.

“There’s constant challenges presented before them,” Chris said. “It’s good to reiterate what we need to do as a family. We watch out for each other. If you stray or if you get down, it’s good to rally around. It’s a natural roller coaster when you experience something like this.”

Despite facing such a formidable life challenge, Chris maintains his wit and humor on the radio (he hosts a successful show on WBNS, 97.1 FM and 1460 AM) and on television (he is viewed as a top college-football analyst for ESPN).

Listeners respond with respect and admiration.

Two days after Stefanie’s appearance at the Navy game, most callers to the Fan offered support for her before posing a question.

“I pray for work to allow me a reprieve,” Chris said. “Work is where I can have fun and let my focus be diverted to talking about football or sports for two hours. And I pray for focus, so I can perform my job at a level I expect.”

The Spielmans’ outlook has been shaped by death’s shadow for more than a decade. During that time, the couple have drawn more attention to breast cancer than Chris ever did to football.

“I’m so grateful for the 25 years we’ve known each other and the 20 years we’ve been married,” he said. “I wouldn’t change a thing. The tough parts? That’s life. Life is going through good things and bad things.”

Chris views their life almost like a play called in a huddle long ago. It has involved football and fame, yes, but strength, courage and real-life perspective, too.

“I think we’ve been given certain assignments,” he said. “I like to think we’ve done the best we could (for cancer survivors) in service as opposed to shutting down.

“This is an honorable and humbling journey we’ve been on. It’s something that is way bigger than being a football guy.”

:

OOtners:

A beautiful Friday afternoon…oops I mean Friday morning to you from sunny Las Vegas.

The buzz will be brief this week, after a poor night on the tables Wednesday, last night the damn shooter kept throwing 5′s, 6′s and 8″s!!! We will be back tomorrow for the Indiana game as well as the opening night of CBJ hockey!

I’ll make it tough on myself this week and only pick difficult and tough games.

Mi##igan at Michigan State

Since his days as an OSU assistant, Mark Dantanio has had Mi##igan’s number. Take Sparty in a mild upset to hand Mi##igan it’s 1st lost….Sparty 31, Michigan 38

LSU at Georgia

LSU is the 4th ranked team in the country?….so was Mississippi. LSU should have 2 losses already. Take Georgia at home 30-20.

Oklahoma at Miami

The Buzz would like to take the Hurricanes so the Buckeyes would move up 2 spots in the polls, but Oklahoma is too tough on the road. Sooners 45 Hurricanes 28.

USC at Cal

Conventional wisdom says Cal Sucks after last week’s debacle….which they do. However as the Buzz has been saying, USC will lose a few times this year. Cal 41, USC 27

OSU at Indiana

Brandon Saine gets his first start at running back and while this is a night game in Bloomington and the Hoosiers have improved the new wrinkle offense that the Buckeyes rolled out last week is impressive. The defense continues to get better and look for them to come up big again. Buckeyes move up in the polls with an impressive 45-17 win!!

I’m off to Margaritaville and then I hope to see you on the craps tables at O’Shea’s

Proud to be a Buckeye.

Go Bucks!

Butch

OOtners:

A crisp 54 degree/sunny day in Columbus this morning- FOOTBALL weather

Still one of my all-time favorites (enjoy!)-we are FIVE days until the start of the season. Proud to be a Buckeye- 

osu-play

Go Bucks!

Butch

OOTners:

A BEAUTIFUL Tuesday afternoon to you all from sunny Columbus…after a perfect start to the day (60′s) it’s in the low 80′s now!

OKAY…YES I have been bad!! Here we are a little less than 11 days until kickoff, the Buckeyes have been practicing for two weeks, they held an open practice in the ‘Shoe last night…and the Buzz has yet to comment…My bad!, don’t hold it against me…there’ll be plenty of other occasions for you to get pissed… We (Betsy) have been very busy wrapping up the summer (I know no excuses) with the kids but now they are back at school starting today…one in high school…where does the time go!?

Let’s talk some BUCKEYE football…

Both polls are out…the Bucks come in at #6…let’s be honest right about where they should be ranked…We lost some key players, but as I have been saying I think we will actually be stronger in many positions because those players are gone. A #6 ranking- part of that is reputation for sure.  I mean who else are you going to put up there?. Look Ohio State is not going to have a rebuilding year this season, we just plug in new guys and continue on… There are still enough parts to make a run. New stars will emerge this year just like in years past. No predictions just yet from the Buzz…we will save that for next week. No comments today either about the resurgence of Notre Dame Basketball…oops I mean Football. No comments just yet about RichRod up in Ann Arbor and how good/bad they are going to be!

Offense

In a brief summary, it will revolve around Terrelle Pryor. No secret there. The rumor is the offensive line is much more aggressive, I’ll believe that when I see it. The Buzz thinks…no he knows… the receivers will be better. Tressel loves to play upperclassmen over youngsters and players like Brian Hartline, while a solid receiver, could not get separation against DB’s last year…this year’s youngsters have a lot more speed…inexperienced but fast. I may be one of only a few, but I believe that “Beanie” Wells actually stunted the creativity of our offense last year! Tress relied too much on ramming the ball… and I never said he (Tress) was an offensive guru…but too often he sat back thinking we can get that first down with two yards from Beanie when we get to 3rd down. We will be solid offensively, not spectacular.

Defense

Again our calling card for the year! D-line is going to be REALLY good..hopefully we can be MORE aggressive this year and get some pressure on the QB’s. Linebackers will be solid, I really like Rolle…speed from Florida and last year on special teams he flew around and made some plays. The secondary needs to replace one corner…that’s really it, so they should be solid. I look for our defense to be one of the tops in the country in rushing yards allowed as well as points given up.

That’s a brief over view…Head to the Woody Hayes facility for a Buckeye Boosters kickoff dinner tomorrow night. The seniors as well as Tress will talk, usually a fun evening to hear the coaches and when you walk out of there you know its time to start the football season!!!

IT’S TIME FOR A NEW SEASON!!! The Buzz is back! if you have a new email or someone you wish to have added to the list let me know…Don’t forget if you have been traveling and have any Butch & Paul’s tailgate pictures…send them to us. The website is up and running…more information throuhgout the week and next week– GAME WEEK!

Navy just 11 days away…and USC to follow

Proud To Be A Buckeye! I leave you with this Woody quote:

I love college football. I think it is most wonderful game in world and I despise to lose.”

Woody Hayes 1913 – 1987

Go Bucks!

Butch 

OOTners:

A beautiful Monday morning to you all from 72 degree and sunny Columbus! A PERFECT morning.

I hope you are all enjoying the summer…the 4th was good to you…and many parties and last minute summer getaways lie ahead before we get back to College Football.

The Buckeyes take the field in 54 days against Navy…with USC looming a week later! Let me know if any emails have been changed or there is anyone you wish to add to the list…college football will be here before we know it.

I am sending along an article from writer Bob Greene out of Chicago…Bob grew up in Columbus and just finished a book, with an excerpt I thought you might find funny. All is quiet on the Buckeye front as spring practice starts in a little over two weeks…we’ll keep you posted. Also look for some changes coming to the website as well..we’ll talk soon.

I know some of you have plans to come in for a game or two…okay lets not ALL make it the USC game! 

http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/07/12/greene.excerpt.hayes/index.html

Proud to be a Buckeye! Go Bucks! 

Butch