Why I Will Never Criticize an Ohio State Football Player or Coach
Why I Will Never Criticize an Ohio State Football Player or Coach
By: claycormany in Life in General
On October 28, my son and I had the good fortune to be in Ohio Stadium to witness one the greatest comeback victories in Ohio State football history. Trailing 28-17 at halftime and down by as many as 18 points, the Buckeyes rallied in the 4th quarter to win a thrilling 39-38 victory over Penn State. I enjoyed the game even though at times it seemed a victory was all but impossible. What I didn’t enjoy was a loudmouth OSU “fan” behind me who relentlessly criticized individual Buckeyes by name until a victory was secured. According to this “fan,” Coach Urban Meyer was an idiot, quarterback J.T. Barrett was incompetent, and OSU as a whole was a poor excuse for a football team.
I have heard such invective before and read about it in the newspaper. Three years ago, Jalen Marshall, a kick return specialist, had a rough game in which he fumbled two or three punts. A torrent of vicious criticism fell upon the young man through Twitter and other channels. One would have thought he made those fumbles on purpose. I’m not sure what motivates people to act in this manner. To be sure, it’s easy to get swept up in the excitement of a football game. More significantly, OSU football is a key part of the cultural identity of central Ohio. It’s a big part of who we are. So when the team falters, our pride is wounded and our collective self-esteem is endangered. Still, at the end of the day, it’s only a football game. It will not (or at least should not) cause anyone to lose their house, their money, their family, their health or anything else important.
I find it especially disheartening when a particular athlete is singled out for criticism, as Marshall was. I always wonder if the critic could do any better. Could he (it’s usually a guy) throw even one completion against a Division I football team? Could he catch a fast-falling punted football, kick an extra point, or stop a hard-charging tailback at the line of scrimmage? Could he take a bone-crushing tackle and bounce back to his feet? Could he develop complex plays and prepare his players to execute them successfully? For me, the answer is “no” to all those questions, and I suspect it’s the same for all or most armchair quarterbacks who demean the Buckeyes whenever their effort comes up short.
When it comes to criticizing athletes either college or pro, I follow a simple rule. I ask myself if I could do better. Except for a few aging long-distance runners, just about every athlete in every sport is immune from my criticism. I might make general statements, such as “the team missed too many opportunities,” or “these guys are shooting themselves in the foot with all their penalties.” But I’d never pick on any one person for the simple reason I couldn’t do one ounce better.
Last Saturday, the Buckeyes took a beating at the hands of an Iowa team, which had been a heavy underdog. Barrett threw four interceptions and the Buckeye defense gave up 55 points. By all accounts, Urban Meyer was totally outcoached by his Iowa counterpart, dashing OSU’s national championship hopes for 2017. I am disappointed but not crushed. I know there will be more opportunities for national championships in the future, and in any case, I couldn’t do any better myself.
Tags: Barrett, critic, football, Ohio State, Urban Meyer
I think there has been a real loss of civility in the last few decades..and I believe the relative anonymity of the social media (famous for spreading alternative facts and bullying) plays a role. I recall there were loud and profane fans back in the day when I went to live games, but I think acceptance of this is growing. How else to explain the recent assault on Rand Paul by a neighbor over disposal of trash? Are we becoming a nation of individual vigilantes?
I fear you are right, Alice. The attack on Rand Paul was troubling, but at least it didn’t result in his death. Trayvon Martin wasn’t as lucky. I dealt with the problem you’ve cited earlier. If you have time, take a look at The Decline of Civility in America, Parts I and II on 2-19-17 and 3-5-17, respectively. Thanks for your comment.
Clay, you are so right. I am annoyed & sometimes sickened by the rudeness of so called OSU fans. These people are luckier than they know to attend one of the most exciting spectacles in modern times. The training of athletes, musicians & cheerleaders to become so physically fit to compete on a national level EVERY week! The loyalty, sacrifice, & endurance to practice for hours every week while attending classes & performing both academically & athletically. While college football has changed to the pint of being a business, the players are YOUNG men; not even completely developed physically or mentally. We should be humbled & thank the coaches & the athletes for their sacrifices & their effort for our enjoyment.
Well said, Catherine. It does take courage to play college football and risk getting carted off the field with a torn ACL, a pulled hamstring, or some other painful injury. On the other hand, it takes no courage to insult a player or coach while sitting in a huge stadium where your identity is concealed by the masses of people around you.
Clay, I’ve been there! The only thing worse than sitting near an obnoxious fan in Ohio Stadium is sitting near an obnoxious fan in Ohio Stadium while wearing a Wisconsin sweatshirt.
That’s too bad, Charles. Obnoxious OSU fans may be in the minority, but they do enough damage to hurt the reputation of the school’s entire fan base. For whatever reason, most of the loudmouth fans I’ve been around at Ohio Stadium target OSU players and coaches rather than fans of the opposing team. I guess it just depends on where you sit.