Joe Public
Gabibbo's Finest
To the school, it's fans, it's bettors, and everybody else on the side of the Bucks tonight, I apologize.
Because, you see, I've had a terrible bowl season. I ridiculously bad run.
And tonight, despite the advice of SportsNut, whom I respect, despite the fact that TeeDub and many others who've had a really great bowl run are on the other side, I am betting the Ohio St. Buckeyes to win this game.
No points. No questions. Just the SU ML winner of the National Championship game.
I know at this point I should buy out, but I can't. I just don't want to. I want to be right about this one.
I'm not saying I want all those other guys to be wrong, I just want to be right on one call this bowl season and I feel this team really has a good situation in front of them.
Here's why I'm not buying out of this bet.
Coaching
I think Les Miles is just about smart enough to manage--not own, but manage--a 7/11. Whereas I think Tressell is one smart f**ker. I also like Tressell in a redemption situation, not to mention the ability to make the statement of, "This is why you're glad you didn't take the Michigan job, b*tch, because this is what I'd do to you every single year."
Motivation
Obviously LSU is going to be motivated, but this team just won a big game in this same stadium one year ago. I think it's hard for them not to feel like they've got this one won before they step on the field. Meanwhile, Ohio St. has basically had their noses rubbed in s**t for 366 days or whatever it's been now since Florida spanked them back to kindergarten.
I truly think Ohio St. came into that game last year complacent, absolutely expecting to crush the Gators simply because they were The Ohio State University. I think that loss was a wakeup call for many on that team and, more importantly, that coaching staff.
Game Planning
Where I think that pays off is in the game plan. I remember Ohio State's NC game against Miami pretty well. The line was like Miami -14, but Ohio State walked in there and started man-handling Miami. I think Tressell goes back to something similar tonight.
All week this team has been seeing clips from last year's NC game, hearing the media give them zero chance, being reminded of how they were embarrassed and hearing people say it's going to happen again--because the coaching staff is making them watch it. I think this absolutely feeds into a game plan that is pretty straight forward, one that's all about effort and winning in the trenches.
Matchup
This is why I can't bet off this team. Because I think this team can and should win in the trenches. Everything I've seen says that the way you beat LSU is to line up and just run over them. That you have to be powerful up front and if you can get to that second level, you will chew up yardage and put points on the board.
Is Ohio State not built to do exactly that?
At any rate, as I said, what do I know. I just know I refuse to buy out. So, if that means Ohio St. loses by 50, I apologize. Or, even if it means they lose by 1, I apologize.
I just see them winning this game, no matter what my record for the bowls is.
Ohio St. ML - 2 units
Go Bucks.
Good luck tonight everybody.
Because, you see, I've had a terrible bowl season. I ridiculously bad run.
And tonight, despite the advice of SportsNut, whom I respect, despite the fact that TeeDub and many others who've had a really great bowl run are on the other side, I am betting the Ohio St. Buckeyes to win this game.
No points. No questions. Just the SU ML winner of the National Championship game.
I know at this point I should buy out, but I can't. I just don't want to. I want to be right about this one.
I'm not saying I want all those other guys to be wrong, I just want to be right on one call this bowl season and I feel this team really has a good situation in front of them.
Here's why I'm not buying out of this bet.
Coaching
I think Les Miles is just about smart enough to manage--not own, but manage--a 7/11. Whereas I think Tressell is one smart f**ker. I also like Tressell in a redemption situation, not to mention the ability to make the statement of, "This is why you're glad you didn't take the Michigan job, b*tch, because this is what I'd do to you every single year."
Motivation
Obviously LSU is going to be motivated, but this team just won a big game in this same stadium one year ago. I think it's hard for them not to feel like they've got this one won before they step on the field. Meanwhile, Ohio St. has basically had their noses rubbed in s**t for 366 days or whatever it's been now since Florida spanked them back to kindergarten.
I truly think Ohio St. came into that game last year complacent, absolutely expecting to crush the Gators simply because they were The Ohio State University. I think that loss was a wakeup call for many on that team and, more importantly, that coaching staff.
Game Planning
Where I think that pays off is in the game plan. I remember Ohio State's NC game against Miami pretty well. The line was like Miami -14, but Ohio State walked in there and started man-handling Miami. I think Tressell goes back to something similar tonight.
All week this team has been seeing clips from last year's NC game, hearing the media give them zero chance, being reminded of how they were embarrassed and hearing people say it's going to happen again--because the coaching staff is making them watch it. I think this absolutely feeds into a game plan that is pretty straight forward, one that's all about effort and winning in the trenches.
Matchup
This is why I can't bet off this team. Because I think this team can and should win in the trenches. Everything I've seen says that the way you beat LSU is to line up and just run over them. That you have to be powerful up front and if you can get to that second level, you will chew up yardage and put points on the board.
Is Ohio State not built to do exactly that?
At any rate, as I said, what do I know. I just know I refuse to buy out. So, if that means Ohio St. loses by 50, I apologize. Or, even if it means they lose by 1, I apologize.
I just see them winning this game, no matter what my record for the bowls is.
Ohio St. ML - 2 units
Go Bucks.
Good luck tonight everybody.
rayer When will you learn, Joe? When, oh, when...
